labour calls the latest revelations shameful. they are treating the public with contempt. the prime minister needs to step up, accept what happened, and apologized. unfortunately we have but a prime minister who is socially distanced from the truth. the government defends itself after a whistle blower claims its evacuation of people from afghanistan was chaotic and dysfunctional. of course, sometimes decisions took hours longer than we wanted to, but you know you have to be careful about how you do it. but it was still an astonishing thing to get 15,000 people good evening and welcome. itv news has obtained footage tonight of senior downing street aides apparentlyjoking about the christmas gathering at the centre of a row over whether downing street staff broke lockdown rules last year. the footage was reportedly filmed as part of preparations for televised briefings — which were subsequently abandoned. the labour leader kier starmer this evening called the latest developments �*shameful�* and said the �*we have a prime minister socially distanced from the truth'. the party took place on 18 december last year when london was in tier three. the day after — london and parts of the south east was placed into tougher tier 4 restrictions — and millions had their christmas plans cancelled. the footage obtained by itv news is reportedly from 22 december — four days after the party. at the time of the downing street party, tier three restrictions meant people were encouraged to work from home. people in offices had to social distance and social gatherings were banned, including christmas parties. let's take a look at the footage obtained by itv news. she was due to host regular on camera briefings before the government decided to abandon their plans for on camera briefings. the labour leader sir keir starmer has been giving his reaction. last year at christmas the public followed the rules and many of them did not see their loved ones at christmas. some of them could not see their loved ones again. they had the right to expect the government to follow the rules and we now know the government broke the rules, they partied, and now they're laughing about it. they are the public with contempt. the prime minister needs to step up, accept what happened, and apologize. unfortunately we got and apologize. unfortunately we got a prime minister who was socially distanced from the truth. four weeks that if they insisted _ distanced from the truth. four weeks that if they insisted that _ distanced from the truth. four weeks that if they insisted that the - that if they insisted that the guidelines were followed and he said that again today. do you think he has misled us. i that again today. do you think he has misled us.— has misled us. i think he had not been straight _ has misled us. i think he had not been straight about _ has misled us. i think he had not been straight about this - has misled us. i think he had not been straight about this at - has misled us. i think he had not been straight about this at all. it| been straight about this at all. it is increasingly obvious that there was a party. today's evidence on the abstract. instead of accepting that and being honest about it the prime minister is pretending that there weren't breaches of any of the rules. when the public sacrificed so much last year it really is taking them for fools and now we see footage of people laughing at the fact that they were breaking the rules. he knew what they were doing. the prime minister should come forward and be straight with the public and he should apologize. live to westminster and more from our political correspondent helen catt people have now seen the footage. the story was on the balcony in the last minute, why is this potentially so awkward for the government? it is awkward so awkward for the government? it 3 awkward because if you think back to that footage that's been given to a tv news that they can't, what it shows is as you said a practice run for a press conference so those aren't generous in the room as have people from number ten and staff the audience asking the sort of questions that generalists might ask. this was an event that was never supposed to travel beyond that room. the dates match up. this is apparently recorded unsolicited 22nd of december. the question posed about this fictional party was on the friday night before which would have been the 18th of december and thatis have been the 18th of december and that is the date that sources have told media outlets including the bbc that they attended a party in downing street and to bbc source said there were several dozen there was food and there was drink and there were games. this is why. it looks as if this is being discussed in what is something that was not expected to become public. thea;r in what is something that was not expected to become public. they seem to be sort of— expected to become public. they seem to be sort of practicing _ expected to become public. they seem to be sort of practicing names - expected to become public. they seem to be sort of practicing names to - to be sort of practicing names to take in the event of being asked about something. he could say this is an entirely fictional party that never happened to we would just as was somebody�*s idea. the credibility of that is difficult given the number of stories and services that appear to be number of stories and services that appearto be claiming number of stories and services that appear to be claiming something to the contrary of what downing street has been assuring us in public. downing street is evening is holding the line and in response that was put out after that footage was shown. downing street said there was no christmas party and covid—i9 bills have been followed at all times. they are doubling down on that denial and this has been raging for some time. it's not showing any sign of going away. as more things come out that suggest there was a party we have to see whether what happens and how this continues. taste happens and how this continues. we will be hearing more of this prime minister is questions to at lunchtime. we will have some guests between now and nine o'clock. the political editor of the between now and nine o'clock_ the political editor of the mirror, between now and nine o'clock. the political editor of the mirror, that was the paper that first broke the story about claims of the downing street party in breach of tier three wills last december. in either of their research and some of this message is reported for this and be talking to someone who lost a meditative on the day that gathering whatever form meditative on the day that gathering whateverform it meditative on the day that gathering whatever form it took to place. meditative on the day that gathering whateverform it took to place. stay with us. and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30pm and 11:30pm this evening in the papers. 0ur guestsjoining me tonight are chief executive of the think tank new economics foundation and former labour adviser, miatta fahnbulleh, and whitehall editor at the financial times, sebastian payne. i suspect he is scribbling only even as we will be one of them. the government and senior officials have been defending the evacuation of people from afghanistan this summer as the taliban took over after a whistle blower at the foreign office called it �*dysfunctional and chaotic�*. raphael marshall who resigned from hisjob in september told mps that it was clear some of those left behind had since been murdered by the taliban. he says thousands of emails pleading for british help went unread, and that the foreign secretary at the time dominic raab was slow to make decisions. mr raab has denied the claims. today the prime minister said the evacuation operation was "one of the outstanding military achievements of the last 50 years or more". here's our diplomatic correspondent james landale. this was kabul airport last summer as thousands sought to flee the advancing taliban. amid chaotic scenes, britain and other western powers tried to evacuate those they could, but according to a whistle—blower, there was chaos in london, too. the foreign office crisis centre was handling requests from people fearing the taliban because of their links to the uk. raphael marshall said the process of choosing who could be evacuated was dysfunctional. he said up to 150,000 people applied for evacuation, but he estimated fewer than 5% of these people have received any assistance. it is clear that some of the those left behind have since been murdered by the taliban. 0ne weekend in august, when these afghans were trying to get up, mr marshall said there was too few staff, and on saturday, he was the only one monitoring the cases and emails. he said staff lacked expertise in afghanistan and soldiers brought in to help couldn't access computers. we knew many afghans struggled to get in touch with the foreign office. this evidence tells us what was going on inside, and it's a story of a system that wasn't working. mps wanted to know why. if this isn't failure, what is? we declared a crisis. we went through the process of putting more people in and we had more than a thousand people. who were the 500? some in the crisis centre. as for going on holiday at the time... if i had my time again, i would have come back from leave earlier. mr marshall singled out dominic raab, who said delayed taking decision is alme s until he had all the facts. he suggested he did not understand the situation. a claim mr raab denies. we are not talking about days, | but several hours to make sure that we had the facts and actually that is, i would suggest, - a reasonably swift turn around and in terms of presentation, i of course with the volume of claims coming in, - i make no apology for saying i needed the clear facts- for each case so we could make swift decisions. - the prime minister visiting a prison said today the evacuation was an outstanding military achievement and the foreign office and officials had done an outstanding job. of course, sometimes decisions took hours longer than we wanted, but you have to be careful about how you do it. it was still an astonishing thing to get 15,000 people airlifted out of kabul in harrowing circumstances. what both government and whistle blower agree is that not must have people were evacuated in the summer and there are many afghans with links to britain who have yet to leave and still face danger. let's speak now to sir adam thomson, a uk foreign office director for south asia and afghanistan from 2006 to 2009. he also spent many years in the diplomatic and foreign service. thank you for being with us this evening. what do you make of these revelations, do they fit with some of the experiences you and others had who are trying to help people who are trying to get out? mr; had who are trying to help people who are trying to get out? my direct exerience who are trying to get out? my direct experience goes _ who are trying to get out? my direct experience goes back _ who are trying to get out? my direct experience goes back many - who are trying to get out? my direct experience goes back many years i who are trying to get out? my directl experience goes back many years but i was later ambassador in pakistan and nato and i've been dealing with afghanistan for at least a decade. as a consequence i was caught up in trying to help afghans get out when the situation collapsed in late august. my personal experience was the staff in kabul who were doing a terrificjob were getting very little support from the london and. the picture you just described from the whistle—blower report does not check with my experience of the previous foreign office crisis management and they have a lot of experience with crisis management but it does sound like in london there was not enough staff or expertise working from home and would have confiscated things and my impression is there was not enough ministerial coordination either. there was an interesting point about ministerial coordination. is it fair to say departments are conditioned to say departments are conditioned to respond to the political leader to respond to the political leader to take himself if a particular subject is very pressing on ministers minds that adds an extra impetus to it in terms of how the officials act on it it does have an extra impetus but i would like to stress that the foreign office i work for and i believe remains highly professional and very committed civil servants who i am sure were doing their best in a difficult situation where governments and notjust the british one were overwhelmed by the suddenness of the collapse of the afghan government. 50 suddenness of the collapse of the afghan government.— suddenness of the collapse of the afghan government. so the british 0 eration afghan government. so the british operation was _ afghan government. so the british operation was creditable _ afghan government. so the british operation was creditable in - afghan government. so the british operation was creditable in the - operation was creditable in the circumstances and probably second only to the united states in terms of the numbers of people who cut out of the numbers of people who cut out of couple but there will still have the plenty of serious lessons to be learned. my concern is that those lessons are perhaps not being learns and what we are seeing today and what's happening now or rather what is not happening now is very concerning and afghan citizens resettlement scheme is apparently not yet operational. it resettlement scheme is apparently not yet operational.— not yet operational. it was noticeable _ not yet operational. it was noticeable when _ not yet operational. it was noticeable when the - not yet operational. it was noticeable when the pie i not yet operational. it was - noticeable when the pie minister came out and offered a defense failure today in response to these claims from the whistle—blower and he said this was one of the finest military achievements of britain's postwar. he did not say this is one of the finest diplomatic or political achievements. in fact -robabl political achievements. in fact probably fair _ political achievements. in fact probably fair about _ political achievements. in fact probably fair about the - political achievements. in fact i probably fair about the collapse political achievements. in fact - probably fair about the collapse of 28 efforts in afghanistan but we can make it better than it looks like it's going to be if we work with a lot of international partners better and if we create a dedicated unit focused on getting afghans out and if we send charter planes and like the americans and the germans have done and if we establish clear criteria for which afghans we are prepared to take in the afghan citizens resettlement scheme. which as i said is still not operational three months after we left afghanistan.— three months after we left afghanistan. three months after we left afuhanistan. ., ., afghanistan. thank you for your thou~hts afghanistan. thank you for your thoughts on _ afghanistan. thank you for your thoughts on this _ afghanistan. thank you for your thoughts on this tonight. - sport — and for a full round up, from the bbc sport center, here's... i have to give both passports after this one. good evening. the first match of the ashes gets under way in brisbane at midnight. england all—time link to james anderson will not feature and he is being managed through the series. england say he is faithful and expecting to play a big part in the series but they are managing his workload. i big part in the series but they are managing his workload.— big part in the series but they are managing his workload. i think with the build-up _ managing his workload. i think with the build-up everyone _ managing his workload. i think with the build-up everyone said - managing his workload. i think with the build-up everyone said i - managing his workload. i think with the build-up everyone said i think | the build—up everyone said i think the build—up everyone said i think the guys want to make sure everyone is perfect together and he is not going to play but it's a very long series and i want to have as much anything as possible so i think it's anything as possible so i think it's a bit precautionary and available again today and a couple of days we had as a warm—up game so the guys have been a bit precocious. not too many surprises in the 12 england have selected. 0llie pope gets the nod ahead ofjonny bairstow in the middle of the batting order. ben stokes should play but the all—rounder has played next to no cricket for the past five months, while jack leach is the spin option. joe root will name his 11 just before the start of play at the gabba. this is how you can follow the ashes across the bbc, ball—by—ball commentary on test match special. 0n the bbc sport website there will be in play—highlights clips alongside live text commentary and there's also a highlights show on the bbc iplayer from 5pm on every day of each test. manchester city, who'd already qualified top of group a, were beaten 2—1 in austria by rb leipzig. pep guardiola's side went two down with less than 20 minutes to play before riyadh mahrez scored to make it five in his last six played in this competition. but, just when city thought they may have a chance of snatching a draw, kyle waler was handed a straight rerd card for this challenge, meaning he'll miss the first leg of their last 16 clash. liverpool are taking on ac milan having already guaranteed top spot in group b. the italians need to win in the san siro and hope that porto don't beat atletico madrid with second place still available to three teams. while in group d, if inter milan can beat real madrid in spain, they would moved ahead of their opponents and seal top spot. he scored two minutes ago and velma madrid lead 1—0. tottenham are dealing with a coronavirus outbreak at the club, but uefa say that their match at home to rennes in the europa conference league this thursday will go ahead, despite a number of players and coaching staff having been affected. spurs had a full squad available for their win over norwich on sunday, but have since returned a number of positive tests. competition rules stipulate that they have to fulfil the fixture unless they have fewer than 13 players or no registered goalkeeper available. scarlets have forfeited their opening european champions cup match at bristol bears on saturday because the majority of their players are still in a quarantine hotel in belfast and don't get out until friday. they were one of the four sides stranded in south africa last week when travel restrictions were tightened meaning they had to isolate for ten days on their return to the uk. they say they can't safely field a matchday squad so bristol have been awarded the match 28—0. england's simon middleton has become the first women's team coach to win world rugby�*s coach of the year award. he beat the all blacks' ian foster and australia's dave rennie to the honour. under his leadership, the red roses have gone 18 games unbeaten, and this year they completed a clean—sweep in the autumn nations series, as well as lifting the six nations title for the third time in a row. mark selby remains on course for a third successive scottish 0pen title after a 4—1win over 0liver lines. the world champion and number one seed finished with a century break against his english compatriot and moves through to the last 32 where he'll play china's xiao guodong. that's all the sport for now. we'll have more for you on the bbc news channel later on. i know you are a rugby man but surely you love cricket as well. i do, like i said i got both passports. britain has now registered more cases of the omicron variant of coronavirus than anywhere else in europe. another 101 confirmed cases have been recorded in the past 2a hours in england and scotland. this morning the prime minister told the cabinet that early evidence pointed to the omicron variant being more transmissible than its predecessors. but there's still no evidence that it will lead to more hospitalisations and deaths. here's our health correspondentjim reed. dozens here at sandown racecourse have been queueing in the rain for their booster jabs. ministers have said they want to put the vaccine programme on steroids to better protect people from 0micron this winter. there is mounting evidence the new variant is spreading in the uk. in scotland, there have now been 99 confirmed cases. still small numbers overall but a tenfold increase in just a week. given the nature of transmission, i would expect to see a continued and potentially rapid rise in cases in the days ahead and for 0micron to account for a rising share of overall cases. nicola sturgeon urged people to follow the rules to prevent tougher measures in the future and to work from home if possible. how fast is 0micron spreading, minister? meanwhile, in a cabinet meeting in downing street, ministers were told that early indications suggest 0micron is more transmissible than the existing delta version. an analysis of new data in england appears to show we could be spreading at least three times as fast as the older variant. scientists say these numbers are based on very early date and could be an overestimate. but at that speed, 0micron could become the dominant form of the virus in the uk within weeks. i think what will almost certainly happen is we will be faced with a very large number of omicron cases. the thing we don't know is how many of those will go on to become severely ill, and even if that's a very small proportion, which is what we hope at the moment, it could still lead to problems because basically a small proportion of a very large number of infections could still lead to a large number of hospitalisations. vaccinations are the best form of prevention... - this new festive advert campaign is part of a drive to get more of us to sign up to boosterjabs. it is still very early but it is thought vaccines will continue to protect most people from any severe disease caused by 0micron. much tougher covid restrictions still looked unlikely this christmas as investigations into the new variant continue. jim reed, bbc news. the latest coronavirus figures for the uk show there were 45,691 new infections recorded in the latest 2a hour period that's lower than yesterday but still higher than this time last week. on average, there were just over 118,000 new cases reported per day in the seven days. the latest figures show there were 7,317 people in hospital being treated for coronavirus on monday that's slightly lower than a week ago. 180 deaths were recorded, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive covid 19 test. on average in the past week, 122 covid related deaths were recorded every day. 0n vaccinations, nearly 21 million people have now had a boosterjab. we can speak now to dr helen wimalarathna, who's an epidemiologist at the university of buckingham. thank you for being with us. we spoke before, what do you make of what we know about omicron and perhaps how we should be approaching it and after all what is going to be unavoidably a very busy period for a lot of people between now and christmas? it’s lot of people between now and christmas?— lot of people between now and christmas? it's going to be very bus and christmas? it's going to be very busy and is _ christmas? it's going to be very busy and is an _ christmas? it's going to be very busy and is an appetite - christmas? it's going to be very busy and is an appetite for - busy and is an appetite for socializing and catching up on the things that people miss out on last christmas. but we are still lacking a lot of detail on omicron. what we know is it's more transmissible than delta. and we know it's out there and spreading in the community across the uk. it's very important that we approach it with caution and i think the paraphrase there's not been any point in the government covid—19 response when we step back and say i wish we acted more slowly. we have to be very alert to the fact that this new variant is out there and spreading fast and we don't know how much damage it's going to do at the moment. this how much damage it's going to do at the moment-— the moment. as one of the consequences _ the moment. as one of the consequences of _ the moment. as one of the | consequences of vaccination the moment. as one of the - consequences of vaccination booster vaccines having a much less stressful time in and not underplaying how stressful it is but less stressful time for hospitals in general because there are fewer people with severe symptoms of covid—19 and i see you departments? is one of the consequence of all of that perhaps an element of complacency creeping in? there's been many _ complacency creeping in? there's been many missed _ complacency creeping in? there's been many missed opportunitiesl complacency creeping in? there's. been many missed opportunities in terms of the public health messaging that got out there and we need to emphasize that vaccination and boosters are very important. but it's on the one side of the story. we cannotjust it's on the one side of the story. we cannot just vaccinate it's on the one side of the story. we cannotjust vaccinate ourselves out of this. we need to control transmission as well. and you have got omicron here that really demonstrates that point because the moments we take our eyes off transmission and the moment we think we can solve it by vaccinating population of the uk that's when the new variant arrives and at the moment it's omicron and i don't know how far we want to go. so moment it's omicron and i don't know how far we want to go.— how far we want to go. so far the evidence from _ how far we want to go. so far the evidence from south _ how far we want to go. so far the evidence from south africa - how far we want to go. so far the evidence from south africa is - how far we want to go. so far the | evidence from south africa is that it does not appear to increase hospitalization although the caveat is they have a younger population in the uk does and also there are some reports we heard last night that some very young children being hospitalized in the way they have not been with previous variants. at what point do you think we will have reached a stage of having enough evidence to say ok omicron has been around for a month or two, we now know that its profile is based rather than by? that know that its profile is based rather than by?— know that its profile is based rather than by? know that its profile is based rather than b ? �* ., ., rather than by? at the moment we are not seeinr rather than by? at the moment we are not seeing the — rather than by? at the moment we are not seeing the cases _ rather than by? at the moment we are not seeing the cases having _ rather than by? at the moment we are not seeing the cases having been - not seeing the cases having been translated into vast numbers of hospitalizations in the uk because it's early days of a year. but it's important that we don't start spreading this narrative it would be responsible despite a narrative that it's harmless are as harmful and we don't need to worry about it because they really don't have the evidence yet and as you say it's going to take a period of six weeks or a couple of months before we can have any confidence in what we know about the disease trajectory of infection and we have got to be responsible and we have got to be responsible and not telling people that it's ok to spread this one because that's not what the evidence, there is any evidence suggest that at the moment it's just anecdotal stories. thank ou. one of the men suspected of involvement in the murder they just in theyjust in a with two hours of talks by a video call attention to increase over russian aggression towards ukraine. this is the kremlin's footage of that meeting both leaders greeted each other with a wave. joe biden was expected to again warn of further tough sanctions against moscow if it invades ukraine. but the kremlin spokesman, dmitry peskov, has called for "cool heads", insisting moscow isn't planning an attack while stressing it has its own "red lines". russia wants guarantees that ukraine will not be allowed to join nato. ukraine estimates that russia has assembled more than 90 thousand troops near its borders and in annexed crimea. the us and other countries fear a repeat of russia's actions in 2014, when it seized crimea from ukraine. russia has been supportng separatists in areas of eastern ukraine, highlighted here. this was vladimir putin arriving in crimea back then after its annexation by moscow. in response, the west placed economic sanctions on russia, and it was booted out of the g8 group. joining me now is professor anders aslund from georgetown university. he's a former adviser to the russian government. thanks very much for talking to us. it's good news they are talking, but in some ways the mood music is in particularly encouraging from either side at the moment? ~ , ., , ., moment? well, the statements that both presidents _ moment? well, the statements that both presidents have _ moment? well, the statements that both presidents have put _ moment? well, the statements that both presidents have put out - moment? well, the statements that both presidents have put out now. moment? well, the statements that| both presidents have put out now are very tough. and surprisingly, the kremlin is usually very fast in putting out statements, and they are very much in their favour, putting out statements, and they are very much in theirfavour, of course. today, it took vladimir putin almost three hours to put out a statement — and it is very tough. typically, he explains that president biden threatened him with a serious sanctions in the case of further escalation around the ukraine borders, i've never seen anything like it —— not typically. so he felt he really had to respond. the possibility of the statement in both reports is that they want to have further communications with their delegations. that have further communications with their delegations.— their delegations. that is obvious their delegations. that is obvious the aood their delegations. that is obvious the good news. _ their delegations. that is obvious the good news, but _ their delegations. that is obvious the good news, but meanwhile i their delegations. that is obvious | the good news, but meanwhile we their delegations. that is obvious - the good news, but meanwhile we have the good news, but meanwhile we have the significant military build—up on the significant military build—up on the border of ukraine. is this brinkmanship on russia's part? do you see any realistic circumstances where ukraine could everjoin nato? and realistically, could russia ever really send in troops to ukraine? it's an enormous country, presumably he doesn't want to get itself involved in a military stalemate? well, my view is that it would be very dangerous for prudent to send in troops into ukraine, because ukraine is a very big country with an armed force of 250,000 people who have been in battle before. and what us intelligence is talking about is 175,000 troops that could enter ukraine. admittedly the russians would have much more military power — but they would be fewer, that ukrainians are good fighters and theirfighting for their ukrainians are good fighters and their fighting for their homeland. the russians are only fighting for their salaries — which are not all that high. so it appears to me that it would be very dangerous for president putin to really go in, and you see a division of views here on ukraine. some feel putin will attack, i don't feel it would make any sense for him to really attack. and i think that he was playing a high game expecting that biden would make some concessions. both reported very clearly that he wants to have a guarantee that ukraine will never be allowed to join nato, guarantee that ukraine will never be allowed tojoin nato, and president biden says the opposite, that this is the freedom of ukraine as a sovereign state to ask for membership of nato. and president putin has recently decided that he does not want to have nato military equipment in ukraine. i don't think that's really an issue.— that's really an issue. professor, thank you _ that's really an issue. professor, thank you very — that's really an issue. professor, thank you very much _ that's really an issue. professor, thank you very much for - that's really an issue. professor, thank you very much for talking l that's really an issue. professor, l thank you very much for talking to us on bbc news. mr; thank you very much for talking to us on bbc news.— thank you very much for talking to us on bbc news. my pleasure, thank ou. another storm is sweeping in from the atlantic. this one is called storm barra and it has already knocked out power for thousands of people in northern ireland and wales. it's not expected to be as bad as storm arwen 11 days ago. but forecasters are predicting snow blizzards and strong winds, with gusts of up to 80mph. the island of ireland was the first to be hit — and here you can see barra's progress up until 5pm this evening. you cannot see it because we haven't got the graphic. 0ur correspondent emma vardy has sent this report. before first light, the west coast of ireland began to feel the angry weather. schools were closed in 12 counties and around 119,000 homes and businesses lost power. as the storm travelled eastwards, it brought down trees across northern ireland and incredibly no one was injured as the scaffolding was ripped away from a building in londonderry landing on a passing car. fortunately the scaffolding that fell onto a nearby wall, which prevented more serious injuries, and the occupants of the vehicle managed to escape themselves by crawling out the windows and doors. this was northern ireland's carrickfergus castle. usually a scenic spot for a stroll by the sea — but not today. 0ur camera equipment hasjust succumbed to the effects of the storm. i'm now doing this on my phone. some of the strongest gusts here today have been recorded on northern ireland's east coast, up to 76 mph, and every now and again cars going past here are just getting swamped by sea water. storm barra in belfast put a dampener on festivities as the christmas market had to be closed. across the irish sea, high winds and snow battered scotland, which brought avalanche warnings in the cairngorms and travel disruption, which is likely to continue into tomorrow. emma vardy, bbc news. violent storms are forecast along the west coast of ireland tonight, with high tides and coastal flooding expected. we'll go live to one of the most westerly points of ireland, elly bay, near belmullet town, in county mayo. fergus sweeney — sorry, have i pronounced it correct or correct it for me? ., ., ,., pronounced it correct or correct it for me? ., ., ., pronounced it correct or correct it| for me?_ thank for me? you got it bang on. thank ou ve for me? you got it bang on. thank you very much- — for me? you got it bang on. thank you very much. thank— for me? you got it bang on. thank you very much. thank you, - for me? you got it bang on. thank you very much. thank you, we - for me? you got it bang on. thank you very much. thank you, we canj for me? you got it bang on. thank - you very much. thank you, we can see behind you it is blowing a heck of i don't blame you for having a thick hat on. give us a flavour of what the impact it's had on? it hat on. give us a flavour of what the impact it's had on?— hat on. give us a flavour of what the impact it's had on? it was quite calm here up _ the impact it's had on? it was quite calm here up until— the impact it's had on? it was quite calm here up until about— the impact it's had on? it was quite calm here up until about 2:15pm . calm here up until about 2:15pm today when we started to get the first rain events from storm barra. that continued with squally winds up to around 4:15pm and that's when the gaels really started to kick up here at the west coast. south of the country, they have been experiencing strong gaels since early morning. but for us here, this started around apm, and what expecting is the storm will peek here at around midnight, 1am and will continuously plough into this morning. so we are under a status read because we are a coastal area, and that status read will go to status orange, and that's been issued by the irish meteorological service. we are quite used to the storms and gales here, this is a very exposed area. but again with the warnings we've received tonight, we do expect to take a hammering as it were. ~ �* , , . , we do expect to take a hammering as itwere. �* , ,. it were. we've seen the pictures you sent from earlier, _ it were. we've seen the pictures you sent from earlier, and _ it were. we've seen the pictures you sent from earlier, and obviously - sent from earlier, and obviously this is quite a few hours before it got really rough as darkness fell, and we can get a sense of it from seeing the movement even of the grass and leaves around you in the background. what sort of preparations have people made? again, agriculture and fishing here would be the main industries here — so all the farmers and fishermen have been prepared for about 2—3 days, they've had their livestock locked away, they've had their boats taken out of the water was up i suppose everything from household trampolines have been tied down — basically anything that could take flight has been tied down or taken indoors. again, the people here are quite used to dealing with severe gaels in the winter, but we've heeded the warnings from the irish coast guard, the irish meteorological service. so around 4:15pm everyone kind of locked themselves inside, and they'll view this through their televisions. hopefully they'll still have powers and be able to watch them —— have power. depends on where you live in the country. 0nly power. depends on where you live in the country. only a fool doesn't listen to his doctor, a fool doesn't listen to his doctor, a fool doesn't listen to his doctor, a fool doesn't listen to a weather forecaster. exactly, exactly. for us, we will be dealing with the tail of the storm, and that'll be extremely strong winds, so we know that comes towards the latter and of the storm passing over us. that's what we are expecting in the early hours of the morning here. expecting in the early hours of the morning here-— expecting in the early hours of the mornin: here. , ., , ., ,, morning here. fergus, i hope we talk to ou morning here. fergus, i hope we talk to you again — morning here. fergus, i hope we talk to you again perhaps _ morning here. fergus, i hope we talk to you again perhaps tomorrow - to you again perhaps tomorrow morning after its past. but the worst is yet to come — get indoors and batten down the hatch. fergus sweeney, thanks for talking to us from the west coast of ireland. joking about a christmas party at number ten. the government continues to deny it ever took place, the footage was reportedly filmed as preparations for a televised briefing about a year ago. the government had a plan for televised briefings, but they were abandoned. sir keir starmer has called the develop and shameful and saying we have a prime minister and socially distanced from the truth. let's take a look at the footage obtained and broadcast by itv news. allegra stratton talking at that mock downing street news conference. we had some copy from the snp leader, calling for the prime minister's resignation if it's true that a downing street christmas party was not socially distanced last year. pippa, it was your paper that broadcast the story first of all. what effect do you think this footage has on the basic facts we knew where the facts we thought we knew? it’s knew where the facts we thought we knew? �* , , , �* knew? it's interesting, isn't it? because throughout, _ knew? it's interesting, isn't it? because throughout, we've - knew? it's interesting, isn't it? i because throughout, we've heard government minister after government minister, particularly the prime minister back away from denying that the party took place, but insisting that covid rules at the time had been followed. but number ten yesterday went further and hardened up yesterday went further and hardened up their response — i think probably to draw a line under the affair suggesting that no party had taken place. ultimately comes down to what your definition of a party is, i suppose, and for me, several dozen people in a crowded room drinking, playing party games and wearing christmas jumpers and doing a secret santa until well after midnight is classed as a party. 0thers santa until well after midnight is classed as a party. others may disagree. but what the video that itv have broadcast tonight shows is that, despite that hardening denial, the actually it'll be harder for the pre—minister now, for number ten to make the story go away —— prime minister. it appears that, as was shown, numberten minister. it appears that, as was shown, number ten officials and political aides were laughing, saying that... and if the story was showing any signs of disappearing, i don't think it will now. it’s don't think it will now. it's obvious — don't think it will now. it's obvious that _ don't think it will now. it's obvious that labour will run with this at pmqs tomorrow, i suppose the question is beyond the straightforward party political advantage that the opposition may take, we have in —— have in blackford are calling for the payments are's resignation, what effect does it have on the prime minister's credibility within his party, and the criticism there's been from conservative mps about the way downing street operates? in as ou are way downing street operates? in as you are looking — way downing street operates? in as you are looking at _ way downing street operates? in —.3 you are looking at westminster politics rather than how it impacts the country more broadly ash in so far, i think that's a really good point. i rememberwhen far, i think that's a really good point. i remember when we broke the dominant cummings scoop, about 45 tory mps called for dominic cummings to quit in the pre—minister stood by him. and subsequently over the following months, lots of people in government admitted they probably hadn't handled the whole affair, the fallout from the affair as well as they should've done and they've learned their lessons to make sure they don't get that in that position again. let's see over the coming days — i've spoken to several tory mps were already starting to get letters and e—mails from angry constituents. because ultimately this comes down to people and the rest of the country, not what's going on here and whether boris johnson is up or down within his own party. for many people particularly at this time of year, it brings back all the difficult decisions they had to make last year, the bad memories, reopening wounds and the fact that they weren't able to spend christmas with loved ones, and in many cases people were facing much more tragic circumstances. but certainly it would be very interesting to see those tory mps on the benches tomorrow and see how supportive they are. , ., , y tomorrow and see how supportive they are. , ., , , ., ., tomorrow and see how supportive they are. ,., _ ., ., ., are. obviously we had a bit of that when people _ are. obviously we had a bit of that when people didn't _ are. obviously we had a bit of that when people didn't turn _ are. obviously we had a bit of that when people didn't turn out to - are. obviously we had a bit of that when people didn't turn out to be| when people didn't turn out to be supportive at the 0wen paterson affair. but you mentioned dominic cummings, we had cummings and the barnard castle affair, if i can put it that way— was he testing his eyesight? we had met hancock having to resign because he was snogging and aid which is now in a relationship with. we now have a gathering, and you seem confident that there was a gathering of some kind, and downing street haven't exactly denied there is a gathering of some kind. —— met hancock. from the public�*s point of view, do you think we may yet be asked to accept restrictions once again? we think we may yet be asked to accept restrictions once again?— restrictions once again? we don't know what _ restrictions once again? we don't know what will _ restrictions once again? we don't know what will happen _ restrictions once again? we don't know what will happen with - restrictions once again? we don't know what will happen with the i know what will happen with the omicron variant, and whether we will face further lockdowns. i don't think anybody will be sitting up there, sitting at home and thinking, "i was perfect," i'm sure lots of people interpreted the rules in their own ways and it was a very long period, and the vast majority of people did abide by the rules. but nobody is perfect and i'm sure people will have made mistakes or not stuck to them all the time. so i don't think it's necessarily that individuals have breached with the rules that angers people. i think if people had a decent explanation for why they had done that, then the public would be very understanding. i think the problem for the government is that they double down in their denials when it's quite clear to everybody that dominic cummings went to bernard castle, matt hancock was on cctv kissing and aid, and out that video hasjust underlined that again tonight. and i think with the public doesn't like is this feeling that, i know it's a cliched phrase now, but one rule for them and one rule for everybody else — that feeling that these people are prepared to make the rules but don't necessarily abide by them themselves, but they expect them to do so. and whether or not they actually had minor breaches or major breaches themselves, they then try and deny it. i think that's what really many people find galling. for buck, it'll be very interesting to see what your paper saying about this. we hope we can get the front page on our paper review at 10:30pm and 11:30pm tonight. thanks very much. pam's brother died on the same day as a christmas party, but did covid restrictions have an impact on your opportunity to spend more time with her brother? yes. your opportunity to spend more time with her brother?— with her brother? yes, we live quite far away from _ with her brother? yes, we live quite far away from my — with her brother? yes, we live quite far away from my brother _ with her brother? yes, we live quite far away from my brother so - with her brother? yes, we live quite | far away from my brother so we were unable to visit. it was also the hospital had very strict restrictions on visiting. so it worked out that in the final months of his life, he didn't see any of us in real life. he saw us on face time, etc, but that was it. how do ou feel time, etc, but that was it. how do you feel about _ time, etc, but that was it. how do you feel about the _ time, etc, but that was it. how do you feel about the story _ time, etc, but that was it. how do you feel about the story of - time, etc, but that was it. how do you feel about the story of the - you feel about the story of the gathering at downing street? pippa was making the point that there'll be lots of people who did things they perhaps shouldn't have done and may be regret more with hindsight, saying we shouldn't of had that gathering, i regret it now but at the time i was desperate to see people, or whatever, or the time i was desperate to see people, orwhatever, ori the time i was desperate to see people, or whatever, or i didn't really think about it." can you that kind of empathy with the people you've seen tonight? ida. kind of empathy with the people you've seen tonight?— kind of empathy with the people you've seen tonight? no, i can't! because if— you've seen tonight? no, i can't! because if it's — you've seen tonight? no, i can't! because if it's a _ you've seen tonight? no, i can't! because if it's a business - you've seen tonight? no, i can't! i because if it's a business meeting, than there's a laugh, "0h because if it's a business meeting, than there's a laugh, "oh it wasn't really a party" — the word that comes to mind mine is trivial. it's just trivialising those who obeyed the rules. what happened to me was ice all reports about the party —— ice all reports about the party —— ice all reports on 18 december, and i tweeted that i was disgusted at it. and i got a huge threat of people answering me, telling me all salts of stories about their relatives dying, not being able to go to the funeral dashed all sorts. there was a lady who said she could only see her granddaughter for the first year of her life behind glass. and then you have an aide laughing at it — you know, ijust can't really find the words to say what i mean on live tv, you know, that could express the disgust and anger. sorry to interrupt you, i'll make a declaration here, my cousin died of a serious illness just before christmas last year, i didn't go to his funeral because of the rules. my mother died just after christmas — i'm not saying that because i expect somebody from anyone, i'm saying that because i cannot avoid the affecting how i perceive this story. in a bit of me is therefore saying, that's the natural emotional reaction from someone who has been directly affected. i wonder if other people who haven't been directly affected will really feel that, and whether they might not say, "oh come on, there's a lot of people who work together under a lot of pressure, they needed to let their hair down? maybe they shouldn't of done it that way but it's hardly the most terrible thing to have done and what's been a very difficult and stressful time for everybody in the country?" i stressful time for everybody in the count ?" ., �* stressful time for everybody in the count ?" ~' ., stressful time for everybody in the count ?" ~ ., , country?" i don't know if this sounds old-fashioned, - country?" i don't know if this sounds old-fashioned, but i country?" i don't know if this| sounds old-fashioned, but i'd country?" i don't know if this - sounds old-fashioned, but i'd say sounds old—fashioned, but i'd say it's a matter of respect. this is not somebody�*s house, it's not a pub, and it's not a bar. it's the office of the british prime minister, the official residence of the british prime minister — i would hope that whoever is in the office would respect that. the rules were made by parliament and, if they are not obeyed in the office of the british prime minister... ijust feel like i've lost all trust in this government. and from the thread that appeared on twitter, i think you'll find there are a lot of other people who feel this, that they'll make laws for the people then they don't have to obey them. the film that we've just seen shows someone — i feel she's kind of laughing that we've just seen shows someone — ifeel she's kind of laughing up her sleeve, oh the british people are buying this, we can do it we want. pam, thank you very much for talking to us. i know it brings back some bad memories. it to us. i know it brings back some bad memories.— to us. i know it brings back some bad memories.- i- to us. i know it brings back some i bad memories.- i apologise bad memories. it does. i apologise to ou for bad memories. it does. i apologise to you for that. _ bad memories. it does. i apologise to you for that, because _ bad memories. it does. i apologise to you for that, because i - bad memories. it does. i apologise to you for that, because i don't - to you for that, because i don't want to keep pushing in the wound. no, we are in the same position, i think. ., ., . no, we are in the same position, i think-_ 0k. i think. pam, thanks so much. ok, thanks a lot- _ think. pam, thanks so much. ok, thanks a lot. i— think. pam, thanks so much. ok, thanks a lot. i mentioned - think. pam, thanks so much. ok, thanks a lot. i mentioned earlierl thanks a lot. i mentioned earlier that call for— thanks a lot. i mentioned earlier that call for resignation - thanks a lot. i mentioned earlier that call for resignation from - that call for resignation from ian blackford. here's what he had to say. i blackford. here's what he had to sa . ~' �* , , blackford. here's what he had to sa . ~ �* , , say. i think it's 'ust confirmed what we all — say. i think it'sjust confirmed what we all knew _ say. i think it'sjust confirmed what we all knew - _ say. i think it'sjust confirmed what we all knew - that - say. i think it'sjust confirmed what we all knew - that there j say. i think it'sjust confirmed - what we all knew - that there was a what we all knew — that there was a christmas party at downing street last year. boris johnson christmas party at downing street last year. borisjohnson has tried to lead us a merry dance, trying to claim these things didn't happen. his position is untenable. this is a man, as prime minister, who seems to have a problem with the truth. he seems to be a stranger to the truth. let's put this in context — when everyone else was told to make sure they adhered to the guidelines, they were unable to see loved ones who died. they were not able to see family members over christmas — and yet the prime minister, that was leading the campaign to get people to behave was flouting his own rules. he can't have any dignity or self—respect. and quite frankly, he ought to know do the only right thing, the only decent thing — he ought to tender his resignation. ian blackford, mp from the s there's been an angry there has been an angry reaction from a group representing victims of the grenfell tower fire to an apology from the government. a barrister representing the department for levelling up, housing and communities told the public inquiry it was "deeply sorry for its past failures" in overseeing building safety. joining me now is edward daffarn. he survived the fire at grenfell tower, but lost his home in the blaze. he's now on the committee of the grenfell united group of families and survivors. thank you very much for talking to us this evening. what do you make of this? to you, does it look like a preemptive strike ahead of some of the criticism likely to air in this stage of the inquiry? i the criticism likely to air in this stage of the inquiry?— stage of the inquiry? i don't think a preemptive _ stage of the inquiry? i don't think a preemptive strike _ stage of the inquiry? i don't think a preemptive strike would - stage of the inquiry? i don't think a preemptive strike would be - stage of the inquiry? i don't think a preemptive strike would be the | a preemptive strike would be the right way to sum it up. we waited for and a half years for an apology, and is not an apology people want. —— four and a half years. the people who survived the fire want is action. we want the government to start addressing the problems caused by the regulations that allowed the cladding that killed 72 people in grenfell tower — we want action taken for cladding to be removed from buildings open the country. many thousands of households go to sleep with exactly the same acm cladding on their buildings that was ingres the ground fell four and a half years ago, and many tens of thousands of people in similar buildings with similar cladding — it's four and a half years since the fire and the government need to stop apologising and take action —— gran file. apologising and take action -- gran file. . �* , . apologising and take action -- gran file. ., �*, ., , .,, apologising and take action -- gran file, ., a ., , apologising and take action -- gran file. ., �*, ., , ., file. that's a problem when you have a rocess file. that's a problem when you have a process like _ file. that's a problem when you have a process like this, _ file. that's a problem when you have a process like this, everyone - file. that's a problem when you have a process like this, everyone think i a process like this, everyone think it's great to have an inquiry and let the oxygen of sunlight get in to find out all the different exchanges — but the reality is all that process simply delays what may ultimately be inevitable, which is someone will have to take this cladding off, because it is not safe for the original purpose it was put on the buildings. tiara for the original purpose it was put on the buildings.— for the original purpose it was put on the buildings. two points there - the benefit of _ on the buildings. two points there - the benefit of the _ on the buildings. two points there - the benefit of the public _ on the buildings. two points there - the benefit of the public inquiry - on the buildings. two points there - the benefit of the public inquiry is i the benefit of the public inquiry is that we will get a form of the truth, and all these corporate that have turned up at the public inquiry with their merry—go—round of buckpassing, one day it will stop, and we will get findings that actually a portion of blame dash actually a portion of blame dash actually apportion blame where it needs to be. last week it was described as one of the biggest institutional failures of the british state postwar, and people need to start stop passing the buck and start taking responsibility for their actions. and in terms of the impact it's had on you and other residents, and those who lost loved ones been wracked by what happened now four years ago, presumably you don't want that action further delayed by the process? indeed, the fact that we are sitting here for a half years after the fire and there is still this cladding on buildings, itjust doesn't make any sense. the government are playing a form of russian roulette here, and they should have taken action a long time ago. in fact, should have taken action a long time ago. infact, i should have taken action a long time ago. in fact, i would go so far as to say that there's been a series of 999 calls to the government over a period of probably the last 20 years starting with the fire in 1991, at the end of 1999 in garner court, and then at lac in the house. all of which should have been the trigger for the government to take firm robust action to ensure that flammable cladding did not —— was not able to be put on high—rise buildings. they failed to do that, they wanted to encourage construction, they wanted to encourage and support the agencies and associations that were advocating for the cladding companies and insulation companies. they prioritised those concerns above the well—being and health and safety of residents. and as a consequence, 72 people were killed in the grenfell tower fire.— in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank ou in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank you very _ in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank you very much _ in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank you very much for _ in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank you very much forjoining - in the grenfell tower fire. edward, thank you very much forjoining us| thank you very much forjoining us this evening and being so patient because we ended up having so many other stories developing on air. we are gratefulfor your other stories developing on air. we are grateful for your patience and glad we were able to get to you. thanks so much.— glad we were able to get to you. thanks so much. i'm thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sor we thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't _ thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't able _ thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't able to _ thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't able to get _ thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't able to get to - thanks so much. you're welcome. i'm sorry we weren't able to get to the - sorry we weren't able to get to the meta— verse, but that's life. here's the weather. down and towards wales, the weather. down and towards wales, the southwest into the english channel. this is where we've seen the peak of the gusts at the east coast into the far northeast of scotland, areas of rain continue into the night across the very far north, but elsewhere you can see where the centre of low—pressure of storm barra, rain going into the night, most persistent across parts of north and west wells. but there will be clear skies around, and if you get any clear skies long enough, you get any clear skies long enough, you can't rule out a touch of frost to take you into it tomorrow morning, maybe some ice. as we go into tomorrow, storm barra weakens for most, but it stays very windy through parts of west wales down into the southwest of england and the english channel. sunshine and showers is the name of the game tomorrow, it will be a cold day and still some persistent rain across parts of wales which continue into the evening, gradually fading through the night. bye for now. the white house says president biden has held frank discussions with vladimir putin, over the future of ukraine. good to see you again. the small talk was brief — behind closed doors president biden told his russian counterpart there would be robust specific responses to an invasion of ukraine, including the deployment of us troops to eastern europe. there was a lot of give and take and some finger wagging but the president was crystal clear that larry the united states stands on all these issues. the white house says it does not believe putin has yet come to a decision on ukraine. will today's summit have changed minds in moscow. we will speak to the man who advised the former us president. here in the uk leaked footage, appears to show