it isa it in the corridors of westminster. it is a workplace.as mentioned my industry, finance. it is a workplace. nobody has mentioned my industry, financem absolutely has. there was an interview with the bbc about finance. we normally get a good kicking. to her credit, this prime minister when she was home secretary, on the trafficking of women, she created a tsar to look into the protection of women. this doesn't go far enough. to just say you are going to sack people, there needs to be more, it is a criminal offence. you have police investigations. you don't get the sack. it's not enough to put people off, these people, whether they are in westminster or anywhere else. off, these people, whether they are in westminster or anywhere elsem the meantime, saudi arabia, women are allowed the meantime, saudi arabia, women a re allowed into the meantime, saudi arabia, women are allowed into sports stadiums. family outings, which is a big shift. you wanted to talk about the big investment in saudi arabia. especially in this huge city which is being b

and partly the notion that what happens in westminster stays in westminster.t is better now, but there is a long way to go. with a fresh focus on harassment, the prime minister has written to the prime minister has written to the speaker of the house of commons asking for a new procedure to report abuse. theresa may has asked for advice on how the culture at westminster ca n advice on how the culture at westminster can be changed. it's been reported that the bbc has suspended radio 5live presenter george riley following claims that a number of women who have complained about his behaviour. george riley presents rugby league, snooker and darts and is a regular voice on radio. the bbc said it could not comment on individual staff members. riley has yet to comment on the claims. officials at heathrow airport are investigation after details of its security procedures were found on a memory stick in the street. it was found by a homeless man, who was able to view the material as it wasn't encrypted. let's speak to ben ando who's at heathrow for us this lunchtime. b

and the notion that what happens in westminster stays in westminster.here is a long way to go. diane abbott with her experiences there and jeremy corbyn spoke yesterday on this issue and talked about a degrading culture which existed at westminster and thrived in the corridors of power. he said any examples of this should be stamped out. yesterday we had the new labour mp jared o'mara be stamped out. yesterday we had the new labour mpjared o'mara being suspended over comments he made online sometime ago which were sexist, racist and homophobic. online sometime ago which were sexist, are st and homophobic. online sometime ago which were sexist, are hoping iomophobic. online sometime ago which were sexist, are hoping to 1ophobic. online sometime ago which were sexist, are hoping to tacklelic. online sometime ago which were sexist, are hoping to tackle the parties are hoping to tackle the problem, it new parties are hoping to tackle the problem, it- new issue. there problem, it isn't a new issue. there may well be more reports of more recent exa m ples to

if a researcher or employer at westminster. if a researcher oi’ an employer at westminster.a complaint can get very far with the commons authorities? lie the commons authorities were keen to stress that they take any allegations of bullying or harassment very seriously. employment rolls are taken up by mps themselves, but clearly politically at the moment it is very unpalatable and unacceptable. we havejeremy colburn making his beach later on. an interesting development this morning is that we have had the environment secretary making a joke on the radio 4 today programme, he was asked about... he was celebrating the radio 4 about... he was celebrating the radio a programme 60th birthday. he said, going into the studio with like going into harvey weinstein's bedroom, you just pray you merge with your dignity in tact. that is not gone down well on twitter as you can imagine, there are responses from labour mps that it was a seriously inappropriate joke and crass. michael gove this morning has apologised this morning for a clumsy attempt at humour and he apologises unreservedl

laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster. labour party, and the first ever minister for women in tony blair's government — described the kind of reform she'd like to see introduced to tackle sexual at harassment at westminster. i think that what is really important is that has to be anonymity in the process so that complainants can make their complaint and complainants can make their complaintand a complainants can make their complaint and a fairly, independently investigated. i've been for decades, this has gone on and it's absolutely time that it stopped. john bercow seemed to suggest that the house must put in place procedures, but it is also up to the parties to get their house in order. why do think it has taken until now for parties to look properly at their procedures on sexual harassment and bullying?|j think sexual harassment and bullying?” think there is two things, one is it is difficult for some at the bottom of the system to complain about somebody at the top of the system. but also, the tribal party divisions in

decisions taken at westminster still determine our overall spending. revenue from income tax makes up just one-third of our budget. for the prospect of more tourist prosperity and the impact of brexit are growing threats to public services and the most vulnerable in our society. that means it is right to consider how our limited tax powers might help us protect what we value most. and as we do so, this question will be sent to stage. what kind of country do we want to be? too often the debate -- [laughing] [applause] we want to be a fair, independent country. [applause] friends, too often the debate on tax is frank as the economy versus public services. that's wrong. our taxes pay for the support that our businesses need to thrive just as they do for health service and our schools. and our competitiveness as a country is a bit more than just our tax rate. it depends on the strength of our public services, the skills of her people, and the quality of our infrastructure. it is a fact that a good society needs a strong economy. but let us never forget thi

ben wright, bbc news, westminster. 0ur assistant political editor norman smith is in westminster.d later and a sort of proposal the prime minister is making, will they be viewed as enough to deal with such allegations? that is the concern, that there simply is not a robust complaints procedure and the prime minister's thinking is an independent mediation service, independent of parliament and independent of political parties. but the difficulty i think, already there are questions as to whether the remix goes far enough and whether it should also cover not just those who are the staff of mps but also in terms, people there on work experience, often the most vulnerable because they are the youngest. similarly there are questions about whether this new body will be there to resolve disputes or whether it will happen in bested a true role, in other words able to carry out its own inquiries. lastly there is a question about the sanctions and penalties it can impose, because in most people's working life if they are found guilty of sexual misconduct, harassment, they will simply be sac

and not one, but two, westminster campaigns. different election contests, for different parliaments. but with one common thread. victory for the snp in all of them. [applause] of course, we've had tough days along the way and we learn from them. in june, we lost good colleagues from the house of commons. let us thank them for their service. [applause] but let me offer a gentle reality check to our opponents. the snp is polling at a higher level today than we were at this point in the honeymoon days after our 2007 win or our landslide in 2011. our lead over the second placed party now is twice what it was in october 2008, and it is five times that of 2012. [applause] ten years into government, the verdict of the scottish people is clearer than ever. they trust the snp to deliver for scotland. and we will work each and every day to retain that confidence. [applause] that applies here in this great city, too. for decades, glasgow has been run by labour. in may, that came to an end. [applause] the cronies and time-servers are out. f

stays in westminster.focus on the issue of sexual harassment in westminster, the prime minister has written to the speaker of the house of commons asking for a new procedure of the mps and staff to report abuse. theresa may has also asked for advice on how the culture in westminster can be changed. hello. i am tulsen tollett and this is sport today, live from the bbc sports centre. coming up on this programme: lewis hamilton doesn't win in mexico but does enough to claim a fourth formula 1 world championship. a victory in catalonia — the spanish champions real madrid are downed by girona. and the return to lahore ends in defeat for sri lanka as pakistan win again, this time in a t20 match. hello there and welcome to the programme, where we start with the news that lewis hamilton has won his fourth formula 1 world championship title, but it didn't come in the style he might have imagined at the mexico grand prix. the 32—year—old is now the most successful british driver and it came about despite him finishi

alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster.omali capital mogadishu police say a suicide car bomb was driven into a hotel popular with officials and army officers. 20 minutes later, a second explosion occurred nearby. it's a fortnight since a huge bomb attack in the city killed more than 350 people, in an attack blamed on islamist militants. kurdish officials in northern syria say a 21—year—old man from oxford has been charged with membership of the islamic state group. jack letts, who travelled to syria in 2014, was captured in may by the kurdish militia, the ypg. mr letts has previously said he is opposed to is. the ministry of defence has ordered the royal navy to carry out compulsory drug testing on board all of its submarines, after nine crew members on hms vigilant were sacked for illegal drug use. the vessel is one of four british submarines which carry nuclear—armed trident missiles. laura trant is outside the mod. laura, what more can you tell us? the defence secretary is said to have given the head of the navy are roas

in westminster hall, mps debated changing the voting system.nt for first past the post and against pr is that more often than not, it will produce a clear, decisive result and a stable government. just one moment. whereas, pr often results in no clear majority and days or weeks of backroom dealing in order to form a government. ijust wonder whether he could perhaps explain what his definition of democracy is? because i would have thought democracy is about ensuring that the governing party or parties actually command a majority of support in the country. and the truth is, that hasn't happened, has it, for some time? i think that historically, in our party, we have had the first past the post system which has delivered decisive government results over many, many years and that has served our country well. i believe that the current system has served our country well. and we are one of the greatest democracies on the planet, i personally believe, and therefore, i don't share his views. it is right and excellent if you are viewing this as a partis

alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster.aid they were behind two deadly explosions in the somali capital, mogadishu. at least 14 people have been killed. one of the blasts was caused by a suicide car bomb driven into the gates of a hotel popular with politicians and army officers. a fortnight ago, a huge bomb attack in mogadishu killed more than 350 people. kurdish officials in northern syria say a 21—year—old man from oxford has been charged with membership of the islamic state group. jack letts — who travelled to syria in 2014 — was captured in may by the kurdish militia, the ypg. mr letts has previously said he is opposed to is. voting in kenya's disputed election remains on hold, with polls suspended in several areas because of increased tension. the opposition leader, raila 0dinga, refused to run in the contest against sitting president, uhuru kenyatta. 0ur africa editor fergal keane joined a peace convoy led by two local governors touring the villages in kisumu appealing for calm. if this country is to end its politica

we had a referendum and not one but two westminster campaigns. thread -- victory for the s&p and all of them. [applause] of course, we have had tough days on the way and we learn from them. in june, we lost colleagues from the house of commons. let us thank them today for their service. [applause] let me offer a gentle reality check of our opponents. the snp is pulling at the higher -- at a higher level today than 2007 or 2011. our leader for the second-place party now is twice what it was in october 2008, and it is five times that of 2012. 10 years. [applause] 10 years into government, diverted of the scottish people -- the verdict of the scottish people is clearer than ever. a trust that snp to deliver for scotland, and we will work to retain the confidence. [applause] that applies here in this great city, too. for decades, glasgow has been run by labor. in may, they came to an end. [cheers and applause] may, that came to an end. [cheers and applause] ideas and the snp are im. [applause] the difference is already clear. under labor, a janitor d

laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster.estminster and our political correspondent iain watson what can you tell us? that's right, rumours at westminster that some serving ministers are being accused of inappropriate behaviour privately by conservative researchers and mps' staff tonight. the first serving minister tonight has been named by the sun, defence secretary michael fallon, saying he admitted to touching radio host's knee. but how serious is this allegation? sources close to michael fallon have made it clear that there was an incident 15 yea rs clear that there was an incident 15 years ago at a dinner at a conservative party conference. he indeed touched julia hutton brewer's knee, she was then working for the daily express, she robustly told him to re m ove daily express, she robustly told him to remove his hand, he did so, apologised and those sources say they remain friends to this day. but more significantlyjulia hartley brewer tweeted tonight: earlier today, she also issued a statement when rumours were going ar

jeremy corbyn has been in westminster for about 30 yea rs. been in westminster for about 30 years.t he should come out and say something about the culture which is so entrenched bearer. it's disappointing, frankly, on a number of levels, the comments from him as theresa may. to be putting the onus on victims to solve what is a systemic problem. the results from a power imbalance between men and women. is rarely not going to be anything like enough to fix it. let's start there. the labour party, women in the labour party, set up a website called labour to last week because they were so concerns about the culture within the party in terms of dealing with complaints. they sat out some very clear guidelines that they wanted jeremy corbyn to pick up, such as independent third—party reporting, safeguarding for all staff, a new policy on harassment and assault. itsjeremy policy on harassment and assault. its jeremy corbyn policy on harassment and assault. itsjeremy corbyn really policy on harassment and assault. its jeremy corbyn really wanted to ta ke its jeremy corbyn really wanted to t

and degrading' — jeremy corbyn says a culture which tolerates the abuse of women is thriving in westminsternitarian crisis affecting almost 400,000 syrians in an eastern suburb of damascus is described as an ‘outrage‘ by the united nations. also in the next hour — the zip wiring and clubbing glasgow pensioners. the new scheme aiming to tackle loneliness and improve health among older people. the biggest match of their lives — england's teenagers prepare to face spain in the under—17 world cup final. and spotting fake news and debunking the people in power — the people trying to sort fact from fiction — that's coming up in click at 12.30. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. spain has begun to assert direct rule over catalonia. the spanish prime minister, mariano rajoy, announced last night that madrid was taking control, after the catalan parliament voted to establish an independent republic. the region's leaders have been sacked, its parliament has been dissolved and regional elections have been called for december. andrew plant reports. the streets of barcelona, catalonia's capital, wh

the employer is the people who elect them but there isn't an employer at westminster. has a complaint, can they get very far with it? i think the commons authorities were keen to stress that they take any allegations of bullying or harassment very seriously. but there is the issue that, yeah, employment law and employment rolls are taken up law and employment rolls are taken up by law and employment rolls are taken up by mps themselves. but clearly politically, particularly at the moment, it is very unpalatable and unacceptable. jeremy corbyn making his speech later on. also, an interesting development this morning, we had the environment secretary making a joke on the radio 4 today programme. he was celebrating the radio 4 today programme's 60th birthday. he was speaking about political interviews and he said that going into the studio is a bit like going into harvey weinstein‘s bedroom. you just pray that you were merged with your dignity intact. now, that has not gone down terribly well on twitter as you might imagine. there have been responses from some labour mps

how big the problem is it in westminster and is it a bigger problem in westminster than anywhere elses it were with no hr department. if you have that in the real—world of course you would have a handful of bad employers who acted inappropriately. i've been looking into mps for a long time and talking to a lot of staff it is a handful, a large handful. 10%? i have worked with some really good mps who have been determined to help expose this. what i have been looking into, it is a serious cases, i have spoken to women who went to the parliamentary authorities and set them i have been sexually assaulted by one of your mps. what are you going to do about it and they were told there is nothing we can do. that is where the scandal is in. the scandal is there's nothing to protect young people. i myself am 25 and i started to look into this because i got to know a lot of researchers and staff and it is notjust sexual harassment but also bullying, unreasonable expectations because these are very young people. not just tory men and young females but every gender, every party and in all differe

our political correspondent ellie price is in westminster.of timing there for mr gove, because we will be hearing from mr corbyn, he is speaking on this subject later today. yeah, he will be. he will be using some strong words as well, we understand. he will talk about a warped and degrading culture that's led to sexism effectively existing across society. what's most interesting is that he said it's been allowed to thrive here in westminster. he will say that there needs to be a turning point now and any mps who have been engaged in such inappropriate behaviour need to be called out, need to be held to account. in general, women he says need to feel better about coming forward if they've been victims of any harassment or indeed any sexual assault. of course the timing is particularly interesting because all of this comes up just a day after those reports in the sun newspaper yesterday which said that a number of female parliamentary researchers and aides here in westminster had been using a messaging service to talk about inappropriate behav

instead they talk about greater intervention by westminster.en that a budget is most important piece of legislation any government can pass in any given year, if stormont isn't doing that then that is basically direct rule. both the british and irish governments are very keen to say that they do want local ministers back here in place. it doesn't look like it they will appoint ministers in london, but if there is no agreement by the end of today and james brokenshire goes ahead in london to legislate from budget in the house of commons, that will be the house of commons, that will be the most serious step so far in this political crisis which is the most severe in northern ireland for the last decade. thank you for that. nhs fertility treatment is being cut and in some cases disappearing altogether in certain parts of england. only 12 % of clinical commission groups now offer the recommended three rounds of ivf. campaigners say the system is unfair. anna crossley reports. emma and lee have been trying for a child for more than four years. docto

and degrading' — jeremy corbyn says a culture which tolerates the abuse of women is thriving in westminsternitarian crisis affecting almost 400,000 syrians in an eastern suburb of damascus — is described as an ‘outrage‘, by the united nations. also in the next hour, the zip—wiring and clubbing glasgow pensioners. the new scheme aiming to tackle loneliness and improve health among older people. england's teenagers are hoping to become the world champions against spain. they currently trail 2—0. coming up in the dateline london, after a full extremely few days in spain, what's next for catalonia? that is at liz30pm. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. the spanish government has begun implementing direct rule over catalonia, a day after it's parliament declared independence. madrid has stripped the region of its autonomy , and the interior ministry of the national government has taken control of the regional police force. in the last hour, catalonia's regional president, carlos puigdemont has called for "democratic opposition" to madrid's move. 0ur correspondent, gavin lee, reports from ba

he will say it needs to bea westminster.g point and any mps who have been engaged in any sort of inappropriate behaviour here at westminster will need to be held to account. more broadly, that it should be easierfor women account. more broadly, that it should be easier for women to account. more broadly, that it should be easierfor women to report any allegations of harassment in the workplace. the timing of this is all obviously quite important, given there was that report in the sun newspaper yesterday which said that some female parliamentary aides and researchers had been part of a messaging group where they had shared stories about inappropriate behaviour among some mps towards them. i think it's important to say no formal allegations are indeed complaints have been made. certainly no mps have been named. but the government say they're taking this all seriously and if any allegations should arise they will take them extremely seriously. thank you. you are watching bbc news. the headlines. spain's central government has

let's go tojonathan blake, who is at westminster.ir knives to get rid of the prime minister? or are they swearing allegiance to her? several of them are swearing allegiance to her in public. after her speech yesterday, which, as we saw in the report a few minutes ago, went so badly for her. there are conversations happening about whether this is a moment to make a move and say to the prime minister that her time is up. but they are between a relatively small minority of conservative mps who have been discussing this since the election result earlier this year. so far that hasn't amounted to anything much. of those speaking in public, you heard ed vaizey the oxfordshire mp, former culture minister, saying there are quite a few people now who are of the mind she should resign. on the other hand you have the senior backbencher mark pritchard tweeting a little earlier on, appearing to confirm some sort of plot is in motion. attempts to drum up plot is in motion. attempts to drum upa plot is in motion. attempts to drum up a delegation of

partly that is the notion what happens in westminster stays in westminster.inster. it is a little bit better now but long way to go. we can expect there to be more reports and more stories emerging in the coming weeks and days, as people look back in parliament on their own career and experiences. the health secretaryjeremy career and experiences. the health secretary jeremy hunt career and experiences. the health secretaryjeremy hunt mentioned this before, the prime minister has written to the speaker of before, the prime minister has writ requesting pea ker of before, the prime minister has writ requesting a 5a ker of before, the prime minister has writ requesting a new' of before, the prime minister has writ requesting a new independent and requesting a new independent body to be set up a new procedure put in place for members to report claims harassment. heathrow airport says it is investigating how details of its security procedures were found lying in the street. the sunday mirror says information concerning the queen was on a unencrypted memory stick a

and also what happens in westminster, stays in westminster.have dogged this place for decades, but now parliament is having to examine and change its practices. public scrutiny perhaps forcing higher standards from politicians. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. it's been reported that the bbc has suspended the radio 5 live presenter george riley, following claims by a number of women, about his behaviour. he presents coverage of rugby league, snooker and darts, and is a regular voice on radio. the bbc says it can't comment on individual staff members. the government is changing the rules around paying child support, so parents can no longer use a legal loophole to avoid their responsibilities. people have been able to avoid payments by putting their money in a joint account with a new partner. the department for work and pensions says it hopes the change will lead to nearly £400,000 a year in additional child maintenance being collected. officials at heathrow airport are investigating after details of its security procedures were found on a

he appeared at westminster magistrates court along with five other men.ustody. downing street has said any allegations of sexual harassment and abuse at westminster are deeply concerning. it was responding to a report by the sun newspaper of claims made by researchers and assistants on social media. our political correspondent alex forsyth gave us this update from westminster. no official complaints have been made and no mps have so far been named, but according to this newspaper report a group of parliamentary aides and researchers have been sharing information about supposedly inappropriate and sleazy behaviour by mps on the whatsapp messaging service. now, we don't know that this group exists but when asked about it today the prime minister's officials postman said any reports of sexual harassment we re any reports of sexual harassment were deeply concerning, any allegations would be taken seriously and anyone with information should contact the authorities. tomorrow the labour party leaderjeremy corbyn will be giving a speech in scotla nd corbyn will

westminster. is he right about that? westminster has the classic ingredients for sexual harassment.umber of very powerful men, generally. and a large number of much less powerful woman, generally, researchers or officers. some of my colleagues have spoken about their experiences of sexual harassment. i have never been sexually harassed in parliament but iam aware sexually harassed in parliament but i am aware that researchers, often starting off their career, who have spoken to me about being made to feel very uncomfortable in certain circumstances. remember that parliament has nine bars and a lot of late—night sittings. there is certainly the environment there sexual harassment. it is not clear enough that it should not be tolerated, i would agree withjeremy corbyn that that message is not one that comes across every day in parliament. you mention researchers but were you surprised by this report that they were using a messaging app in order to share tips and advice about some colleagues, people not to be in a taxi with on your own, that kind of thing.” people not to be in a taxi w

daniel sandford, bbc news at westminster magistrates‘ court.ident on the mi in august have pleaded not guilty to eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving. both men will stand trial in february. rizard mazerack also denied causing death by careless driving while over the alcohol limit. the other driver, david wagstaff, who's 53 and from stoke, admitted causing death by careless driving. a minibus driver and seven passengers were killed in the crash near milton keynes. the department of health and the nhs have been told to "get their act together" and improve their cyber security, following a major hacking attack in may this year. the national audit office said more than a 3 of trusts in england were affected, with around seven thousand appointments cancelled. our technology correspondent rory cellan—jones reports. it was a cyber attack that laptop computers around the world with a message demanding a ransom payment but the nhs was among the organisations worst hit and it was not ready to deal with it. 81 health trusts across england we

ben wright is at westminster. he said there had been progress.n the foreign secretary said today it is time to put a tiger in the tank of the brexit talks. sounds like he‘s getting frustrated with it all? the speed these new york of negotiations are going and frustration here is evidence and growing over the last few weeks. they probably gave up hope phase two of talks would be green lit. the october council meeting next week. they really need these to happen soon. as chris quite rightly said, this two—year timetable is so tight. the government‘s hope is they can get the whole of the withdrawal deal done by really the end of the next year. that‘s certainly the eu‘s view. for it to be ratified by all eu countries and the parliament. the deal has to be done by the end of autumn next year. that gives little time for the complexity they are trying to drable with here. deep frustration in the uk camp. they can‘t understand, really, why the eu's can‘t understand, really, why the eu‘s refusing to talk about any future relationship issues as well as wrap

not in westminster, but i have experienced sexual harassment in politics.the labour group on the council, who had a bit of a reputation and on one occasion when i was at reputation and on one occasion when iwas ata reputation and on one occasion when i was at a party, and he was there andi i was at a party, and he was there and i was leaving, he chose to leave the party at the same time as me under the guise of wanting to walk me to the nearest station so i got home safely. i insisted that i was me to the nearest station so i got home safely. i insi own :hat i was me to the nearest station so i got home safely. i insi own and i was me to the nearest station so i got home safely. i insi own and iwas me to the nearest station so i got home safely. i insi own and i didn't fine walking on my own and i didn't feel the need to be accompanied and he tried to hold my hand on that walk and i resisted, but i let him, but once we got to the station he delved in for a kiss that was not invited and i pushed him away and basically ran away interest him. now, i did report

ben wright, bbc news, westminster.vicki young, is in westminsterfor us. we are expecting some sort of statement in the next hour or two. yes, and downing street said to us this morning the prime minister will be sitting next to andrea leadsom, leader of the house of be sitting next to andrea leadsom, lea makes he house of be sitting next to andrea leadsom, lea makes that ouse of be sitting next to andrea leadsom, lea makes that statement. i think it too makes that statement. i think it will be an urgent question from harriet harman from the labour side. so the question is, what can they do about this? most people are agreed that there is a problem with westminster, with the house of commons. this is not the first time we have talked about this kind of thing. there are rumours circulating, naming mps and possibly ministers as well, but the bbc, radio 5 live, dug their own survey into these kinds of issues last year, and the mps that replied, a large number said they had experienced sexist comments but also sexual harass

alex forsyth is at westminster for us tonight.ve been made and no mps have been named but according to this newspaper report a group of parliamentary aides and researchers have been sharing information about supposedly inappropriate and sleazy behaviour by mps on the messaging service. we do not know that this group exists, but when asked to date, a prime minister‘s official spokesman said any reports of harassment were deeply concerning and allegations would be taken seriously, and anyone with information should contact the authorities. tomorrow, jeremy corbyn will be giving a speech in scotland in which he is expected to say that for too long there has been a warped and to grading culture in which abuse of women is tolerated, including here at westminster. he will say that any woman who has experienced such behaviour should feel free to report it, and he will say any mp who has engaged in such behaviour must be held to account. the department of health and the nhs have been told to "get their act together" and improve their cybe

and partly it was the notion of what happens in westminster stays in westminster. it was worse. but there's a long way to go. with a fresh focus on the issue of sexual harassment at westminster, the prime minister has written to the speaker of the house of commons asking for a new procedure for mps and staff to report abuse. theresa may has also asked for advice on how the culture at westminster can be changed. jonathan blakejoined me earlier and he said the government had been quick to react today to allegations of misconduct. there has been swift reaction from the government. you saneremy hunt saying the minister had been referred to the cabinet office and they will look into whether his behaviour, alleged behaviour, has broken the ministerial code of conduct. that is one response. the prime minister wrote to the speaker, john bercow, who has a sort of overseeing role in terms of parliamentary discipline, to ask for a new procedure to be set up, contratually binding procedure, she has said, to allow mps and staff to report accusations of sexual harassment and inappropriate beh

and partly it was the notion of what happens in westminster stays in westminster. it was worse.ut there's a long way to go. with a fresh focus on the issue of sexual harassment at westminster, the prime minister has written to the speaker of the house of commons asking for a new procedure for mps and staff to report abuse. theresa may has also asked for advice on how the culture at westminster can be changed. earlierjonathan earlier jonathan blake earlierjonathan blake join me earlierjonathan blakejoin me and said the government had been quick to react to allegations of misconduct. first let's hear what the former minister anna soubry had to say. i had already this morning sent a request to the speaker asking for an urgent statement from the leader of the house as to what could now be done to make sure that any complaint — actually against anyone working in parliament — to extend the protections workers throughout the rest of businesses and in other workplaces have, they should now be extended clearly the pm is well on to this and it strikes me this is a very good idea. we have

and partly the notion of what happens in westminster stays in westminster. it was worse.etter now but there's a long way to go. claims of sexism, even scandal, may have dogged this place for decades but now parliament is having to examine and change its practices. public scrutiny perhaps forcing higher standards from politicians. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. earlier i spoke to alex forsyth who explained how the prime minister hopes to help combat the issue. what she is effectively saying is that she does not think the current procedures in place are robust enough, if you like. at the moment, as you say, there's a 24—hour confidential helpline which can give people advice. there's also a parliamentary standards commissioner, people can refer mps to them if they think they have breached the code of conduct but aides and researchers are directly employed by mps and mps are effectively self—employed so there is no across—the—board hr system. what theresa may is saying is that she thinks there should be a mediation service and a contractually—binding grievance procedur

alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. in northern syria say a 21—year—old man from oxford has been charged with membership of the islamic state group. jack letts, who travelled to syria in 2014, was captured in may by the kurdish militia, the ypg. mr letts has previously said he is opposed to is. all crew members on royal navy submarines are to undergo compulsory drugs tests after nine sailors on hms vigilant were discharged for reportedly using cocaine. the order has been made by the defence secretary, sir michael fallon. the snp says the uk government has questions to answer over the clyde—based nuclear sub. andrew black reports. the hms vigilant, one of four submarines based on the clyde, confirmed that nine sailors serving on the submarine had been thrown out of the navy after failing drug tests. according to one report, the drug they took was cocaine. now the mp who represents the area which takes in the home of trident nuclear weapons says answers are needed. i'm absolutely astonished, deeply disappointed and very,

it is partly in relation to this idea that what happens in westminster stays in westminster.t is better now, but it's got a long way to go. claims of sexism, even stuck scandal might have dubbed this case the deckers. public scrutiny perhaps forcing higher standards from politicians. and alex joins us now. as theresa may points out in that letter to the speaker of the house, there is already much been done including a 20 47 helpline that is helping... watches effectively saying is that she doesn't think the current procedures are robust enough if you like. at the moment, as you say, there is it 2a hour confidential helpline, to give people advice. there is actually a parliamentary standards commissioner, and bacon refined views of a the code of conduct, but mps are effectively self—imposed, so there is no across hr system. what's theresa may is saying that she thinks there should be a mediation service and a contactjulie binding greed than is —— contact shirley —— contract binding grievance procedure. they want to see the prime minister doing more about the wider issue, acros

laura kuenssberg with the latest at westminster.many parts of ireland, as one of the most powerful storms in decades sweeps across the british isles. storm ophelia has claimed the lives of three people in the irish republic, and around 360,000 homes and businesses have been without electricity. an amber weather warning — indicating a potential risk to life and property — has been in force in northern ireland, many parts of wales, south—west scotland, and the isle of man. our correspondent chris buckler reports. from the atlantic ophelia arrived in force. no longer a hurricane, but a storm still determined to show her power. severe weather warnings were in place across ireland and homes, cars, even stadiums were no match for the winds. this roof was torn from a school in county cork amid what the irish government repeatedly called a national emergency. this is a national red alert. it applies to all cities, all counties and all areas. also bear in mind, that even after the storm has passed, there will still be dangers. galway was in

live to westminster and laura is there.e minister says it is prudent for ministers to prepare for possibly no deal, is that the increasing expectation of westminster? with all of these stumbling blocks in the way, and the stuttering progress of the talks, it certainly is a possibility. as time goes on, with the clock ticking louder and louder, i think you have to look at it as being something that does appear to be more likely. ministers used to talk about contingency planning is if they were talking about pulling the emergency cord. well, today it wasn'tjust the prime minister being a bit more explicit, it was also two government white papers, official documents published, in black and white, starting to sketch out the potential actions, the potential implications ofa no actions, the potential implications of a no deal scenario, to use the rather ghastly jargon. of a no deal scenario, to use the rather ghastlyjargon. to of a no deal scenario, to use the rather ghastly jargon. to be of a no deal scenario, to use the rather

the hotly contested westminster dog of the year contest was won by rocky this week. braeburn. finally, in the lords, peers were once again considering a matter very dear to their hearts — themselves. when a hereditary peer dies or retires, an election is held for a replacement. 0ne labour member bemoaned the lack of women and ethnic minority people who were eligible candidates. he beseeched the minister: can ijust ask him a very simple question, which, if he could just give a yes to, we can move onto next question. and it is this. will the government do something that will hurt no one and cost nothing and back my bill which would scrap this whole ludicrous system? i'm grateful to the noble lord for that question. moving onto the next question would not help me at all as i have to answer that one as well. and lord young added that his line manager, the deputy chief whip, was also a hereditary peer. and that's it from me for now. but do join keith macdougall on bbc parliament on monday night at 11 for a full round—up of the day here at westminster. but for now, from me

our political correspondent ellie pricejoins us now from westminster.ting that this is emerging here after we have been talking so much about harvey weinstein and what has been going on in the corridors of power in hollywood? that is absolutely right, andi hollywood? that is absolutely right, and i think that is the point of jeremy corbyn‘s speech today. you will say that sexism and misogyny is widespread across society but they have been allowed to thrive in the corridors of power here in westminster. he will say that there must be a turning point and any mps and involved must be held to account. and women must be able to come forward if they are victims of harassment or shacks —— sexual abuse. these reports come from the newspapers yesterday where palminteri researchers have been using whatsapp to share stories with each other about experiences they have had here in west mr. i should say there have been no formal complaints made or mps name. the downing street says they will take any reports of sexual harassment extremely seriously. thank you. the fir

laura kuenssberg, bbc news, westminster.tson. there seems to be consensus something must be done, what is on the table? absolutely, most people are condemning what has been going on, but we do not have a clear idea of what will emerge. there have been developments tonight, not new allegations, but developments about how to do with allegations. the powerful house of commons commission met this evening, an administrative body chaired byjohn bercow, andrea leadsom sits on that committee. they have agreed the current procedures requiring urgent review, they will be working with political parties to find very few find a way forward. very few specific suggestions from that meeting. also tonight, labour's chief whip and the chair of the parliamentary labour party have written to all labour mps reminding them of the existing procedures for dealing with complaints from staff about the conduct of mps. they have released nine very tightly typed pages setting out their procedures, which can culminate in the suspension or expulsion of an

another woman says she was sexually assaulted in westminster in the mid 19905, assaulted in westminstersexually assaulted again outside the country in 2012 and again in 2013 and 2014. that allegation will be passed on to the relevant police. a further woman says she was sexually assaulted by him in westminster in 1994. presumably any allegations in america have to be dealt with before anything here? the met police say there were no arrests, they say that they are obviously taking this very seriously here, they have a good historical record here, the police have historical investigations like this, it's very different in the united states. we know they're investigating some high profile names that we know about but also because of the time lapse, it's different in the states and some of the investigations won't be able to go ahead. as yet we knowjust that there are no arrests and there are now 11 separate indecent assault charges and we should say of course that harvey weinstein denies all of the allegations. the brexit secretary david davis has updated cabinet on preparations for brexit

and partly with the notion of what happens in westminster, stays in westminster. it was worse.etter now, but there is a long way to go. claims of sexism, even scandal have dubbed business for decades, but now the government is having to examine its practices. public scrutiny perhaps forcing higher standards from politicians. this letter was embargoed. in essence, what is theresa may saying tojohn birkenau —— to the speaker. mps are effectively self employed, said there is no overarching hr system. there is a confidential phone line. there is also the parliamentary standards commissioner, is that anyone with concerns can refer to them, and their mps will be judged against the code of conduct. theresa may is saying that there should be a separate binding procedure that mps have to follow and should be held accountable, but also a separate mediation service. she makes the point that, a succession of chief whips have been tried to get them in like this, and she says, that there is, this proforma, code of conduct with the standards authority had suggested, but it is not legally bind

daniel sandford, bbc news at westminster magistrates‘ court.ticularly today. the department of catalonia has declared independence from spain, that's what the regional parliament decided to do and in response, the spanish senate in madrid has an approved imposing direct rule from madrid. britain says they will not recognise the move. i'm sure we can show you some of the scenes in barcelona there. thousands of catalonia and is remaining on the streets, celebrating the declaration of independence. not every catalonian is celebrating, as our correspondents have discovered in recent days. but everybody wants this independence but, in particular, the spanish government, in the last hour, the prime minister of spain addressed the nation in a press co nfe re nce of spain addressed the nation in a press conference saying he is sacking the catalonian government, the chief of police, and will hold new elections in december to reimpose a new catalonian regional government. refusing to acknowledge any declaration of independence whatsoever. what interventi

she joins us now from westminster.sj all it applies |e problem be? first of all it applies to all parties, the lib dems, labour, and the conservatives, and we have to distinguish between the two. we have long working hours away from families where mps have affairs. that is either with each other or with staff, and they should be separate with consenting adults, very separate from some of the behaviour we are now learning about the predatory behaviour where vulnerable women and men can be put at risk in this environment. what it does show is we have antiquated systems of hr in westminster and we need to bring it into the real world. the prime minister is right to speak to john world. the prime minister is right to speak tojohn bercow, the speaker of the house of commons, about this, and we need to bring forward a body that has teeth that people can go to if they are experiencing this behaviour. one other thing that happens is researchers are directly employed by mps themselves — do you think it makes people concerned, i

and partly it was the notion of what happens in westminster stays in westminster. it was worse. bit better now, but there's a long way to go. claims of sexism, even scandal, have dogged this place for decades, but renewed public pressure is forcing parliament to change its practices. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. puerto rico has cancelled a $300 million contract with a tiny us energy company to restore the island's power grid after hurricane maria destroyed the country's power infrastructure. puerto rico electric power authority, or prepa, announced the decision to journalists just hours after the governor urged the cancellation of the deal with the monta na—based whitefish energy holdings. our reporter in washington, paul blake has more. this all goes back to a storm in puerto rico that hit five weeks ago, and when it struck it all but wiped out the island's power grid. in the aftermath puerto rico authorities quickly signed a deal with whitefish energy, the company at the centre of this controversy. in the past week oi’ this controversy. in the past week or $0 this cont

at westminster is very far from over.'s gone to brussels to make his voice heard in the european union, not to claim asylum in belgium. carles puigdemont told a news conference he was not trying to escape justice, but wanted to be able to speak freely. he also said he would accept the result of snap catalonia elections in december called by spain's central government, when the region's autonomy was suspended. andy moore reports. the world's media waited expectantly for the first comments from the cata la n for the first comments from the catalan leader since he left his homeland. good morning. he said he would speak in several different languages to appeal as widely as possible to an international audience. he accused the spanish government of aggression against the cata la n government of aggression against the catalan people. translation: we are facing a state that only understands the reason of force and has decided to use violence, forcing us to abandon our political project. in answer to a question in english, he den