Still coming in. The rac says it is currently dealing with five breakdowns a minute and expecting around 7500 by the end of the day. With ten to 20 centimetres falling in some parts of the uk, quitters have been replaced with ploughs in areas like redditch in worcestershire. As snow continues to fall, the met office has issued an number whether morning made dan ackerman for the east of england and wales. Passengers are burning and other airports have been warned about delays and cancellations. 20 flights have been cancelled from sta nsted. Flying over wales it could be a scene from the snowman, a thick coating of white across the mountings and lakes. For these children in the peak district, finally a chance to play in a Winter Wonderland. I like it because where we live we never get snow, it is just sweet. I like snow because you can make siiow i like snow because you can make snow angels and snowmen and i find it really fun to do. For many it is a time forfun and enjoyment, but with more snow on the way, more disruption is inevitable. Joining us areJessica Parker in Gerrards Cross in buckinghamshire and Matthew Richards in llangollen in denbighshire in wales. To you first, jessica. The traffic moving behind you but pretty slowly . Yes, as you can see the m25 clockwise is moving pretty slowly but it was at a complete standstill and hour and a half ago. We saw a car being towed away from the central lane on the m25. Highways england is advising people not to travel unless they have to. Hertfordshire county council nearby say they have spread up to 1000 tonnes of salt since midnight. There have been rail and tube disruptions into london and, as we have heard, disruption at the airports. This is after the met office extended its amber weather warning to large areas of the south, including buckinghamshire, hertfordshire, essex, gloucestershire, wiltshire and 0xfordshire. There have been up to 12 centimetres of snow at high wycombe, just 15 miles from where i am. Plenty of snow and related disruption in the south, perhaps more than was expected. Thank you, jessica. Matthew richards is in llangollen in wales, huge snowfalls where you are . It has been snowing very, very heavily across north and mid wales for much of the morning. It does not show much sign of abating. We have had over a foot in some places in powys. A hospital just had over a foot in some places in powys. A hospitaljust over the border in shropshire has appealed for drivers of four by four vehicles to ferry staff in and out of their shifts, and hospitals across north wales have been using the red cross to help transport blood supplies under the medical equipment between hospitals. People are keeping a close eye on the weather to make sure it does not get worse. Thank you, Matthew Richards, and thanks to Jessica Parker at the thank you, Matthew Richards, and thanks toJessica Parker at the m25 in buckinghamshire. In the last half hour, its been announced that max clifford, the disgraced former celebrity publicist, has died. He was 7a. Clifford suffered a heart attack in his cell at littlehey prison in cambridgeshire yesterday. He has been serving an eight year jail sentence for historic six offences. Our Home Affairs Correspondent danny shaw is here. This has been announced by the ministry ofjustice in the last few minutes . Yes, a statement from them has confirmed the death of max clifford in hospital. He was taken there yesterday after apparently suffering a heart attack. There will be an investigation, that is routine, the department has offered Max Cliffords family its condolences. He was serving an eight year term for indecently assaulting four women and young girls, the youngest was 15. He was convicted in 2014 after a long trial. He maintained his innocence all along, vehemently denied the allegations but was found guilty in what was really a Ground Breaking case for scotland yards 0peration yewtree investigation, it was the first conviction of that. He continued to protest his innocence on the case was due to be heard at the court of appeal in the next few months. It has to be remembered that this was a huge downfall for max clifford, his career was in ruins. He was one of the most powerful people in the media, able to make careers, able to manipulate stories into the newspapers. Incredible power in terms of celebrity and so on, but that was all gone with the conviction. Thank you, danny shaw. Labour has suggested that britain should stay aligned to the European Union after brexit, allowing the easy movement of people and continuing payments to brussels. The partys brexit spokesman, sir keir starmer, said he wanted the uk to stay in the Customs Union and a version of the Single Market. The government says its committed to a broad and ambitious free trade deal outside the eu. Susana mendonca reports. A moment heralded as a landmark deal in britains eu negotiations, but this was just the starting point for doing the deal that britain really wants with the eu, which is all about trade. And today the brexit secretary gave us a clearer idea of what the government wants that to look like. If the basic deal. Im being very crude about this, but is canada plus the city or Something Like that . Canada plus plus plus would be one way of putting in. The trade deal canada has done with the eu took seven years to negotiate and didnt include the financial sector, which is key to the uks economy. But the brexit secretary says that isnt the only example hes looking at, and services would have to be included in any deal. What we want is a bespoke outcome. We will probably start with the best of canada and the best ofjapan and the best of south korea, and then add to that the bits missing, which is the services. But labour are looking towards Northern Europe as a model for the kind of deal it would be after. Norway isnt in the eu but has access to the Single Market, and pays for the privilege. Labours brexit secretary revealed he would want a similar setup to retain the benefits of the Single Market and Customs Union, but that could come at a price. Norway pays money in. They do it actually on a voluntary basis. Would you accept it . There may have to be payments, that would have to be negotiated. The focus now is all on getting a trade dealfor britain, but with varying opinions of what that deal should look like, and the eu unlikely to want to give the uk a better deal outside than it had inside the club, that might prove tougher than the deal that got the government to this point in the negotiations in the first place. Susanah mendonca, bbc news. The foreign secretary borisjohnson has held talks with the iranian president in a bid to secure the freedom of Nazanin Zaghari ratcliff, a british woman imprisoned on charges of spying. Mrjohnson described the visit to tehran as worthwhile. 0ur Diplomatic Correspondent James Robbins joins me. James, does it look like there may have been a bit of progress . M does, the mere fact of getting access to president Hassan Rouhani suggests that. They spent almost an hour together. Borisjohnson has deliberately said nothing publicly before leaving iran, it is so sensitive, but the Foreign Office put out a statement saying they discuss the full range of issues, including banking matters and are concerned about the consular cases of dual nationals. Banking matters could include an outstanding debt of £400 million owed by britain to run, britain says the money is ready to be paid and they are making sure they can do it in a way which complies with international sanctions. Neither side is linking the money to this appealfor prison side is linking the money to this appeal for prison releases but there isa appeal for prison releases but there is a possibility for progress and the Foreign Office says it will build on hello again. You are watching bbc news. More now on the snow disruption in many parts of the uk. Airports have been forced to close their runways, and thousands of homes are without power. Earlier, the independents travel editor simon calder gave us an update on travel disruption around the country. Of course we have been seeing scenes from wales, the midlands and very heavy snow there. In terms of sheer numbers of travellers affected whats happening now in london and the south east is actually numerically much more significant. About half an hour ago British Airways cancelled around about 40 departures to and from heathrow airport, that is now over 80. They havent had a flight taken off on time since 7. 40 am this morning. We saw where Jessica Parker was, not far away are the two runways at heathrow. Its europes busiest airport, there is little resilience in the system. Theyve slowed down the arrivals rate. As a result, all kinds of problems. On top of bas cancellations, swiss, brussels airlines, klm all cancelling flights to and from hubs. Ba says do not go to the airport unless you know your flight is operating. As we heard, also problems at stanstead, luton, birmingham and east midlands airports. Lots of problems for air travellers. What about railways . Well, again, across the midlands almost nothing is running to time. Very little is running at all. West Midlands Railway and london North Western railway, first day of the new franchises today, theyve said do in the travel and now we have problems on the east coast main line, thats from edinburgh, newcastle, york, leeds, down to london kings cross. A raft of problems, including bad weather and overrunning Engineering Works is causing problems on that line. Again the message is dont travel unless you absolutely have to. 0n the roads, well, its getting worse by the minute. The police are putting out messages saying do not drive unless you have to. If you are driving dont speed, because many of the problems we are seeing now are due to accidents caused by excessive speed and thats jamming up the whole system. We were seeing pictures of the m25. Cars moving very gingerly, obviously, treacherous conditions on motorways. Certainly. And a number of a roads completely blocked, for instance the a5 near shrewsbury, thats been closed. 0ther roads i think will gradually close. You really dont want to get involved with any of the motorways or major roads or minor roads, if its going to be snow affected. The problem we see is just with very limited infrastructure, once things start going wrong, they go wrong very quickly and whether you are on the roads or railways or in the air. Simon calder there, travel editor of the independent. Students in england are being encouraged to study for undergraduate degrees in two years rather than three. The universitys ministerjo johnson says these shorter courses will save thousands of pounds in tuition fees even though universities would be able to charge nearly £2,000 more per year. Andy moore reports. It was a conservative manifesto promise to introduce more 2 year degree courses. Implementing that plan has proved tough going. The universities say it will mean major changes to their schedules, with the prospect of the same or less money in income. By the governments own admission, the pickup so far has been pitiful, with only 0. 2 of students on fast tracked degrees. The new scheme would see students paying more for each individual year of their course, but more than £5,000 less than they would have done if it had lasted three years. It is a fantastic offer. The same quality degree, quality assured in exactly the same way, provided in a more intensive way. So instead of 30 weeks a year studying over three years, a really driven student, a highly motivated student, could pack in 45 weeks over two years. The government says each student on a 2 year course will save at least £35,000 if you add in saved living will save at least £25,000 if you add in saved living costs and a years extra earnings to the equation. And they say demand from students will persuade universities to offer the new courses. The brexit secretary, david davis, has said the breakthrough deal reached by theresa may with the European Union in brussels on friday, is conditional on getting a transitional and trade agreement. Meanwhile, labours shadow brexit secretary, sir keir starmer, has insisted that the uk must stay close to the Single Market. A little earlier i spoke to the leader if the liberal democrats, sir vince cable, who said the deal was better that the alternative of crashing out the eu, but he had several reservations. Its not a great deal. Britain is signing up to pay enormous sums of money, 40, 50 billion, divorce payment. There is no guarantee that would produce any outcome in terms of trade negotiations. Is that not money we owe . Indeed it is. But of course we werent leaving the European Union, this issue would not arise but of course it doesnt guarantee that favourable trade agreement follows from it. The agreement, there is no agreement on ireland, that remains there as a sort of fundamental stumbling block. The deal on citizenship, well, its better than for millions of people facing deportation, but theyre still going to face enormous bureaucratic obstacles to regularise their position. Its better than crashing out, but its not a great outcome. What do you seen, what would you like to see from the next round of talks, the trade talks which many people think will be much more difficult than what we have already had, do you have a vision for how that could work . People are talking about a canada style trade arrangement between the uk and the eu . Well, that i think is where the government is going to finish up and thatis government is going to finish up and that is where i think the european negotiators assume we are going to finish up. What would that mean . It would be a bad outcome for the uk because it would mean that we dont face trade barriers for a relatively small part of our economy, which is manufacturing, which is good, but there is absolutely nothing in it to Cover Services trade which britain is relatively good at, the city of london is covered by that. Even the canadian agreement has taken years and years to negotiate, its still facing problems in germany, there are provinceal parliaments which have been raising objections. I mean, even that may be difficult to negotiate. The government may finish up negotiate. The government may finish up with an agreement which isnt greatly different from the basis on which indonesia or argentina trade with the European Union. Absolutely disastrous. Thats why my party argues that at the end of all of this the British Public have to have a say. Do you really want to push ahead with what looks as if it could bea ahead with what looks as if it could be a bad deal or do you want an exit from brexit . In other words, a second referendum which is controversial because people will say we have had a referendum, you dont like the result so you want another . I dont argue that. We have had a referendum, thats history. We accept the outcome. The governments getting on with negotiations. We are talking about a first vote on the fa cts. Talking about a first vote on the facts. Actually the most recent surveys , facts. Actually the most recent surveys, there was one last sunday, suggests there is now a significant margin infavourof suggests there is now a significant margin in favour of that approach. But there is an alternative way of doing things. Parliament is now considering having a meaningful vote which would include the possibility of revoking article 50 and remaining within the European Union and that is another way in which disastrous outcomes could be stopped but i favour the outcome of letting the British Public have a final say. This idea of full alignment that was discussed during, well enshrined in that deal that there was. It sounds very vague this ideas of trying to avoid a hard border by having full alignment between the uk and the eu. Are you any clearer on what that might mean . I dont think inform of us are might mean . I dont think inform of us are terribly clear. The common sense interpretation of what the government has signed up to in relation to the irish border is that britain stays within the Single Market and the Customs Union until the irish border question has been resolved. Which could take many yea rs . Resolved. Which could take many years . Could take decades, if not more. The whole history of ireland going back centuries is these things are very difficult to resolve. I dont think there is a solution to this problem. Some people see that asa this problem. Some people see that as a back door way of britain staying in the Customs Union and the Single Market in a sense. Staying in the Customs Union and the Single Market in a senselj staying in the Customs Union and the Single Market in a sense. I dont think its a back door way, its a front door way. You would like that . It is certainly a much better outcome than we could have feared if thats indeed what happens. What do you think about mrsmays handling of all of this . Shes been very much criticised in recent weeks and months but in the end she has got a deal which some people are saying is pretty much as good a could be expected for the time being in the senseit expected for the time being in the sense it does at least pave the way for trade talks, its not no deal which is what some people feared. For trade talks, its not no deal which is what some people fearedlj which is what some people feared. dont criticise her personally. Shes done the best of a bad job. Shes done the best of a bad job. Shes got this feuding cabinet who are going grossly disloyal and shes somehow managed to keep her nerve and produce some kind of agreement. Theyve all signed up to this, herfeuding agreement. Theyve all signed up to this, her feuding cabinet . They have on the surface, if you look at some of the subsequent comments, i did a piece this morning on Michael Goves article, i mean, theyre preparing the way to have a fresh go at her and undermine her position. But the question you asked me had she done a good job . Well, she had a very difficultjob and has done the best she could with it. Do you think she can survive until the end of the Brexit Process . I am not a tory, i have no idea what goes on in their party. I suspect that most conservatives want to keep her there. She will be the scapegoat if things go wrong. Do you think its in the interests of the country that she remains as Prime Minister in some ways the best bet, somebody who can clearly negotiate with the eu . cant think of anybody on the conservative side who could do it better, that may not be say ago great deal, but shes certainly the best of a bad lot. If we were in a more rationale political culture, we would not be dealing with this on the tribal basis. We would have a sense of national unity, well, u nfortu nately, sense of national unity, well, unfortunately, given the extreme polarisation of british politics thats not how its working. Sir vince cable talking to me earlier. Sir Bradley Wiggins was a born winner. He is now hoping to make it as an elite rower but his first competitive event did not go exactly according to plan. David mcdaid reports. Velodrome check. Crowd check. Olympic champion cyclist check. Hes the one in blue with the long hair. Now, were used to seeing sir Bradley Wiggins do this. But on this visit to the london 0lympic velodrome, the bike was missing instead, an unfamiliar challenge, and an unfamiliar look, too. Wiggins had come to the british rowing indoor championships the first step for the retired cyclist on the way to maybe becoming an olympic rower. His aim over two kilometres was to get close to 6 05, but a stumble early on had him playing catch up. The effort to get back in the mix plain to see. In the end, it was 19th place and 6 22 not quite what he had in mind, and off he went. He stopped, but he shouldnt have. It only cost him a second or two, but im sure it knocked him out of his rhythm. What that led to, you dont know, but it wasnt ideal. The international rowers, though, were happy to welcome wiggle mania. Having brad here getting the eyes of the british sporting fans watching what everyones up to in this world of rowing is really good. So, yeah, compared to last year, the media interest is through the roof. I think its the more interesting rowing, the better. So its good. But what about the notion of wiggins at the 2020 olympics in a boat . The reality is that, since i stopped, its moved on. The guys are getting bigger, and hes at the small end of the market and, at the moment, with no experience. But, no briton had won the tour de france, had they . So wiggins may not be there yet, but the message watch this space. News coming in from the Afp News Agency saying a ferry carrying more than 300 passengers has run aground today in calais, the french port. No injuries but its a ferry with about 300 passengers on board thats run aground. We gather there are strong winds there. 90 110 kilometres an hour on the french coast. According to sources in calais the ship is stable, the captain is seeing how to get the ship back into the water but at the moment it has run aground. Thats according there is disruption to the port of calais. Ferry services saying one of their ferries from 12. 15 from dover to calais is delayed because the port is closed. Theyre not sure how long thatis is closed. Theyre not sure how long that is going to go on for. Thats from p 0 ferries saying the port of calais closed because of extreme weather. Sailings subject to delays. Thats p 0 saying calm clays is closed and also we are calais is closed and also we are calais is closed and also we are hearing that ferry has run aground but no injuries, important to stress that. How would you feel if your house and whole neighbourhood were put on the market without you knowing anything about it. Thats exactly what happened to residents of a small village in germany. Now the controversial sale has gone ahead at a knockdown price. Andy beatt reports. Ina quiet reports. In a quiet corner of former east germany, two hours drive from berlin, lies an historic hamlet. The factory and workers houses once served a nearby coal mine and then asa served a nearby coal mine and then as a war served a nearby coal mine and then asa wartime served a nearby coal mine and then as a war Time Training camp for members of the hitlers youth. Now its rundown and partly abandoned. But still home to 15 people. Most are elderly, long term residents, paying low rents. They had no idea their Small Community was on the market until a for sale sign appeared a few weeks ago. Translation whoever buys these houses or is going to buy them, he will buy us too. Thats how i see it. None of the locals could afford to bid at auction but despite their concerns, the nine houses went under the hammer for little more concerns, the nine houses went under the hammerfor little more than concerns, the nine houses went under the hammer for little more than the asking price. Translation it will be a bargain for the buyer at 140,000 euros. Gone, congratulations many potential buyers stayed away, scared off by the condition of the buildings and what would be a sizeable renovation bill. What the sole anonymous bidder will do with this small slightly shabby slice of german history is uncertain. Translation the villagers dont know if they can stay in their homes. You can make a Christmas Wish and hope for the best but there is still scepticism. Amid fears of evictions and demolition, the auctioneers at least are optimistic. They say the new owner wants to do something good and has the residents at heart. Right a Weather Forecast now. Lets show you the scene outside where we are at new broadcasting house in central london. Miserable as you can see. Snow has been falling, lightly here in the capital, but compared to other areas of the uk where its been falling very heavily indeed, causing huge problems to airports, ra i lwa ys causing huge problems to airports, railways and roads we have been reporting on that all day. Lets just go over now to matt taylor who has the latest forecast. Heavy snowfalls right now and more snow on the way. There is, things will gradually improve this afternoon. But notice in london snow not really sticking on the ground. For others its been a Winter Wonderland but also a travel nightmare. Problems through wales, midlands, home counties. And it looks like we will continue to see problems through the rest of today. Met Office Amber Weather Warning remains in place. Be prepared for travel disruption. Its heavy wet snow so thats bringing down power lines and trees in spots as well. If you look at the radar chart you can see the snow and the rain, the snow is starting to fizzle out, it will turn lighter this afternoon. Get to the southern counties, its not just afternoon. Get to the southern counties, its notjust rain, its heavy rain and we have seen strong to gale force winds. Severe gale through the english channel. Winds gusting around 90mph at times out there in open waters. Theyll start to ease down this afternoon. The rain will gradually start to turn lighter as well. It could even turn wintry into the evening. Elsewhere, where you have snow at the moment turning lighter through the afternoon. Driest clearest, parts of the far north of england, scotland and northern ireland. But for some temperatures staying below freezing. It will drop like a stone tonight. The rain, sleet and snow across southern counties of england and wales continues to fade. Ice will become a major issue for many into monday morning rush hour. More showers to go with it across parts of northern and western scotland and northern ireland. All will see temperatures below freezing. If you are where snow is lying and in the countryside parts of rural scotland, Northern England and north wales could be as low as minus ten to 12. A cold and in places icy start to monday morning. This will produce travel problems to france, spain and portugal tomorrow morning. Its going to get close to the south east, potential here monday, keep checking the forecast for heavy rain and even snow at times and strong to gale force winds. Away from that snow in parts of scotland, wintry showers for northern ireland, as we see in the western fringes of wales and cornwall. That could produce a further covering of snow. For many monday is a cold raw feeling day in the breeze but it will be dry. Into monday night some of the wintry showers will continue around the coasts. Inland clearer skies, lighter winds, coldest around the coasts. Inland clearer skies, lighterwinds, coldest night of the week. Into Tuesday Morning some of you will be as low as minus 12 to start the day. After the cold est 12 to start the day. After the coldest night of the week comes the driest day. Lots of sunshine after a frosty and icy start. Hello. This is bbc news. Stansted and Birmingham Airports have close, Police Warning of have closed, Police Warning of treacherous driving conditions and travel disruptions because of heavy snow. The foreign secretary has met the president of iran on his second day of talks in a bid to win the freedom of the british iranian woman, Nazanin Zagari ratcliffe. The former disgraced publicist max clifford has died at the age of 74. Time is
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