only one faction of their people into english scandal have received the financial compensation punished by the government in which they are entitled according to a damning report. what would also happen is the setting out of the substantive case. the lido of pc and your hyper the prime minister after she went a campaign to achieve mandatory life sentences for those who murdered members of the emergency services. in the former england cricket captain has been dropped from the bbc ashes coverage after he was accused of making a racist remark. a sombre mood in much of westminster and france tonight. at least 33 people are feared to have drowned — while trying to cross the sea from france after their boat capsized. at least 26 have been resuced — some of them in a serious condition — and a rescue operation is still underway. the french coastguard said a fisherman had alerted the authorities after seeing bodies in the water near the port of calais. four people suspected to have been linked to the adjoining have been arrested by the police and friends. just yesterday that british home secretary said only yesterday — the home secretary priti patel said further talks were taking place between the uk and france to try to stop the crossings. so far this year — an estimated 25,600 migrants have crossed the channel to the uk — more than three times last year's figure. this is the latest statement from the french government, france's interior minister visited calais and he spoke outside the hospital about what had unfolded.— he spoke outside the hospital about what had unfolded. according to our information. — what had unfolded. according to our information, 33 _ what had unfolded. according to our information, 33 people _ what had unfolded. according to our information, 33 people have - what had unfolded. according to our information, 33 people have sailed i information, 33 people have sailed off the coast of calais. at the moment, there are 31 dead and two people who were rescued. who are currently in hospital and i still in danger. among the 31 dead we know there were five women and a little girl. we will get more information later today and obviously the search and rescue operations are continuing. today between the crossing of calais and the north part of the country we have 780 police officers who were patrolling the coast. 255 people have managed to cross the channel. but 661 people who were trying to cross have been stopped. these are migrants who spend just a few days if not a few hours in france and want to cross into england and take this risk and unfortunately today we have this tragedy. the first responsible for this horrible situation are the smugglers. criminals who for a few thousand euros organise human trafficking of people from iraq, afghanistan, africa, asia and will use the people. they attract and hear three of belgium and then in france to cross the channel and go to the uk. we need to fight against the smugglers. 1500 of them have already been arrested since the 1st of january and we have arrested for more today in direct connexion to this incident. two of them are being charged. since the 1st of january, 7800 migrants have been rescued at sea by our navy. i think the national may be for the work and i think the police and the rescuers who risked their lives to save these people. 7800 people arrested is a big victory but today it's a bit of national grief for france, for the eu, and the whole world in front of the tragedy of these people dying to cross the channel. i also want to say that we have great respect for the local residents and the mayor who are handling the situation and we are working as a government today to improve the living conditions, to stop the boats, and also with the help of germany because most of the boats are both in germany and we asked the government to stop the sale of these boats. we are talking with our friends in sale of these boats. we are talking with ourfriends in belgium because 100% of the migrants here come from belgium and obviously they are in constant contact with the uk. i want to say that we can put in place today many means to save lives. we have three votes, to helicopters, one french, and one british and thousands of people are working to save lives. ., ., save lives. one of the agreement tasks you've _ save lives. one of the agreement tasks you've had _ save lives. one of the agreement tasks you've had during _ save lives. one of the agreement tasks you've had during the - save lives. one of the agreementl tasks you've had during the course of this year is to catalogue succession of rescue attempts but this is being described certainly by the international migration organisation and said to me the biggest death toll in any migration and setting in the channel. at least for the last seven years. the fi . ures for the last seven years. the figures are — for the last seven years. the figures are pretty _ for the last seven years. tue: figures are pretty grim. for the last seven years. tte: figures are pretty grim. 31 people dead, two survivors, amongst the dead, two survivors, amongst the dead, five women and a young girl. the authorities on both sides of the channel had been warned it was only a matter of time before a tragedy like this would happen out there in the channel. i think the authorities in the uk that the home office expected a number of people making the crossing to follow as we enter the crossing to follow as we enter the autumn months because that has been the pattern of previous years. but that has not happened at all this year. almost 6000 people have managed to reach the uk by both, this month alone. i think the reason it's continuing even though the weather is getting worse is because it is so lucrative because the people smugglers organising these crossings have now made it and all year round route. recently, a boat was found in the channel with 88 people on board and i would start each migraine pays around £3000, 4000 euros or so to get on board of boats and that boats with 88 people on board would have made the people smugglers might and a quarter of £1 million from that boat alone. when you consider on some of the busiest days you see maybe 30 or 40 boats launching from the beaches of northern france in a single day and i'm told today, dozens of boats have made the crossing, hundreds my migrants have managed to reach the uk but obviously this particular boat, 33 people on board, 31 did not make it. one of the things people often don't know, the coastline around to the southeast of england particularly along came to which are busy and paces is quite built up because there are so many reports, nonetheless there are quite long stretches where it's possible to land unobserved and on the french coast there is quite a lot of parts on that coastline which is the part without being observed. how much thought has gone into the possibility of having patrols on lands around those costs are as had been regarded as unviable7 patrols overin been regarded as unviable7 patrols over in northern france had been stepped up. they uk recently pledged to give fans millions of euros to increase the number of patrols on the beaches over there to increase the beaches over there to increase the surveillance. the reality is they're talking about a stretch of coastline stretching hundreds of kilometres and what the french police have found is a target a particular hotspot for example, they focused their attention on beaches in the calais area and the people smugglers simply moving further along the coast. that's why recently we have seen boats and landing rather further afield from dover. some have ended up in ramsgate and others along the coast. because the boats are now taking a slightly different and longer routes across the channel to avoid detection by the channel to avoid detection by the french authorities over entirely. here in the uk the reality is once a boat makes it halfway across the channel it's in uk waters. anyone found an antenna will be picked up and brought here today 7 and to delver by the board of force or the lifeboat. some boats managed to make it all the way across the channel before being detected but the reality is that people arriving here on the coast want to be found. in many cases the boats reach halfway across the channel and the people on board dial 999, say they're out in the channel and say they need to be rescued because they want to be found by the authorities because then they can enter the asylum system here. the vast majority of people end up creaming asylum here in the uk and thatis creaming asylum here in the uk and that is the goal. i don't think we are seeing hundreds of people arriving on detected and then running off and not being found. i think the vast majority are found because they want to be found. we are seeing some pictures of a boat the french coast area today and i think what's most striking and added to each picture is was the sheer number who are on board the boat and it reinforces what you are saying about 88 people in one boat in a recent case and how lucrative the straight a's and it underlines how dangerous it is. both ability are seeing is not the one that sank. it's a separate crossing attempt but you can see it looks pretty, it's struggling a bit on the sled and you can imagine the combination of people who are not sailors who have no qualifications and don't really know how to operate the boats, a boat with questionable amount of petrol to operate the engine and people who mostly will be wearing life vests. it's in some ways a minor miracle that we have not seen more of these drownings. what minor miracle that we have not seen more of these drownings.— more of these drownings. what you have not more of these drownings. what you have got to — more of these drownings. what you have got to remember _ more of these drownings. what you have got to remember is _ more of these drownings. what you have got to remember is this - more of these drownings. what you | have got to remember is this stretch of water from france to the uk is the worlds busiest shipping lanes so people are launching in boats and the boats i have certainly been getting bigger with more people on board. on average now we get around 40 people per boats in the past that used to be maybe ten or 15 people per boat. so the smugglers are using bigger boats because they know they can get more people across that way but it's often the case these boats are dangerously overcrowded. and often in some cases the boats are not seaworthy at all and as you see the people on board are not used to the people on board are not used to the conditions. it's been pretty calm in the channel at least on the side of the channel today after a few windy days but certainly from previous experience heading out into the channel myself to see this first—hand. the weather can change very quickly and it can be much rougher out in the middle of the channel than expected. i think it all adds up to the dangers of this and if you think these overloaded boats coming across their worlds busiest shipping lane and they have ferries using this route all the time and there's lots of commercial vessels as well so it shows you the danger and as you say perhaps surprisingly have not seen a tragedy on the scale although it believed ten people have drowned in separate incidences before today in the past few weeks alone.— incidences before today in the past few weeks alone. here is an update. this is a statement _ few weeks alone. here is an update. this is a statement we _ few weeks alone. here is an update. this is a statement we had - few weeks alone. here is an update. this is a statement we had the - this is a statement we had the palace from president micron. he describes it as part of europe's deepest values. humanism with respect for the dignity of each person and that of grieving tonight after the death of the migrants. they are all filled with emotion the president says for this tragedy and i want to express my compassion and the support of fans. i can enjoy them we will do everything to find and condemn those responsible. exploiting property and putting endanger human and decimating families. france is acting in coordination with the uk to dismantle smuggling networks. since the beginning of 2021 as a result of mobilising 600, the beginning of 2021 as a result of mobilising600,1500 smugglers the beginning of 2021 as a result of mobilising 600, 1500 smugglers have been arrested in the north of france. 44 networks have been dismantled. it's by this action, 47,000 channel questions to the uk have taken place since the 1st of january and 7800 migrants have been rescued by our teams. if we do not start to amplify our efforts of the tragedies will happen. in addition to national measures he says he will accelerate the dismantling of criminal networks in collaboration with the british, belgium governments and that of the netherlands. and asking the european counterparts immediately reinforce the financial support to the agency which polices the border of the european union. and that an emergency meeting of european ministers dealing with american crisis and france will not allow the channel to become a cemetery. i have to say it is already a cemetery. our correspondent is in paris. this will say people to the core. we have seen that in the uk and we have seen that in the political reaction. everyone's reaction across the board is one of her and compassion for the human suffering and then on the anger he said might reaction is anger he said might reaction is anger with these networks who would do such a thing knowingly knowing that the conditions are deteriorating and knowing that the boats are unlikely to go across without integrated as he said. this boat started going down and deflating like a garden pool he said halfway across the channel. the overwhelming feeling today and this evening in france is that the channel is like mediterranean. it's become another version of what we have been watching for years and years now in the mediterranean and the idea that it was somehow different is gone. the mediterranean has seen of the biggest scale but the scale of what's happening the channel now is commiserate and the size of this tragedy is like tragedies he had seen on the coast of libya. it brings it home in a very real and painful way. the rescue operation _ very real and painful way. the rescue operation which is ongoing is coordinated between the two countries and their agencies. the political coordination on this issue has been at best variable and extend marked by a period self rhetorical flourishes at the expense of each other and disagreements about how actively it can make this effective. i am struck that you have all of this language which sometimes does degrade at the level and whatever you decide to meet the only send—up cooperating and acknowledging that they need each other and that practical steps can be taken in practical steps can be taken in practical steps can be taken in practical steps have been taking and that's still the tone today. off the record particularly in britain, it was not the same of briefing in a very negative way. an awful lot of briefing off the record that you are seeing in the british papers that the french pick up on which is very negative about the french and they can frank ross about that and today when he was talking outside the hospital pointed out that today was a typical day and there was 750 police officers out there on the beaches and there were 250 who cut across and there were 700 who got stopped. that is the scale of it. scores every of these boats setting out. it really does astonish the scale of it and what micron was seeing in that statement was that we've gotten to not acknowledge the nature of this. it's notjust britain and france and it's notjust a few gang leaders hanging around the camps seeing who wants to come across the channel. these are people organising way upstream. the boats are arriving from germany and the people are arriving maybe a few hours and many times before they embark and they are not people overnighting just one night in the area but they are coming from a long way away and getting on the boat straightaway. it's a problem which has the kind of back story all the way across europe. maybe even to the polish belarussian border where 7 beyond that as well. i think this is the moment when he's going to seize it to bring this to the top of the agenda and try to get a reaction from the european partners because as he says it's got to be something that germans and dutch and belgians and british get together on. t did and british get together on. i did notice a bit _ and british get together on. i did notice a bit of _ and british get together on. i did notice a bit of defensiveness from him when he said we will spend whatever it takes and spend money to improve the conditions and some of the encampments they are. that many people have been left in the abandoned to their own fate in terms of the living conditions. this abandoned to their own fate in terms of the living conditions.— of the living conditions. this is an onauoin of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue _ of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue here _ of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue here and _ of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue here and there - of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue here and there is i of the living conditions. this is an ongoing issue here and there is a | ongoing issue here and there is a big debate in the papers regularly this last few weeks about those living rough in calais and the government consisting and saying it wont allow any kind of settlement that take roots and they move in quite heavy handedly to disrupt any kind of permanence and that races that heckles of the migraines and of churches and so on but it is the policy not to let these groups develop and integrate it as we have seen the connexion between the camps and the crossings is tenuous. there is no way that thousands of people who have taken to the boats are staying in these camps. they are coming from further away. 60% of them were coming across from belgium. so this is something which has spread from the periphery of calais and dunkirk to an operation with thousands and hundreds of people involved in it and different bits of the chains of and routes organised and back workers all the way across europe and beyond. he was a bit defensive — way across europe and beyond. he was a bit defensive on _ way across europe and beyond. he was a bit defensive on that _ way across europe and beyond. he was a bit defensive on that question - way across europe and beyond. he was a bit defensive on that question of- a bit defensive on that question of the conditions in the encampments. nothing defensive from the mayor of calais speaking tonight from the same location outside the hospital with the injured and fed are being brought. she was pretty clear about who she blamed. this brought. she was pretty clear about who she blamed.— brought. she was pretty clear about who she blamed. this tragedy is the result of several _ who she blamed. this tragedy is the result of several successive - result of several successive failures when it comes to migration policy. it is the failure of boris johnson. our region has had to take measures because he does not have the courage to take on some responsibilities. we need to react and react quickly. all of this must stop. we should not be waiting for tragedies to act. what angers me the most this evening is that for several weeks i have been electing members of the government to warn them that there was exceptional pressure at this moment. here them that there was exceptional pressure at this moment. here is a reaction from _ pressure at this moment. here is a reaction from the _ pressure at this moment. here is a reaction from the payments - pressure at this moment. here is a reaction from the payments to - reaction from the payments to himself. this is what he had to say when he was questioned about what had happened. this is before we knew that 31 people had died. but we also will use every power that we can, we will leave no stone unturned to the demolish that business proposition of the human traffickers and the gangsters, and, of course, we have to work with our french friends, with our european partners, and i say to our partners across the channel, now is the time for us all to step up, to work together, to do everything we can to break these gangs who are literally getting away with murder. i have to say that ta is an extraordinarily sobering day. it is sobering for the uk and sobering for france and sobering for the international community. what's happening it seems tens of lives in the lost in the channel. it seems there may be more lives lost listening to that interview. it is a really poignant reminder of how dangerous these waters are. the busy shipping names in the world. and it really now has to act as the most tragic of wake—up calls to redouble our efforts. to make sure that people are not out on the water in these terrible makeshift boats risking their lives. th these terrible makeshift boats risking their lives.— risking their lives. in the past hour at the — risking their lives. in the past hour at the home _ risking their lives. in the past hour at the home secretary . risking their lives. in the past - hour at the home secretary issued a statement in which he says that governments plan and to address many of the factors which encourage migraines to make the journey from france to the uk. this is the problem that this is a problem that has bedevilled governments of all political persuasions for at least the last 20 years. it's become a particular focus on the channel but in truth people are being crossing for years and then at the measures that have been taken seem to have diminished the appeal of this crossing. if the figures are anything to go about the problem is getting worse. anything to go about the problem is getting worse-— getting worse. record numbers this ear. it getting worse. record numbers this year- it has — getting worse. record numbers this year. it has been _ getting worse. record numbers this year. it has been an _ getting worse. record numbers this year. it has been an issue _ getting worse. record numbers this year. it has been an issue that - getting worse. record numbers this year. it has been an issue that has. year. it has been an issue that has been talked about over the last few weeks because there are a number of conservative mps who have been urging the government to take more action and to do more to stop some of the small boats from travelling from france to england and they supposed to be as a reminder of the human side of this as well. the government believes that the best way to stop this is twofold. firstly, closer cooperation with friends to stop boats leaving the north coast of france in the first place. we have had tens of millions of pounds pledged to that scheme from the uk government. we had a phrase of uk border force to take part in some of the patrols of the french coast. begin uk government also talked about trying to remove what they see as some of the pull factors as well. so there is a building department at the moment which would get the government power for example to process a site in cases in countries rather than allow people into the uk while their cases heard. have heard some of that i'm direct to make you hear from ministers here is that this is about breaking up the business model of some of the people smugglers and as borisjohnson was calling them tonight, gangsters who relaunch these boats from friends in the first place. i've got to say there's a lot of scepticism that all of that is going to work. you heard some of it from the labour party tonight seeing you much fuller approach to looking at the immigration migration issue more broadly across europe and why people are coming in the first place and trying to address some of thoseissues place and trying to address some of those issues and create a fairer system for dealing with the site in cases and at the same time we have conservative mps who don't think the government has a grip on this at all and for all the tough talk there is not actually much of a plan to stop some of these many dangerous journeys taking place in the first place. journeys taking place in the first lace. ~ ., journeys taking place in the first lace, . ., ., journeys taking place in the first lace. ~ . . ., ., place. we heard a lot from the immigration — place. we heard a lot from the immigration minister - place. we heard a lot from the immigration minister at - place. we heard a lot from the - immigration minister at lunchtime today before it tragedy unfolding. he was pushed very hard on this out of country process and he was determined not to give any detail about whether or not the government was having any concrete discussions. absent that option in terms of pushing boats back there is debate over the lethality of that but presumably also on the ee would you had this dublin convention where the first country you arrived in he was supposed to claim it and that's gone now. and nobody is going to say don't worry, we are going to accept these people. tt don't worry, we are going to accept these people-— these people. it makes it harder to have that conversation _ these people. it makes it harder to have that conversation with - these people. it makes it harder to have that conversation with friendsj have that conversation with friends and with other eu countries although the government here would make the case that even when the uk was a member of the european union that did not really happen in the first place. hearing from the prime minister tonight and getting an interview to broadcasters in which he suggested that close at work was needed and now this was a time to really push that cooperation with friends suggesting not enough had been done further action needed to been done further action needed to be taken and there was a review going on across whitehall and across the uk government to look at what further action can be taken in the immediate time before some of those new measures become law probably earlier in the new year. but let's face it, this is an issue that we have spoken about a number of times in the past. this is something that the home office and the government in london has been grappling with for some time. there are no easy answers and the word of one home office figure i was speaking to look the weekend. there is no silver but in today's. that means some of the conversations over the next few days are going to be quite difficult. it is not going to be an easy answer to preventing more of these tragic cases happening over the winter. joining me now is bella sankey who is a director of detention action who help migrants who are held in uk immigration(os) in uk immigration. what is your reaction to what happened tonight and whether you think there is anything in the short time that could be a repetition of this? th time that could be a repetition of this? , ., . �* , time that could be a repetition of this? ,., . �*, . ,, this? in terms of what's happening toda , it's this? in terms of what's happening today, it's absolutely _ this? in terms of what's happening today, it's absolutely sickening. i today, it's absolutely sickening. i'm heartbreaking and incredibly upsetting to know that people and children have lost their lives on the paid their respects. as many of these are seeing this evening, this was completely foreseeable and completely avoidable. if they wanted to, the prime minister and the home secretary could take measures tonight to ensure that there are no more deaths in the channel or on our border with friends. the solutions are actually pretty straightforward. pretty easy and much cheaper than the policies that are being pursued at the moment. we could set up a humanitarian corridor or a system of humanitarian corridor or a system of humanitarian visas for people that are in france seeking to come to the uk to make an asylum claim. this would be relatively easy and straightforward and cost much as in the measures they are adopting at the measures they are adopting at the moment and would also completely smash the business model of this smuggling networks and ensure that people no longer lose their lives. someone watching this tonight would be staying way should be, we are not impacting the people to come. we want to provide asylum for people who have a genuine case of fearing persecution but that responsibility extends to every other civilised country including france and belgium and the netherlands. they too could set up for humanitarian but they're not doing it. the set up for humanitarian but they're not doing it— not doing it. the first thing to say is there is no _ not doing it. the first thing to say is there is no safe _ not doing it. the first thing to say is there is no safe route - not doing it. the first thing to say is there is no safe route for- is there is no safe route for refugees seeking to come to the uk. we have not established the afghan settlement scheme. when the government says people are lying jumping or we don't know the world are people anything, that'sjust wrong. we don't provide any formal routes for people to reach the uk that are being persecuted orfeeding oppression. the second point is that if you look at the profile of the channel and that evidence and that data is available because the home office can accept the vast majority office can accept the vast majority of people crossing make asylum claims, 98% of them do in the vast majority of them have those claims accepted. so the idea that these are people who have genuine fear is just wrong. my organisation works for people who have made this journey and it works of afghans and iranians and it works of afghans and iranians and syrians and people that have fled the most horrifying circumstances that have seen their families killed before their eyes and people escaping bombs and escaping dishes and people have been tortured and have been subjected to modern slavery and sexual abuse. the idea that these people aren't worthy of protection is nonsense. and i can finally, the uk is doing no more thanit finally, the uk is doing no more than it should do that other countries. so france takes many more asylum—seekers than we do and germany takes many more asylum—seekers than we do and that idea that uk is a magnetic is not 7 is nonsense. it's not the evidence at all. we barely do ourfair share. i'm sorry to interrupt from other countries are signed into this, but they are not supplying this to the corridor. but on your point, is that possible that one of the factors is an economic one, because it is easier to melt into this country for those who do come here illegally and made all may be don't get in a silent claim and don't get that claim except ed, we are at a time now or economically a lot of businesses are struggling to find stuff. because so many people have left. that remains indirectly a factor, as for example, french journalists resting last me, you don't have identity cards in the uk, they have identity cards in france. it's really difficult to be an illegal migrant in france because you will get picked up. 50 illegal migrant in france because you will get picked up.— you will get picked up. so fresh they commit — you will get picked up. so fresh they commit about _ you will get picked up. so fresh l they commit about humanitarian corridor is one between france and uk to stop these stats. so there is no specific solution to the problem that we have seen pay—out today but such tragic consequences. without a plan, we are definitely going to see more data. there is no question about that. as regard to pull factors, again, there is absolutely no evidence and studies have been done on refugees in europe to try and understand why they choose certain countries. there is no evidence to the uk as any particular factor, when you speak to individuals, you are making these journeys. what you will find is that people will have very personal and very objectively understandable reasons why they want to come to the uk. it may be that they only have one surviving family member who lives in the uk, it may be because they speak english and i think the uk is the best place for them to restart their lives. again, as i say, there is no evidence that there is an economic motivation. 98% of the people that have crossed the channel in the last year have claimed a silent, so they are not coming here forjobs, indeed asylum seekers are currently prevented from working. so there are economic drivers here, and if you look at where the uk ranks in terms of the countries that people are coming to within europe, we are really low down in the pecking orderfor our size. so, again, no specific dry to the uk. other countries are more popular, but there will be some people that decide to come to the uk because of their links, because of their communities and because of historic links as well.— historic links as well. director of detention action, _ historic links as well. director of detention action, thank - historic links as well. director of detention action, thank you - historic links as well. director ofj detention action, thank you very much for talking to us this evening. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers — our guestsjoining me tonight are the writer, researcher and academic, maya goodfellow and the new media editor of the sunday times, rosamund urwin. always good to talk to them. i know they will give us a very well informed discussion of this real tragedy. we will speak more about this in the course of bbc news here over the next couple of hours, but as i say, 10:30 pm you canjoin me then for the papers. a cross—party group of mps at westminster has called for the home office to be stripped of responsibility — for the scheme which is meant to compensate thousands of people — who came to britain from the caribbean from the end of the 1940s to the early 1970s. they are known as the windrush generation — and they're owed compensation because they were wrongly classed as illegal immigrants. only 5% of those eligible have so far received any money. our home affairs correspondent daniel sandford reports. some three decades ago, fitzroy came to britain as a 14—year—old boy. he came here legally. he never left but, in 2008, his life was turned upside down when the home office declared that he was an illegal immigrant. it had an effect that made me homeless, made me have no money, made me have to beg. made me have to eat people's leftovers. it's even made me... —— it's even had an effect on me today. the empire windrush brings to britain... the windrush scandal, named after one of the first ships to bring workers to britain from the caribbean after the war, led to thousands of people being wrongly classed as illegal immigrants, meaning they couldn't work, find a home or access the nhs. some were deported. a committee of mps has said the compensation scheme for those affected has put daunting obstacles in the way of applicants and paid out to less than 6% of those eligible. the injustices of the windrush scandal are being compounded by the delays, the bureaucratic in sensitivities and problems —— by the delays, the bureaucratic insensitivities and problems in the compensation scheme. that is deeply wrong. the mps suggested the compensation scheme should be taken out of the hands of the home office, ministers are resisting that. taking it away from the department with the most expertise in this area would potentially add further delays to this process. fitzroy wants compensation for ten years of homelessness and unemployment. so far he has only received a holding payment of £10,000. a man has been charged in connection with the murder of a couple in somerset on sunday. stephen and jennifer chapple were attacked in norton fitzwarren, in somerset, on sunday evening. they died at the season. 34 —year—old collin will appear at magistrates court in the morning. —— 34—year—old collin reeves, will appear at taunton magistrates�* court tomorrow. anyone convicted of killing an on—duty member of the emergency services while committing a crime in england and wales will automatically receive a life sentence, under government plans. the proposed change in the law follows a campaign by the widow of pc andrew harper, who died trying to stop a burglary in berkshire in 2019. he had just gotten married and hadn't even been on his honeymoon yet. his teenage killers were convicted of manslaughter. lissie harper has spoken of her relief at the changes. our home affairs correspondent june kelly reports. lissie harper's campaign has taken her to the heart of government, and on this significant day, she was in downing street for a meeting with the prime minister. the call by pc harper's family for a new law has been supported by the police federation of england and wales, which represents rank—and—file officers. lissie harper said the campaign had also won a lot of public backing and was born out of a sense of injustice. i think it sends a message to those who lead those sorts of lives, who commit crimes, who have no remorse for taking innocent people's lives away. and it will tell them that we won't stand for this. it was just four weeks after his wedding in 2019 that pc andrew harper was killed. ministers have now announced there will be a mandatory life sentence for anyone convicted of killing an emergency worker while committing a crime. we think as we come through this pandemic and we build back stronger, fairer in all sorts of ways, we should increase the sentences for those attacks and murders, or unlawful killings, i should say, of emergency workers. and we want them to know that we've got their back. pc harper was chasing a group of suspects when he became caught in the tow rope of their getaway car. he was dragged for over a mile at speeds of more than 40mph. teenagers henry long, albert bowers and jessie cole were convicted of his manslaughter. they were cleared of murder, so could not automatically be given a life term. the proposed law change won't affect them, and some lawyers are concerned about the consequences for future cases. i think it blurs the distinction between murder and manslaughter. murder requires an intent to kill or to cause really serious injury. manslaughter can be committed with. .. well, it normally is committed without any such intent. i think to remove all discretion from judges in cases of manslaughter of emergency workers would be quite wrong. lissie harper says emergency workers deserve special protection because they go into the depths of danger on behalf of society. ministers are planning for harper's law to come into force next year. june kelly, bbc news. let's talk to simon spence qc, red lion chambers. hejoins us now. thank you he joins us now. thank you very much for being with us. as a barrister, are there areas about the slot and application that because you concern7 application that because you concern? ., ., application that because you concern? . ~ ., , concern? there are. i think what is imortant concern? there are. i think what is important to _ concern? there are. i think what is important to bear— concern? there are. i think what is important to bear in _ concern? there are. i think what is important to bear in mind - concern? there are. i think what is important to bear in mind is - concern? there are. i think what is important to bear in mind is that l concern? there are. i think what is| important to bear in mind is that we are not talking about people convicted of murder, because people who commit murder, whether it's a police officer, emergency worker or anybody else can make it's a mandatory life sentence command that has been the law for many, many years. and for those that are convicted of murdering police officers, then they are very likely to get a whole life order already. what this new proposed lot is about is giving mandatory life sentences to people convicted of a lesser offence, namely manslaughter, and that covers a very wide range of circumstances. and it runs the risk of a judge being straitjacketed as to the sentence they can impose when there is a very wide range of circumstances in which these offences can be committed. tt’s circumstances in which these offences can be committed. it's not surrisin: offences can be committed. it's not surprising that _ offences can be committed. it's not surprising that given _ offences can be committed. it's not surprising that given the _ offences can be committed. it's not surprising that given the particularl surprising that given the particular circumstances of this case that missus harper should feel aggrieved by the sentence. she and her family suffered a terrible loss, and her husband must have died in agony, but presumably the lot is about applying beyond the circumstances of a particular case, to ensure everybody is treated with equity, at least, and is that part of the problem here, that they have gone from a particular case where not least because of the age of the people involved, it complicated the sentencing, to apply that in a generality. sentencing, to apply that in a generality-— sentencing, to apply that in a renerali . , . . . ., generality. yes. i mean, at a human level, generality. yes. i mean, at a human level. your— generality. yes. i mean, at a human level, your heart _ generality. yes. i mean, at a human level, your heart goes _ generality. yes. i mean, at a human level, your heart goes out to - generality. yes. i mean, at a human level, your heart goes out to missusj level, your heart goes out to missus harper, and what happened to her husband was truly appalling. but, we cannot lose sight of the fact that they were not convicted of murder, they were not convicted of murder, they were not convicted of murder, they were convicted of manslaughter, and the sentencing judge who is a very experienced criminaljudge had to apply the sentencing guidelines which are set out for offences of manslaughter and its of note that the case is not referred to the court of appeal by the attorney general, which could have happened at the sentences were considered too lenient. it is not for me to comment on individual cases. my concern is the restriction on the discretion of a judge to impose what he or she considers to be the appropriate sentence in an appropriate case and the brat of circumstances in which manslaughter can be convicted —— committed rather than murder is very wide indeed, and to take an example, somebody who is mentally ill could be convicted of manslaughter as opposed to murder because of their mental illness, and under this new proposed ally, rather than being protected in a secure psychiatric unit and provided with treatment, which is what would happen at the moment, they would instead go into the mainstream prison system and receive no help for their mental illness. and that seems to me a backward step.— illness. and that seems to me a backward step. that would pose at least a potential— backward step. that would pose at least a potential theoretical - backward step. that would pose at| least a potential theoretical danger to other prisoners into prison staff, never mind the convicted person themselves.— staff, never mind the convicted person themselves. quite. and of course, person themselves. quite. and of course. under— person themselves. quite. and of course, under the _ person themselves. quite. and of course, under the proposed - person themselves. quite. and of course, under the proposed law. course, under the proposed law commits notjust police officers, although we are focusing on pc harper today, and rightly so, but it applies to fire officers, prison officers, any emergency worker, and i think it's very important that whilst acknowledging the fact that those categories of people need additional protection, and there should be greater deterrent for assaults on people such as that, nevertheless, the courts have to retain a discretion to sentence in a just and fair way, based on the facts of the case, and a 1—size—fits—all sentence for such a wide variety of key says dustin said very comfortably with a fair and just sentencing progress —— process. just sentencing progress -- process. . thank you very much. good to talk today about — . thank you very much. good to talk today about that _ . thank you very much. good to talk today about that and _ . thank you very much. good to talk today about that and of _ . thank you very much. good to talk today about that and of course, - . thank you very much. good to talk today about that and of course, this | today about that and of course, this is, i should say so that people are aware of this, this is part of the police crime sentencing bill, but it's not actually in the legislation at the moment, it's amendment of government will put forward and will be up to the house of lords to see whether they vote in favour of it, and of grace and peace will vote on. thank you very much. a jury in the us state of georgia has found three white men guilty of murdering a black man who was jogging in the city of brunswick last year. the killing of ahmaud arbery — along with that of george floyd in minneapolis — helped inspire the black lives matter movement. the three men, gregory mcmichael, travis mcmichael and william bryan claimed they were defending themselves while trying to make a citizens�* arrest against ahmaud arbery our correspondent aleem maqbool gave us this update from our the courthouse in brunswick. there was really a sense that the defence lawyers in this case were playing to a jury that was comprised of 11 white people. in the end, that jerry has come up with these guilty verdicts for all three men, at least on some murder counts. a reminder of this case, ahmaud arbery, 25 —year—old black man was running just a few streets from his home in february of last year when travis mcmichael and greg, a father and son, decided to chase him in their tracks. they armed themselves and chased them saying later that he fit the description of a burglary suspect, a third man roddiejoined them, he was unarmed, no evidence presented, but he'd dashed no evidence that he had done anything, there was an altercation when he was shot and killed. now, the police reaction was something that cause some outrage in the coming weeks because no arrests were made until a video of the killing went viral. those arrests were made 74 days after the killing of ahmaud arbery. a lot was made of the composition of thejury, the a lot was made of the composition of the jury, the tactics used by the defence lawyers, but ultimately, when those verdicts were read out, a huge cheer went up here outside the courthouse, which with the supporters of the ahmaud arbery family, they were very nervous about the way this is going to go, they are certainly not chanting and happy with what they have heard. fiur with what they have heard. our correspondent _ with what they have heard. our correspondent in brunswick georgia, the sentencing has been deferred for probably until at least next week. more now on today's other news — the first minister of scotland has told the bbc today that she will present legislation to the scottish parliament paving the way to a possible referendum on independence. nicola sturgeon said she was committed to trying to hold a vote — by the end of 2023 — and that work had already started on setting out what an independent scotland would look like. but a referendum can't take place without approval from westminster. the first minister also dismissed rumours about her future — declaring that she would serve a full term until 2026. ms sturgeon was speaking to our political editor laura kuenssberg. the view from the top, from the desk of a politician who wants to stay there. nicola sturgeon was already in charge before brexit, before borisjohnson in number ten and certainly before a world emergency she's still grappling with now. we're in a position in scotland right now, and i say this with some trepidation because we know how unpredictable this virus still is, cases have stabilised, they're slightly declining. the position, though, remains precarious. i know a lot of scots are wondering why people can go to nightclubs, but they can't see their kids in a nativity play. there is no 100% perfect logic to this. some governments across europe right now are faced again with invidious decisions. and those difficult decisions are still around. but the end of the pandemic is important to you for political reasons. you would like to move to another independence referendum after the pandemic. now what is "after the pandemic"? how do you define that7 as we come out of the acute phase of this pandemic, then recovery from it does bring very much to the fore and into focus what kind of powers our government has, what ability people in scotland have to choose the direction of the country. many people see independence as an urgent question. as something they really, really want to happen, as soon as is possible. but you can't tell them when. just be straight about that. you cannot tell them when. there is a reason i can't tell them. my duty, the duty of any leader in any country right now is to navigate our way through this pandemic. yet the exact timetable of another vote's hazy. despite her undoubted dominance, polls suggest enthusiasm for independence is waning, and doubts about her own future have crept in to the political conversation. when it comes to the question of independence, isn't the truth of it that you're a bit stuck7 the country is pretty much divided too much 50—50 on this. polling suggests enthusiasm for independence has faded. no, it doesn't. it has fallen back. there's a 3% gap average in the last six months. it's always roughly 50—50. sometimes the polls are slightly above, sometimes slightly below 50%. do you ever worry that you've missed the moment? no, no. a lot of people are wondering if your mind has turned to your own future. will you guarantee you'll lead the party at the next holyrood election7 i will fulfil the mandate i have been given to governors first minister for this term of the scottish parliament. i have set out my intentions. look,... and beyond that? i almost take the wishful thinking of my opponents as some unintended compliment. it's almost as if my opponents have concluded they can't beat me or remove me from office themselves, so they are kind of crossing their fingers and hoping that i will remove myself from office. but they are going to be really disappointed, because i am to be around a lot longer. in an interview you gave, you talked about writing your memoirs. i'm not a robot. people ask me, what are you going to do after politics7 i am 51 years old. now as first minister i have no intentions of going anywhere right now as first minister but i still think i will be relatively young when i get to the point of completing other things. after 2026, that's a different question, but nicola sturgeon is far from ready to abandon the desk yet. a man with autism and learning disabilities has been held in a secure unit for 21 years because of a lack of ——the bbc has announced that the former england cricket captain michael vaughan won't be commentating on the ashes. in a statement, the corporation says his involvement in recent claims about yorkshire cricket club represents a conflict of interest. mr vaughan strenuously denies allegations that he made racist remarks, and said he was "very disappointed" not to be part of the test match special commentary team. �*tonight�*s tapestry, at ' tonight's tapestry, at least 31 people had feared to have drowned off the coast of france as they attempted to cross into england. —— tonight's top story. some are rescued and some remain in serious condition. the rescue operation has yet to be called off. of course, one of the problems is that nobody knows exactly how many people wear in the boat, and nobody can therefore say with certainty that we have found all of the bodies or have found all of the survivors. let's talk now to lewis goodall from a policy editor for bbc news night in dover, precisely because by some accident of circumstance, you and your colleagues at newsnight had been planning a whole special programme in dover, a programme that has now been made in a rather different mood thanit been made in a rather different mood than it wasjust been made in a rather different mood than it was just a few hours ago. absolutely. in the circumstances of complete tragedy. let's make no mistake about this. this is the worst loss of life in the english channel that we have seen. i'm afraid to say that it was both predicted and predictable. as soon as we saw the number is that have started to flow over the english channel over the last for months, just 24 hours ago, i spoke to an agency saying that the big fear is that the english channel gets turned into a graveyard and the tragic thing is that that is precisely what has happened, and as you say, we don't know if that death toll could creep up further. what is especially tragic in the camps of calais and dunkirk, charitably called camps, it's more like a few settlements in the woods without toilets, facilities, often people there without sustenance which the aid agency give them, there are also families, pregnant women and children as well. lots of people who say, these people are in france, it's a safe country, maybe they are fleeing from persecution, but why don't they just fleeing from persecution, but why don't theyjust remain in france because my part of the peace that every using tonight to explain the answer to that question, here is a taste of that piece and perhaps the answer to that question as you at home or asking why these people won't remain in france and want to come to the uk.— won't remain in france and want to come to the uk. have you rest of the uk already? — come to the uk. have you rest of the uk already? of— come to the uk. have you rest of the uk already? of course. _ come to the uk. have you rest of the uk already? of course. how, - come to the uk. have you rest of the uk already? of course. how, in - uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in a _ uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in a boat. _ uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in a boat. we _ uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in a boat. we were - uk already? of course. how, in a boat? in a boat. we were not- uk already? of course. how, in a i boat? in a boat. we were not lucky. what happened _ boat? in a boat. we were not lucky. what happened to? _ boat? in a boat. we were not lucky. what happened to? you _ boat? in a boat. we were not lucky. what happened to? you got - boat? in a boat. we were not lucky. what happened to? you got turned | what happened to? you got turned back. the boat was hardly say. == back. the boat was hardly say. -- hardly say- _ back. the boat was hardly say. -- hardly say. even _ back. the boat was hardly say. -- hardly say. even french _ back. the boat was hardly say. -- hardly say. even french police - hardly say. even french police takin: hardly say. even french police taking our— hardly say. even french police taking our items _ hardly say. even french police taking our items and - hardly say. even french police i taking our items and belongings, they have — taking our items and belongings, they have destroyed all of our tents. — they have destroyed all of our tents, sleeping base, food, our own perspective — tents, sleeping base, food, our own perspective is from our viewpoint, france _ perspective is from our viewpoint, france is — perspective is from our viewpoint, france is a — perspective is from our viewpoint, france is a safe country, but actually. _ france is a safe country, but actually, it's not.— france is a safe country, but actually, it's not. saying it's not actually, it's not. saying it's not a safe country — actually, it's not. saying it's not a safe country partly _ actually, it's not. saying it's not a safe country partly because i actually, it's not. saying it's not l a safe country partly because they believe that the way that they have been treated vindicates the view that britain will be more humane and treat them better. one of the other reasons why these people risk life and limb to come over that channel, well, some of visit about extracting from the uk, many of the people he spoke back from afghanistan, iraq, other countries, of it is family, if you think from persecution, some of yourfamily have been killed, if you have any family or friends remaining in the uk, it's natural that you want to try to reach them. some of it as language, they speaking that committee don't speak french or german, whereas they've ended up, i think the big question now for french politicians is if this isn't going to happen again, what is going to change in terms of policy, and the home secretary tonight has already talked about reducing the pull factor in terms of people finding it attractive the uk. critics will say, hang on a minute, the big problem is the push factor. these people are coming from places where they are being persecuted or theirfamilies where they are being persecuted or their families are being where they are being persecuted or theirfamilies are being persecuted and so on, so however inhospitable you make it in france or the uk, that place back there will always be greater. so if you don't recognise the fact that some people are always going to come, you are always going to have a problem, but there is no doubt tonight that this issue, already quite salient, has rocketed to the top of the political agenda. lewis goodall, thank you very much. lewis goodall, thank you very much. lewis goodall�*s programme is newsnight, that is at the usual time of 10:30 pm on bbc two live from dover, crisis and the channel. do join my colleagues for that if you cannotjoin them live, then watch it later on the bbc iplayer. now time for a look at the weather. good evening. colder weather has been spreading in across the northern half of the uk during today, and that cold air continues its journey southwards overnight behind this band of cloud and patchy rain. the skies clear out for most of us, but we will see some showers continuing for parts of northern ireland and northern scotland. wintry over high ground in the north of scotland. temperatures widely dropping down to around freezing, below freezing in a few spots, so a touch of frost for many to take us into tomorrow morning. but tomorrow looks like a beautiful day, with blue sky and sunshine for the most part. some showers peppering coastal areas, wintry showers continuing in northern scotland and top temperatures in single digits for the majority. and then, as we get into friday, we see this area of low pressure diving southwards. that'll bring heavy rain, some strong winds and the potential for some sleet and snow with some cold air tucking in behind that weather system. could be particularly windy through friday night and into saturday with severe gales in places. it looks blustery and wintry for the weekend. this is bbc news i'm christian fraser. justice for ahmaud aubery. three white men who chased down and killed the young black man, as he jogged through a white neighbourhood, are convicted of murder. relieved that she reframed the defendants guilty. the jury rejected the mcmichaels claim of self—defense in a trial that once again brought race and guns to the forefront of life in america. at least 31 migrants trying to cross the english channel have drowned after their boat capsized on the perilous journey to the uk. olaf scholz will be germany's new chancellor. he'll lead a three—party coalition committed to the fight against climate change. and nft is named word of the year by collins dictionary. don't know what that means? well we willjog your memory.