House of the United StatesHouse Of Representatives is hereby declared vacant. Mccarthys cardinal sin, say his critics, was working with President Biden and the democrats on a last minute Budget Agreement to avoid a Government Shutdown last weekend. Lets take a closer look at the lawmakers who want to take his place. Jim jordan of ohio was first elected to congress in 2007. And on friday morning his bid got a major boost. Former Preident Donald trump Writing On Truth Social jordan is one of trumps biggest congressional allies, receiving the president ial medal of freedom from trump in a closed door ceremonyjust days after the 6 january capitol riot in 2021. Jordan is 59 years old. He currently chairs the Housejudiciary Committee where he launched several investigations into President Biden, his son hunter, and the fbi. He is also a founder and former chairman of the ultraconservative House Freedom caucus and was among more than 100 republicans who voted against 300 million in aid for ukraine. Then theres Steve Scalise of louisiana. As majority leader, hes the number two ranking republican in the House Of Representatives, elected to congress in 2008. The 57 year old announced in august he was undergoing treatment for multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer. And in 2017, scalise was gravely wounded during a shooting targeting republican members during a Baseball Practice in virginia. 0n ukraine, scalise joined more than 300 other members of Congress Voting to approve 300 million in aid to ukraine last week. For more, i spoke earlier with congressional reporter for politco anthony adragna. Thank you for being here. Weve been hearing about the top two candidates now for the speaker of the house, jim jordan, Steve Scalise, do you have a sense of which one of those might have the most support right now among republicans in the house . I think certainly as you are alluding to the fact that President Trump has weighed in on behalf of congressmen jordan, excuse me, will be a major boon for his candidacy, but i think the challenge right now for any candidate for speaker is trying to get the 218. At this point we dont see anyone with a clear path to getting support they would need to win over the entirety of the republican conference little enough votes to actually when a vote on the house floor, so this race remains very fluid and there is nobody who appears to have the efficient support locked up at this point. figs to have the efficient support locked up at this point. As we ust locked up at this point. As we just saw. Locked up at this point. As we just saw. On locked up at this point. As we just saw, on tuesday, locked up at this point. As we just saw, on tuesday, so locked up at this point. As we just saw, on tuesday, so a i just saw, on tuesday, so a small group of republicans asked the last speaker Kevin Mccarthy, whoever comes out on top of this race, whatever that might be, how vulnerable do you think they might be to something similar happening in terms of a challenge to their power . Terms of a challenge to their ower . � ,. ,. , terms of a challenge to their ower . H. ,. , power . Its a great question i think its power . Its a great question i think its one power . Its a great question i think its one of power . Its a great question i think its one of the power . Its a great question i think its one of the main power . Its a great question i | think its one of the main ones will have to see answered before anybody emerges from this contest. There are a number of members of the republican conference that still feel really raw emotions from what happened on tuesday. They think Kevin Mccarthy was poorly treated by having this mechanism in place that allows anyone member to sort of force anyone member to sort of force a vote to expel the speaker. 0bviously Congressmen matt gaetz lead that pushed successfully this week. There are dozens of republicans that want to see changes to that threshold to make it at least more than one person, many would like to see at a majority of the republican conference would be needed to trigger a similar note in the future, so i think thats one of the key questions we will have to see answered among republicans before they popped and pick who this person will be that will leave them. Its figuring out internally what sort of changes need to be made to make whoever comes next are less vulnerable to a lot of these challenges. Some people, some observers think this could be a very drawnout contest here to decide who the next speaker of the house might be. How would that delay affects, all the business in the house need to get done . A potential ukraine funding bill and several different bills that will be needed to keep the government open beyond mid november . Keep the government open beyond midnovember . Midnovember . Another great. Uestion midnovember . Another great question and midnovember . Another great question and it midnovember . Another great question and it all midnovember . Another great question and it all depends midnovember . Another great question and it all depends on | question and it all depends on how long the process takes. There are many people who think it could take the better part of a month. 0bviously Congress has just passed a short term Continuing Resolution that extended funding into mid november but the speaker race takes a protracted period of time, but obviously will make a lot harder for the of time, but obviously will make a lot harderfor the house to come in and away and as they want on how to keep the government funded. Ukraine is obviously a big part of that as well. I think there is no question that Speaker Mccarthy being booted earlier this week will make it harder and harder. It was probably already going to be hard to get additional ukraine funding approved this year. There is no question in my mind that action this week will make it all the more hard to get additional funding approved. The House Republicans conference is not super amenable now to approve additional aid certainly without major conditions and the fact there is so much uncertainty around their leadership right now, only adds to the sense of uncertainty moving forward with regards to ukraine in particular. Ukraine in particular. What about the ukraine in particular. What about the democrats . Ukraine in particular. What about the democrats . Funding for ukraine is something high on their agenda. Could they be flanking maker here . We saw the entire Caucus Lanotte devote Kevin Mccarthy out. This could be another type race. Are there candidates democrats might support . Candidates democrats might suort . ,. ,. , candidates democrats might suort . ,. , support . Democrats have been united so far. Support . Democrats have been united so far. They support . Democrats have been united so far. They were support . Democrats have been united so far. They were united in voting to send Speaker Mccarthy out of the speakership. Theyve been spea kership. Theyve been united speakership. Theyve been united against king jeffries, their leader, and i wouldnt expect that a change here. They may try to exact certain concessions from the republican speaker candidate in exchange for their votes. They may try. I dont think theyll be successful in that regard. I think both parties are pretty darkin think both parties are pretty dark in here and certainly polarisation in washington has never been greater, the fact you are seeing such a narrowly divided house, have included to speak about how the support of more than 95 of the conference is pretty indicative of that. And so, i dont expect the worse orfor better, and so, i dont expect the worse or for better, i and so, i dont expect the worse orfor better, i dont expect the gates of bipartisanship to open up anytime soon. It bipartisanship to open up anytime soon. Bipartisanship to open up anytime soon. Bipartisanship to open up an imesoon. ,. , anytime soon. It should be an interesting anytime soon. It should be an interesting week anytime soon. It should be an| interesting week nonetheless. Anthony adragna, krugervillage anthony adragna, Kruger Village anthony adragna, krugervillage , of reporter with politico. Before we go much further, lets lay out what exactly the speaker does, and why thejob is so important. The speaker runs the House Of Representatives, and its 435 members. That means overseeing the daily business of the chamber and setting the voting agenda. Traditionally, they are the leader of the Largest Party in the house. Currently, the republicans have more seats than the democrats, by a count of 221 to 212, with two seats vacant. And the speaker is second in line to the presidency after the vice president. So its hardly a symbolic post. It wields real power. One of those who will have a say in selecting the next speaker of the house is mike lawler, republican congressman from new york. I spoke with him a short time ago. Thank you for being here. I want to start with former president donald trump. The hearing he has Endorsedjim Jordan in the speaker race. Whats your reaction to that and how might trumps endorsement affect the race . This will be a decision made by the conference and the conference alone. The former president certainly is entitled to offer his opinion on it but i think the conference is going to be getting together on monday for what is going to be i think a rather long and blunt discussion about how we move forward. And obviously the focus will turn to the speakers race and selecting a candidate can receive 218 votes on the house floor. You candidate can receive 218 votes on the house floor. On the house floor. You voted of course on the house floor. You voted of course to on the house floor. You voted of course to support on the house floor. You voted of course to support former i of course to support former speaker Kevin Mccarthy. Will you now vote to support either of these two top candidates, eitherjim jordan of these two top candidates, eitherjimjordan or of these two top candidates, eitherjim jordan or Steve Scalise . Ive not decided yet who ill be supporting, im looking forward to the discussion. I think there is a lot of questions that need to be answered for whoever the next speaker is. And in large part, how we are going to effectively govern as a majority. What happened last week was disgusting, it was unnecessary, and torpedoed our very majority, and put a lot of It Injeopardy if going forward, frankly. So i think there needs to be a real reckoning within the conference and a discussion, and so ive not made any decisions yet as to who i will or wont support, but i think the conversation is necessary to make that determination. As it stands now one of the top speaker for the candidacy, jim jordan, spoken against every ukrainian aid bill thats been brought to the fore, for since the invasion by russia began. How important is it you that the next speaker of the house supports aid package for ukraine . I supports aid package for ukraine . Supports aid package for ukraine . ~. , , ukraine . I think obviously you have the white ukraine . I think obviously you have the white house ukraine . I think obviously you have the white house and ukraine . I think obviously you have the white house and thej have the white house and the senate aligned. Increasing aid to ukraine. A majority of the housein to ukraine. A majority of the house in the recent vote supported aid to ukraine. So, it is clear that this is an issue thats going to need to be addressed. And whoever the next speaker as he is going to have to work with the white house, with the senate, and with the house, to come to an agreement on next steps. There is no question that needs to be accountability and transparency, as many of my colleagues have called for, and the white house needs to put forth a plan to congress and identify what the goals and the objectives are and frankly what the endgame is, ultimately, because this is not something obviously that we can continue in perpetuity. But certainly, i have supported and will continue to support to ukraine. I think it is imperative that we hold Vladimir Putin accountable for his conduct and i think there are real consequences if ukraine falls, especially in the indo pacific, so there is a lot at stake here, there is a lot that goes into this, and i think obviously it is going to require a thorough discussion with whoever the next speaker is. � ,. ,. ,. , is. Beyond ust wanting to ukraine is. Beyond just wanting to ukraine there is. Beyond just wanting to ukraine there is is. Beyond just wanting to ukraine there is lots is. Beyond just wanting to ukraine there is lots of. Is. Beyond just wanting to i ukraine there is lots of work that needs to get done in the house, several appropriations bill the need to be passed. There is only funny for the government through mid november. How concerned are you that a Drawnout Process to select a new speaker could lead to another Government Shutdown . Bring you up to the brink once again . Bring you up to the brink once aiain . ~ bring you up to the brink once aiain . ,. , bring you up to the brink once aiain . ,. , again . We obviously avoid the otential again . We obviously avoid the potential of again . We obviously avoid the potential of a again . We obviously avoid the potential of a shutdown again . We obviously avoid the potential of a shutdown with l again . We obviously avoid the| potential of a shutdown with an agreement last saturday that would have 45 day crm place. The objective is to choose a speaker as quickly as possible so you can get back to focusing On The Issues that matter to the American People. Starting with obviously are spending and the appropriations process, as well as securing our southern border. And dealing with the migrant crisis that has impacted communities all across this country, including my state of new york, and so, it is imperative that we have the time and the ability to deal with these issues before 17 november, and certainly try to get to the appropriations process. If we were up against the clock, as i said repeatedly, we cannot shut the government down and we would need to consider another six cr but it is imperative that we get back to work and focused on Theissues Get Back to work and focused On The Issues that matter to the American People another cr. Republican repetitive mike lawler, thank you for taking the time to speak to us. Thank ou. So thats the republican view. Lets switch to the democrats now. For that, my colleague Sumi Somaskanda spoke earlier with congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi from illinois. Congressmen, great to have you back on bbc news. It is not yet clear when there will be a vote for speaker of the house, possibly wednesday. What you are hearing and seeing from your republican colleagues across the aisle what you expect to see next week . I dont know. I always think a know what is going to happen and then im surprised when things unfold the way they do. On wednesday, i suspect we will see the balloting and elections and, some of your viewers might recall, there was a very interesting affair the last time this happened injanuary. I hope its not as chaotic and its not the circus it was back then. ~. ,. , its not the circus it was back then. ~. , i. , ~ its not the circus it was back then. ~. ,. ,~. , then. What you make of the former president then. What you make of the former president reportedly i former president reportedly visiting the capitol on tuesday with yellow eye honestly dont know. Some people say he is merely going to help unify people ahead of their elections on wednesday. 0ther people ahead of their elections on wednesday. Other people think he is actually thinking of serving as a candidate and i think he pulled out on true social that he is supporting jim jordan but social that he is supporting jimjordan but he is also saying im hoping to be a unifying candidate. The short answer is unifying candidate. The short answer is i unifying candidate. The short answer is i think unifying candidate. The short answer is i think wherever. Answer is i think wherever there is a tv camera and, in this case, wherever there is no judge presiding in a courtroom i think donald trump will want to be there and i suspect he might appear to be there and i suspect he mightappearat to be there and i suspect he might appear at the capitol. You mention the namejim jordan, he seems to be, at the moment, the favourite to be the next speaker, at least from the republican side. Would you, would democrats consider supporting him . Im would democrats consider supporting him . Would democrats consider supporting him . Im not sure about that. Supporting him . Im not sure about that. Jim supporting him . Im not sure about that. Jim jordan supporting him . Im not sure about that. Jim jordan is about that. Jim jordan is basically Donald Trumps lieutenant in congress and may be concern is thatjim jordan is potentially going to pursue an agenda to help Donald TrumpsResidential Campaign as opposed to doing what is in the best interests of the American People. When coupled with the fact that he has not really come out in favour of ukraine aid or a standalone package for ukraine i dont think i could support him. Ukraine i dont thinki could support him ukraine i dont thinki could support him. Lets talk about ukraine aid, support him. Lets talk about ukraine aid, we support him. Lets talk about ukraine aid, we have support him. Lets talk about ukraine aid, we have talk support him. Lets talk about i ukraine aid, we have talk about ukraine aid, we have talk about ukraine quite a bit in the past and this removal of the speaker of the house really highlighted that support for aiding ukraine is withering in the republican party. You have advocated an up or down vote, basically a direct vote on the House Of Representatives or ukraine aid in the past. Why would you support such a move . Because it would command support such a move . Because it would command a support such a move . Because it would command a Majority Support such a move . Because it would command a majority of. Support such a move . Because it| would command a majority of the house. Certainly has very strong support in the senate and once he passed the house and once he passed the house and is that it will get signed into law. We cant leave the ukrainian and the lows straight now. As you know, they are making progress, albeit slowly, in the counteroffensive that they launched some months ago and we cant have a pause right now in the aid as they are pursuing this counteroffensive. We have seen republicans within the House Of Representatives and in the senate say they might be willing to consider more aid for ukraine if there were to be more aid for water policy, Border Security, and title Border Security as well. Is that a trade off you would be willing to consider . I is that a tradeoff you would be willing to consider . I would consider it. Be willing to consider . I would consider it. I be willing to consider . I would consider it. I dont be willing to consider . I would consider it. I dont think be willing to consider . I would consider it. I dont think the i consider it. I dont think the two should necessarily be intertwined the way they talk about it. However, we do have a Legislative Process and if we need to consider that as a counterproposal from them then i think we should do it. With regard to the southern border, with the department of Homeland Security has requested is money for more personnel, but also technology as well as physical barriers. So im not against doing that, providing that type of money, but dont think they should necessarily be combined with the ukrainian issue. But well see how it comes of the Legislative Process. Legislative process. Always ioini Legislative Process. Always iioin to Legislative Process. Always going to speak Legislative Process. Always going to speak with Legislative Process. Always going to speak with you. I Legislative Process. Always going to speak with you. Thanks Forjoining Us. Going to speak with you. Thanks Forjoining UsForjoining Us. Thank you. Alwa s Forjoining Us. Thank you. Always great as weve been hearing, whoever wins the speakers role will have a direct impact on us policy towards ukraine. More specifically, washingtons commitment to funding kyiv� s efforts in the war. For more i spoke earlier with michael birnbaum, National Security reporter at the washington post. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us on bbc news. For now, the top two candidates for the new speaker of the house role would bejim jordan and Steve Scalise. Where do the two of them stand on the issue of funding for ukraine was yellow well, they are opposite sides, that is one of the complicated questions in this, what would happen. Jim jordan as for quite some time been a hard line against further funding for ukraine. He hard line against further funding for ukraine. He says he wants to turn funding for ukraine. He says he wants to turn the funding for ukraine. He says he wants to turn the Spigot Funding for ukraine. He says he wants to turn the spigot off. I wants to turn the spigot off. Steve scalise is much more of a traditional republican in terms of these kinds of Foreign Policy questions. He has expressed openness to Re Authorising and extending funding. But he is also, even if he wins he will be presiding over a deeply divided republican caucus. Over a deeply divided reublican caucus. ,. ,. , republican caucus. Some sort of ukraine bill republican caucus. Some sort of ukraine bill is republican caucus. Some sort of ukraine bill is definitely republican caucus. Some sort of ukraine bill is definitely very i ukraine bill is definitely very high on the Priority List for the white house. President biden says he plans to deliver an address about the war in ukraine. Beyond that, what is this strategy for the white housein this strategy for the white house in terms of beginning to shape this and get some kind of deal onto the house floor . Welcome i think they are very nervous. They feel as though they retain the support of the american public. Even looking inside congress, you know, a majority, a bipartisan majority of members of Congress Still supports aid for ukraine, but just the way the mouth works and the way the house operates nevertheless this minority of republicans is able to kind of put a halt to the funding. There is some funding that exists. The white house is thinking about other ways to help ukraine, other mechanisms they could use to keep some amount of aid flowing. But its amount of aid flowing. But its a really big problem. They have enoughin a really big problem. They have enough in the short term, but looking into next year i think there are deep questions and its certainly unnerving the ukrainians, its unnerving allies in europe, and it really is to be determined in terms of who ends up as a speaker of the house how the white house strategy ends up unfolding. You touched on strategy ends up unfolding. You touched on it, strategy ends up unfolding. You touched on it, zooming in on ukraine itself for a moment, how concerned you think officials are there about this uncertainty surrounding a new funding bill . Funding bill . Well, they are t in to funding bill . Well, they are trying to put funding bill . Well, they are trying to put on funding bill . Well, they are trying to put on a funding bill . Well, they are trying to put on a brave i funding bill . Well, they are| trying to put on a brave face publicly, they say they are confident in their american partners, there is a publicly they are not too worried. But, you know, president Volodymyr Zelensky came to washington last month. People who met with him in washington said he appeared much more nervous, kind of rattled now than in previous meetings and he was more nervous at the end of his meeting about at the beginning. I have talk to european policymakers who were recently, this week, in kyiv meeting with top ukrainians and they said privately ukrainians are really nervous and upset. They are very dependent on american aid and is not clear how much more is going to be forthcoming. Interesting stuff. Michael birnbaum, National Security reporter with the washington post. Thank you Forjoining Us. Thank you for having me. Lets look now at how the debate over funding for ukraine is playing out in the country itself. For that i spoke earlier with ukrainian mp 0leksiy goncharenko, who was on the move aboard a train for kyiv. Thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us, even as we can see you are in transit. I want to get your reaction first of all to some of the political chaos weve seen in washington these past few days and now the uncertainty around new Military Funding for ukraine. Its very concerning because that is a critical moment. Ukraine desperately needs this help and its an automatic ukraine became a ball in which was a game in the United States and i hope as President Biden said and also leaders of the democrats and republicans said that it will be fixed. I just want to remind you and the us people that it is in the best interest not only of ukraine but of the United States too to support us in this war because it properly one of the best investments in history with 7 of Us Military Budget weve destroyed at least 50 of Russian Military capacity and russia is the second biggest rival of the United States after china. You are there in ukraine and i want to get your perspective. If new Military Funding does not materialise, how would that affect your country on the battlefield . We cannot win the war if there is no military support from the United States. We will fight until the end because thats existential for us, to be or not to be, but it will be defence. No chance for but without the military surprise. Recently weve seen some of the support, especially among republicans, forfunding to ukraine beginning to waver a little bit. What is your reaction to some of the lawmakers or republicans in congress who say simply the country cannot afford to keep issuing what they call a blank cheque to ukraine. Its not true. It is not a blank cheque. There is control in the United States about the support and again, this isjust several percent of Us Military Budget. From the ground and if United States could not afford now to help us financially and militarily, sooner or later the United States will lose the lives of their soldiers and officers to stop the russian army. 0leksiy goncharenko, on the train there, thank you Forjoining Us. Thank you. And before we go, lets look at what comes next in the race for the house speaker. Early next week, monday or tuesday, or both, republicans are expected to discuss among themselves a possible replacement to mccarthy. Then theyre expected to have an election on wednesday. The vote will be held via secret ballot, and the nominee needs a majority to win. Then at some point after that the matter heads to the full house for a vote. The winner needs a majority, so 218 votes in favour, to win the speakers gavel. Remember it took 15 rounds for mccarthy to win last time around, so stay tuned. Thats all for this special look at the us house speakers race. Thank you for watching. Ill be back in 30 minutes with the latest headlines. Stay with us here on bbc news. Hello. This weekend is going to bring us some huge weather contrasts. For many parts of the uk, it is going to be an exceptionally warm weekend for october that warm air pushing up from the south around this area of High Pressure but colder air digging down from the north and along the battleground between those two air masses, an active and slow moving Weather Front which is going to bring heavy and persistent rain of parts of scotland. We have this met Office Amber Warning the potential that some places could see close to 180mm of rain, especially up over higher ground. Certainly enough rain across the warning area to give some issues with flooding and travel disruption. And as you can see, a wet start to saturday across many parts of scotland and that band of rain very slow moving through the day. Whereas for northern ireland, Western Parts of england and wales, a bit of a murky start. That should tend to lift and clear to give some spells of sunshine. Certainly, central and eastern parts of england seeing some spells of hazy sunshine through the day. But all the while, the rain continues across those central and some northern parts of scotland, where it will feel decidedly chilly just nine degrees in aberdeen. Compare that with 2a or 25 degrees across parts of south east england. Now, during saturday night, the rain continues. I think the heaviest rain will tend to pull northwards across scotland. Something a little bit drier developing for some of those central and southern parts. Further south, some clear spells. Therell be some mist and fog patches, too. A mild night for many but quite cold in the far north of scotland, particularly shetland, just to the north of this Weather Front. As we head into sunday, this front will still be plaguing some northern parts of the uk but the heaviest rain this time will be across the far north of scotland and into 0rkney. Further south, just that little bit drier. And for northern ireland, england and wales, any early mist and fog should tend to clear. It could stay a bit murky for some coasts but we will see some spells of sunshine. Not quite as warm on sunday still up to around 23 degrees, 12 for stornoway and for aberdeen. Now, the new week starts on a warm note, particularly down towards the south, but as we head through the middle part of the week, this active Weather Front is set to push southwards and that will introduce north westerly winds and something more typical, really, for this time of year. So, temperatures by the end of the coming week back down closer to where wed expect them to be at this time of year. Voiceover this is bbc news. We will have the headlines for you at the top of the hour, which is straight after this programme. File Dozens Of Towns L and villages are flooded in ukraine after a major dam is breached. 0n the 6th ofjune 2023, the kakhovka dam, a Critical Infrastructure in the south of ukraine, was destroyed by an explosion. A huge reservoir of water on the dnipro river was unleashed downstream, with devastating consequences. We understand 16,000 residents on the banks of ukraine controlled areas are in immediate, critical danger. Shouts ukraine and nato accused russia of committing the act. The un warned of grave and far reaching consequences, which are being felt across ukraine and beyond. This is the story of what happened after kakhovka