Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20180225

In parliament will take a look at the biggest stories from the last seven days in the world of politics. Good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. Labour would keep britain in a Customs Union with the eu according to the partys brexit spokesman. Sir keir starmer told the Bbcs Andrew Marr show that a new treaty, replicating the existing customs arrangement, would be best for the economy and would respect the referendum result. The Prime Minister is committed to leaving both the Single Market and the Customs Union. Shes expected to outline the governments position in more detail this week. Our political correspondent, emma vardy, reports. After months of uncertainty over labours position, now the party is moving decisively away from a so called hard brexit. It has been unanimously agreed, according to the shadow brexit secretary. Sir keir starmer said Jeremy Corbyn will announce tomorrow that a labour governments policy would be for the uk to enter a new Customs Union with the eu after brexit. Weve long championed being in a Customs Union with the eu and the benefits of that, it is the only way realistically to get tariff free access, really important for our Manufacturing Base and nobody can answer the question of how you keep your commitment to no hard border in Northern Ireland without a Customs Union. Staying in a Customs Union would mean britain continuing to trade freely with other eu countries. This, says sir keir starmer, would be best for britains manufacturers. But it would limit our ability to strike new trade deals outside europe. Brexit supporting labour mps say staying so closely tied to the eu does not keep to the spirit of the referendum result. What is wrong with it is the country voted to leave and while it is really important we negotiate a Free Trade Agreement with europe, the eu is a bankrupt organisation, it has never had its accounts signed off, it needs our money. The conservatives have been warned it is crunch time for theresa may. The pro eu mps could defeat the government in the commons when parliament votes on the terms of the final brexit deal. But the trade secretary, liam fox, encouraged remain supporting tories to unite behind theresa may when she sets out the governments plans for the future relationship with the eu next week. I think when the rest of the Parliamentary Party hears on friday as the Prime Minister sets it out at. She will win over anna soubry, do you think . I hope they will have an open mind and listen to what the Prime Minister says. Labours efforts to persuade conservative rebels to resist the governments plans are set to intensify now there is a clear difference between the tories and labour on brexit. Emma joins us now. Both theresa may and Jeremy Corbyn could get pushed back from rebels. There are brexit split parties. For some time, theresa may has been pushed to set out the governments vision for our future relationship with the eu but labour has been pushed as well. There has been uncertainty of the clear position of the labour party after transition. With both of them making big speeches this week and the rebels being encouraged to come out of the woodwork or get back on side were they will be, are we going to get a clear sense of the parliamentary arithmetic . As journalists we taught at numbers all the time. When it comes to the crunch, are rebels on the conservative side prepared potentially to bring down the government . It looks this way at the moment. We know the former tory minister, and a subaru, has tabled this house of commons amendment backing membership of the Customs Union. Anna soubury. There are ten conservative mps willing to back that that could overturn the slim majority of theresa may. When it comes to the crunch, conservative rebels bringing down the government, it could pave the way for a general election and may be a labour win. Number 10 does not think that is desirable at the moment. Theresa may had the chance to watch the speech byJeremy Corbyn and we write hers and charm rebels back onside. You could say that is the benefit of going second. She has been walking a tightrope and has been acting very carefully to try to keep levers and remainer is on side. We will hear next week will be the product and whatever was agreed at the meeting at chequers. Leavers and remainers. Managed divergences, the form of words which seems to be keeping people happy. Whether we will remain close to the eu in some areas but pull away from the and have separate rules in others. That is the vision of the cabinet and something that has to be agreed with the rest of the eu. Noises from that side are not looking to favourable at the moment. The closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in south korea has been taking place russian athletes were not allowed to march under their National Flag because two of the teams members failed drugs tests, but the International Olympic Committee Says it will lift the ban after the games if no more russians test positive. From pyeongchang, andy swiss reports. The sound of defiance. Over a neutral anthem, the russian anthem being sung by the gold medal winning Ice Hockey Team of the olympic athletes from russia on the very day their nation was getting a reprieve. 160 of their athletes have had to compete here under a neutralflag. While russia wasnt granted their flag for the closing ceremony, their olympic ban is now set to be lifted, despite two russian athletes, including curler alexander krushelnitsky, failing drugs tests here. These are cases of negligence, but there is no indication whatsoever for a systemic or systematic doping. As for team gb, well, it was a disappointing final day. Their bobsleighers finishing 17th and 18th. But with five medals, including lizzy yarnolds gold, its been their most successful winter games ever. Were very happy. This is a historic games for us, its our best ever Winter Olympics. We have three medals in one day on that saturday, we had back to back gold medals with lizzy yarnold. But these games have been about politics as well as sport. President trumps daughter ivanka among those attending the closing ceremony. While after parading under a unified flag at the start of the games, the north and south korean athletes once again entered the stadium together, embracing the spirit of celebration. The large contingent from team gb also enjoyed their moment. Finally, a chance to relax. For the hosts who have been widely praised for their organisation, its been a memorable fortnight. But at last, it was time to lower the olympic flag and hand it over to beijing who will hold the next games in four years time. It has a tough act to follow as pyeongchang put on a dazzling spectacle. A games which has made so many headlines is saying goodbye in style. Andy swiss, bbc news, pyeongchang. Our correspondent Stephen Mcdonell is at the olympic park now. We have had this announcement about a willingness by the North Koreans to talk to ready to the americans, does it take as anywhere new . Well, we have heard this before from the North Koreans and it has come to nothing. The timing of it is significant. Coming now after this long period of such frosty relations on the Korean Peninsula but also between north korea and washington, i think most analysts would say to something they have come out and said they are prepared to talk. The games here have been geopolitically significant right to the very end. If it is significant right to the very end. If it is there is one thing it would be remembered for its north and south korea talking to one another again. A couple of months ago, the two countries were not communicating with one another. We did not know if the North Koreans would come to the games and now there political delegations coming. Aye sorry, we have lost too. You have frozen. We will try to get back to pyeongchang when we can. Lets go south of the border from north to pyeongchang when we can. Lets go south of the borderfrom north korea and look at chinese news. Chinas state News Agency Says the Ruling Communist Party has proposed a change to the constitution that would allow the president and Vice President to stay in power for more than two terms. The current president , xi jinping, is due to step down from his role in 2023. Our china correspondentjoins us now from shanghai, it looks like not beijing. Tell us what this announcement signifies . Well it signifies what i think is probably the biggest change in chinas leadership for a generation. If xi jinping is to continue beyond the conventional ten years, and maybe he wa nts to conventional ten years, and maybe he wants to keep going and going, this will be a tenure in office, at the very top of chinas ruling party, that we have not seen in terms of political dominance since the end of the 1980s. So, if we look to the change the commonest party is proposing, it has eight short words it wants to remove from the constitution, the rule that the president and Vice President will serve no more than two consecutive terms, so xijinping could go beyond his ten years when he is expected to leave the stage. The really interesting thing about this to me is that you mentioned than shall paying who set in these rules in order to avoid a personality involving alice was in the mao era. But xijinping is involving alice was in the mao era. But xi jinping is such a huge figure as chairman mao. He has huge ambitions for this country, both domestically in terms of dealing with pollution, its growing but slowing economy, problems of corruption which he believes, or certainly those around him say is about dealing with legitimacy for the Ruling Communist Party in this country. As it looks out to the rest of the world when he has ambitions for china to become a far more modern country with a far more modern country with a far more modern military and to have a far more influential presence in the world. And in his speech he made to the Congress Meeting to the commonest party late last year he made it very clear he thinks it will ta ke made it very clear he thinks it will take longer than just ten years in office for him to complete that. The communist party. In the mid 30s, this goes back to. It shows he wants to stick around the helm to ensure he can be in charge to get china to that place. We know he is a leader who admires president putin in russia also admires chairman mao, as he has repeatedly said in the past. I suppose the question in a way, given that he has a very big vision for china, a clear vision for china, will he accept anyone else getting him ideas, giving him advice, or will he be a solitary figure is providing over everything which chairman mao was . Is that going to create questions over mistakes that we saw with the cultural revolution and the famine that presided over. Which took place during the mao era. Will there be anyone who can stand up will there be anyone who can stand up to xi will there be anyone who can stand . Will there be anyone who can stand up to xi jinping . Look at the evidence late last year, those who we re evidence late last year, those who were promoted, were more veteran politicians, werent there. There was not the emergence of the younger generation. There was no clear selection of a next in line. No repetition of what we saw from xi jinping before. Some are little older and they are the ones who are not present a serious challenge to xijinping going forward. Certainly not in the next five, maybe even ten, years. In terms of an institutional succession, there is not the conventional one we expected in place. Thank you. Lets go back to our look to the closing of the Winter Olympics. Lets talk to him again from olympic park. I suppose, lets talk to him again from olympic park. Isuppose, what lets talk to him again from olympic park. I suppose, what we were discussing is whether theres a hope of serious negotiations now between the North Koreans, the americans and the North Koreans, the americans and the South Koreans . The South Koreans are sounding like that is what they wa nt to are sounding like that is what they want to be the legacy of these games a way. Yes, they certainly do. Serious negotiations . We are still some way off. Given where we were, with north korea not talking to either south korea or the United States just months ago, i think those who are in favour of dialogue would say that president moon has done a good job of using this Winter Olympics to at least try to bring both sides together. Now we have heard this before from north korea. We have more recently heard it romped Vice President pits, we will talk to the North Koreans that we just have to see if these talks actually come to anything, if they are prepared to sit down one another. President moon was elected. He has a mandate really to try and reach out to the North Koreans. That is what he went to the south Korean People and said, i will try to do that. I think he will probably be quite proud of what he has been able to achieve these games. We have seen strange situations in the stadium behind me. Even tonight there is ivanka trump, sitting in the front iow. Ivanka trump, sitting in the front row. Behind her north korean general, who is accused of two attacks on south korea, including the torpedoing in which 46 South Koreans see men were killed. Yet they arent trying to bring these two ca m ps they arent trying to bring these two camps together. They are trying. It is 8 2 ask. Cynics will say is north korea really going to give up its Nuclear Weapons . Will the americans put up with anything less tha n the americans put up with anything less than men giving up Nuclear Weapons . These are massive hurdles that both sides have to cover. At least, potentially, there comes some way towards talks at these games. Thank you very much. The headlines on bbc news a shift of policy on europe by labour. Shadow brexit secretary sir kier starmer confirms the party would keep britain in a Customs Union. The winter Olympic Games come to a conclusion ceremony at pyeongchang olympic stadium. Team gb took their record tally of five medals at the games. Syrian warplanes are reported to have attacked the besieged rebel area of Eastern Ghouta despite the Un Security Council voting unanimously for a ceasefire. Going back to that story, the leaders of germany and france have urged president putin to put maximum pressure on the Syrian Government to stop the fighting in eastern pewter. Meanwhile, Syrian Government forces have continued air strikes in the rebel held area despite the Un Security Council resolution calling foran Security Council resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. Another air attack on the besieged enclave of Eastern Ghouta yesterday. Shortly after the un decision, similar bombings were reported. Even as they voted unanimously in support of the resolution, there was doubt on all sides about how much effect it would have. The text calling for an immediate ceasefire took place by one calling for a truce without delay. It would not apply to any jihadi militants. We are deeply sceptical that the regime will comply. But we supported this resolution because we must demand nothing less. We owe this to the innocent people of syria, begging for help. The russians said it was naive to think difficult issues could be addressed overnight. The Syrian Ambassador said his country had the right to act in self defence. Translation this will not succeed and it will backfire sooner or later. We have the right to defend ourselves according to the charter. The International Aid agency stand ready to help but it is not safe enough yet for them to go in. We are ready to roll out assistance to be able to cover and reach people who have been besieged for a long time and bring them much needed life saving assistance. The un secretary general has called Eastern Ghouta hell on earth. He has called on all sides to implement the agreement as soon as possible. An investigation by Newham Council in london has found that some shopkeepers have still been selling corrosive substances like bleach to children despite there being a voluntary code of conduct in place not to do so. The area has suffered a Record Number of acid attacks as Simon Browning reports. Almost 400 of londons 1500 acid attacks in the last five years have happened in the borough of newham, the highest amount in the uk. This is annie, 1a, part of an undercover sting to see if she can buy corrosive substances from high street shops in the area. I want you to go in to try to purchase caustic soda, bleach, or other corrosive substances. Annie is working with trading standards to test the retailers who have signed up to a voluntary scheme to prevent such sales to shoppers under the age of 21. How much did it cost you . £1. And again and ask if any id . No. They didnt ask you for any id . Your age . Two shops did not sell to her but three did. The shops selling substances such as bleach have broken no law as the restrictions are voluntary. New figures obtained by radio 5 live suggests the scale of attacks involving acid and other corrosive substances has trebled in five years, with 646 attacks recorded in england and wales in 2017. Last autumn, the government promised new laws on the sale and carrying of corrosives and acids but so far no legislation has been introduced. Bollywood superstar Sridevi Kapoor has died of a heart attack at the age of 5a. The actress who starred in almost 300 films was considered one of the few capable of Huge Box Office success without the support of a male hero. Rajini Vaidya Nathan looks back at her life. For decades she was bollywoods leading lady. Sridevis combination of charisma and comic timing won herfans around the world and in a male dominated Film Industry she was one of the first women to become a megastar in her own right. Sridevi was attending a family wedding with her husband and daughter in dubai when she suffered a heart attack late on saturday night. In a indias Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was saddened by her death. And Actress Priyanka Chopra led the tributes from bollywood saying it was a dark day. India is mourning the loss of one of its brightest stars. One Film Producer described the impact of sridevis death, saying that she was a pioneer who put the early cracks in the Glass Ceiling of bollywood that paved the way for todays female film stars. Her death is a loss to our country, to the Film Industry, she was such a role model to all women across the country. So, yes, im sure its going to have an impact on all of us. Of course, like, now, youve got a lot of famous leading ladies in bollywood but back then in the 80s and early 90s there werent too many of them and she was one of the first, and so i think thats why she matters so much. Sridevi will be remembered for the way she lit up the screen. She left the world of bollywood way too soon but her legacy is enduring. Lots of us grew up learning to play a Musical Instrument, but its an activity which many children with disabilities cant take part in. Now one charity is calling on manufacturers to make adaptions to the instruments. Ricky boletos been to meet ten year old guy, whos learning to play the one handed bagpipe. For guy, a dream come true. He has learned to play the scales, and lets be honest, he looks the part too. But getting this far has not been easy. He was born with no left hand. I have got a bone missing in it and i have got five fingers but some are really small and i have always felt special. Not many people your age want to learn to play the bagpipes. What made you so interested in that instrument . My mums scottish so when we go there we see my uncle, neill, and he plays the bagpipes. Guys mum reached out to the one handed Musical Instrument trust. They found duncan, a music teacher, who invented this digital chanter. It has changed his life. In each of the holes, you have a sensor detecting the finger positions so you can make the sound do whatever you like, we came up with this new version of the fingering only using the top five holes to get all of the notes you can getjust using one hand. It is not that difficult and you can just learn the scales and once you have got the notes and sound you can start learning songs. It is notjust the bagpipes, a whole range of instruments can be adapted and modified to help musicians with a physical disability. This keypad is connected to a computer and it sounds just like a violin, viola or cello and you can play it single handedly. One charity is calling on instrument makers from around the world to help make music more accessible. It is very difficult to find a standard instrument that can be played by a child with a physical disability. The difference is that giving them the right instrument makes in their self confidence, their ability tojoin in with others in a musical setting, it is phenomenal. Excellent. That was good. Now guy has learnt a tune or two, he has set another goal, to play the bagpipes at edinburgh castle. It would be cool playing in front of lots of people, being different to everyone else. Everybody would have to below. I would have to blow but it would be much more different. I am sure it is only a matter of time. Well done how good is he . Are you ready for some snow . There could be a lot of it in the next few days. We have been forecasting the beast from the east for quite some time. This evening the cold winds will be setting in. Snow showers affecting parts in the east of the uk. The ground is solid frozen, so that means the snow showers will have no problems settling. Through the course of the day tomorrow the wind will increase and become bitter. Some of the snow showers will make theirjourney right across the country toward some western and even south Western Areas but most will fall across the east. Then we are watching monday night into tuesday. These clouds in the north sea will start developing. Snow showers will become more frequent. Early on tuesday we could get a significant dump of snow in eastern counties. This is an amber warning in force already from the met office for tuesday. From tuesday onwards it is down the slippery slope and it may even get worse towards the end of the week. This is bbc news our latest headlines a shift of policy on europe by labour shadow brexit secretary sir kier starmer confirms the party would keep britain in a Customs Union. The winter Olympic Games come to a conclusion with the closing ceremony at pyeongchang olympic stadium. Team gb took their record tally of five medals at the games. Syrian warplanes are reported to have attacked the besieged rebel area of Eastern Ghouta despite the Un Security Council voting unanimously for a ceasefire. Now on bbc news, the week in parliament