this is bbc news. we'll have the headlines and all the main news stories for you at the top of the hour, straight after this programme. welcome to hardtalk, today, i'm in wilts southern england, farming country with the serene rural views belie deepening economic anxiety. because right now agriculture is under enormous pressure. spiralling

costs, shortages of labour, and a demand that farmers produce more at less cost to the environment. my guest today as minette batters, she farmers right here she is also president of the national farmers�* union of england and wales. as a society are we asking ourfarmers for the impossible? minette batters, welcome to hardtalk.- impossible? minette batters, welcome to hardtalk. thank you for havin: welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's a _ welcome to hardtalk. thank you for having me. it's a great - for having me. it's a great pleasure _ for having me. it's a great pleasure to _ for having me. it's a great pleasure to be _ for having me. it's a great pleasure to be on - for having me. it's a great pleasure to be on your. for having me. it's a great i pleasure to be on your farm for having me. it's a great - pleasure to be on your farm and the sun is shining, in some ways you think the sun would be signing —— shining on farmers. food prices are spiralling higher, with it would be good

news forfarmers, is it? it�*s news for farmers, is it? it's uuite news for farmers, is it? it�*s quite extraordinary i don't quite extraordinary i don�*t think in my lifetime i have ever faced think in my lifetime i have everfaced into think in my lifetime i have ever faced into anything think in my lifetime i have everfaced into anything like the cost inflation we are facing with our inputs now, we are seeing triple digit inflation on fertiliser, we have seen diesel cost up by 57%, the cost up by 60%, these are huge price pressures. you have chosen _ are huge price pressures. you have chosen to _ are huge price pressures. you have chosen to align - are huge price pressures. you have chosen to align it to the price pressures i chose to start about talking about the prices you are receiving because we know consumers are struggling to meet the prices of the basic food stuffs that they buy the supermarket which makes me think surely the farmers, at least, getting the bonus greater income? that isn't how— bonus greater income? that isn't how it _ bonus greater income? that isn't how it works _ bonus greater income? that isn't how it works i'm - bonus greater income? “fiat isn't how it works i'm trying isn�*t how it works i�*m trying to just describe the huge inflation we are feeling. then you have to pass that on, so if your costs are up, massively, on where they were in 2019, the

price of gas in the normal time effectively 50p a firm, now we are seeing the price of gas having come down we are still seeing it over 100% higher, so all of these costs with production whether that be feed cost, energy cost, fuel cost, someone has to pay for that. there is a limit to what consumers can afford to pay then you have the whole supply chain, the retailer, the packets but —— about getting a fair return for farmers and growers to keep in producing the food they want. the economist _ the food they want. the economist look - the food they want. the economist look to - the food they want. the economist look to the i the food they want. the economist look to the income of serial farmers across the country and they reckoned income had risen more than 68% income had risen more than 68% in the last year. we sometimes get a little cynical about farmers, they plead poverty and yet you dig away at their actual accounts and they are doing rather well. isn�*t that the case for at least some farmers even now.- the case for at least some farmers even now. you have got a story of _ farmers even now. you have got a story of two —

farmers even now. you have got a story of two halves. _ farmers even now. you have got a story of two halves. for- a story of two halves. for arable farmers yes they probably had a once in 30 year harvest, don�*t get the cost of inputs, fertiliser they would have the previous year been paying £200 a pun in paying thousand pounds per ton for nitrogen fertiliser. then you have your poultry farmers, livestock and dairy farmers who have to pay a much higher price for that feed because the global commodity prices has skyrocketed all driven by russia invading ukraine. when it comes to _ russia invading ukraine. when it comes to the _ russia invading ukraine. when it comes to the biggest - it comes to the biggest obstacles, to farmers today, have talked about the shocks of covid—19, the ukraine war, the various different disruptions and supply chain problems. isn�*t the truth, that the biggest problem of all the vote to leave the european union, and we reckon that roughly half of farmers actually did vote for brexit, so in a sense,

farmers looking at their problems today, many of them only have themselves to blame? brexit, i don�*t think farmers were any different to anybody else, families across the country were divided, farmers were divided. i actually felt were divided. i actually felt we should remain and i took a public position on. many didn�*t so they were divided on whether they wanted to remain in the eu or leave. ultimately we chose to leave and i personally am enormously grateful we are in a democratic society, and we voted to leave and we have left. , ., ., left. did the government lie to farmers about _ left. did the government lie to farmers about what _ left. did the government lie to farmers about what the - left. did the government lie to j farmers about what the impact of brexit would be?— of brexit would be? there was one sheet _ of brexit would be? there was one sheet -- _ of brexit would be? there was one sheet -- sheet _ of brexit would be? there was one sheet -- sheet of- of brexit would be? there was one sheet -- sheet of a4 - of brexit would be? there was one sheet -- sheet of a4 and | one sheet —— sheet of a4 and three straight lines on that sheet of all, the easiest trade deal in history, more money because we won�*t be investing it and your and bonfire regulation, none of that come true. ~ _, , regulation, none of that come true. ~ , ., true. when it comes to the practical — true. when it comes to the practical impact _ true. when it comes to the practical impact of - true. when it comes to the practical impact of brexit i true. when it comes to the | practical impact of brexit on

farms like yours, labour is a huge need for agricultural producers. can your members the farmers across the united kingdom, can they get the seasonal workers they need that they used to get very easily from the eu?— they used to get very easily from the eu? ~ from the eu? when we were in euro -e from the eu? when we were in europe we _ from the eu? when we were in europe we were _ from the eu? when we were in europe we were the _ from the eu? when we were in europe we were the preferred l europe we were the preferred country for seasonal workers to come to, we were ahead of germany and everybody else, people wanted to come here. that�*s all gone now, we are bringing people in from very, very challenging parts of the world, there is a lot of cost attached to coming here and it is very, very different landscape growers now with seasonal workers. we have had to battle really hard with the home office. we started with a figure last —— five years ago of 10,000 it is now 115,000 it has to be agreed annually, we need a five year rolling programme. dexterity of the human hand is absolutely essential we don�*t have a robot

that can pick anywhere near the pace of a human hand or cut or do anything else.— do anything else. last year it was claimed _ do anything else. last year it was claimed by _ do anything else. last year it was claimed by the _ do anything else. last year it was claimed by the nfu - do anything else. last year it was claimed by the nfu tensj do anything else. last year it i was claimed by the nfu tens of thousands of pounds of crops were left on the ground and wasted because there was not the workforce to harvest them. you presumably tell government ministers that, and have they responded? i ministers that, and have they responded?— responded? i tell them that regularly- — responded? i tell them that regularly. look _ responded? i tell them that regularly. look we - responded? i tell them that regularly. look we have - responded? i tell them that l regularly. look we have gone from 10,000 to 45,000 regularly. look we have gone from 10,000 to 115,000 with a potential uplift. the from 10,000 to 45,000 with a potential uplift.— potential uplift. the visas offered to _ potential uplift. the visas offered to seasonal - potential uplift. the visas i offered to seasonal workers coming specifically to do farm work. ~ ., �* ., ., work. we don't have enough --eole work. we don't have enough people who _ work. we don't have enough people who are _ work. we don't have enough people who are unemployed| work. we don't have enough - people who are unemployed here to do the jobs, this people who are unemployed here to do thejobs, this is holding our whole economy back, it�*s huge for agriculture but for the whole supply chain as well. when you hear as i hear of farmworkers from countries like the philippines, whole bunch of other countries who have come here and are held in a sort of debt bondage because those who

bring them here, demand they paid for the visas, transportation and given the sums they are earning on the farms, they remain in debt for month if not years. what responsibility do you and your members take for these people who come here and live in such debt? ., , ., ., ~ , debt? for the seasonal workers scheme, debt? for the seasonal workers scheme. they. _ debt? for the seasonal workers scheme, they, last _ debt? for the seasonal workers scheme, they, last year - debt? for the seasonal workers scheme, they, last year in - debt? for the seasonal workers scheme, they, last year in the l scheme, they, last year in the previous year, the payment rate was set above our own national urban wage, to have people coming here that were being paid more than the top of our national living wage, this year it is an equilibrium across both. it is really important, we are a highly regulated sector, it�*s important people are well paid, their living and accommodation is on—site, it�*s absolutely vital that is first—class everybody is well looked after. as i say we didn�*t get the badge and the eu are being the most preferred country for no reason at all. people wanted to come here. in

people wanted to come here. in terms of another eu issue and thatis terms of another eu issue and that is trade deals, which the british government insisted would offer, brexit would offer amazing opportunities to sign new, bettertrade amazing opportunities to sign new, better trade deals with countries around the world, they alighted upon australia, new zealand as early examples. you have exampled the deals actually done represent frankly actually done represent frankly a betrayal of petition farmers? i have worked with three different prime ministers in the last 12 months and they have all had very different priorities. ifeel it have all had very different priorities. i feel it was an absolute catastrophe if i�*m honest, to give australia and new zealand total liberalised deals in 15 years there will be no checks and balances, if anything goes wrong there will be nothing we can do. michael gove, george and many others had maintained the sensitive sectors and it was decided by

liz truss at the time we would fully liberalised, australia was liberalised and we would do to. there will be nothing we can do if things go wrong here. what a negative view of what mark spencer the farming minister described as a massive opportunity for farmers to enjoy a new dawn allowing them to break into markets in asia. he said, with inbuilt safeguards to make sure farmers are still protected. wozzie simply not telling the truth? if he is talking recently is talking about the transpacific deal, this is what i mean about different prime minister. you had borisjohnson, liz trust, the deal, liz truss wanted to start negotiations at 100 thousand tons of beef. what they have done with the transpacific deal is negotiate a deal of 13,000 tons of beep, you can see that as a very

different approach, i�*m pleased the prime minister has listened, you have a different approach to trade but don�*t forget the damage done previously and to have the most formidable countries as far as agriculture goes, are australia and new zealand. what has happened is, those countries want access to our market for agricultural goods, we want access on services, so we ended up access on services, so we ended up sacrificing agriculture for services. there is a different approach now, different midnight, i think kemi badenoch and rishi sunak get it but a lot of damage has been done. you have had five years in this job, the first woman president of the nationalfarmers union, you have a powerful voice but i wonder what you have achieved. if one looks at the way agriculture and farming issues have an extraordinarily prominent position in countries not farfrom here prominent position in countries not far from here like france, the netherlands, where a farmers movement political

party has scored an outstanding rectory and local elections. farming and farmers in this country simply don�*t carry that kind of clout. you are the union boss, where are you going wrong? t union boss, where are you going wron: ? ~ union boss, where are you going wronu? ~' , ., union boss, where are you going wron: ? ~ i. ., union boss, where are you going wron: ? ~' ,, ., ., wrong? i think you are wrong. we led a _ wrong? i think you are wrong. we led a campaign _ wrong? i think you are wrong. we led a campaign that - wrong? i think you are wrong. we led a campaign that all. we led a campaign that all chefs and farming organisations and environmental ngos and we got a million people in under a month signing a petition saying ourfood month signing a petition saying our food standard cemented month signing a petition saying ourfood standard cemented on animal welfare and environmental protection and they didn�*t want to see them sacrificed in trade deals. so people in this country do care politically they tend to think farming doesn�*t matter it�*s a backwater. farming doesn't matter it's a backwater-— farming doesn't matter it's a backwater.- a - farming doesn't matter it's a backwater.- a long - farming doesn't matter it's a | backwater.- a long time farming doesn�*t matter it�*s a backwater. why? a long time in the eu, backwater. why? a long time in the eu. we _ backwater. why? a long time in the eu, we took— backwater. why? a long time in the eu, we took food _ backwater. why? a long time in the eu, we took food for- the eu, we took food for granted, we had trade flows that went backwards and forward, you could buy food whatever you wanted whenever you want 24/7, i think we have taken our food for granted. is

taken our food for granted. is that partly because you have ceded so much power in terms of the food supply chain to the retailers and the processes. if you look at the price of a loaf of bread, less than 1% of the value of that bread actually goes to the farmer who grows the wheat. that is not true in some other countries, and farmers in a sense have allowed that to happen? you farmers in a sense have allowed that to happen?— that to happen? you are right, whether it _ that to happen? you are right, whether it is _ that to happen? you are right, whether it is something - that to happen? you are right, whether it is something to - that to happen? you are right, whether it is something to do | whether it is something to do with thing on an island nation, but we haven�*t collaborated on the same way as other countries have done. we have let the major retailers effectively take control. this is a unique market place in the uk. and it is a challenging one. we have got the most affordable food in europe her income spent, the third most affordable in the world. that has been a great success story for consumers but there are tipping points and thatis there are tipping points and that is what you have seen cracking this year and last you

a supply and global challenges on water security, energy security, we have a great climate here as you can see, we grow grass we should be producing much more of what we are good at here. to producing much more of what we are good at here.— are good at here. to continue with the impact _ are good at here. to continue with the impact of— are good at here. to continue with the impact of brexit, - are good at here. to continue | with the impact of brexit, one more, that is, as the uk has led the european union we have also left the common agricultural policy and the government has used that opportunity to shift the weight supports agriculture in england away from giving farmers basic payments for every hectare of land they own and farm and saying, no, we will give you specific payments for particular land management practices, environmental management practices. is that good forfarmers? it can be. it is not there yet, but it can be. the me, what is missing is the scientific rigour that needs to underpin

public money for public good. so, we committed to farming, achieving that zero x 2040, beating the government target by ten years, with the right policies and the right incentives in place and at the beginning of thisjourney, don�*t forget we have legislated to achieve that zero so it will happen anyway but the exciting thing for agriculture is we art and emitter but we can do something about it so we should be measuring our baseline first. we have got some of the best science institutions in the world here, write them, the wakehurst project, and we should be measuring the baseline of where we are on carbon sequestration so what is not working, we can make better. what is working we can reward. that is not happening. it is a complicated system it seems with the government has unveiled a plan for england which involves over 200 different practices that they will finance on farms, all connected, they say, to better environmental management, but your own director of and

business strategy says farmers are going to receive significantly less support. that, of course, will impact their incomes. so, as we make this transition to, say, farming is less about focused on food production and more focused on being good custodians of the soil, the water sources and the environment — farmers actually going to get poorer? environment - farmers actually going to get poorer?— going to get poorer? without doubt. coming _ going to get poorer? without doubt. coming out _ going to get poorer? without doubt. coming out of- going to get poorer? without doubt. coming out of the - going to get poorer? without| doubt. coming out of the cip, losing direct support, and the current scheme, which is predicated on what we called the income foregone model. so, you have to — you do stuff, effectively, but profit is not built into it.— effectively, but profit is not built into it. our conversation bean built into it. our conversation began with — built into it. our conversation began with you _ built into it. our conversation began with you telling - built into it. our conversation began with you telling us - built into it. our conversation l began with you telling us that, yes, we are in a food supply crisis is now you are telling me that you are transitioning to a new model of supports and payments from the government which is going to make it much more difficult for you to focus

on food production, and actually massively reduce your income. i mean, how do those two things sits together? well, i don't think— two things sits together? well, i don't think food _ two things sits together? well, i don't think food has _ two things sits together? well, i don't think food has been - i don�*t think food has been recognised as a public good. i would say that producing food is a public good, and if you talk to economist they said that food security is a public good but food production is not. you have to have the same approach for delivering for the environment as we have for delivering our food, environment as we have for delivering ourfood, and if we have a market value assist region, the direct payment was 1—way for farmers region, the direct payment was 1—way forfarmers — if region, the direct payment was 1—way for farmers — if the market fell off a cliff, don�*t forget the officers outside — that they would keep feeding the livestock and their families, so there are very, very challenging parts of our country that are being very reliant on direct support. [30 reliant on direct support. do ou reliant on direct support. do you think — reliant on direct support. do you think farmers are inclined to be good concerning ends of the environment? i say that because i see that the nfu is still supporting the use of near and 18 which across europe

has been bad, but you at the nfu in the united kingdom say that you still support, despite the overwhelming evidence that it is environmentally extremely harmful, why do you do that? well, let�*s start with soil first. every farmer that i represent will say there is no more better investment they can make them into their soils, and a recent survey be dead, 75% of them wanted to be measuring the baseline of where we are at now which is fantastic. aha, baseline of where we are at now which is fantastic.— which is fantastic. a quarter of all farmers _ which is fantastic. a quarter of all farmers could - which is fantastic. a quarter of all farmers could not - which is fantastic. a quarter| of all farmers could not care less about the quality of the soil? ., . , less about the quality of the soil? ., ., , ., ..,, soil? no. that is not the case at all. that — soil? no. that is not the case at all. that is _ soil? no. that is not the case at all. that is the _ soil? no. that is not the case at all. that is the implication | at all. that is the implication of what you _ at all. that is the implication of what you just _ at all. that is the implication of what you just said. - at all. that is the implication of what you just said. ten i of what you 'ust said. ten ears of what you 'ust said. ten years ago _ of what you 'ust said. ten years ago if— of what you just said. ten years ago if you _ of what you just said. ten years ago if you had - of what you just said. ten years ago if you had said, "do you want to know how much carbon is in your soil?" very few would have understood. carbon back then was nothing. what i am saying now is the value of carbon and the importance of sequestering more carbon is resonating and they want to know much more. the point you make on the

anixonoids, we would lead to the world in sustainable production of sugarbeet and the "neonicotinoids is being used with non— flowering crops with the bottom step model. it is with non- flowering crops with the bottom step model.- the bottom step model. it is a chemical which _ the bottom step model. it is a chemical which decimates - the bottom step model. it is a chemical which decimates be l chemical which decimates be population is vital to be pollination.— population is vital to be ollination. ., ., ., pollination. two nonflowering cro s. pollination. two nonflowering crops- with — pollination. two nonflowering crops. with the _ pollination. two nonflowering crops. with the point - pollination. two nonflowering crops. with the point is - crops. with the point is chemicals _ crops. with the point is chemicals into - crops. with the point is chemicals into the - crops. with the point is| chemicals into the water system. they are very difficult to break down. in europe they have absolutely decided the right thing to do is to ban them. i am right thing to do is to ban them. iam interested right thing to do is to ban them. i am interested that the farmers union, while saying it is utterly committed to getting to net zero and being a sustainable, responsible custodian of the environment still supports using this chemical. it is the wrong message, isn�*t it? chemical. it is the wrong message, isn't it?- chemical. it is the wrong message, isn't it? you are not actually write _ message, isn't it? you are not actually write about _ message, isn't it? you are not actually write about europe. . actually write about europe. france has not used at the modelling process on the neonicotinoids for sugarbeet. they have not modelled and they have not been able to get derogations to use it, as have

other countries. for us, we have got the position breathing bill through which will be a game changer, but are we really going to say with the most sustainable beat production in the world that we�*re not going to do it here, we are going to export our conscience and our production, or i�*ll be going to try and do it ever better? we are the ones that are up for trying to do it ever better. the bill will be a game changer. that will transform potentially how we deal with challenges of drought, of climate change, but we have got to build bridges to get there. it is not a case of not wanting to cause — we want to limit our food production footprint and a step back and a step back, so, we traded ever latter whatever sector you are. eating food does cause damage to our environment, but i�*ll be just going to say, "we are wealthy. we will get it from somewhere else. we will put pressure on other sides of the world," or will be say, "we will leave the charting climate agriculture and we will leave the charting

climate agriculture and people started here and get the rest of the world doing that." that will deliver for climate change and is what the world needs. is and is what the world needs. is that should be a farmer today with all of the different pressures, whether they be price presses, environmental, sustainability — it is an extraordinarily pressurised and difficultjob. a personal question — when you consider your own life and those of your fellow farmers, that this is a profession you think you want your children to go into? because there is a lot of evidence that many young people are leaving farming and the demographic of farming are dangerously skewed to the older people in the business. if dangerously skewed to the older people in the business. hi people in the business. ifi seak people in the business. ifi speak to — people in the business. ifi speak to the _ people in the business. ifi speak to the universities and colleges out there, they are absolutely rammed with young people wanting to come in and have a career in farming. so, i think it is changing. for me, personally, it isjust personally, it is just something personally, it isjust something that is in my dna and biogenetic. there is no better

feeling than when we are carping, lambing, seeing new animal come into the world. i can think of no betterjob in the world. can think of no better “ob in the wei can think of no better “ob in the wettefi can think of no better “ob in the world. �* j~f ., ., , the world. and 2896 of farmers accordint the world. and 2896 of farmers according to — the world. and 2896 of farmers according to your— the world. and 2896 of farmers according to your own - the world. and 2896 of farmers according to your own nfu - according to your own nfu survey last year — 28% of them looking actively at the possibility of giving up? some thousand businesses - possibility of giving up? ”he thousand businesses philosopher in 2019 to 2022. they either consolidated or they got out of the industry. i mean, there is no denying that it is — you don�*t shut the office door. i never come back and think, "i am going to have two days and stay indoors." you are on call 24/7 if you are a livestock farmer, and that is just how it is. but i genuinely think that, actually, the road that we are on now, thejourney to actually, the road that we are on now, the journey to carbon neutral food on now, the journey to carbon neutralfood production, the ability to produce so many more of ourfibres, fuel, food in a way that is truly sustainable, i think it is becoming a very,

very exciting time and the young people — when i speak to the young people they do not have the baggage of our generation. theyjust see this as an exciting time. fiend generation. theyjust see this as an exciting time.— generation. theyjust see this as an exciting time. and 'ust a finalthought, * as an exciting time. and 'ust a final thought, thinking h as an exciting time. and just a final thought, thinking ahead i as an exciting time. and just a | finalthought, thinking ahead - final thought, thinking ahead — i know you have kids. they may or may not decide to be full—time farmers, but if they do, 25 years from now, farms like this, traditional farms, they may be in sense more environmental conservation centres than they are food production centres. it could be that thanks to ai, thanks to robotics, hydroponic farming techniques, that food production may be incredibly intensive, incredibly industrialised, and not focused on places like this. would that be a good thing or a bad thing? you have got to remember that 60% of the country you could not be doing anything else other than growing grass and grazing livestock. there is a vast proportion of great britain that is not going to be going broccoli what milling wheat or malting barley. it is going to be growing grass and

something has got to be eating that grass, so we can�*t have lawnmowers. you have got to have the tearing action that will create the biodiversity by our grazing herds and flocks, and that is what creates the dynamics of our iconic countryside. so, iam really hopeful that if politicians can just see the jewel in the front of them that there is a great future, but if we are sacrificed in trade deals, if we are undefined in the marketplace, it is going to cause demonstration out there —— devastation. but it is my job to ensure that does not happen. job to ensure that does not hat ten. ~ �* ., , job to ensure that does not hat-en. ~ , happen. minette batters, it has been a pleasure _ happen. minette batters, it has been a pleasure being - happen. minette batters, it has been a pleasure being on - happen. minette batters, it has been a pleasure being on your. been a pleasure being on your farm, and thank you for being on hardtalk.— farm, and thank you for being on hardtalk. thanks for having me.

hello there. the easter weekend just around the corner, a heads—up for what to expect coming shortly, but first of all, let�*s take a look at wednesday�*s weather. best of the sunshine was certainly across eastern england. yes, it clouded over into the afternoon, but most of us had skies like this — fairly grey with outbreaks of rain at times. now, that rain is pushing its way east and it will clear over the next few hours and allow this ridge of high pressure to build and quieten things down. so, first thing thursday, it�*s a rather grey, damp, dreary start across the east, but it�*s a mild one with the cloud around, temperatures holding up above freezing, so that early rain will ease away. mist and fog patches lift to sunny spells and scattered showers into the afternoon. maybe some of those showers filtering down through the cheshire gap could be quite heavy, maybe with the odd rumble of thunder mixed in there as well. so, by the middle part of the afternoon, it�*s sunny spells and scattered showers. highs of 11—14 degrees, slightly drier, brighter skies

into northern ireland and western scotland as that ridge of high pressure takes over. but there will be some showers across the northeast of england and eastern scotland here, highs of 9—12 celsius. so, by the end of thursday, the high pressure is building and quieting things down quite nicely. a spell of really wet weather for a time, moving away through east anglia and southeast england. but under those clearer skies out to the west, once again, those temperatures fall away low enough for a touch of frost to form first thing on friday morning. but good friday is going to be a reasonable day — dry, settled and sunny. these weather fronts trying to push in from the atlantic, but they will take most of the easter weekend before they arrive. so, on the whole, we could just see a little more in the way of cloud just pushing in off north sea coasts, unfortunately for eastern england. but most of us dry with some sunshine coming through and light winds. it�*ll be pleasant enough — highs of 10—14 celsius. similar story as we go into saturday, but there�*s

a greater chance of seeing more cloud developing from the north sea with that easterly flow. there�*s our weather front, trying desperately hard to push in from the atlantic. it takes its time to do so, perhaps not arriving until sunday, with more significant rain for some of us by easter monday. take care.

live from london, this is bbc news, i�*m sally bundock — the headlines: france�*s president emanuel macron sits down with leaders in beijing. we�*ll bring you the latest. china says it will make a resolute response after taiwan�*s president tsai ing—wen met the the speaker of the us house of representatives in california. serving london metropolitan police officers are moved from tackling serious crime to investigating wrongdoing in the force. and a pair of sneakers worn by michaeljordan are expected to break records at auction next week.