was just saying, it is all very well for boris johnson rachel reeves was just saying, it is allt and there are so many unanswered questions for businesses and then the videos and people who travel, for people who have family and colleagues in different parts of the european union, so that we are this far, good that they are still talking, but i am not persuaded this is going to end unless boris johnson am not persuaded this is going to end unless borisjohnson does what he did the last time and backs down and try to get the press to present it as and try to get the press to present itasa and try to get the press to present it as a triumph. whatever happens it will be spun in that way, and very different when you are working for tony blair. tony blair even considered becoming head of the european council. but when it comes to the actual negotiating now, is the problem for the prime minister borisjohnson the problem for the prime minister boris johnson that you can't the problem for the prime minister borisjohnson that you can't go to the european capitals, as he said in a statemen

the shadow cabinet office minister, rachel reeves, was asked what labour would do if a deal emerges,w marr programme. at the moment, the priority is to get a deal. but we'll have to look, of course, at the content of a deal. but also any legislation that comes. we are not going to give them a blank cheque. i think i have been very clear, both today and on previous programmes with you, andrew, that the most important thing is that the government get a deal. we want a deal to be delivered. we will look at any legislation that comes to parliament. it's a very difficult question for labour, a sensitive issue, of course, going back to the election very nearly a year ago, when the party suffered a terrible defeat on that issue of brexit, which of course dominated the election campaign and gave borisjohnson a huge majority in the house of commons. and it seems there is a bit of debate among shadow cabinet members as to what labour should do here. but, for now, you heard rachel reeves there, they are waiting to see what the contents of a deal is. it would also need to be approved in the vari

as rachel reeves was just saying there, it is all very well for boris johnson to tell people to go tond there are so many unanswered questions for businesses, individuals who want to travel or for people who have family and collea g u es for people who have family and colleagues in different parts of the european union. i think that we are this far. it is good that they are still talking but i'm not persuaded that this is going to end, unless that this is going to end, unless that boris johnson that this is going to end, unless that borisjohnson does as he did the last time withdrawal agreement and backs down and tries to get the press to present it as a triumph. and backs down and tries to get the press to present it as a triumphm was very difficult when you were working for tony blair —— different when you are working for tony blair but when it comes to the actual negotiating now, is the problem here for the prime minister borisjohnson that he can't go to european capitals as he was saying in his statement today because the eu is united behind michel barnier or at least, they say th

labour's shadow cabinet office minister, rachel reeves welcomed the agreement between the uk and thewho she believes will not now have enough time to prepare for the changes when they come into force next year. the good friday agreement is a source of immense pride on the side of the house, given the role that tony blair puzzlingly began to played in building and achieving it. neither of those governments would play games with the peace process and neither would a government led by my right honourable friend, the memberfor holding by my right honourable friend, the member for holding and by my right honourable friend, the memberfor holding and in pain. game playing with threats to break international law has consequences. it is also a dangerous distraction. the agricultural department in northern ireland say the border in the structure it simply won't be ready in time and manufacturing and i say just 9% ready in time and manufacturing and i sayjust 9% of businesses in northern ireland are ready for the end of the transition period. the systems needed to make trade flow such as the tr

we heard rachel reeves, they are waiting to see what the contents of a deal is.to be approved in various capitals of the eu member states we had france in recent days reminding eve ryo ne had france in recent days reminding everyone that if the deal does not work in the interest, even if it is agreed by eu negotiators, they would veto it. that is something all member states are able do as the french mp alexander holroyd outlined this morning. since the beginning of this procedure, this procedure follows a procedure which is in the treaties of the functioning of the european union and which requires every single member state of the eu to agree to the final deal. therefore, france has a veto. every single member state and the eu is liable to veto this bill or is liable to accept it, just as incidentally, the british prime minister is absolutely liable to veto it as well. in the end it has to be the 28 leaders, so the 27 plus the british prime minister, to agree this deal is the right deal to actually take effect. a crucial couple of days. the sticking points are as

labour's rachel reeves welcomed the news that talks were carrying on, but said businesses need to knowwould have liked to have seen the ato by now, but the very worst outcome would be to crash out with no deal whatsoever on first january after all these months and months of negotiation, so it is good that the talks continue. i hope that they will swiftly conclude, but i also hope very much, under half of all british businesses and workers and our security, that the government deliver the promise they made to the british people and come back with a deal. let's speak to the conservative mp sirjohn redwood, a veteran eurosceptic. someone long fighting for that particular position. thank you for joining us on bbc news. are you pleased that these talks continue?” am only pleased that the eu is now going to be realistic and understand that we will make our own laws, our own decisions, we will run our own fisheries. they cannot adjudicate future disagreements through their court. i think they have a long way to move to be able to get the kind of agreement that would be an improvement on ourju

that was labour‘s rachel reeves speaking just a few minutes ago in the house of commons. with these talks, are they going to continue and douvalidis think there is any ground for optimism? are there any political moves towards compromise that they might be able to make? the other thing that‘s happening today is the internal market bill, one of the pieces of brexit legislation, is backin pieces of brexit legislation, is back in the house of commons. that‘s hugely controversial because elements of that bill would allow the uk government to break international law to essentially make decisions that would go against the withdrawal agreement that was signed between boris johnson the withdrawal agreement that was signed between borisjohnson and the european union back earlier this year. the government has said in the last hour that it is prepared to remove those controversial elements of that bill, not necessarily tonight, but if it can come to some sort of agreement with the european union in talks about how to police trade between northern ireland and great britain after brex

the shadow office minister, rachel reeves, criticised the government's handling of the trade talks.ster said that to leave with no deal would be "a failure of statecraft". so this government must take responsibility for their failure if we are to leave without a deal. and mr speaker, we will hold the government to account whatever they bring back — deal or no deal. let's cross straight to brussels. our europe editor katya adler is at the european commission. the mood music from brussels today has been pretty gloomy. how would you assess things? absolutely, yes, you assess things? absolutely, yes, you described it, pretty gloomy. i could also say downbeat. michel barnier, the eu's chief negotiator, briefed the eu 27 member states, then going to the european parliament and said there was still deadlocked, no agreement, limited progress on the three main outstanding issues that we keep hearing — fish, competition regulations, and how to police a deal if it is ever agreed. you can look at this many ways. you can say, "this is just the low point before both sides get ready to make those

it was put to shaddock kavanagh minister rachel reeves this morning.are nowjust two parts available for our country, to trade with a deal or to trade without one. and you've got to look at those two things combined, because there are no other options on the table now. it's not like the last parliament, where we could push for the government to get a better deal. there now is a clear deadline at the end of this year, and so we have to weigh up the deal that the government secures, versus, i mean, frankly, looking into the abyss with no deal. and so that's what we will have to weigh up. we are minded to support a deal, but we've got to see what the government brings back. so what is the new deadline? well, it was notable yesterday that a ursula von der leyen and boris johnson did not name one. perhaps they might be conscious that any further deadline may be treated with some scepticism. at the brexit transition period does end on the sist transition period does end on the 31st of september —— for december. the uk left the eu at the end of january but has

rachel reeves for the labour party asked her about security implications and with the uk lose accesso ensure our citizens are safe. that discussion continues. you are watching bbc news. now, tomasz schafernaker has the weather. well, it's going to stay pretty grey across most of the uk through this afternoon. there is a chance of a little bit of sunshine here and there, but also at times some light rain and drizzle. there is a change on the way later on today, and actually the weather is turning a lot more dynamic across the atlantic. there's a jet stream, it is pushing weather fronts in our direction, one of these weather fronts will reach us later today, but not for the coming hours. it's actually a case of light winds in those overcast skies. so here's the picture. around about midday into lunchtime, pretty chilly for some of us as well. temperatures will be around 6 degrees in newcastle and hull, but already that slightly mild air starting to reach the southwest of the country. 11 in plymouth. here's the rain, it will sweep across northern ireland during the afternoon, reach the

rachel reeves for the labour opposition, michael gove will follow that predicament but let's listen ins, including my own party, we are not indifferent to the outcome of this vote today, so we should vote accordingly. because here we are, on the 30th of december, and tomorrow trading relationships that have served us well for decades will expire. it is not about whether you wanted to remain or leave, it's not about whether you think this deal is good enough. we know that it isn't. but voting for this deal now is the only way to avoid no deal. let me turn to what this deal does for our economic prosperity, because while we will vote for this bill later, we are fully aware of its limitations and we will hold the government account to them. for farmers, car—makers, the chemicals industry, they will face extra delays, cost and bureaucracy and taking the goods to european markets and few will thank the government for the gift handed to them on christmas eve wrapped up in e7 billion bureaucracy, tied with the red tape of over 200 million customs declarations. in over 80% of our economy is ma

shadow cabinet office member rachel reeves said the inability to strike an agreement had caused hugeing trade deals but there needs to be independent arbitration if the rules diverging, but at the moment the government seem to suggest that because we want to deregulate the economy, we should not sign up to any form of level playing field. i do not think that is the priority of british people. we enjoy rights for workers and environmental rights and i do not wa nt environmental rights and i do not want those diluted and that should not be a reason for not signing up for a deal. fishing, there is a precedent, like the deal norway has with the eu so a deal is there to be done. many businesses, with 17 days to go, it gives a new meaning to the night before christmas. incredibly frustrating for businesses trying to plan. government say to business get ready for brexit. many businesses say to me at the government, get ready for what? we do not know we will be able to trade in 17 days, which is no way to treat great british businesses. we know this has to come back to parliament. what would

let's talk to rachel reeves, the shadow cabinet minister. good morning.astrazeneca vaccine has been approved ? that the oxford astrazeneca vaccine has been approved? well, isjust wonderful news. and who think there is light at the end of the tunnel. i just listened to your interview with lydia. what an inspiring woman. and what a story. also, i hope that people will listen to what he said about is what we can do to protect the nhs and get control of this virus by getting this vaccine. and due to people like her, but also, she said, the amazing scientists at oxford university and in our nhs, that we can, i hope, look forward to a brighter future after everything we have gone through in this terrible year. a thought then and what might happen regarding restrictions over heres in england? the health secretary is expected to make a statement later. what are you hoping to see? well, the vaccine is on the horizon. and people will start to get that astrazeneca vaccine. that is good news. but it doesn't deflect from the real challenges we face right now. we have

i'm talking to rachel reeves, the labour brexit spokesman.the french mp for french people in london talking about those talks. so a very busy hour, as you would expect, at nine o'clock. that sounds great andrew, cheers. stay with us, the headlines are coming up. hello, this is breakfast with rogerjohnson and sima kotecha. good morning, here's a summary of today's main stories from bbc news. the uk begins its largest ever immunisation programme this week, as hospitals receive their first deliveries of the new coronavirus vaccine. the jabs are expected to be administered on tuesday to front line health staff, people over the age of 80 and care home workers. dr rachel ward is one of our regular breakfast gps. she joins us from newbury. thank you for coming on. what have you been told about the vaccine? thank you for coming on. what have you been told about the vaccine ?m course, we have been doing lots of preparation over the last weeks and we know it is due to be rolled out this week in the hospital hopes, that has been announced. also it was a

we can talk about that with the shadow minister rachel reeves.l workers and we should treat them better than the stories we have just heard on your programme. something practical the government can do and do quickly is getting the testing facility down to kent to help reopen the border. we have had 24 hours of this chaos in kent, both in dover and the eurotunnel. we need to get that fix. 0ne eurotunnel. we need to get that fix. one way to do it is to have testing. at the moment the government say they have capacity to do 750,000 tests a day. in december, only around half of that capacity has been used, so let's use it to get the border open, to get drivers tested if that is what it takes. with regard to testing, the point about testing is it can take time. what would you do right now about the immediate problem, people stuck on the motorway without access to basic facilities? those basic facilities have to come, whether it is we get drivers to the airport where the facilities are supposed to be available, or to get essential is down to people, wh