i was really disappointed by the result. _ i just think that ultimately- this bill doesn't have adequate protections to safeguard - the vulnerable in this country. this is a profoundly important moment for the terminally ill, their families and for society. it sets england and wales on a path to join country which allow choice at the end of life. joining me tonight — michael crick, broadcaster and writer, and ravi agrawal, editor in chief of foreign policy magazine and host of ff live. welcome to the programme. first, the latest headlines. here in the uk, parliament has backed proposals to allow terminally ill adults in england and wales the right to end their own lives.

the assisted dying bill will now go to the next parliamentary stage. several countries already permit assisted dying. in georgia, thousands of protesters have returned to the streets of the capital, tblisi, to protest against the government's decision to suspend moves to join the european union. authorities say accession talks won't now happen until "the end of 2028". demonstrations overnight saw riot police use pepper on the third day of their lightning offensive, jihadist—led rebels are continuing to take control of areas of syria's main northern city, aleppo. war monitors are reporting the fall of five neighbourhoods in western aleppo. it's the first time in eight years that rebels have entered aleppo. the international organisation of vine and wine says the impact of climate change means global production is expected to fall this year to its lowest level since 1961. it said extreme or atypical meteorological events such as early frosts, heavy rainfall and prolonged drought had dramatically affected productivity.

mps have a taken a historic step towards legalising assisted dying in england and wales. 330 mp5 voted in favour of the bill. 275 voted against it. that's a majority of 55. it represents the first step in giving terminally ill people the right to choose to end their own life. vicki young reports now on how the day unfolded. our voice, our choice. they came to westminster to have their say, to make their final pleas to mp5. assistance to live! not to die! powerful voices and personal experiences on both sides of this debate. don't do this. it is the wrong way to go. they are playing roulette with our lives in the future, and they should stop. but for others, it's about choosing the way they'll die. jenny has terminal cancer. changing the law to find a more humane way to die,

to allow my children to see me in a peaceful state, would be so much better for them. order! this isn't a government bill. it's been introduced by labour mp kim leadbeater, so mps have no party orders to follow. any one of us or our loved ones could be unfortunate or unlucky enough to receive a terminal diagnosis. and i struggle to see how it is fair orjust to deny anyone the autonomy, dignity and personal choice that we might want to take control of our final weeks. i agree with the honourable gentleman... but many mps worry that some terminally ill patients will be pressured into taking this path. people do not generally write letters to sick relatives urging them to consider assisted suicide, and then put the letter on file. and coercion in the family context can be about not what you say, but about what you don't say.

mary kelly foy spoke about maria, her late disabled daughter. i am filled with dread and fear for those other people - like maria, who are nonverbal and don't have that capacity, i and what might happen to others l like maria if they aren't loved l and cared for. and there are limits to palliative care... others focused on terminally ill patients whose pain can't be alleviated. currently for these patients, we can offer no agency over their end, no alternative to this terrifying death. can we truly say that's compassionate? if we don't pass the bill today, we are cornering all those people. we are trapping them with the law against their disease and consigning them to an end of torture and degradation which they do not wish to go through. but whatever happens today, terminal people will still take their own lives.

all we are deciding today is how. the patchy provision of end—of—life care was a concern for several mps. you can be certain, _ and i mean absolutely certain, that those nhs trusts - with the weakest palliative care offer will be those i with the highest incidence of people choosing to die. in other words, it was not really their choice at all. i when i was six years old... as a child, marie tidball was in hospital and in pain. she recalls telling her parents she wanted to die. that moment made it clear to me that if this bill was about intolerable suffering, iwould not be voting for it. but that moment also gave me a glimpse of how i would want to live my death, just as i've lived my life — empowered by choices available to me, living that death with the dignity and respect. this was the kind of debate that doesn't happen often here — personal, emotional and with repercussions for millions. order!

the result was heard in silence by mps crammed into the commons. the ayes to the right, 330. the noes to the left, 275. for the mp behind the bill, there was a sense of relief. a bit overwhelmed, to be honest. that's been a really emotional day, on top of an emotional number of months. and i never even wanted to be an mp. but, look, we've shown parliament in its best light today. very respectful, very compassionate debate irrespective of the different views that people hold. this bill has passed its first hurdle, but there will now be several months of debate as mp5 pore over the details. it heralds a huge societal change in the way that the terminally ill approach their final days. today, mps approved the principle of assisted dying. now parliament and the government must find a way to make it work in practice.

vicki young, bbc news, westminster. let's bring in our panel for the first time. hello to you both. michael, can we start with you? you're pretty experienced about westminster. what did you make of the events there today?— there today? well, it was a bi , bi there today? well, it was a big. big day _ there today? well, it was a big. big day and _ there today? well, it was a big, big day and not - there today? well, it was a big, big day and notjust i there today? well, it was a big, big day and notjust in| big, big day and notjust in this year but in parliamentary history. parliament at its best. mps voting and deciding for themselves. they were not told what to do by the whips. it was a very serious, sombre debate. there were not cheers when the result came through. and it was the first opportunity, really, that the majority of mps in the house of commons are new. they were elected for the first time in july and it was their first big occasion where they could decide for themselves which way they wanted to go, and a lot of them of course right up until

them of course right up until the last moment did not really know which way they were going to go. there is a long way yet. just had to go to committee and then amendments made and then it goes backwards and forwards in the house of commons and thenit in the house of commons and then it goes to the house of lords in the same happens there. so there is a long way to go and mp5 may will change their minds as a part of the process, but today will go that in parliamentary history. we will come — in parliamentary history. we will come back _ in parliamentary history. we will come back to un a moment. i want to get your thoughts and i want to get your thoughts and i suppose more on the substance of the issue and what did you think of the decision they reached? i5 think of the decision they reached?— think of the decision they reached? ,, . . . reached? is such a fraught decision — reached? is such a fraught decision for _ reached? is such a fraught decision for obvious - reached? is such a fraught i decision for obvious reasons was — decision for obvious reasons was up _ decision for obvious reasons was up this is personal for a lot of— was up this is personal for a lot of people. a lot of families have to make tough decisions about letting love ones — decisions about letting love ones go, and you know in this case — ones go, and you know in this case it's— ones go, and you know in this case it's really an issue of whether— case it's really an issue of whether there is precedent globally. in the uk, of course, there — globally. in the uk, of course, there are _ globally. in the uk, of course, there are numbers of people who have _ there are numbers of people who have gone — there are numbers of people who have gone abroad to try to use other— have gone abroad to try to use other lawe— have gone abroad to try to use other laws in other countries to reach— other laws in other countries to reach assisted suicide if

they— to reach assisted suicide if they need to, if they want to, choice — they need to, if they want to, choice being the key operative word _ choice being the key operative word here. here in the us where i word here. here in the us where lam, _ word here. here in the us where lam. it's— word here. here in the us where lam. it'sa— word here. here in the us where i am, it's a bit more divided, where — i am, it's a bit more divided, where about ten or so states have — where about ten or so states have legalised assisted suicide, but many more have not — suicide, but many more have not it— suicide, but many more have not it was_ suicide, but many more have not. it was interesting is when you pull— not. it was interesting is when you pull population is about this issue, most people tend to think— this issue, most people tend to think that — this issue, most people tend to think that under the right conditions in the us at least people _ conditions in the us at least people should have the right to choose — people should have the right to choose when they go. however, in the _ choose when they go. however, in the same polls when people are presented with other data points— are presented with other data points such as may be family members _ points such as may be family members pressuring people to not he — members pressuring people to not he a — members pressuring people to not be a burden on their loved ones. — not be a burden on their loved ones. then— not be a burden on their loved ones, then that decision making changes— ones, then that decision making changes a — ones, then that decision making changes a little bit so people are less _ changes a little bit so people are less in support of assisted suicide — are less in support of assisted suicide in _ are less in support of assisted suicide in those cases. and it will— suicide in those cases. and it will he — suicide in those cases. and it will be interesting to see in the uk _ will be interesting to see in the uk whether politicians change _ the uk whether politicians change their perceptions on this debate as more data comes

in and _ this debate as more data comes in and if— this debate as more data comes in and if there are examples people — in and if there are examples people who are indeed being pressured by. but as we just heard, — pressured by. but as we just heard, a _ pressured by. but as we just heard, a momentous day in the british— heard, a momentous day in the british parliament, and parliament in many ways at its best — parliament in many ways at its best. ~ . . . ., best. michael, i want to come back to you — best. michael, i want to come back to you on _ best. michael, i want to come back to you on the _ best. michael, i want to come back to you on the argumentsj back to you on the arguments either side. what did you make of them? ~ , of them? well, they were very- -- — of them? well, they were very- - - they _ of them? well, they were very... they were - of them? well, they were very... they were all - of them? well, they were | very... they were all sorts of them? well, they were i very... they were all sorts of arguments and people were speaking from all sorts of experience, personal experience from within their own families, but also of course mps have been bombarded by the thoughts of their constituents on this, both sides. 50 you had a wealth, really, of evidence and experience there. and of course one of the big arguments which hejust touched on if one of the big arguments which he just touched on if this whole question of will people feel under pressure from their families. it may not even be that they are actually saying anything but they may feel under pressure, they may feel

that they are a burden to their families, that the cost of being in a care home which is hugein being in a care home which is huge in this country may be depleting their inheritance, that kind of thought. and that is what i think many of people who are opposed to this legislation, and i think it's probably my main concert we are voicing. and another major concern from those who oppose it is that the system of checks which involves two doctors and a judge agreeing to the procedure in each case, does this country have the resources right now to provide, to divert the time of two doctors and a judge at a time when the national health service and the judiciary are already overstretched and have got huge waiting list for their normal activities. on the other side, the argument is, look, if you

were dying, if un terrible pain in undignified circumstances, should you or anybody have the right to end it? taste should you or anybody have the right to end it?— right to end it? we will continue _ right to end it? we will continue to _ right to end it? we will continue to follow - right to end it? we will continue to follow as l right to end it? we will continue to follow as it| continue to follow as it progresses through various stages of scrutiny there in parliament. forthe stages of scrutiny there in parliament. for the moment, thank you. we will stay in westminster with a different story, though. downing street has, said the prime minister, accepted the former transport secretary louise haigh's resignation after "further information" emerged relating to a criminal offence to which she pleaded guilty a decade ago. here's iain watson. this is how the fate of a mobile phone a decade ago called time on louise haigh's cabinet career today. keir starmer accepted her resignation after news of a spent conviction became public. 15 years ago she was a special constable, but the roots of her resignation can be

traced back to when she contacted police in 2013. she was a victim of a mugging and told officers her work phone was missing, but it later turned up at her home. she said she'd made a mistake and pled guilty to a fraud offence, she says on her lawyer's advice, which she now regrets. louise haigh's friends claim the prime minister threw the ex—transport secretary under the proverbial bus because they say he knew the full story of her conviction before he appointed her to the shadow cabinet, never mind the actual cabinet. and they accuse him of not being willing to spend political capital defending her. it feels at least like he's panicked in the face of some media attack on one of the most effective cabinet ministers he's got. i mean, she's already steered through legislation to bring the railways into public ownership. she's getting on with reregulating the buses. but now her fraud conviction has come to light, the conservatives are questioning why keir starmer appointed her in the first place. it sounds like keir starmer appointed her in full knowledge of this background. so was that the right decision? i think most of my constituents would think that that was a questionable decision. but downing street say

the prime minister only accepted her resignation when further information emerged. they won't specify what this is. what we do know is she didn't inform the relevant civil servants of her offence when she became a cabinet minister. she had resigned from the insurance giant aviva, her employer, when her work phone went missing. i'm told it had been carrying out an internal investigation, though the company itself won't comment. louise haigh didn't always see eye—to—eye with keir starmer, but it was past events and not current performance that derailed her cabinet career. iain watson, bbc news. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news.

this is bbc news. we will take you like — this is bbc news. we will take you like to tblisi, the capital of georgia, straightaway. if you of georgia, straightaway. you have of georgia, straightaway. if you have been with us you know that we keeping an eye on the live pictures. these are the streets in an apartment

building with protesters out the streets again, clashes with police again, water cannon being used against them. the protesters are unhappy at the government's decision to effectively put on hold any talks aboutjoining the european union until at least the end of 2028, said the government. that has angered the opposition and protesters, who are pro—eu, and we have been keeping an eye on the clashes between the two. we have seen those right police out with shields, and you can see the camera moving around there. it is not seem like there. it is not seem like there are clashes right at this instant, but we have had a response from france to these images and to the events in georgia. france saying is urging georgia to respect the right to peaceful protest. this is amid the crackdown on

protesters. 2a hours ago, there were reports of a number of arrests and allegations of violence used against people who were protesting their and indie journalists. who were protesting their and indiejournalists. and usually indiejournalists. and usually in response to that, those events in the capital 2a hours ago. france urging georgia to respect the right to peaceful protest amid the crackdown there. so we are keeping an eye on these pictures for you live in tblisi. now we will head to the us. normally it is kind of the us. normally it is kind of the week, we take a look back at a busy week in us politics but at the moment, it's thanksgiving, a holiday and lots of traditions with a big family meal and extravagant parades and normally a bit of a breakfrom parades and normally a bit of a break from politics. parades and normally a bit of a breakfrom politics. but parades and normally a bit of a break from politics. but there is still some for us to look about. let's get look at the messages from the political leaders there at this time of year. first of all, let's take a look at president biden's.

during this past season of giving thanks and gratitude, we wanted you to know how grateful we are for the trust you put in us these past four years. it's been the honour of our lives to serve you in the white house. we keep in our hearts and our prayers those who will have an empty seat at their table this year. you know, we're blessed to live in the united states of america. we're literally the greatest country on earth. no matter what, we never give up. we keep going. we keep the faith in america. happy thanksgiving, america! that is the message for thanksgiving there from president biden. no similar video from president electronic but he did post on social media. he wished a happy thanksgiving to the "radical left lunatics" who he said "worked so hard to destroy our country, but miserably failed." let's pick through that with our panel, michael crick and

ravi. what did you make there of the contrasting tones? well, it's re of the contrasting tones? well, it's pretty much _ of the contrasting tones? well, it's pretty much to _ of the contrasting tones? well, it's pretty much to be _ it's pretty much to be expected. joe biden they're playing _ expected. joe biden they're playing the role he often plays as this — playing the role he often plays as this avuncular figure, always— as this avuncular figure, always looking at the world with — always looking at the world with optimism, showing empathy towards — with optimism, showing empathy towards people who may have lost a — towards people who may have lost a loved one this year or he nray— lost a loved one this year or he may not be able to have the thanksgiving celebration that they would have wanted. and contrast — they would have wanted. and contrast that with president—elect donald trump, who took— president—elect donald trump, who took a much more combative approach — who took a much more combative approach there as you just saw. wishing — approach there as you just saw. wishing america's happy thanksgiving, but also than taking — thanksgiving, but also than taking a _ thanksgiving, but also than taking a moment to gibe it all the people who have not quite supported him in what he calls the lunatic radical left for taking _ the lunatic radical left for taking the country down what he sees _ taking the country down what he sees as— taking the country down what he sees as a — taking the country down what he sees as a wrong path, and of course — sees as a wrong path, and of course promising again as 1539 00:19:56,227 --> 00:19: