here's our political correspondent nick eardley.early 60% of ourjourneys. campaigners say cuts in funding have hit local services hard. if you live ina town, hit local services hard. if you live in a town, it might not make much of a difference, but if you live in the suburbs, you will have seen a few does make fewer buses going to fewer places, if you live in the country, you might not see any bosses at all. more than 3000 groups in england and wales might have in cutback are withdrawn can legally —— roots. —— roots cut back or withdrawn completely. the idea is that the £1.3 billion cut could find new services and provide a boost were new towns and cities does make for. it's up to politicians to follow suit. westminster would distribute money from a central part. the conservatives say they already spend £1 billion per year providing the bus travel, but the greens think more cash is needed and the lid dams look to bus companies to make money. buses are a crucial public service and there is a big debate on how to make it work for a s

nick eardley, thank you very much.ho survived the poisoning in salisbury which killed his partner dawn sturgess, has met with the russian ambassador in london. after the meeting, which was set up by the sunday mirror newspaper, mr rowley said he "didn't really get any answers" from the ambassador, who told him russia wasn't behind the attack. scotland yard and the crown prosecution service have said they have enough evidence to charge two russian men linked with the country's intelligence services. charlie rowley and his brother matthew spoke to the sunday mirror after their meeting with the ambassador. he is saying they don't produce it in russia any more. he kind of kicked around the answers. the czech republic and america are the ones that are producing at. and did he deny all knowledge about russia's involvement? yes. did hejust say...? well, involvement? yes. did hejust say. . . ? well, that to involvement? yes. did hejust say...? well, that to his involvement? yes. did hejust say. . . ? well, that to his knowledg

that was nick eardley talking to us earlier.ew minutes, speaking on sophy ridge on sunday on sky news, labour's shadow attorney general shami chakra barti has labour's shadow attorney general shami chakrabarti has had so far the prime minister has not moved an inch on her brexit red lines. she says it is hard to imagine making real progress now without a general election or another referendum. the clock is running down. we are almost beyond midnight because we are past the 29th of march, she is asking for more time, but you have to compromise. compromise is notjust telling us again and again how good your existing dealers. it is a deal that has been voted down in parliament three times and my understanding is that most people have been mutually respectful in the discussions, —— while people have been mutually respectful in the discussions, positive and friendly in tone, in substance, as yet, not a jot of movement from the government. the latest on brexit. much more on that little bit later on in the programme. meanwhile... three

it would be wrong to roll out the red carpet for the us president. 0ur political correspondent nick eardleyrom the labour leader? yes. it is no secret that this state visit is going to be highly controversial but it is a significant step for the leader of the opposition to so publicly makes clear he is going to boycott one of the main events and come in doing so, launching a scathing attack on the us president for his record on international treaties, on climate change for what mr corbyn calls racist and misogynist rhetoric. at the moment the guest list politically is looking pretty thin because the commons speaker, the snp and the lib dems have all said they are going to boycott the dinner, too. it's worth pointing out this isn't the first controversial state visit to the uk. in 2015, ten point did take part in a tribute dinner for the chinese president, a man whose record on human rights is pretty controversial, too. vauxhall is recalling 235,000 zafira cars for a third time after a new source of fires was discovered. the zafira b cars were previously recalled after campaigners claimed mo

let's speak to our political correspondent nick eardley, who is in bristol at that launch.llenges change uk itself are facing? the big one is to cement a reputation as the party for people who want another referendum and ultimately a way of stopping brexit. a phrase we heard numerous times in the launch a couple of hours ago was remain alliance and that is what the leadership hope they can create. to that end you have seen of —— a fairly diverse group of candidates unveiled. perhaps the most eye—catching racheljohnson, a journalist but perhaps better known as the sister of borisjohnson, the leave campaign leader. it's not going to be easy. a lot of parties will be making a similar pitch in the next few weeks. the lib dems, the next few weeks. the lib dems, the greens, the snp in scotland, in wales and plaid cymru, but the message is there will be a pretty stark choice if the european elections go ahead on the 23rd of may between a pro—eu message they say that's coming from here, and a pi’o say that's coming from here, and a pro brexit message, they say that nigel farage. th

wrong to "kowtow" to a president who tore up international treaties. 0ur political correspondent, nick eardleylabour leader. it's no secret that this state visit is going to be highly controversial but it's a significant step for the leader of the opposition to publicly make clear that he is going to boycott one of the main events and in doing so launching a scathing attack on the us president on his record international treaties, climate change, orjeremy corbyn called a racist and misogynist rhetoric and at the moment the guest list is looking pretty then because the common speaker, the snp and the lib dems have all said they are going to boycott the dinner as well but this isn't the first controversial state visit to the uk. in 2015, jeremy corbyn did take part ina in 2015, jeremy corbyn did take part in a tribute dinner for chinese president xijinping, a man whose record on human rights is pretty controversial as well. the liberal democrats have launched their campaign for the european elections next month with a promise to stop brexit. speaking at an event in east london, their leader sir

nick eardley, bbc news.aid in half of all local authorities in england and wales. that's according to analysis by the law society, which represents solicitors. their research shows there are whole counties that do not have any legal aid services. the government says people can be covered by nearby providers or over the phone if they can't travel. we return to one of our main stories this morning. families are continuing to grieve for their loved ones as mass funerals take place in sri lanka following the devastating attacks on easter sunday. eight british people were killed in the bombings. lorraine campbell, from greater manchester, was on a business trip and died in the blast at colombo's cinnamon grand hotel. her son mark has spoken to the bbc‘s dave guest. she was inspiring. she was strong, very independent, but the one thing that stood out for me throughout my entire life is that she was a leader. it might seem a stupid question, but what went through your mind when you heard your mum was at that hotel?

ourfirst report this lunchtime is by our political correspondent nick eardley.ime is a time to go for no deal, minister? what on earth happens now? time for a customs union, minister? another deadline is approaching. questions keep coming. time to go for no deal? but answers, far less. there is still huge disagreement about our future and what it should look like but we really are rich crunch time. i think what we all have to recognise is that the prime minister's deal is actually the best one on the table. the problem with all of the other options that were rejected last night is that none of them is as good for the united kingdom. the compromise option, the one which delivers on the eu referendum but, at the same time, enables us to accommodate the wishes of those who wanted to remain in the eu. that is the best compromise. but that argument does not worked so far and even if the pm a's deal does come back, it faces a massive uphill battle. ministers in their have big decisions to make. mps have so far rejected all the options they have been optioned but they

here's our political correspondent nick eardley. what does theresa may do in the coming days?deadline approaching, still no breakthrough in talks with labour. the prime minister says continuing to delay departure could mean it doesn't happen at all. in a statement, she said it would mean letting the brexit the british people voted for slip through ourfingers. the leader of the commons admits talks with the opposition are happening through gritted teeth, but she says now is the time to deliver. i want to point out, we're out of time. we should have left on the 29th of march. on wednesday, european leaders will be here to decide whether to push brexit dday back again. whether to push brexit day back again. the government wants a few more weeks. european leaders have suggested an extension could be much longer, with the ability to get out early if parliament backs a deal. i would think the eu would want to have an extension. i would think they would want to avoid no deal. on the other hand, the other side of it is they would also want to avoid the uk fighting eu elections which i

our political correspondent nick ea rdley our political correspondent nick eardley joins our politicaleardleyjoins me now our political correspondent nick eardley joins me now from westminster. she has got a busy schedule ahead of wednesday, hasn't she, nick? doesn't shejust, and a lot to figure out in that time. a meeting with the german chancellor tomorrow will be setting out the case for the extension the prime minister wants, just a few weeks, remember, not the lengthy extension that many in brussels have floated. some at westminster are saying that should happen as well. the fact that the prime minister's off to berlin tomorrow as well suggest perhaps that there would be much time for further talks with jeremy corbyn that there would be much time for further talks withjeremy corbyn on that compromise that we've all been discussing over the weekend. so far, no breakthrough on that. there were some talks over the weekend by phone, some ideas exchanged, some papers flying about, but nothing formal that could end the impasse between labour and the government on that. we caught up with

here‘s our political correspondent, nick eardley. prime minister will it be a labour brexit?r cabinet this way? this is not prime minister wants to be, but after failing three times to times to get a deal through parliament, she is now looking to labour. she has tried to get that through un—conservative votes and not being able to, she is trying to now do that on labour votes. so could an unlikely compromise between these two get brexit three? the prime minister say she can‘t change the withdrawal agreement, the way we leave, but she will explore what our future deal looks like.” leave, but she will explore what our future deal looks like. i think there are a number of areas we agree on in relation to brexit. we both wa nt to on in relation to brexit. we both want to deliver that leaving the eu with the deal, we both want to protect jobs, with the deal, we both want to protectjobs, i think we both want to ensure that we enter free movements, i think we both recognise the importance of the withdrawal agreement. what we want to do now is to find a way forward to command the sup

nick eardley our political correspondentjoins me. he is in westminsterfor us.interesting last night, we were all hoping there might be clarity about what happens next of the only thing it's confirmed as mps are more divided than ever. yes, how many times have we sat around westminster ona times have we sat around westminster on a weekday morning and thought we might have got an answer but we didn't quite get it. it is fascinating to see mps work so hard to seize control of the next steps on brexit, but failed to agree anything. there were some things which got close, like a customs union was within three votes of getting a majority last night. the idea of another confirmatory referendum got within touching distance too. but what we are left with this morning as a parliament thatis with this morning as a parliament that is deeply divided on exactly what brexit should look like and not prepared to compromise enough to get one of those options over the line. and a government that will spend this morning trying to figure out what it does next and how it tries to ge

second time on a series of alternatives to mrs may's brexit deal. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley on in here, number 10, is normally a secret. but brexit has eight divisions at the heart of government bear. another chief whip, the man in charge of government discipline, is making his frustrations clear. as you are aware, the discipline isn't as good as it should be. this is the worst example of ill discipline in cabinet in british political history. with parliament still figuring out what it wants, he thinks a close relationship should have been on the cards much sooner. the conservative party went to get a majority to deliver brexit, failed to get a majority. the government probably have been clearer of the consequences for that. but the parliamentary arithmetic would mean this would be inevitably a softer brexit. but any move towards a close relationship would provide a headache for theresa may. staying in a customs union headache for theresa may. staying in a custoitis union oi’ headache for theresa may. staying in a customs union or accepting a single market would mean some of

our political correspondent nick eardley is at our westminster studio.the alternative options? what might there be today? another voted to try and find something parliament can get behind. you might remember there was some last week that failed to get any majority at all for any of the options that were voted on. another round today. what we have seen is that parliament seems to favour the idea of a closer relationship that the eu is proposing. it might be able to get enough support in parliament today. there will be other options discussed, things like the single market. potentially another referendum or leaving without a deal at all. the big question is whether there is anything that parliament can agree on. the chief whipjulian smith has also said some pretty strong words? extraordinary, the chief whipjulian smith, the man who is basically in charge of discipline for the government, firstly saying the government, firstly saying the government should have been more honest about the fact that closer relationship was probably likely after the tories lost

we can cross now to westminster and speak to our political correspondent nick eardley.ing his words. you think the elections will be pointless. yes, the government is desperate not to take part in those european elections which are supposed to be in around six weeks' time. it argues that if it can get a brexit deal through by the 23rd of may, it could pull those elections up may, it could pull those elections up until the day before they are due to ta ke up until the day before they are due to take place. the reason they are desperate, they think taking part would be an insult to people who voted leeds back in 2016. earlier the chancellor explained more. clearly no one wants to fight the european parliament elections. it feels like a pointless exercise. and the only way we can avoid that is by getting a deal agreed and done quickly. if we can do that by may the 22nd, then we can avoid fighting european parliamentary elections. but in any case we want to ensure that any british meps that are elected never have to take their seats in the european parliament by ensuring th

our political correspondent, nick eardley can tell us more. minsiter released this statement late last night, is she saying anything new here? the crux is not new. we know that she is facing an uphill struggle to korea brexit that can through parliament. it is another big week for the brexit process. the prime minister ‘s has had to get labour on board and get something through the house of commons. she had to do it, there was no other choice and the longer the process takes of agreeing something for labour, the more chance there is that the uk will never leave the eu and we know that the talks between the government and labour have been far from simple so far. labour saying the government won't move enough get rid of enough redlines to allow something they could agree to. not agreeing to a closer relationship like a customs union. we don't know if the talks will continue formally in the next few days between the top teams from both sides. it will be a talk that many in parliament will be taking seriously this morning. after 7:00 this morning w

extraordinary general meeting to discuss theresa may's leadership. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley of the tensions will feel familiar. there are conservatives furious about the brexit plan from the premise —— and that she is working with labour which is why this group of activists is forcing a no—confidence vote. they will take that to the body which represents tory volu nteers that to the body which represents tory volunteers and it is likely to ta ke tory volunteers and it is likely to take place in the next few weeks. evenif take place in the next few weeks. even if it did pass it would not bind the prime minister and force her to quit, it would be an indication of their displeasure. it isa indication of their displeasure. it is a real sign of the tension and pressure on the prime minister. there are conservative mps who want to change the rules to allow them to have another no—confidence vote if they can in the next few months. talks with labour are likely to continue in coming days but those brexit tensions will be back at the top of the agenda soon and i suspect easter goodwi

but first let's get more details on the prime minister's plan from our political correspondent nick eardleyng once again. what sort of path do you think she is trying to plot in the next few weeks and months? down, we were saying yesterday, it was only yesterday, that these things move so quickly, and brexit develops so fast, that what she is going to try and do over the next few days, this is all about the next few days, this is all about the future relationship. it's not about how we leave. the prime minister thinks that part is sorted but she is offering to meetjeremy corbyn in the next few days to try and thrash out some sort of agreement about what happens after that. what a future relationship with the eu looks like. there are some sceptical here that they will agree and if they don't come the pm is saying that any options that they come to will be put to mps, kind of like the indicative votes we've seen so like the indicative votes we've seen so far but crucially, the government is saying they will abide by anything the house of commons decides. they want to get this all done by the

i spoke to nick eardley in westminster. chatting with folk around here over the last week or so, ithink it's increasingly unlikely, there seems to be a feeling in westminster that those elections will take place, however reluctantly that may be on the government part. the government is still saying that it could pull the european election ballot right up until the day before it's too to happen so the uk that would be the 22nd of may. elections normally happen on a thursday here, so they would be on the 23rd if they do go ahead. there would be some people working really hard to try and make sure they don't. we heard jeremy hunt talk about those talks between the government and labour party. we should just point out, they don't seem to be happening this week, there has not been any high—level talks in the last few days, as far as we know, there are not any more scheduled yet. there's a general feeling in westminster that everybody has catching their breath about using the recess for easter to regroup and take some time to thi

but first to our political correspondent nick eardley at westminster. back round the table later this evening to thrash out some of the remaining issues. we know the labour party is urging the government to go a lot further than it has so far on the idea of customs, to agree to a long—term customs union after we have left the eu. at this stage the suggestion is that the government has not got that far, it is not promising as much as the labour party wa nt promising as much as the labour party want on that issue and is more open to the idea of reopening the political declaration, that is the bit in my future relationship, not the literal agreement which europe has made clear it does not want to revisit downing street is hinting it could look again at the political declaration and putting some new elements into that. there‘s also talk about legislation to see through some of those promises which it is hoped would give some kind of protection against a new prime minister replacing theresa may coming in and saying they do not wa nt to coming in and saying t

nick eardley, bbc news, westminster. in the last half hour or so. she is responding, jason groves, whose treat she is responding to, the political editor of the daily mail, and she has said there is a shape of the corbyn deal with theresa may is becoming clear, customs union, permanent alignment of workers' rights, tory immigration plan is watered—down but free movement ends, no second referendum come out before the euro elections. nicola sturgeon says she would be surprised and very disappointed if labour sold out for such a bad deal. nicola sturgeon meeting other opposition leaders at 4pm, and then scheduled to be meeting theresa may at about 4:30pm, but that is a tweet of the last few minutes. 0ur chief political correspondent vicki young is in the houses of parliament. do we know how that meeting betweenjeremy corbyn and theresa may went? no, and i think it is still going on, i think he arrived a bit late so they have only been in there about half an hour. i saw nicola sturgeon and her entourage going past hurriedlyj

our political correspondent, nick eardley is in bristol. ves the natural home for remain supporters in the european elections, should they take place next month. that has been the message here, it is a firm plea to people who want another referendum and ultimately, to reverse at the brexit result, to get on—board with this party. very much failing themselves as a choice away from nigel farage's brexit party, which of course launched about ten days ago. here is what heidi allen said when she launched the election campaign bit earlier. the conservatives have drifted yet further to the right, now so anti—europe and anti—business that conservative voters can barely recognise their party any more. labour has continued to let the country down, offering ineffective opposition to a government at the time when the country needs it most. lacking leadership on brexit, and still failing to tackle anti—semitism. but as an mp, you're ina anti—semitism. but as an mp, you're in a privileged position to do something about it. we knew it was our responsibilit

joining us now from westminster is our political correspondent nick eardley.is still the only workable show in town. they will look at those votes last night and say you guys have had your chance, you looked at your alternatives, quite frankly you could not decide on something, not of them are going to happen. we got a flavour of exactly what the government might say in the next few days earlier education secretary damian hinds. state the obvious once again, parliament didn't agree to anything. we have known a number of times things that parliament does not want to but we have not yet come up not want to but we have not yet come up with something parliament does want. i think the best balanced approach is still the deal that the uk government has negotiated with the european union, and as time goes on, people go through what their first choice might have been, one of these other models, there are at least eight different ways to leave the european union but there is not a majority for any and i think the government's negotiated deal is the best balance and i h

let's speak to our political correspondent nick eardley who is in bristol at that launch.aces in the crowd there. absolutely. the kind of names you need to get a bit of attention in these sorts of campaigns. some former conservative politicians, former conservative politicians, former labourfigures former conservative politicians, former labour figures as well. perhaps the best known among them was racheljohnson, an author and journalist in her own right, but better known as the sister of boris johnson. she will be standing for the party in the south—west if the european elections go ahead on the 23rd of may. the big picture is a simple one, change uk want to be the natural home for people who want to stay in the european union by having another referendum and voting to stop the brexit process altogether. it isn't going to be easy, to be frank, there are other parties making that case. the lib dems and the greens, the snp, plaid cymru. we are going to hear a lot from these quys are going to hear a lot from these guys over the next few weeks. they can be the natural home fo

our political correspondent, nick eardley, joins me now from westminster.inished, we have labour and the cabinet saying we may be ending to something we don't know what, then we have this clock ticking on then we have this clock ticking on the background rather relentlessly now? welcome to all the certainty of westminster at the moment (i) that meeting with some ministers was at the request of some of those ministers, who wanted to see the prime minister i assume because they are not having a cabinet meeting tomorrow because the pm is off on that trip to paris and to berlin. the big question here, though, is whether there is going to be any progress in those discussions between the labour party and the government about trying to thrash out some sort of brexit deal they can both agree on. the big sticking point is what the government will commit to in the future. it's not about how we leave, the withdrawal agreement, it is about the political declaration in the future, labour wa nt declaration in the future, labour want a customs union, the government so far

our political correspondent, nick eardley can tell us more. e minister released this statement late last night, is she saying anything new here? many are saying there is not much new in it. it reminds us that so much of the brexit process has been playing on and on and on with very little changing. the prime minister is trying to answer two of the big criticisms she's had in recent days. the first one is that she shouldn't be cooperating with labour. the backbenchers are furious about that and the pm is saying that she has to. the deal wasn't getting through parliament so she had to pivot towards getting opposition parties on board. some in parliament are desperate to get out of the eu as soon as possible. the pm is saying that's why she is in these talks and she wants to get some sort of conclusion with labour as as soon as possible but that is where the warning comes in. if that doesn't happen soon, she is saying that rex it might not happen at all. —— brexit. the government is flirting with the idea of moving closer towards labour's position

our political correspondent, nick eardley, can tell us more. prime minsiter released this statement late last night. many suggesting this morning there is nothing new in it. why did she make it? not a new train of thought in from the prime minister but i think she is trying to address two big questions and criticisms that continue over what happens next for brexit. the first one is when brexit happens, the second one is what it looks like. she is saying she wants to get a deal as soon as possible and that is why she is speaking to the labour party to try to figure something out within the next few days so that we can leap within the next few weeks, warning as well if that doesn't happen in the longer it goes on, the more likely it is brexit does not happen at all —— we can leave. she said, i had to speak to labour, i tried to get it on with my own party and they were not having it and we have had to look to opposition parties and speak to them about what we'll get it over the line and what they want. it points towards a much closer relationship

what both sides have been saying, according to the @nickeardleybbc bbc‘s political correspondent nick eardleywhile labour said the negotiating teams met for four and a half hours and the teams are planning to meet again." rajdeep sandhu is bbc scotland's westminster correspondent. i spoke to her earlier. this is day to between both parties this wasn't the prime minister and jeremy corbyn in the room today this is the b team if you like, i said with a shadow brexit secretary and the de facto deputy prime minister david leading ten and when they cannot out of those talks today, eve ryo ne cannot out of those talks today, everyone was very tight—lipped and downing street said the talks were productive and detailed, but no one was really getting much away and actually we know more about what they had for lunch today which assignment establish and fruit, that we did the nitty—gritty of what happened inside but from the responses we have had since the meeting, it seems they are sinning from that same hymn sheet at the moment, and it seems like these talks are being taken very seriously and sensibly

our first report is by our political correspondent nick eardley.r less. there is still huge disagreement about what our future should look like but we really are reaching crunch time. i think what we all have to recognise is that the prime minister's deal is actually the best one on the table. the problem with all of the other options that were rejected last night is that none of them is as good for the united kingdom. the compromise option, the one that delivers on the eu referendum but, at the same time, enables us to accommodate the wishes of those who wanted to remain in the eu, that is the best compromise. but that argument hasn't worked so far and even if the pm's deal does come back, it faces a massive uphill battle. the french president emmanuel macron is on the steps of the meeting place where he is meeting the over radtke —— the over —— he is meeting the irish prime minister. he said he was keen to talk about the possible scenarios arising from events this week and they will be giving a short statement which we will bring to you when they

nick eardley reports. what goes on in here, 10 downing street, is normally a secret.t has laid divisions at the heart of government bare. now the chief whip, the man in charge of discipline, is making his frustrations clear. as you're aware, discipline is not as good as it should be. this is the worst example of ill discipline in cabinet in british political history. with parliament still figuring out what it wants, he thinks a close relationship should have been on the cards much sooner. the conservative party went to get a majority to deliver brexit, failed to get a majority. the government probably have been clearer of the consequences for that. the parliamentary arithmetic would mean this would be inevitably a softer brexit. but any move towards a closer relationship would provide a headache for theresa may. staying in a customs union or accepting a single market would mean some of the manifesto pledges made at the general election would be compromised. and such is the tension here that some tories are prepared to consider voting against the government in a confid

of course, everything is on the table. 0ur political correspondent, nick eardley, gave us this updateclear exactly how that would pan out, some suggestion that it could be separate to the deal itself so there would be a vote on the deal and then some sort of separate motion on the idea of another referendum. but the key thing that the two sides are trying to do just now is to figure out what seem to be fairly narrow differences on some of the key issues. the main one is the trade relationship we have with the european union after brexit. basically, what a customs arrangement looks like. the labour party, as we know, explicitly want a customs union. the government want the benefits of that but also want to do trade deals. so the two sides are still trying to figure out their differences there. the second big thing is how binding this is. so remember, theresa may has said she is going to go once the withdrawal agreement, the bit on how we get out, is sorted. so there is some concern within the labour party that a new prime minister, may be a brexiteer prime minister, could come in and s