time for a look at the weather. here's chris fawkes. the cold weather is going to hang around for another few days, and for some of that means the threat of more snow, derbyshire has seen quite a lot in recent days, and they might see a bit more heading into the weekend, especially on the hills, but for the moment heavy snow into northern areas of scotland, and a line of snow showers coming in off the irish sea, very localised but maybe a few places like cheshire and merseyside and greater manchester with a few centimetres, otherwise it is cold and frosty, and we get this weather front tomorrow morning, 2—5 centimetres of snow over south—west england, and the chance some of that could reach the downs in south—east england, so some wintry weather around, but away from that, the main action is in northern scotland where we have the more persistent zone

showers, working southwards into northern ireland and reaching the northern ireland and reaching the north of england later on. a bit of snow but also rain and sleet towards coastal areas. snow but also rain and sleet towards coastalareas. friday, snow but also rain and sleet towards coastal areas. friday, another cold and frosty start, plenty of sunshine, showers draped around coastal areas, sunshine, showers draped around coastalareas, most sunshine, showers draped around coastal areas, most frequent in northern ireland and the north west of england and wales, a bit of a mixture with some of them wintry and some of them as rain, and another cold day, then changes in the weather pattern into the weekend, an intense area of low pressure on the way which will bring very stormy weather with wind gusts of around 60-70 weather with wind gusts of around 60—70 mph around the irish sea coast, heavy rain could cause localised flooding and then we have these heavy hill snow for northern ireland and scotland likely to come down so heavily that it might be a struggle to keep some of the high level routes open and because it will be wet and chunky the snow will stick to power lines with the greater threat of bringing them down and a few power cuts. thanks, chris.

and that's bbc news at ten. on bbc one, it's time to join our colleagues for the news where you are, goodnight. and if you want to continue watching the bbc news at ten p:m., please turn over to bbc one, or you can watch on iplayer. next, it's newsnight. a former head of the cia, on ukraine firing uk—supplied storm shadow missiles and the us providing anti—personnel landmines despite the concerns of human rights groups. and inflation is up, and energy prices are part of the reason why. as the temperature drops across much of the uk, we ask the conservatives�* nadine dorries and labour's harriet harman about whether reality

is biting for labour's winter fuel payment cuts. welcome to newsnight, with insight and interviews. in a moment, we'll hear from your panel this evening — fromer conservative culture secretary nadine dorries and labour peer harriet harman. hello to you too, nick. ms dorries has just writtten a book charting what she describes as the downfall of the conservative party. and it doesn't hold back. first, in the last three days, a lot has happened that may affect the progress of the war in ukraine. after us presidentjoe biden gave permission for ukraine to finally use long range american missiles inside russian territory, which it has done. he's also agreed to give

ukraine anti—personnel landmines, a hugely controversial decision which has drawn criticism from human rights groups. and the bbc understands that uk—supplied storm shadow missiles have been used on targets inside russia for the first time. this footage from ukrainian social media is claimed to show their use. russia has responded by in effect lowering the threshold at which it can use nuclear weapons. will these developments change the course of the war in any way? and how worried should we all be? general david petreus is a former director of the cia under president obama. i don't know that any single one or any single action, in fact, can change the course of the war, but altogether, these actions and perhaps others could indeed help ukraine considerably, and in my

view, i would ukraine considerably, and in my view, iwould hope ukraine considerably, and in my view, i would hope that we could do even more to enable ukraine to change the dynamic on the battlefield, to convince vladimir putin that he cannot achieve additional gains at acceptable costs. we are still some way from that without question, but these help. i would like to have seen them made many months ago. in my view, there was no real reason to be concerned about allowing ukraine to add the use of missiles to be once they are already using and drones every single night in the order of many dozens. of course, it was our decision or lack thereof that held up decision or lack thereof that held up the uk and the european decision on the use of storm shadow. in the personnel mines, i don't think this is —— this administration is a lame duck, they have lost the election, they are not going to be criticised any further over starting world war iii if they can do something that is argued at a slightly esco telecom which i don't think this is. and

keepin which i don't think this is. and keep in mind that on the russian side, they havejust keep in mind that on the russian side, they have just sought to change the dynamic by bringing in over 10,000 north korean troops to help them presumably to expel the ukrainian forces that still hold part of the cask province in the russian federation. find part of the cask province in the russian federation.— russian federation. and also what the have russian federation. and also what they have done — russian federation. and also what they have done which _ russian federation. and also what they have done which might - russian federation. and also what| they have done which might change they have done which might change the dynamic is lower the threshold, change their nuclear doctrine, that essentially makes it easier for russia to use nuclear weapons. should we be worried? i russia to use nuclear weapons. should we be worried?- russia to use nuclear weapons. should we be worried? i think it is alwa s should we be worried? i think it is always worth _ should we be worried? i think it is always worth being _ should we be worried? i think it is always worth being concerned - should we be worried? i think it is l always worth being concerned about this kind of development. it is not one i would be overly worried about, they have rattled the nuclear sabre again and again and again, they have established red lines that ukraine has crossed again and again and again, andi has crossed again and again and again, and i think again this is then grasping again at any kind of response they can make to try to create worries in the west, and the united states and so forth. but i don't think it is an accurate threat thatis don't think it is an accurate threat that is imminent or anything like that is imminent or anything like that at all. so this is already

going to be a long cold hard and dark winter. on the other hand, ukraine's innovation continues to be extraordinary, 1.5 million unmanned aerial systems produced injust the first nine months of this year, and that frankly is the factor that has enabled ukraine to limit the incremental gains achieved by russia and inflict enormous casualties on the russians as they have achieved these incremental gains. otherwise, ukraine is heavily out manned and heavily outgunned, but this is a very powerful equaliser in some cases, a huge advantage for them. interesting that you see it as an equaliser, because one of the main issues for ukraine is personnel. there are not enough people to relieve the exhausted troops on the front line. the west cannot help with that, can they? ida. front line. the west cannot help with that, can they?— with that, can they? no, ithink ukraine does _ with that, can they? no, ithink ukraine does not _ with that, can they? no, ithink ukraine does not want - with that, can they? no, ithink ukraine does not want help - with that, can they? no, ithink ukraine does not want help on | with that, can they? no, i think. ukraine does not want help on the ground from other countries, they know what that could potentially lead to, theyjust need the support.

theyjust lead to, theyjust need the support. they just leave the lead to, theyjust need the support. theyjust leave the weapons, the ammunition, the other material to fight for their own independence and their very fight for their own independence survival themselves. but recognising that they have to increase their overall conscription and the institutional processes of conscripting, training, organising, and then of course employing additional forces, and then of course employing additionalforces, something we have not done in great numbers, they are outnumbered somewhere around four or five to one in terms of manpower given what ukraine has lost to europe and also on the battlefield. it really does sound like you are saying, despite these developments, the missiles, the uk supplied missiles, the antipersonnel landmines which are hugely controversial, that there are no risks to ukraine and its western allies by these permissions. ida. risks to ukraine and its western allies by these permissions. no, i am not so — allies by these permissions. no, i am not so much, _ allies by these permissions. no, i am not so much, i _ allies by these permissions. no, i am not so much, ithink- allies by these permissions. no, i am not so much, i think there - allies by these permissions. no, i am not so much, i think there are risks, but i think they are more than manageable risks. the country

is fighting for its very survival. it knows the challenges of using antipersonnel mines, and also the enormous advantages of using them as well. and when you are heavily outnumbered, when you are trying to thicken your defences to make them more effective, to slow down the enemy, you are going to use whatever it is you can, in the same way that they sought to get cluster munitions, noting that of course there is a failure rate to explode in some of these, usually a matter of a couple of percentage points, and that is always the concern, because they are going to be there for a very long time. but again, if you're fighting for your survival, why don't we let them make the choices about what they want to use on their territory to fight for their very lives?— on their territory to fight for their very lives? on their territory to fight for their ve lives? . , u, ., ,~ their very lives? finally, can i ask ou, their very lives? finally, can i ask you. general— their very lives? finally, can i ask you, general petreus, _ their very lives? finally, can i ask you, general petreus, do - their very lives? finally, can i ask you, general petreus, do you - their very lives? finally, can i ask. you, general petreus, do you think this war will end when donald trump moves into the white house? i’m

this war will end when donald trump moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would — moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would bet _ moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would bet on _ moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would bet on that. _ moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would bet on that. it _ moves into the white house? i'm not sure i would bet on that. it is - sure i would bet on that. it is possible. somehow the dynamic between president trump and president putin could enable something that has not been possible before. but president putin has not indicated any willingness to compromise on his overall objectives, which are still the same as they have been ever since the beginning, which has been to deny ukraine's very right to exist as an independent country.— independent country. general petreus, thank _ independent country. general petreus, thank you _ independent country. general petreus, thank you for - independent country. generalj petreus, thank you forjoining independent country. general. petreus, thank you forjoining us this evening, thank you for talking to newsnight. this evening, thank you for talking to newsnight— this evening, thank you for talking to newsnight. great to be with you. thanks, victoria. _ now i'm going to speak to former conservative culture secretary nadine dorries about her new book downfall — the self—destruction of the conservative party, which tells the story of the truss and sunak administrations. there is quite a lot about kemi badenoch in there, and i would like

to start by asking you about her. she, like you, is a strong woman with deeply conservative principles who wants to tow the party to get back into government. what is it, would you say, that you have against her? ~ , , ., ., ., ., her? well, she is another leader of the conservative _ her? well, she is another leader of the conservative party _ her? well, she is another leader of the conservative party which - the conservative party which happened, i think, just before i published the book, and i respect the wishes of the membership. kemi badenoch will have my support from here. i used to criticise, and i have had to