adam fleming and —— in brussels, and norman smith in westminster, thank you.awfully while investigating sexual harassment claims against former first minister alex salmond, a judge has ruled. the scottish government now admits it didn't properly follow its own procedures when it investigated the claims. a separate police inquiry is taking place into the allegations against mr salmond, which he denies. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon is at the court of session in edinburgh. lorna? yes, ben, nota yes, ben, not a good day for the scottish government, frankly a bit ofa scottish government, frankly a bit of a mess, and the mess that will cost the taxpayer many hundreds of thousands of pounds. the scottish government today admitted it breached its own guidelines by appointing an investigating officer who had prior involvement in this case, and as a result conceding in the legal fight against alex salmond. alex salmond arriving at court for a hearing against the government he used to leave. a review into that government's handling of sexual misconduct allegat

adam fleming is in brussels for us.ng what is going on in westminster over there? it's become such a cliche to say it, but i'll say it again, brussels is watching and waiting and they will act when there is clarity from the uk about there is clarity from the uk about the way forward. and that was the message from michel barnier, the eu chief negotiator, who is in portugal today meeting portuguese mps, touring round the eu as he spends a lot of his time doing and he was saying that if the uk changes its position, then the eu will change its position. that is not new and he said that yesterday to members of the european parliament when he addressed them in strasbourg and it's what the eu has been saying all along. and what it means is that any changes to the deal would have to be in the direction of a closer future relationship with the eu rather than the relationship based on a free trade agreement where the two sides have pursued it this far. it's an open question as to what that would do and how much that could change

adam fleming, bbc news, ostend.tment in the uk car industry has fallen nearly 80% in the past three years. the society of motor manufacturers and traders said brexit uncertainty had put the industry on red alert. simonjack is in our business unit. these look like alarming figures. yes, investment in the car industry is pretty lumpy at the best of times, as new models come in and old ones are retired, but even allowing for that, these figures look stark will stop in 2015, the industry invested £2. 5 will stop in 2015, the industry invested £2.5 billion in the uk, and that's fallen every year, and last year it was 585 million, a fall of 80%. it's been a tough period for the car industry, not all brexit related. we've had a fall in china sales, new regulations have held up production, but the industry itself is clear that brexit is the biggest threat to the competitiveness of the uk car market in a generation, and they are obviously super—sensitive to these supply chains, these finely tuned pan—european supply chains,

adam fleming joins us from brussels.d i know that you follow this extremely closely, but theresa may is going to try to get concessions on the so—called backstop, on the irish border. is there any sign she is going to be able to do that? well, what people we re able to do that? well, what people were saying here last week for she lost the vote was that they were prepared to offer some little bits of reassurance about the withdrawal deal and the backstop in particular, but that maybe she had to lose to demonstrate just how but that maybe she had to lose to demonstratejust how big but that maybe she had to lose to demonstrate just how big the opposition was and then the eu would move. so i think we have to wait and see if they really meant what they said when they said that. the first thing to say though is that the people in brussels were really impressed by that pledged yesterday to scrap eu nationals who want to apply to a ini uk. it is going to be £65 adults, £32.50 for children. that has brought the reason they at lea

adam fleming, bbc news, ostend. to intimidate his family. juan guaido said that the maduro's special action forces had today gone to his family home asking for his wife. it comes after mr guaido announced earlier today that his opposition movement had held secret meetings with military leaders as part of his attempts to depose maduro. i'm joined now in london by candace piette, the bbc‘s americas newsroom editor. tell us, these events have been very fast moving. how would you describe the power of market compared to maduro at this point.” the power of market compared to maduro at this point. i think he is ona maduro at this point. i think he is on a very fragile situation. he has been personally threatened now. last week the supreme court issued to start a criminal proceedings against him. his assets have been seized, and he has been barred from leaving the country, said there is very heavy pressure on him, and so far, heavy pressure on him, and so far, he has remained defiant. but you can hear it and what he says,

adam fleming, bbc news, 0stend.anna holligan reports now from the netherlands, which exports fruit and vegetables worth 1.2 billion euros to the uk every year. sunny southern spain, a sea of green houses, salad city keeping us applied to our supply with fresh produce. meets first team, they have been sending tomatoes to british supermarkets are more than 50 years. you can already smell how the tomatoes will be in your store. this is the start of a long journey for these cherry tomatoes. it is quite a big amount of tomatoes. and a third of them end up on our dining tables. it isa of them end up on our dining tables. it is a well oiled machine, but how this trade flow after brexit? the truth is that with no—deal, we will have more cost to our chain. that could be at least another 10% from extra staff to process customs forms, to potential tariffs. we cannot absorb any more change, so it will not make a profitable business for us, and we will have to decide to do something. this perishable product is all picked and pac

adam fleming, bbc news, strasbourg.reaction in other parts of europe. lots of debate, even today, is to do with the prospect of a no—deal brexit on the 29th of march if no deal is forthcoming or approved by parliament, and for some people that is not something we should be too concerned about but for others it would be a very risky course of action, and the terms of trade after that would be according to wto rules. we're nowjoined by pascal lamy, the former european commissioner for trade, and former director—general of the world trade organisation. very good to have you with us on bbc news. just a general perspective from u of where we are in this brexit process? we are in a mess, which was to be expected. given that getting the british egg out of the eu on lott was always to be a very tricky operation, so i'm not surprised we are where we are, that is basically nowhere. there is no solution on the table. the british parliament has rejected the deal on the table. 0n the other side, nobody wa nts a the table. 0n the oth

adam fleming reports from the belgian coast.hing gurner and cuttle fish off the coast of cornwall and east sussex, which means every single fish being unloaded now has been caught in british waters. proof of belgium's reliance on the uk's rich fishing grounds. if there's no deal, the eu has said things can stay broadly the same until the end of this year, if the uk promises the same, but no—one knows for sure and the owner of this boat has nowhere else to go. the boat is too small to go to deeper water and also to go north. so i really do not know what i am going to do. if a no—deal brexit means karel and his crew cannot fish, brussels has said it will provide some compensation. at the daily auction in 0stend fish is bought and sold at the click of a button. the uncertainty is clear. if you are worried about a no—deal brexit — no deal — put your hands up. yeah, no deal. oh wow, nearly everyone. they are worried about the rules for their boats using british ports and if no deal means extra paperwork. there's also a big question f

adam fleming has been to the belgian coast.elgium after nine days at sea, sees shared currently by eu countries. they have been catching fish off the coast of cornwall and east sussex which means every single fish unloaded has been caught ina every single fish unloaded has been caught in a british waters. proof of belgium ‘s reliance on the uk reach fishing grounds. if the reason no deal, the eu says things can stay broadly the same until the end of the year but no—one knows for sure and the owner knows nowhere else to go. boat is too small to go into deeper water and also to go north. i really do not know what i am going to do. if a no-deal brexit means they cannot fish, russell ‘s has said it will provide some compensation. —— brussels. but this option fish is what and sold. the uncertainty is clear. if you are worried of a no—deal brexit, put your hands up. nearly everyone. they are worried about the rules for their boat using british ports and if no deal means extra paperwork and also a big question for the belgian governme

our brussels correspondent, adam fleming, told us what's being suggested and by who. basic connectivity, which means allowing british truckers in and out of the eu, but not around it and british airlines to operate flights in and out of the eu but not around it. a group of countries are pushing for british truckers and airlines to be able to operate in the single market in some kind of way. so to broaden that legislation. the eu has a bit of a dilemma. do they want to do the pragmatic thing about making the effects of no deal as minimal as possible? or do they want to start making no deal like less of a bad option? what the european commission is saying very strongly is — "look, you cannot offer the uk anything that looks like bits of the single market while being out on the eu." and they want to reinforce this message that the best thing to do is for the uk to sign up for the deal, not pin their hopes on these extra no—deal contingency plan saving the day. adam fleming there in brussels and we are all awaiting events next tuesday and the big vote on that. on the gove

adam fleming in brussels.the murderous attack by khalid masood outside the houses of parliament was the first of five terror attacks in six months. since that day, police and the security service, mi5, have foiled 18 other plots, most of them islamist—inspired. four plots involved right wing extremists. they make up a growing amount of work for counterterrorism detectives, and now there are concerns the heated debate over brexit could stir things up further. we saw a spike in hate crime after the referendum. that's never really receded. so there's always a possibility that people are being radicalised by the kind of febrile atmosphere we've got at the moment and we want people to report anything that we think is going to lead to violent confrontation and people need to calm down. to thwart terrorism, police need the public‘s help. that's why a new campaign is being launched, to encourage people to report suspicious activity. the new counter—terrorism film will be shown at 120 cinemas across the country, reachi

adam fleming has been finding out.ussels in the brexit process, the withdrawal agreement — that's the treaty that spells out the terms of the divorce. the eu isn't prepared to change a single one of its 585 pages. we have said many times the deal that is on the table is the best and only deal possible, and the eu 27 leaders confirmed on the 13th of december in their conclusion that it will not be renegotiated. although the eu has been prepared to help...a bit. the last eu summit in december will probably be remembered for a row between theresa may and the european commission president, jean—claude juncker, about whether he'd called her nebulous. but, in their summit communique, eu leaders also clarified their intentions for the backstop. it would only ever be temporary and they'd work speedily on an agreement to make sure it was never needed. that fell short of what the uk wanted... the wallonia solution. that's the region of belgium that objected to the eu's free trade agreement with canada in 2016. to reassure the wa

‘s contingency plans for a no—deal brexit were now being implemented. 0ur europe correspondent adam flemingo mps about brexit, this is how the eu chief "brexit" negotiator was received in the european parliament. despite his plan‘s heavy defeat last night. it is too early to address the consequences of this vote, we have always respected and we continue to respect the democratic parliamentary debate in the uk and i will not speculate on different scenarios. eu leaders are in a bullish mood. in a coordinated media blitz starting moments after last night‘s vote they quickly doused any illusions that the eu would now rush forward with compromise solutions. the eu insists the ball is now in the uk‘s court. translation: it is now up to the uk to tell us what happens next, we still have time to negotiate but we will first wait to hear from the british prime minister. what ireland does not want to hear from theresa may is a demand for changes to the backstop, that fallback plan in the brexit deal to avoid a hard border between the republic of ireland and northern ireland. some people may believe t

let's go to our brussels reporter, adam fleming. he has the very latest.r, any progress, she needs reassurances, she needs something to sell her brexit deal to those mps who do not look like they will back it. the merest hint of how the phone call when, not particularly long, we have been told by a european commission spokesperson that it was a friendly chat and the two have agreed to keep in touch next week, this follows a big round of diplomatic activity on the phone for the prime minister, she has spoken to the european council president donald tusk a couple of days ago and spoke to a couple of days ago and spoke to a couple of days ago and spoke to a couple of other leaders. leo varadkar, who we heard from, speaking in munich, he had a 40 minute phone call yesterday with angela merkel, chancellor of germany, the leader speaking to each other as well, but it is not clear where this diplomatic activity is heading because as far as the eu is concerned, they have given the reassurance they are prepared to give and that came in the form of the european coun

we spoke with correspondent adam fleming today, he interpreted that as badtempered.ple can speculate all they like about the content of private conversations. what we know for sure is both sides have expressed their clear desire to have a deal and that is in both sides' interests. we a re a deal and that is in both sides' interests. we are getting there. we are narrowing down all the time the areas that are controversial and haven't been settled. we are now going to talk specifically about the backstop. we need to give the prime minister space to have those conversations and see if she can make progress. bear in mind she has been able to progress in areas where everybody thought she wouldn't. let's give her a chance. jeremy wright, culture secretary, thank you for talking to us on breakfast. it is warm in the westminster studio, let's look outside, and we can see the pictures from westminster, it is looking rather magnificent this morning. it is often the way when you have these cold, crisp days, it is very cold this morning if you are just about to go out, you get t

let's talk to our correspondent in brussels, adam fleming. good morning, adam.m. what is being suggested and who is saying it7m december, the european commission, which is planning the contingency plans at an eu wide level, published some legislation to the most important ones were about aviation and road haulage. they were basically bare—bones deals to ensure what the commission calls for connectivity, which means allowing british truckers in and out of the eu but not around it and british airlines to operate flights in and out of the eu but not around it. what some countries, a group of countries, are pushing for is for british truckers and airlines to be able to operate in the single market, in some kind of way. so to broaden that legislation. the eu has a bit ofa broaden that legislation. the eu has a bit of a dilemma because do we wa nt to a bit of a dilemma because do we want to do the pragmatic thing about making the effect of no deal as minimalas making the effect of no deal as minimal as possible? or do they want to start making no deal look like it mig

this has always looked very hard to resolve — but here's adam fleming in brussels with one option.. that's the region of belgium that objected to the eu's free trade agreement with canada in 2016. to reassure them that they issued a legally binding interpretation of the most controversial part of the deal. there were other options under international law, for example a country can sign a treaty and then say there are parts of it it doesn't agree with. or tweaks could be made toa agree with. or tweaks could be made to a separate document that sits alongside their withdrawal agreement, that's the political declaration that scratches out this reeked of the relationship. but privately some eu diplomats say they might only be prepared to act after theresa may loses a vote in the house of commons. the prospect of no deal continues to look more likely — to the horror of some mps. 209 of them from across parties have signed a letter urging theresa may to rule out no deal entirely. she's showed no signs of doing that — she's always insisted no deal could happen. and if it does — well the go

adam fleming has been looking at how that could affect belgium's fish industry. caught in british waters, proof of the belgium's reliance on the uk's rich fishing brands. ——grounds. if there is no deal, the eu has said that things can stay broadly the same until the end of this year if the uk promises the same, but no one knows for sure. at the daily auction, fish is bought at the click of a button. the uncertainty is clear. if you are worried about a no—deal brexit, no deal, keep your hands up. no deal? oh wow, nearly everyone. they are worried about the rules for their boats using british ports, and if no deal means extra paperwork. there is also a big question for the belgium government. if a belgium fisherman catches a fish in uk waters, is it belgian or british? if it is british, in future, it can be subject to more checks because it would count as an import from a non—eu country. from fish in belgium — to onions in the netherlands. here's anna holligan on that. the uk is the netherlands second most important expert markets. large producers want to ensure th

let's go to brussels now — adam fleming is there for us.pective today given the talking here today, what is the thinking their? the thinking today is the same as yesterday and the day before. it is a british problem and it is up to theresa may, and ministers and mps to find a way for rod and a future deal which would get the support of the house of commons and get through, the opposite of what happened on tuesday night. michel barnier, the eu chief negotiator, is in portugal speaking to mps and his message is the same as the last few days, that of the uk changes its mind fundamentally about the kind of brexit at once, the eu will react accordingly. what he is talking about is a much closer relationship than the one the british government has pursued up until now. in terms of what the remaining 27 countries are pursuing, they are ramping up the no deal planning. we saw the french government pressed the button on its plans, spending 50 million euros on getting their ports and airports ready for no deal. that is a scenario thatjean—claude junc

and here's a condensed read of theresa may's statement by our bbc brussels reporter adam fleming: "backstopthe same. future relationship talks: less of the same.” but as you can see, there was one big announcement for eu nationals living in the uk. the £65 fee for settled status has been scrapped. our political correspondent jonathan blake is at westminster. apart from that fee, pretty much of a thing else is still the same, jonathan? yes, if you were hoping for a complete list of bullet points, which set out a change of strategy and a brand—new policy on brexit from the prime minister, you would have been disappointed today. we got more of the same from theresa may. there was that offer to continue talking to opposition parties, and also to involve parliament more in the negotiations on britain's future relationship with the eu, but as to the substance of her deal and what is going to change when she tries to go back to brussels to win concessions or to work out a new agreement of some sort, it doesn't seem like it's going to go much beyond attempts to twea k going to go much beyond attemp

adam fleming, bbc news, 0stend. of readiness for brexit all day here on the bbc news channel. at 3.30 we‘ll be putting your questions to our experts. get in touch using #bbcaskthis. you can also text on 61124 and email askthis@bbc.co.uk car—makers are also blaming brexit for a dramatic slump in investment and production. our business editor simonjack said that investment in the industry has fallen every year since 2015. it is no secret that it has been a rough 18 months for the car industry. we have had 6000 job losses at jaguar land rover, 900 in the last 18 months at vauxhall and 1000 jobs threatened at ford. a lot of that is not to do with brexit, there have been other issues affecting the sector, like the uncertainty over diesel policy, following diesel gate, we have had falling sales in big markets like china, and also new regulations which have held up production. what is stark about today‘s figures is that in 2015, investment in the uk car industry was £2.5 billion and it has fallen every year since then. las

0ur brussels reporter adam fleming has been finding out.t is on the table is the best and only deal possible and the eu 27 leaders confirmed on the 13th of december in their conclusions, that it will not be renegotiated. although the eu has been prepared to help — a bit. the last eu summit in december will probably be remembered for a row between theresa may and the european commission presidentjean—claude juncker about whether he‘d called her "nebulous". but in their summit communique, eu leaders also clarified their intentions for the backstop. it would only ever be temporary and they‘d work speedily on an agreement to ensure it was never needed. that fell short of what the uk wanted — the wallonia solution. that‘s the region of belgium that objected to the eu‘s free trade agreement with canada in 2016. to reassure the walloons, the eu issued a legally binding interpretation of the most controversial parts of the deal. there were other options under international law. for example, a country can sign a treaty and then said there are parts

adam fleming reports from the belgian coast.e fish off the coast the crew have been catching gurnard and cuttle fish off the coast of cornwall and east sussex, which means every single fish being unloaded now has been caught in british waters. proof of belgium‘s reliance on the uk‘s rich fishing grounds. if there‘s no deal, the eu has said things can stay broadly the same until the end of this year, if the uk promises the same, but no—one knows for sure and the owner has nowhere else to go. the boat is too small to go to deeper water and also to go north. so i really do not know what i am going to do. if a no—deal brexit means karel and his crew cannot fish, brussels has said it will provide some compensation. at the daily auction in 0stend, fish is bought and sold at the click of a button. the uncertainty is clear. if you are worried about a no—deal brexit — no deal — put your hands up. yeah, no deal. oh, wow, nearly everyone. they are worried about the rules for their boats using british ports and if no deal means extra paperw

we arejoined by our man in brussels, adam fleming. let's do this step—by—step.ion, respectfully, becausei am in strasbourg in the european parliament. do you recognise the backdrop? you have the same flags behind you everywhere you go. you should see the size of my suitcase. iam should see the size of my suitcase. i am wrong about the location. you are right about the substance. you are right about the substance. you are right about the substance. you are right on the substance. yeah, absolutely. the message coming from eu leaders, from meps, from michel barnier, the chief negotiator who has been chatting to meps today, is that the withdrawal agreement is not changing. the backstop is not changing. the backstop is not changing. the backstop is not changing. the 585 page treaty text, not a single page of it is changing. where people are talking about changes is the political declaration, the other document that goes along side it that is not legally binding that sketches out the shape of the discussion that is being had in strasbourg this morning is that if you p

adam fleming joins me from brussels.cials were testing the waters about postponing brexit. is now evidence of that beyond what the telegraph says they have seen. i have not been able to any eu officials on the receiving end of any feelers about extending article 50 but when you mention it here, officials say it is logical for british officials to do that because they did not invent the concept of extending article 50, the authors of article 50 dead. it says in black and white that the authors can —— the authors of article 50 did. they are getting their ducks in a row for looking at other options. when vicky talks about the default option in westminster being no deal, brussels says the default could be extending article 50, you just don't want to do it. at interesting. the point is each eu member individually has to give the 0k to this. someone might wa nt to give the 0k to this. someone might want to cause a problem. when you talk to people, they say this probably wouldn't be a problem with the uk did eventually ask for

to adam fleming in brussels. about the possibility of extending article 50 but here the government insisting it has no intention to do that. what is the latest from there? the telegraph reports british officials, we do not know where and what level, maybe had tentative conversations about extending article 50, the time period for negotiations to take place. we do not know if that has d eftly place. we do not know if that has deftly happened. it is not government policy, although it is a possibility, because article 50 which governs the process says that a departing country can pass to extend the two—year period and the other 27 countries could agree to it. it has been discussed in public and private by the 27 since the process started. mostly along the lines of the facts they would be prepared to grant an extension of article 50 if more time was needed to wrap up the brexit deal in the uk, or if there was a massive change in the political weather in the uk, like another referendum, election, a change of the gover

vote on theresa may's deal but could there yet be movement from the eu. 0ur brussels reporter adam flemingthough the eu has being prepared to help, a bit. the last eu summit in december will probably be remembered for a row between theresa may and jean—claude younger about whether he called her nebulous, but in theirsummit whether he called her nebulous, but in their summit unigate eu leaders also clarified their intentions for the backstop. it would only ever be temporary and they would work speedily on an agreement to make sure it was never needed. that fell short of what the uk wanted. this is the region of belgium that rejected in 2016. the eu issued a legally binding interpretation of one of the most controversial parts of the deal. there are other options under international law. for example a country can sign a treaty and then say there are parts of it it doesn't agree with. or tweaks can be made to the separate document that sits alongside the withdrawal agreement, that's the political declaration which sketches out the shape of the future relationship. but privately some eu diplom

adam fleming has been finding out. withdrawal agreement — that's the treaty that spells out the terms of the divorce. the eu isn't prepared to change a single one of its 585 pages. we have said many times the deal that is on the table is the best and only deal possible, and the eu 27 leaders confirmed on the 13th of december in their conclusion that it will not be renegotiated. although the eu has been prepared to help...a bit. the last eu summit in december will probably be remembered for a row between theresa may and the european commission president, jean—claude juncker, about whether he'd called her nebulous. but, in their summit communique, eu leaders also clarified their intentions for the backstop. it would only ever be temporary and they'd work speedily on an agreement to make sure it was never needed. that fell short of what the uk wanted... the wallonia solution. that's the region of belgium that objected to the eu's free trade agreement with canada in 2016. to reassure the walloons, the eu issued a legally b

thank you, adam fleming in brussels. whiskey, one of the uk's most popular exports, made here in scotland, but sold all over the world. but whilst the whiskey might be unmistakably scottish, what they need to make it is not. so they're stockpiling supplies to make sure production can continue after brexit. we are stockpiling casks from america and spain. america is obviously not in the union, the european union, but it could be affected by logistical issues, coming into the country. we are also stockpiling corks from portugal. we ordered 12,000 the other day, just to see us through a bit. we are only allowed to get 9,000, because we're not the only people stockpiling. but as well as securing what it imports, the industry wants certainty over what it exports. whisky is an industry worth around £5 billion and it accounts for about a fifth of all the food and drink that the uk sells overseas. but exports to europe accounts for just 30%. the rest is sold to lucrative growing markets in asia and the united states. shifting sa