to nicola sturgeon's comment about seeking a second independence vote.eads the european union in the spring of 2019. will you grant permission for that referendum on that timescale? as we negotiate to leave the european union, i want to negotiate an agreement that is going to work for the whole of the united kingdom, that includes the scottish people. that's why we closely with the devolved administrations, we've been listening to their proposals, and recognising many areas of common ground that we have, such as protecting workers' rights and our security from crime and terrorism. the tunnel vision the snp has shown todayis the tunnel vision the snp has shown today is deeply regrettable, it sets scotla nd today is deeply regrettable, it sets scotland on a course or more uncertainty and division, creating huge uncertainty, and this at a time when the evidence is that the scottish people, the majority of the scottish people, the majority of the scottish people, the majority of the scottish people, do not want a second independence referendum. so instead of

why do you think nicola sturgeon has called it today? nicola sturgeon has called it today?learly been working towards this day for the best pa rt working towards this day for the best part of two and a half years. her government has been asleep at the wheel on things like nhs and educational standards because of this obsession with independence. she is using brexit as a trojan horse to bring about her lifelong ambition of separation from the rest of the uk. but her argument is that everything has changed with that june 23 referendum that saw the vote for brexit. that is her argument that that argument has changed over recent weeks and months. the snp never talk about full membership of the eu for an independent scotland now, because there is a significant flank of the snp which is opposed to joining the eu. she is trying to play both horses here. on 100 play both horses here. 0n100 peeling to voters who voted no in the last referendum yet want to go back into the eu, yet at the same time to come down her brexit supporting nationalist troops to say, guys, we arejust supporti

nicola sturgeon.isa first minister nicola sturgeon. that is a sequence of events. it won't ta ke is a sequence of events. it won't take long. the votes in parliament all electronically done and it will bea all electronically done and it will be a rapid series of votes. as we keep an eye on this, let's bring in oui’ keep an eye on this, let's bring in our colleague lorna gordon, our scotla nd our colleague lorna gordon, our scotland correspondent. just a sense of how this debate has gone so far? this debate was interrupted, it started early last week, interrupted because of those events at westminster, that attack that left so westminster, that attack that left so many people dead. it resumed, this debate, at scottish parliament earlier this afternoon. in total i think msps have been debating about seven hours now. rehearsing arguments. we have heard many times before. john swinneyjust finishing just now. you might be up to see ken macintosh leading proceedings from the chair. he will now call for thos

plus the fact nicola sturgeon wants to ta ke the fact nicola sturgeon wants to take us back into thehe last referendum in little over two years ago, a majority of people here voted to remain as part of the united kingdom. in fact, to remain as part of the united kingdom. infact, the to remain as part of the united kingdom. in fact, the result here mirrored exactly the result across scotla nd mirrored exactly the result across scotland as a whole. families and couples were divided in their opinions about what was best for scotland's future. i voted for independence. my personal opinion, i would quite happily have another vote. i would quite happily have another vote. hopefully this time we will vote for independence. her partner originally voted no but has now changed his mind. in the last referendum i voted to stay in the united kingdom. this time i would vote to leave the rest of the united kingdom. quite? hopefully we would get the chance to stay in europe and i feel we have get the chance to stay in europe and ifeel we have been get the chance to stay in europe and i feel we have

." >> nicolas: no, it doesn't. >> anthony: that's a big hunk of metal. >> nicolas: yeah. >> anthony:aiting for friends to arrive? or, no? they're just here lookin' at planes. >> nicolas: yes. it's popular to come here and you watch a couple of planes come and go. >> anthony: the whole family. >> nicolas: yep. ♪ >> anthony: buenos aires -- capital of argentina. second-largest country in south america. it's got a quirky, unique character all its own. [ dogs barking ] >> anthony: it looks like no other place and it feels unlike any other. ♪ >> nicolas: whoa. silence. >> anthony: yeah, right? it's very pretty here. i mean, it's really beautiful. i'm glad i came in the summer. it's -- when it's quiet. got, sort of, a mournful, sad, sweet quality that i like. fits with the architecture. ♪ ♪ >> anthony: where does everybody go? like, now, where is everybody? >> francis: the city's empty. the month of january everyone go for holidays. >> anthony: january and february are the hottest months here, middle of summer, and most porteños who can afford it get out of town to cooler climes. >> franci

nicola sturgeon has built up machine. nicola sturgeon has built upa machine. as a first minister, but there remains a very tough economic questions which pretty much did for the snp in the last referendum and remain to be answered. what happens about currency and collapsing oil prices? what happens about the scale of the deficit? all of these things have not really been answered. there is also a hope amongst ministers here that may be people in scotland might bea that may be people in scotland might be a bit tired of this endless uncertainty and upheaval and division. they had a referendum on two years ago, they had a brexit referendum and they are now to have another referendum. the final hope is that maybe people in scotland might buy into theresa may's argument, that they should focus on the dayjob, argument, that they should focus on the day job, public argument, that they should focus on the dayjob, public services, the economy in scotland, rather than independence. these are massive sta kes independence. these are massive stakes and genuinely who knows a

nicola sturgeon hopes the tide is turning in herfavour., we'll talk to laura at westminster. but first, to sarah, at holyrood. thoughts on the timing of the first minister's announcement and indeed, the logic behind it, as you see it? well, the timing was quite deliberately designed to catch the uk government unawares. there have not been any conversations about the prospect of another referendum between the scottish and uk governments, and there probably will not be until after a vote in holyrood next week. sources close to the first minister said she did not feel any obligation to want theresa may that she was going to make this announcement, because she has not been given any indication about when the prime minister intends to trigger article 50, and she has not been given much clue about the brexit proceedings. she did not even know the prime minister would say that the uk would leave the single market until she heard her say that in the lancaster house speech. relations have clearly become a little frosty this spring and there is now

nicola sturgeon i think has very good at the optics of that.e came out there with her statement. but when you look at the underlying economic facts, particularly the deficit in scotland and the spending problems that have been mounting up for some time there, unaddressed one has to say largely by the snp because it's had other things that it was really riding on and going to the voters on. well, that then becomes a much more difficult economic picture for those who may be waivering about whether they think they can afford, to put it blu ntly, think they can afford, to put it bluntly, to embrace scottish independence. but one has to say, voters seem to vote for lots of different reasons. the economy, as george osborne and david cameron found out to their cost is not the only reason for which they cast their vote. i think nicola sturgeon has a risk here. she has one big throw at this. she's going to go for it. she feels the pressure from her own party to do so. she couldn't really go on as she saw it, promising a second never—endum. if she loses

so no wonder nicola sturgeon is fighting for it.t now they don't trust what is coming up. if they want to leave, it is up to them ultimately, but it can't actually happen when... if it does wait six years, they could potentially then vote them, t7 . l, ate... meat; that's t7 . e7777 w'eee...e. we... that's up t7 . e7777 ewee..e. we... that's up to t; . a77;, e;eeeee tt7w7;;t;-eaeee that's up to the t; . a77;7 weeeeee weaweee'e that's up to the scottish t . a77;7 ;teeeeee eweee'e that's up to the scottish people and that's up to the scottish people to decide. be not tojeopardise the brexit negotiations, that is the principal point. the guardian has picked up on this same story. sturgeon may have sealed the fate of the uk. a slightly different take. that is nicola sturgeon's argument, that by rejecting what she sees as a legitimate demand for a refstsfiaufi = legitimate demand for a referendum more or less therefore, more or less immediately, therefore, that will do what you say can galvanise support for independence. that might happen.

your thoughts on the timing of nicola sturgeon‘s announcement?ghts on the timing of nicola sturgeon's announcement? the timing has been central to all of this. she took a lot of people by surprise by going further than they expected her to. she began by setting up the context. since that time, she has worked hard to compromise with the uk government but had been met by a brick wall of intransigence and wants to vote for a real choice, a hard brexit being offered by the conservative government. she said she will go next week to hollywood to seek his mandate to begin negotiations with the government over a section 30 order. but it is what happens next which is the interesting thing. they give the government is the one with the power to say yes or no to that. she says she wants scots to make an informed choice so that they have more information about what brexit will mean but against that if they wa nt to will mean but against that if they want to do something about it is still time to take a different course. she has come up with this window of opp

let's remind you of what nicola sturgeon had to say at a press c0 nfe re nce nicola sturgeon had to say at a press conference today when she said she had something important to say but no one expected this. let me set out a plan that i intend to pursue. first i will continue to stand up for scotland buzz interest during the progress of "brexit" negotiations. second, i will now take the steps necessary to make sure that scotland will have a choice at the end of this process. a choice of whether to follow the uk to a hard brexit, or to become an independent country, able to secure a real partnership of equals with the rest of the uk and our own relationship with europe. the scottish government's mandate for offering this choice is beyond doubt. last year we were elected with the highest share of the constituency vote won by any party in the history of devolution on a manifesto that said this: the scottish parliament should have the right to hold another referendum if there is a significant and material change in circumstances that prevailed in 2014, such as scotland being taken out of the

nicola sturgeon hopes the tide is turning in herfavour.st breakfast developments on our website. the headlines on bbc news: the house of lords has passed the government's brexit bill, paving the way for the theresa may to trigger article 50 by the end of the month so the uk can start leaving the eu. nicola sturgeon has announced plans to hold a second independence referendum for scotland, claiming the prime minister is ignoring the wishes of scottish voters on britain leaving the eu. theresa may has delivered a forthright response — accusing scotland's first minister of tunnel vision and of wanting to set a course for uncertainty and division. let's have a quick look at some of the front pages. —— a brief look at some of the day's other news stories. aid agencies are warning that time is running out to save more than 20 million people who are facing famine in africa and the middle east. the united nations says the crisis in nigeria, south sudan, yemen and somalia threatens to be the worst in 60 years. in somalia — conflict has intensified

nicola sturgeon dropped quite a bombshell this morning.some sort of ultimatum to theresa may about agreeing to scotland staying in the single market if the rest of the uk leads. but she has announced she will seek permission for another referendum on scottish independence and that is pretty momentous. what is the polling in scotland in terms of whether the people would like to have another referendum ? intriguingly the last two polls have showed a slight bump in support for independence. 0ne showed a slight bump in support for independence. one had support a couple of days ago at 50% and another one today says 48%. none of them yet have showed a majority of scots suggesting they would vote for an independent scotland. i asked nicola sturgeon directly did she think she would win another referendum, given the difficult economic circumstances she would be fighting this referendum in, and she said she was absolutely convinced she could win this and she would not call a referendum if she did not have some confidence there was a very good chance

theresa may has messed nicola sturgeon for the first time since the scottish government announced itsroposals for the second independence referendum. the northern ireland secretary has warned that there is only a short window of opportunity to restore a power—sharing executive after today's deadline passed without agreement. and an update on the markets for you, this is how the ftse 100 dax ended the the markets for you, this is how the ftse100 dax ended the day. both slightly down. mixed bag. in trading in the united states. theresa may has been meeting nicola sturgeon for the first time since the scottish government proposed a new independence referendum. the first minister wants another vote within two years saying that brexit has transformed the situation since the original vote. the prime minister has restated her view that ‘now is not the time'. speaking earlier today she said that she wants the uk to be ‘more united'. this great united nations, england, scotland, wealth and northern ireland sets its mind on something and works together with determination, we are an unstoppable

will you agree to nicola sturgeon‘s timetable?he snp insists scotland should have another say over its place in the uk because the brexit. they want the uk because the brexit. they want the uk because the brexit. they want the uk government to grant the legal right for a second ballot — a section 30 order. if the scottish parliament vote next week to request a section 30 order, then the prime minister of the whole of the united kingdom should absolutely grab that. in previous discussions with the first minister and as the secretary of state has said, there would be no sense or reason of blocking the will of the scottish parliament stop by and ——. politically be very difficult to refuse outright, but the timing will be crucial, whether it happens before the uk believes the eu, as the snp wants, or much further down the snp wants, or much further down the line. some in westminster simply don't want to distract from brexit. now the government has parliament's backing to start the official process. yesterday was a historic day. we hav

nicola, i'm honored to finally have you on the show. >> thank you. an honor to meet pup. >> you. >> an honor to meet you. and thank you to wit, wherever you are for finally getting her on the set. i wanted to talk to you for so long. the last time i saw you, you didn't see me, because you were on stage and i'm in the audience but last time was last summer you were performing the violin could concerto he wrote for you. wyn told me when he first gave it to you, you told him it wasn't difficult enough. complex enough. is that true? >> absolutely true. to be totally truthful it was just the first draft for the movement for which there are four. but he says it shocked him because he is used to being told that his music is too complicated and too difficult and please make this more simple. but i'm used to playing violin concertos written specifically for many hours of practice to be put into that. and that from a comfort zone is what i've always done. if i look at a new piece of music, i expect to spend a month playing for six hours a day just to get to kn

since she was 15, nicola sturgeon has dreamed of an independent scotland.xit may provide the chance. as she says it means scotland must be given a fresh choice. what scotland deserves, in the light of the material change in circumstances brought about by the brexit vote, is the chance to decide our future in a fair, free and democratic way. there should be a referendum, she says, before the uk leaves the eu, some time between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019. 0pinion polls still don't suggest more than 50% of the country would want to vote for independence. the economic circumstances are much harderfor you than they were in 2014. do you really believe you could win another referendum? yes, i do. absolutely. i believe that. it would be wrong for scotland to be taken down a path it has no control over, regardless of the consequences for our economy, our society, our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. that would be wrong, and therefore my judgment is that we should have that choice. a referendum could have been avoided,

nicola sturgeon this afternoon. nicola sturgeon this afternoon.turgeon this afternoon. nicola sturgeon calling for the right to hold a second referendum in a charged press conference a couple of weeks ago. she said her government has met a brick wall of intransigence on government has met a brick wall of intra nsigence on negotiations government has met a brick wall of intransigence on negotiations to protect scotland's place in europe and the position backed up by members of the assembly at holyrood and mps in westminster at what they see as an unreasonable position taken by the prime minister. theresa may needs to treat scotland as a partnership of equals and that has not been the case. she will not disregard the will of the people of scotland when it comes to the relationship with uk. it is up to the uk government to respond to the compromise. we think the meeting between the first minister and prime minister is wrapping up. we understand nicola sturgeon will comment in the next hour. thanks. we can show you pictures of theresa may arriving for

nicola sturgeon did not get anything out of the meeting.oping perhaps for clarity on the situation as far as the detail of brexit. did not get that. she also didn't get a wholehearted commitment to more power being handed back to scotland once brexit is over. quite. the atmosphere just watching the report there has been pretty frosty between the prime minister and the first minister. i am not sure that nicola sturgeon would necessarily have expected to learn a vast amount knew from her perspective, or when many things that would add up to concessions from the prime minister on this visit. clearly, as she articulated, nicola sturgeon, there was frustration at not getting that but the expectation within the snp is that that was likely to be the case at this stage, particularly because the prime minister has not yet started the whole brexit process with the article 15 letter coming in a couple of days. she knows, as the prime minister knows, that the whole business of the union will be a central plank in its conversations with brussels and the

is it a gamble for nicola sturgeon? if she we re gamble for nicola sturgeon?ity of hundreds of thousands of scottish families and the future of the united kingdom. i'll make a strong leather case for why she —— we should remain part of the uk. thank you, kezia dugdale .net also hear from the snp, the owner hyslop, the cabinet secretary for culture tourism and external affairs. we want to make sure we can protect scotland's interests. we think continued membership of the single market is very important forjobs and for people in scotland and for our future. therefore, the choice that we want to provide for the people of scotland is whether there is clarity over what the brexit deal will be. we won't know that until the autumn of 2018, we think, at the earliest. it's important to have clarity about the brexit deal. we need to have clarity, yes, about independence but most importantly we need choice. yes, the rest of the uk apart from northern ireland voted to leave the eu but scotland voted to remain. our interests must be with the continued relationship with eur

nicola sturgeon did not see it that way, did she. she certainly did not, andi way, did she.the impression that she came away from the meeting a bit frustrated about the lack of detail that she is getting from the prime minister about the "brexit" negotiations and also about any specific powers that may be transferred to the scottish parliament. the prime minister, who does have the power to block another referendum on scottish independence, that she was very clear, saying now is not the time to discuss it. voiceover: is not the time to discuss it. v0|ceover: theresa may knows that this could be awkward, she is here to talk about her article 50 letter. she is here to press her demand for a referendum on independence. no handshakes, no press conference, did a couple of souvenir photographs but neither woman looks like they are enjoying it. by stark contrast, their first meeting, eight months ago, then it was called a good working relationship, now, nicola sturgeon says the pm has not listened to her on "brexit", theresa may says that she will reject any request for a vote on s

and nicola sturgeon‘s response?emoc—reticll—ll . mandate in scotland. let's have a listen. we have a conservative government with one mp in scotland saying they will stand in the way of the choice of the scottish people. i mean, this is like winding the clock back to the bad old days of margaret thatcher. it is an argument for independence really in a nutshell that westminster thinks it's got the right to block the democratically elected mandate of scottish government and the majority in the scottish parliament. history may look back on today and see it as the day that the fate of the union was sealed. let's go now to westminster and speak to alex forsyth, our political correspondent. the language is the most interesting thing in that statement from nicola sturgeon, invoking the memory of margaret thatcher from 30 years ago and talking of the fate of the union margaret thatcher from 30 years ago and the ing of the fate of the union margaret thatcher from 30 years ago and the tories :he fate of the union margaret tha

nicola sturgeon. this photograph. we will put it up.ontrast compared to theresa may. you and i were just talking before we went on it. what do you want to say about that —— air. we had a picture of theresa may looking very prime ministerial in front of great british figures in downing street. here they contrast. clearly a manufactured picture. tweeted out by the first minister's offers. it creates a contrast. —— office. the right leaning telegraph compares it to maggie in downing street. i am old enough to remember that picture. we do actually have a picture of theresa may signing article 50. we can see the contrasts right here as soon as it comes up. the comparison is very deliberate, the difference between nicola sturgeon and theresa may. but as a communications guy, i am asking myself what is nicola sturgeon actually trying to convey by looking so... actually trying to convey by looking so... is that supposed to be her in her business suit in her actual office. in her slippers. this is supposed to be a serious moment for the uk and s

norman, as we have said, theresa may meets nicola sturgeon later.ult is that meeting likely to be? i think it's likely to be very strained, not just be? i think it's likely to be very strained, notjust because of the personal difficulties these two women seem to have, their relations do not seem great, let's be honest. they have been publicically trading blows with each other. but also politically, they seem to be heading for a right old stramash because nicola sturgeon said clearly she wa nts a nicola sturgeon said clearly she wants a second independence referendum before brexit or possibly just a few months afterwards. we know theresa may has said now is not the time and both it seems are not for budging, indeed downing street making very clear this morning mrs may is going to set out in forthright terms her views that now would not be the appropriate moment to hold that second referendum. although interestingly in a speech later today, she will float the idea of strengthening the devolution settle m e nt of strengthening the devolution settlement

she has one significantly strong card in her hand, nicola sturgeon cannot on her owi'i hand, nicola sturgeon her own trigger an independence referendum. it must be with the agreement authority of westminster. it is clear that she does not want another referendum ahead of brexit because she does not want to fight oi'i because she does not want to fight on two fronts at one time, fighting a scottish independence referendum at the same time as grappling with this. she also does not want to deliver a slap in the face to the people of scotland by dismissing the option. 0ne people of scotland by dismissing the option. one option is she plays for time. she delays any final decision oi'i time. she delays any final decision ona time. she delays any final decision on a second independence referendum until after brexit and that uncertainty is over. that puts the pressure back on nicola sturgeon because the argument is if you hold it before the uk leaves scotland is still part of the eu. if the referendum is after, it will be too late. thank you, both. well, those plans for a new referendum have been an

here is nicola sturgeon.elcome the parliament's vote, the scottish government now has a mandate from to seek discussion with the new k government. we will seek sensible and constructive discussion. we will do this after the triggering of article 50. tomorrow is a big and important day for the prime minister. i hope the united kingdom government will respect the view of parliament. this is about giving people in scotland a choice. we agree 110w people in scotland a choice. we agree now is not the time for that choice but that choice should be available to people in scotland when the terms of brexit are clear. i forward to discussions in the weeks ahead. nicola sturgeon there. that's took to our scotland editor sarah smith whose own scotland for us. is there any reason, do you think, and nowhere looking at crystal ball clear with the whole brexit debate, and the discussions that are going to be configured tomorrow, but is there any reason why the timetable nicola sturgeon has laid down which is 18 months‘ time,

i call on nicola sturgeon...arlier, the debate suspended after last week's terror attack in westminster, resumed. scotland's future should be in scotland's hands. that is what this debate is about, the future of our country, how we best harness our potential as a country and overcome the challenges that we face. is she going to spend the next two years and 100% of her time campaigning for scotland to leave the uk, at the expense of governing, or will she roll up her sleeves from today and seek to secure more powers for this parliament when they return from brussels to britain? independence debates always excite passion and confrontation. we are sick of it, and most people in scotland have had enough too. this parliament needs to and must focus on the priorities of the people of this country. it is not the time to be sidetracked by yet more unnecessary division. so i will not take any lessons from the first minister. because actually... sit down. precisely nothing changed yesterday. i think i've answered the first

she will meet nicola sturgeon later.ill will towards his attacker. bt has been ordered to pay a record fine of £42 million for failing to properly compensate its rivals in delays in installation of high speed broadband lines. hello. in the business news this afternoon: bt has been fined £42 million by the telecoms regulator 0fcom for delays in installing high—speed lines. it's the largest fine the regulator has ever imposed. it comes after bt‘s 0penreach division cut how much it paid telecoms providers for delays in installing lines between 2013 and 2014. banks need to prepare for a wide range of potential outcomes and avoid sudden changes to lending as the country gets ready to leave the european union. the warning from the bank of england comes just two days before the prime minister plans to trigger article 50, the process of formally notifying the eu that britain is ready to start two years of exit talks. and more changes on the trains. a hong kong firm has been awarded the franchise to run south west trains for seve

i think undoubtedly nicola sturgeon has caught theresa may on the hop, a bit ofan ambush, caught theresa bit of an ambush, as one of the headline says, and she has taken the upper hand in this debate, but it has got a long way to go, and it will be interesting to see, once theresa may four minutes a proper response, what she actually she says. -- formulates a proper response. i have to say, i think this is contemptible opportunism, because i understood the last referendum was to be once ina the last referendum was to be once in a generation. at the time it took place, they knew that cameron had promised to give a referendum to the whole of the uk on brexit. and they still said it was going to be once ina still said it was going to be once in a generation. it seems to me that the rules of the game was such that, after that referendum, scotland decided to stay in, they were committed to accepting the majority view of the united kingdom as a whole. it seems to me that this is opportunistic, and i am not at all surprised that theresa may is likely to push back, partly on the timing, but if s

she wants to ta ke nicola sturgeon as well.dvantage of an economic downturn in the uk, that is probably her best hope, so the timing for both leaders critical at this moment. i think what will be so fascinating, over the next two yea rs, fascinating, over the next two years, not just the fascinating, over the next two years, notjust the deal that fascinating, over the next two years, not just the deal that the fascinating, over the next two years, notjust the deal that the uk gets and that theresa may manages to negotiate with brussels, but also the impact that it has on the united kingdom. what is surprising is the amount people are watching from the side of the atlantic. there are a lot of supporters for brexit from the trump campaign. but i wonder whether the white house would think of scottish independence as a result of scottish independence as a result of brexit. just finished on that point, today, you got the sinn fein party in northern saying they need a vote a united ireland, plaid cymru talked about a similar discussi

as tensions increase between the two leaders, nicola sturgeon says that westminster must respect scotland'semocratic mandate. we have a conservative government with one mp in scotland saying that they will stand in the way of the choice of the scottish people. i mean, this is like winding the clock back to the bad old days of méi’géi’ét'thélfhef a record fine for the conservative party for breaking campaign spending rules during the last general election. a powerful us senate committee dismisses claims president obama ordered surveillance on donald trump. the latest from washington in the next hour. 10 people are injured by flying rock and lava at europe's biggest active volcano. this is the moment a bbc crew and a group of tourists were caught in the blast on mount etna in sicily. welcome to bbc news. outside source is off the air this week due to the clocks going forward in the usa. we'll be bringing you world news the government has rejected a call for a second referendum prime minister theresa may said the government's focus needs to be ' on securing the best brexit deal for the uk — an

since she was 15, nicola sturgeon has dreamed of an independent scotland.must be given a fresh choice. what scotland deserves, in the light of the material change in circumstances brought about by the brexit vote, is the chance to decide our future in a fair, free and democratic way. there should be a referendum, she says, before the uk leaves the eu, some time between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019. 0pinion polls still don't suggest more than 50% of the country would want to vote for independence. the economic circumstances are much harderfor you than they were in 2014. do you really believe you could win another referendum? yes, i do. absolutely. i believe that. it would be wrong for scotland to be taken down a path it has no control over, regardless of the consequences for our economy, our society, our place in the world, for our very sense of who we are as a country. that would be wrong, and therefore my judgment is that we should have that choice. a referendum could have been avoided, she says, if the uk government had been prepared to allow

nicola sturgeon.esa may saying now was "not the time" for a second referendum, and scotland's first minister insisting voters there should have their say. back at westminster, the chancellor, philip hammond, made an announcement that in other times would have dominated the headlines for days. he confirmed he was reversing the most controversial change for the self—employed. some of his own mps had accused him of breaking a conservative manifesto promise not to put up tax or vat. theresa may announced the climb—down at prime minister's questions and a short time later, mr hammond came to the commons himself to make a statement to mp5. mr speaker, it is very important both to me and to my right with the letter but also the spirit of the amendment. therefore, as i set out in my letter this morning to the chairman of the select committee, my right honourable friend the member for chichester, i have decided not to proceed with those measures set out in the budget. there will be no increases in national ins

nicola sturgeon has said she won't. of course, fits into her political agenda and the coverage that she gets in london, very different to scotland. so they're unlikely to rule on that. is it discrimination? i know sarah vine talked about boris‘ hair and david cameron's waistline, but that's very often separate. they're picture stories which aren't sort of the main point of huge talks on brexit. so, i think there is a difference in the treatment and i think it is discriminatory. the mail has form on this. i remember when esther mcvey was photographed walking up downing street, they described downing street, they described downing street as a catwalk. what makes the newspaper think they can get away with it and seems to be untouched when it comes to sales? the mail actually have lots of women reading it. the difference is that obviously they have lots of different things. as they said in their unusual statement, you know, we have an 82 page newspaper, it has lots of other things in it. i think the difference here was it w

nicola sturgeon.may said "now is not the time" for a second vote. the conservative party has been fined a record £70,000 for breaking the rules on election spending. it was found to have moved campaign teams from its national headquarters to help in three by—elections and key seats in the 2015 general election. the electoral commission said there was a "realistic prospect" that the money had given 55:7 ‘f' === w— _ the party insists its failure to report six—figure sums was an "administrative error". the snp‘s pete wishart called for a statement. we need to hear in that statement that this government are taking these allegations seriously, and not hitting out petulantly, like some members have this morning, at the electoral commission and treating them with contempt. 0ur electoral laws are critically important to protect our democracy, and the conservative party will now be investigated by the metropolitan police, just like i asked the police to do last year. £70,000 is absolute peanuts to the conserv

this is the meeting between nicola sturgeon and theresa may, fixed smiles on the front page there. if those are genuine smiles. they are both managing to crack a smile, even though their positions are a long way apart at the moment. nicola sturgeon saying that theresa may hasn't listened to her at all when she's trying to tell her at all when she's trying to tell her that scotland wants to stay in the eu. if not, stay in the single market. because theresa may hasn't listened to her, she says she will have another independence referendum. theresa may on the other side is saying that now is not the time for that. there's very little overla p time for that. there's very little overlap between their two positions at the moment. christopher, what are the chances of both sides getting anywhere closer during the next 18 months? there's a chance, because as things stand, nothing has really changed. this is for the cameras. she is getting around the regions, or nations of the country, before wednesday when she triggers article 50. shaking hands with nicola sturgeon in the crowne plaza hotel

nicola sturgeon's bid to hold the vote between autumn of 2018 in spring of 2019. however, sturgeon and her scottish national party can by no means be certain that the referendum will actually take place. >> the result of the vote for nicola sturgeon as amended is yes, 69, no 59. the motion as amended is therefore agreed. >> scotland will seek permission to stage another referendum. it comes one day before theresa may is expected to launch the process of brexit. the two leaders are set for a popower struggle. they would leave the u.k. government -- need the u.k. government's approval. the government has made clear they will not give their support. >> i hope the united kingdom will respect the rule of element , giving people in scotland a choice. we agree that now is not the right time for that choice but it should be available to people in scotland. >> voters are not expected to decide on scotland's future anytime soon. at the earliest, 18 months from now. christopher: british prime minister theresa may argues that the scots they did decision in the referendum to a

theresa may tells nicola sturgeon now is not the time — dealfor all the uk.he reason i say that is because all our energies should be being put into the negotiations with the european union. but the first minister says the democratic mandate at holyrood is not being respected by westminster. we have a conservative government with one mp'in'scotland m that they will stand in. the way 7, of the choice of the scottish people. i mean, this is like winding the clock back to the bad old days of margaret thatcher. we'll have the latest as nicola sturgeon warns the fate of the union may have been sealed. also tonight... spending rules in some of the key marginal seats. but let me give you the bad news! but it's bad news for donald trump — his new attempt to impose a travel ban has again been rejected by the courts. a former team sky cyclist tells the bbc he broke the rules on taking supplements, but it was covered up. and what happened when a bbc team faced the volcanic fury of mount etna in sicily. on bbc london a man dies at a construction site manchester united ha

grass, nicola sturgeor because st lose that this into the long grass, nicola sturgeor because the seeor because the snp don't have mandate because the snp don't have the overall majority at the moment. if they fall back further it might be impossible to get the referendum, so there might be grounds for compromise, but at the moment the snp are worried about the lack of negotiation and discussion about the timing of cell. the preferred timescale is the six—month window from september 2018 onwards, for a very simple reason, because the brexit terms might become clear, and there might also be potentially discomfort and revolt in the conservative ranks and that theresa may might be too distracted to fight a staunch campaign in defence of the union in the way that the no campaign assembled itself back in 2014, so they think their best chance of winning is in that timescale, but that doesn't mean would be willing to compromise they would be willing to compromise on the margins, but they are digging in their heels on the idea that this can be kicked into the long grass and beyond the next w

he was more of a marmite figure and nicola sturgeon is not in that vein of politics.e could be a little bit limited, because i don't think he is a vote winner. a quick nod to the scottish daily mail, where it is fairly clear where it is pointing. very clear about their editorial line. on any other day, the vote in the british parliament going through the house of lords, brexit bill likely to get royal assent tomorrow would have been the dominant story. and yet it has been completely scuppered. it just shows how monumental that upcoming period is going to be in our politics, is entangling the uk and the european union. the constitutional crisis between scotland and the rest of the uk. who knows what other things are going to be coming down the track? what it seems to me is the level of political uncertainty is at a level unprecedented in our lifetimes, and i think it is really difficult to envision what else might come along. will there be other nations looking for independence? i think it is unlikely, but i do think that there will be eventualities that we haven't yet

he will speak to nicola sturgeon's predecessor. and the fomc prepares to meet for its latest rate decision. why the rare agreement on the outlook between central bank officials, economists and investors, is here.the open is just under 20 minutes away. ♪ chancellorhe german angela merkel and u.s. president donald trump's first face-to-face meeting was blown off course by the snow storm battering the east coast of america and has been moved it to friday. but will the tone remain as frosty as the weather? merkel will warn trump that a proposed tax overhaul could -- mr. schaeuble and mr. mnuchin are scheduled to meet. still with us, the president of the chair and institute for research. let's pick up the conversation and talk about why the german current-account surplus is not a problem. ? is a problem is it not a problem? should b it to be a problem? but it'sad a surplus, for mos first and foremost a it's notor germany, so a problem of exports being too strong. it's a problem of german imports being too low. germany has substantial so

nicola sturgeon is getting on her feet happens next.urgeon is getting on her feet to speak now. happens next. nicola sturgeon is getting on her feet to speak nowm is worth reflecting today on how we all felt last week in our shocking sadness, we were reminded of our common humanity and the core values that unite us. we came together to proclaim our commitment to that most cherished principle of all, democracy. today's debate at its heart is about democracy. it is about the right of people in scotland to choose our own future. in itself, it is a demonstration of democracy in action. elected representatives with different but passionately held views expressing those differences through robust, sometimes our robust, discussion. ours isa sometimes our robust, discussion. ours is a privileged position and we all have a responsibility to rise to it. it is the example beset here in this chamber that many others across our country will follow, so let us make sure it is the right one. let us make sure it is the right one. let us recognise and ac

i think nicola sturgeon is playing a good game once again.ack when the referendum vote took place, she was very vocal and making sure that scotland's voice was heard after the big event of last june. i think now just ahead of the probable triggering of article 50, nicola sturgeon is again out making sure that scotland's voice is heard as we go into the next big event that triggering of article 50. david: certainly, this means that theresa may has a lot of cooks in the kitchen ago shooting the deal -- negotiating the deal. sure. i think perhaps why the markets have not reacted to forificantly is that theresa may, it is still about the negotiation process and how that goes in the early stages, the first 2-3 months. i think the markets really want to get a grasp of the early stages of negotiations before incorporating the potential risks of a breakdown of the union of the u.k. and scotland leaving, which there are still an awful lot of ifs and but in relation to how that would transpire. alix: is the market complacent today on the news? megan: t

nicola sturgeon says that would be too late. say now is not the time and the reason i say that, is because all our energies should he being put into the negotiations with the european union. almost anti—democratic for a conservative government with one mp in scotland, to seek to block the democratic will of the scottish parliament. we'll be looking at the response in scotland and whether the prime a second referendum. also tonight. let's make sure we win. thank you for coming out today, let's go do it. but they broke the rules to do so — a record fine for the tory party over 2015 election expenses. while competing for the team. the japanese car—maker toyota invests a quarter of a billion pounds in its plant in deryshire. and the moment a bbc team got caught on mount etna when it erupted. ten people were injured. and coming up in the sport on bbc news, ruby walsh rides four winners on day three at the cheltenham festival, including victory on nichols canyon in the feature race, the stayers' hurdle. good evening and welcome to the

i call on nicola sturgeon., the debate — suspended after last week's terror attack in westminster — resumed. scotland's future should be in scotland's hands. that is what this debate is about, the future of our country, how we best harness our potential as a country and overcome the challenges that we face. is she going to spend the next two years and 100% of her time campaigning for scotland to leave the uk, at the expense of governing or will she roll up her sleeves from today and seek to secure more powers for this parliament when they're returned from brussels to britain? independence debates always excite passion and confrontation. we are sick of it and most people in scotland have had enough too, because this parliament needs to and must focus on the priorities of the people of this country and it is not the time to be sidetracked by yet more unnecessary division. so i won't take any lessons from the first minister because actually — sit down — precisely nothing changed yesterday. i think i've answered th

sarah: nicola sturgeon has seized the initiative and taking theresa may by surprise. she did not know the announcement was coming. but ms. sturgeon will need the agreement of the u.k. government before she can have another independence referendum. theresa may could refuse to allow it, or she could insist any vote takes place after brexit is complete, after the whole of the u.k. has left of the eu. when the prime minister first met the first minister here in edinburgh in july, she said she wanted to reach the u.k.-wide agreement on brexit. that clearly failed. so now they will have to get together and try to agree on terms for another independence referendum. their predecessors negotiated and signed a deal for the last referendum. it may not be so amicable this time around. there's a lot at stake. there are examples of show it -- what happens to leaders who lose referendums. there are some in scotland who can't wait for another referendum. already preparing for another yes campaign. others positively dread the prospect. opinion polls suggest voters are fairly evenly di

nicola sturgeon and theresa may hold their first face—to—face talks since the demand for a new independence and two days before the brexit process is triggered. in iraq, as the battle for mosul intensifies, we report on the plight of thousands of civilians. explosion. that is an inaccurate weapon. it might be good for the tempo of the military operation, but it isn't necessarily good for preserving civilian lives. in northern ireland, the political parties get extra time to try to reach a deal on forming a new power—sharing executive. and — is this the kind of show that could transform the world of county cricket in england and wales? and coming up in sportsday on bbc news: england under—21s continue their preparations for the european championship this summer, with a comfortable 4—0 victory over denmark. good evening. the metropolitan police says there's no evidence of any link between khalid masood, the man responsible for the westminster attack last week, and the islamic state group or al-qaeda. officers said that masood "clearly had an interest injihad", and they were still investigatin

in edinburgh, meanwhile, nicola sturgeon said it should be the scottish government — not westminsterny new independence referendum should go ahead. she wants the vote to take place sometime between next autumn and the spring of 2019. here's our scotland editor sarah smith. there is not always so muchjoyful excitement in scottish cabinet room. today, they look pretty pleased with themselves. as nicola sturgeon insists theresa may must not try to block a scottish referendum or dictate the date. owning a rebuke from the prime minister, who is quite busy enough with brexit. this is not a moment to play politics or create uncertainty. but it isn't certain how she will respond to the snp demands for a referendum. it is a moment to bring our country together, to honour the will of the british people and to shake for them a better, brighterfuture and a better britain. this relationship is turning nasty. nicola sturgeon tweeted today, i was elected as first minister on a clear manifesto commitment to a scottish referendum. the prime minister is not yet collected by anybody. —— elected by anyo