chris heaton—harris , the here. heaton—harris, the northern ireland secretary, with his counterpart micheal martin today in london. we're trying to sound conciliatory , but it's sound conciliatory, but it's clear on listening to chris heaton—harris that they are not going to bend london. that is to this request from ireland to have migrants returned back over the border because of the situation with france refusing to take migrants across the channel. this is what he said, the agreement on returns, i mean, we've been told all the way through since we left the european union that the uk must deal with the european union as a whole entity and so anything on returns has to be dealt or deau on returns has to be dealt or dealt with on that basis. and we are obviously, are working with our european partners because this is a shared endeavour to try and stop criminal gangs, illegally importing, exporting people, human trafficking people across the continent of europe into the united kingdom, into ireland, from our perspect

i think our deputy prime minister alluded that in his discussions with chris heaton harris, the northernrspective, they are seeing this as the conservative government under a lot of pressure domestically and reacting to that by not wanting to create an opportunity where there is a photo opportunity whether british home secretary is seen discussing taking back hundreds if not thousands of asylum seekers who have ended up in dublin and which dublin believes shouldn't be here, and the irish government believes should be going back to the uk. ., ~ , ., y . around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news. russia says it's taken another village in the course of its offensive in eastern ukraine. semenivka lies north of avdiivka, which moscow captured in february after a prolonged onslaught. the commander of ukrainian forces has said his troops have been forced to make a tactical retreat as kyiv awaits much—needed weapons from a huge us aid package. speaking in kyiv, the nato chief, jens stoltenberg, admitted the lack of military equipment had caused a setback for kyiv, but said support was

i know chris heaton harris was saying that it seems the rwanda bill is already having an impact.nd had already been a factor. there does seem to have been an increase now. we saw that last year one third were coming through dublin airport. the other thing is like in other countries there is a 75% increase so far this year and the numbers seeking asylum applications. i know the sound small figures to you but that would mean 20,000 asylum applications in ireland by the end of the year on that rate. compared to just 3000 a few years ago. there's been a great nervousness in ireland ever since the brexit vote if there was to be more hostile regime in britain towards migrants and asylum—seekers that ireland would be... john. towards migrants and asylum-seekers that ireland would be. . ._ that ireland would be... john, thank ou much that ireland would be... john, thank you much for— that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. _ that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. thank _ that ireland would be... john, thank you much for that. thank you - that ireland woul

otherwise, this carries on. >> but the thing today with chris heaton—harris is i thought, i genuinelye because the good right? because because the irish came out with the begging bowl, the irish are reported just to the echr over our, prosecution or lack of prosecution or lack of prosecution of historic veterans, despite the fact that we gave the ira letters of comfort. >> they didn't come out with a begging bowl. they came out with an instruction, we're going to legislate, and you'll take them back. that's how these eu nafions back. that's how these eu nations said no. >> but that's good, though. we've said no to that. >> you wait, you wait. really? do you seriously think this government is going to stand up to the republic of ireland and then force them give over? given then force them give over? given the track record we've seen into the track record we've seen into the republic of ireland, surely we caved in over the whole brexit negotiate returns to the repubuc brexit negotiate returns to the republic of ireland and to the people in brussels. of course we'll cave in. they just hav

speaking at a british irish conference in london, chris heaton—harris said they hadnt chris heaton—harristhey hadn't expected the deterrent effect to begin before flights took off. it comes after the irish government said it's seen an 80% increase in asylum seekers entering from northern ireland. they want to return them to the united kingdom, but them to the united kingdom, but the government says that will only be possible if we can send small boat migrants back to the eu. >> it was always going to be the case. we believed as a government that our rwanda policy would act as a deterrent for people coming to this country illegally. i think we are slightly surprised that it's manifested itself so quickly after the act, became law, and we are now in the process of making sure that we are, gathering those individuals who could qualify for the first flight to be on that first flight. >> two men have appeared in court charged with murder after a torso was found in a nature reserve in salford. the 68 and 42 year olds spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth. with the help of polish

speaking at a british irish conference in london, chris heaton—harris said they hadnt chris heaton—harristhey hadn't expected the deterrent effect to begin before flights took off. it comes after the irish government said it's seen an 80% increase in asylum seekers entering from northern ireland. they want to return them to the united kingdom, but them to the united kingdom, but the government says that will only be possible if we can send small boat migrants back to the eu. >> it was always going to be the case. we believed as a government that our rwanda policy would act as a deterrent for people coming to this country illegally. i think we are slightly surprised that it's manifested itself so quickly after the act, became law, and we are now in the process of making sure that we are, gathering those individuals who could qualify for the first flight to be on that first flight. >> two men have appeared in court charged with murder after a torso was found in a nature reserve in salford. the 68 and 42 year olds spoke only to confirm their names and dates of birth. with the help of polish

great line from chris heaton—harris , wasn't it chris heaton—harris, wasn't it saying, well, hang onal with an eu member country has to go through the european union in its entirety. and so we have currently told the irish to swivel when it comes to taking illegal migrants back , which is illegal migrants back, which is a good thing, i think. >> yes. and they said it with very straight faces, very polite as these types of conferences always are, even though they make quite cutting comments like that one, sue says migrants want to come to the republic of ireland because there's better social welfare, child benefits and pensions than in britain. nothing to do with rwanda. very interesting, very interesting. that point work, they can work. >> my understanding is that if you're an asylum seeker in ireland, you can work. i'm willing to stand corrected on this, but that is my understanding in a way that you can't hear. >> but wouldn't it be a remarkable, remarkable deal? what a u turn, labelling the united kingdom an unsafe country because of the rwanda plan , because of the rwanda plan, d

this morning the northern ireland secretary chris heaton—harris has been meeting with the irish deputyout this issue, but at the press conference, which is actually still going on at the moment, it's already been suggested that this was a significant issue that came up with lots of emphasis on wanting to work together. the uk's position is that many asylum seekers who arrive here in the uk have passed through france and bluntly, they suggest that if france isn't going to return, accept returns from the uk, why should the uk accept returns from the eu from ireland? but it suits both sides to be having this row to some extent at moment because it allows rishi sunak here in westminster to claim that his deterrent, his role under policy, might already be having some impact. policy, might already be having some im act. :, :, policy, might already be having some imact. :, :, ., ~ policy, might already be having some imact. ., ., ., ~' i., as of today, companies are facing new import checks and charges for food and plants from the european union because of brexit. the bbc�*s ben boulos has be