feargal sharkey, welcome to hardtalk. feargal sharkey, welcome to hardtalk— feargal sharkey, welcome to hardtalk. ., y c hardtalk. thank you very much. man will hardtalk. thank you very much. many will know _ hardtalk. thank you very much. many will know you _ hardtalk. thank you very much. many will know you for _ hardtalk. thank you very much. many will know you for your - many will know you for your music career, but in using —— recent years, you have become one of britain's most noisiest campaign is to clean up and protect britain's waterways. and we suggested an interview, you wanted to meet cheerful to why here?— why here? the truth is i have sent why here? the truth is i have spent the _ why here? the truth is i have spent the last _ why here? the truth is i have spent the last six, _ why here? the truth is i have spent the last six, seven - why here? the truth is i have. spent the last six, seven years as chairman until the last few months and i find as chairman until the last few months and ifind myself as chairman until the last few months and i find myself in the club, find ourselves six years ago now, five, six years ago having to pick a massive fight with very people who are charged by us, by the nation and by parliament to protect, nurture and look after these rivers and particularly this kind of river. this part of the river is a choge stream. there are 225 on the entire planet. most of them here are in southern england and this one was on the verge of extinction through lack of flow, it had effectively turned into 2.5 miles of stagnant garden pond. when you say lack of flow, isn't that just nature when you say lack of flow, isn't thatjust nature telling us that the climate is warming, that here in the southeast of england, are getting drier, and the river is suffering? ida. england, are getting drier, and the river is suffering?— the river is suffering? no, not in the least. _ the river is suffering? no, not in the least, and _ the river is suffering? no, not in the least, and i _ the river is suffering? no, not in the least, and i know- the river is suffering? no, not in the least, and i know the i in the least, and i know the environment agency would have you believe that, but that overlooks the fact that as we speak these most rarest of river ecosystems on the planet, according to the environment agency, are currently being over extracted by local water companies to the tune of about 1.2 billion litres of water per day every single day, ecologically, environmentally damaging, destroying some of the rarest ecosystems on the planet and over someone else's profitability. planet and over someone else's profitability-— profitability. you already mentioned _ profitability. you already mentioned the _ profitability. you already| mentioned the regulators profitability. you already - mentioned the regulators and you've already hinted that there is a problem, a systemic problem with the way the water industry works in the uk. try to sum it up for people watching and listening, not just in the united kingdom, but around the world, because this may well apply in other countries.— may well apply in other countries. ~ , countries. absolutely. here in encland, countries. absolutely. here in england. i— countries. absolutely. here in england, i believe _ countries. absolutely. here in england, i believe england . countries. absolutely. here in england, i believe england is| england, i believe england is unique. it is the only country in the world with absolutely 100% privatised water industry. there are any number of models used throughout the world, private, some public, some hybrid combinations thereof, but england so far as i am aware is unique on the planet in the industry is a, 100% privatised, and, b, these are companies operating state granted monopolies for profit. it is not that that is a bad idea, but when you have a company operating a monopoly, you clearly need a system of regulation that is hands—on, thatis regulation that is hands—on, that is proactive and is capable of delivering and insuring not only the interests of the customer and bill payers, but the environment. here is what a former chief of the water industry sort of broad collective group, the water uk chief exec, michael roberts said, he that is admittedly three, four years ago, but i am sure the industry would say that the fundamentals are still apply. he said, when privatisation came to the uk, water quality was poor, rivers were polluted, our beaches were badly affected by sewerage, and since advertise asian, investment of nearly 160 million has seen improvement... let me put some qualifications and all of this. when water companies engine the word investment, it is not in the sense that you and i, most people think of it, that the shareholders have taken cash out of their back pockets. any money spent by the water companies has actually been funded by bill payers. now, when they come up with the figure, what they forget to engineers they have also taken out £72 billion in dividends out £72 billion in dividends out of those companies, they have left the company sitting on £60 billion with a debt to such an extent that one of them almost toppled a metal of weeks ago. almost toppled a metal of weeks auo. ., ., almost toppled a metal of weeks am, ., ., ., ~' almost toppled a metal of weeks ago. you are talking about thames water, _ ago. you are talking about thames water, which - ago. you are talking about thames water, which will. ago. you are talking about - thames water, which will serve 15 million customers and has a debt of forced —— £14 billion. if you look at the balance sheet, just 1a, but if you go looking through the broader of companies, you will come to kangawalla financing and i think you will find they are sitting on 21.7 billion pounds worth of debt. when it comes to the water quality... there are two stretches of river in england right now days —— detonated as bathing water. this morning both of them have no swimming warnings posted. in 20 -- 2009, 20 4% of no swimming warnings posted. in 20 —— 2009, 20 4% of our rivers meant good ecological status. it has now dropped and the current protection is, by 2027, that will be down to just six, and as we speak, every single river in england fails the chemical test every single river is polluted and one of the biggest sources of that pollution... is the water industry. so with the lobbying organisation that uk water is like to qualify and actually tell me the single fact i have given you is wrong and i will happily withdraw it and apologise profusely. isn't the roblem apologise profusely. isn't the problem here _ apologise profusely. isn't the problem here that _ apologise profusely. isn't the problem here that to - apologise profusely. isn't the problem here that to fix - apologise profusely. isn't the problem here that to fix the i problem here that to fix the problems you have just outlined, and there is no doubt, there is a massive problem, syringes flowing into rivers and on to our uk coast. we see it every single day. isn't it problem that to really solve that problem, you need to spend enormous sums of money, massive investment in water treatment plans and in new sewers which the water companies say can only happen if they are given permission by the regulator to massively up customer's bills? let the regulator to massively up customer's bills?— the regulator to massively up customer's bills? let me help the regulators. _ customer's bills? let me help the regulators. they - customer's bills? let me help the regulators. they may - customer's bills? let me help| the regulators. they may want to go and speak to their cheap executives of the water companies, two years ago, were written to by the regulator who pointed out two things. one, they have a statutory obligation to build, operate and obtain sewerage systems capable of, and i am quoting, effectively dealing with the contents of those sewers. they wrote a second time six months later telling the companies and the regulator's opinion we, as customers, for 30 years have provided all of the funding that companies needed to meet all of their legal obligations, including building and operating an effective sewerage system, merely that is not happening... system, merely that is not happening- - -_ system, merely that is not happening... nobody disputes that much _ happening... nobody disputes that much better _ happening... nobody disputes that much better sewers - happening... nobody disputes that much better sewers are l that much better sewers are neededin that much better sewers are needed in london and across the country, but we know that they cost billions of pounds to install. , ., ., ., ~ install. the point i am making is that we _ install. the point i am making is that we have, _ install. the point i am making is that we have, according - is that we have, according to the regulator, of water companies confirming this annually, we as a public provided with all of the funding that they should have been spending on the sewerage system. so my question becomes is we have provided you with the funding, the regulators confirmed that, the water companies have confirmed that. what happened to the funding? where has it gone? it clearly was not spent on the sewerage system and can we have a refund? ., system and can we have a refund?— system and can we have a refund? ., , ., , refund? you seem to believe these days — refund? you seem to believe these days that _ these days that renationalisation of the water industry is... are you sure of that? i industry is... are you sure of that? ., �* industry is... are you sure of that? . �* ., ., that? i haven't said that at all actually. _ that? i haven't said that at all actually. as _ that? i haven't said that at all actually. as it - that? i haven't said that at all actually. as it happens. that? i haven't said that at - all actually. as it happens. my perspective... forgive me, but when i think thames water and out of this massive debt, and it looks like they may default on their debt and collapse, you said, we shouldn't pay a penny to bail out thames water. correct. to bail out thames water. correct-— to bail out thames water. correct. ,, ., ,, . , correct. should in essence be nationalised. _ correct. should in essence be nationalised. let _ correct. should in essence be nationalised. let me - correct. should in essence be nationalised. let me make i correct. should in essence be l nationalised. let me make two oints. nationalised. let me make two points- one. — nationalised. let me make two points. one, if— nationalised. let me make two points. one, if we _ nationalised. let me make two points. one, if we nationalisel points. 0ne, if we nationalise those companies, we let those shareholders and those bondholders and those people who have made over 72 billion pounds worth of our money, instead of investing in the sewerage system, that investing in making sure london is supplied with water, because blunder is now on the verge of running out of water, because of lack of investment in infrastructure. what i said was the legislation already exists for the secretary of state to actually resolve and move this forward this afternoon with nothing more than a stroke of a pen. government in a secondary state has the authority to issue what is called enforcement orders which allows government to effectively take control of those companies while they remain in private ownership and government can order those companies, this is what you are going to invest in infrastructure and this is what you will pay your shareholders, this is what you would do to pay down your debt and this is what you do to pay your chief executive. the government has the power to do that this afternoon.— the power to do that this afternoon. , , .,' , afternoon. yes, therese coffey, who is the _ afternoon. yes, therese coffey, who is the secretary _ afternoon. yes, therese coffey, who is the secretary of - afternoon. yes, therese coffey, who is the secretary of state - who is the secretary of state responsible for the environment, she says 1.6 billion has been agreed with the water companies at an immediate investment priority. she says that the uk government is raising the confines water companies that are polluting the waterways. she says she is listening to people like you... actually, she is not. all she had to do was enforce the law in the first place instead of creating new ones that will deliver nothing. the government was taken to court by the european commission in 2012 and the european court ofjustice ten years ago ruled that what is happening in the uk was in breach of the legislation, it was illegal and storage should only ever be dumped into the environment in exceptional situations. that means a rare event that is so unique that you can foresee it and plan for it so here is the thing for me what the government have done, a classic of bureaucratic let's create a process, let's make it look like we are getting busy and doing something while at the time actually delivering little if anything. they should have just enforce the law as it stood at the time and there is still time to do that.— still time to do that. turn our still time to do that. turn your eyes _ still time to do that. turn your eyes to _ still time to do that. turn your eyes to the - still time to do that. turn your eyes to the left, - still time to do that. turnj your eyes to the left, this gorgeous stream, river behind you. brown trout are still there, aren't they?- there, aren't they? they certainly _ there, aren't they? they certainly are. _ there, aren't they? they certainly are. so - there, aren't they? they| certainly are. so perhaps there, aren't they? they - certainly are. so perhaps you miaht certainly are. so perhaps you might be _ certainly are. so perhaps you might be accused _ certainly are. so perhaps you might be accused of- certainly are. so perhaps you might be accused of being i certainly are. so perhaps you i might be accused of being some sort of doomsday voice wishing to exaggerate problems for some might even say political capital. might even say political caital. , , ._ capital. let me try this way. i am not capital. let me try this way. i am rrot a _ capital. let me try this way. i am not a member— capital. let me try this way. i am not a member of- capital. let me try this way. i am not a member of any i am not a member of any political party... am not a member of any political party. . .- am not a member of any political party... you have been an — political party... you have been an advisor _ political party... you have been an advisor to - political party... you have been an advisor to the i political party... you have i been an advisor to the labour party in the past and it seems to me at your message is now getting through to sir keir starmer who has been emphasising in recent days your message that in his words the waterways of britain are thoroughly and utterly polluted. to thoroughly and utterly polluted-— thoroughly and utterly polluted. thoroughly and utterly olluted. ., . , polluted. to qualify it, i have, polluted. to qualify it, i have. was _ polluted. to qualify it, i have, was appointed i polluted. to qualify it, i have, was appointed a l polluted. to qualify it, i - have, was appointed a regulated ijy have, was appointed a regulated by the labour government, i was appointed chairman of the live music forum which was commissioned and established by government, and so far as i am aware, i have never acted as an advisor to the labour party, just to be clear where we are, i will repeat again, not a single river in england is good overall environmental health, every single river is polluted. you are an experienced campaigner because for years he did advocacy work for the music industry, and now you have obviously devoted so much of your time to cleaning up the waterways of britain. do you think you are cutting through? listen, how do you measure these things? on one level, i've been incredibly fortunate. i've been incredibly fortunate. i spent all of my adult life with random people in random places all over the world, walking up to me and wanting to talk to me about music. as a musician, what an extraordinary thing. here is the shift. 0ver thing. here is the shift. over the last two or three years people want to talk to me about effluent in rivers and that is beginning with a four letter word beginning with s. i think i know word beginning with s. i think i know the — word beginning with s. i think i know the word _ word beginning with s. i think i know the word you - word beginning with s. i think i know the word you mean i word beginning with s. i think i i know the word you mean which we can't use on the bbc. nonetheless it is a powerful word on what you have specifically done, and you have done it in his interview as well, you have suggested that what we see in our rivers, all of the pollution and the problems are linked to, and it is a word you have used, corruption. you seem to believe there is something up about the water industry.— water industry. when i say corru -t water industry. when i say corrupt government i water industry. when i say corrupt government let i water industry. when i say| corrupt government let me water industry. when i say- corrupt government let me put it this way... it corrupt government let me put it this way- - -— it this way... it is a word you use. i it this way... it is a word you use- i will — it this way... it is a word you use. i will give _ it this way... it is a word you use. i will give you _ it this way... it is a word you use. i will give you some i use. i will give you some background _ use. i will give you some background collaterals i use. i will give you some j background collaterals of use. i will give you some i background collaterals of the environment agency as we speak are, and i believe i am quoting them, currently engaged in the light of criminal investigation they have ever launched against all water companies, and that they now believe there may have been widespread serious non—compliance with discharge permit. it is the words of the regulator, not me. so the regulator, not me. so the regulator seems to think there is some kind of corruption going on and yesterday it was announced that six water companies are now in the process of being taken to court over that very allegation that there was misreporting, underreporting going on. that was being used to then gain favour from the regulator and let me remind everybody... taste let me remind everybody... we have to be _ let me remind everybody... we have to be careful. as you say, allegations right now... let me make the _ allegations right now... let me make the last _ allegations right now... let me make the last point. _ allegations right now... let me make the last point. this i allegations right now... let me make the last point. this does| make the last point. this does make the last point. this does make 12 months ago southern water was fined 20 million quid in court and the judge said that was because there are deliberately misleading and trying to deflect the regulator away from what was going on, and the reality of their business model. that is not an allegation that was the quote of the judge. allegation that was the quote of thejudge. i’m allegation that was the quote of the judge-— allegation that was the quote of the judge. of the 'udge. i'm going to ask ou of the judge. i'm going to ask ou to of the judge. i'm going to ask you to take — of the judge. i'm going to ask you to take your _ of the judge. i'm going to ask you to take your mind - of the judge. i'm going to ask you to take your mind away i of the judge. i'm going to ask i you to take your mind away from this river and the specifics of written? water issues and ask you whether this passion you are expressing with me right now, with runs right through your life and can be traced back to your roots and dairy, londonderry as some call it in northern ireland. we frankly you were raised on one of the tenses to spots, in the middle of northern ireland's troubles. were you a fighter from the very beginning? i were you a fighter from the very beginning?— were you a fighter from the very beginning? i don't think so. very beginning? i don't think so- were _ very beginning? i don't think so- were my _ very beginning? i don't think so. were my parents - very beginning? i don't think. so. were my parents fighters, probably. so. were my parents fighters, robabl . ., ., ., probably. you were named after two ira probably. you were named after two ira men- — probably. you were named after two ira men. that _ probably. you were named after two ira men. that clearly i two ira men. that clearly suggests _ two ira men. that clearly suggests my _ two ira men. that clearly suggests my mother- two ira men. that clearly suggests my mother was| two ira men. that clearly | suggests my mother was a fighter, my father was chairman of the labour party and dairy during the wars, he was branch secretary of his local union, they were deeply involved in they were deeply involved in the civil rights movement and hope recollections of being ten years old and being taken on civil rights marchers all over ireland all through northern ireland, my family were on bartol the day the parade was attacked, my family were there on bloodied sunday and my family were deeply engaged in trying to change a corrupt political system in northern ireland. , ., ., , ireland. here is one of these fascinating — ireland. here is one of these fascinating things _ ireland. here is one of these fascinating things about i ireland. here is one of these| fascinating things about you, we see that you have a cause and are a fighter now for that course but what is fascinating about you as a musician is that you and your bandmates and the undertones when you had that great success as part of the punk era of the late 70s early 80s, despite your upbringing, you chose not to sing political songs. you chose not to sing political sonis. , songs. here is the thing. the undertones _ songs. here is the thing. the undertones developed i songs. here is the thing. the undertones developed a i songs. here is the thing. the l undertones developed a career because of a little bar called the kasbah. it was the only pub in town which entertained the fact that five kids with no idea what they were doing and we were given some space on a friday night. right outside the door of the kasbah was a british army checkpoint, to get to that party would have to be searched, name checked, date of birth and run through computer, all that kind of good stuff. do you really think the 50 people coming up to watch the undertones on a friday night needed us to give them a lecture about bombs, bullets and barricades.— lecture about bombs, bullets and barricades. maybe you were intimidated. _ and barricades. maybe you were intimidated. good _ and barricades. maybe you were intimidated. good lead, - and barricades. maybe you were intimidated. good lead, not i and barricades. maybe you were intimidated. good lead, not in l intimidated. good lead, not in the least- _ intimidated. good lead, not in the least. the _ intimidated. good lead, not in the least. the last _ intimidated. good lead, not in the least. the last bunch i intimidated. good lead, not in the least. the last bunch of i the least. the last bunch of people you could intimidate was the five members of the undertones. like every other healthy teenager on the planet we were more obsessed with songs about chocolate and girls. songs about chocolate and iirls. ~ ., songs about chocolate and iirls. ~ . , ., songs about chocolate and iirlsr ., songs about chocolate and girls. what you sang about was the usual teenage _ girls. what you sang about was the usual teenage dreams, i the usual teenage dreams, belongings, the girls, the frustrations with your family, it was the stuff of ordinary life. correct. in a funny sort of way that was avoiding the reality of what you are living through. reality of what you are living throu:h. �* , reality of what you are living throu:h. fl ., reality of what you are living throu:h. �*, ., , reality of what you are living throu:h. h ., , ., through. it's not, because that was allowing — through. it's not, because that was allowing us _ through. it's not, because that was allowing us the _ through. it's not, because that was allowing us the freedom i through. it's not, because that l was allowing us the freedom and the headspace and that moment of clarity because the truth is nobody in northern ireland at the time set around thinking this is dreadful, this is terrible. everybody as best they could was trying to get on with normal lives, in fact that situation like all forms of poverty and oppression and difficulty, and suffrage becomes normal. i will give you a simple example, the first time we as undertones to new york i had spent weeks reading articles and national newspapers about the crime rate on manhattan island in the death toll on the likelihood of pie walked out of my hotel on 42nd i would be marked within seconds, and half—an—hour in times square my brain engaged adjustment, ten years ago you were standing on the bog side there is nothing new york will throw you that will ever put you off your feet.— throw you that will ever put you off your feet. why did you iuit so you off your feet. why did you quit so young? _ you off your feet. why did you quit so young? you _ you off your feet. why did you quit so young? you formed i you off your feet. why did you | quit so young? you formed the undertones with your mates in 1975, you were out by 83? still hugely popular? taste 1975, you were out by 83? still hugely popular?— 1975, you were out by 83? still hugely popular? we were but the truth of the _ hugely popular? we were but the truth of the matters _ hugely popular? we were but the truth of the matters i _ hugely popular? we were but the truth of the matters i had - hugely popular? we were but the truth of the matters i had a i truth of the matters i had a longing for other things and want to go in different directions. we were stepping down, some people want to stay in dairy someone to —— some wanted to make different types of records and you are dealing with any little group of friends that met when we were teenagers. i5 friends that met when we were teenagers-— teenagers. is there something about the music _ teenagers. is there something about the music business i teenagers. is there something about the music business you | about the music business you really did not like, you set up after you left, i could not go on making the kind of intellectual and emotional investment that they needed any more? ., ., , investment that they needed any more? . .,, . ~ investment that they needed any more? . ., ., , more? that was back towards when i more? that was back towards when i was — more? that was back towards when i was getting _ more? that was back towards when i was getting towards i more? that was back towards l when i was getting towards my late 20s, heading towards my 30th birthday. that was me demanding of myself that the level of investment by emotionally and intellectually wanted and needed to put into records, and the fast forward 30 years, we would now be saying maybe i was going, i need to take a break from this for a while and to get away from. i for a while and to get away from. ., ., ,., , . from. i wonder about the music business you — from. i wonder about the music business you worked _ from. i wonder about the music business you worked on - from. i wonder about the music business you worked on the i business you worked on the record industry for a while and you run uk music working on behalf of musicians and venues. do you think the music business and especially musicians are in real trouble right now, the digital age does not seem to have worked out well musicians? the truth of the matter is you cannot single out the music industry for that kind of accusation or scrutiny. i could line up every single industry in the country, i speak to the streetjournalists right now on the verge of a nervous breakdown every morning, it's eight o'clock wondering what they will do for the byline that day. we all live in that kind of world with that kind of pressure. kind of world with that kind of ressure. �* ., . ., ., , pressure. but for creators musicians — pressure. but for creators musicians saying - pressure. but for creators musicians saying their i pressure. but for creators i musicians saying their music has been downloaded by possibly thousands of millions of users and they are getting virtually no reward. and they are getting virtually no reward-— no reward. that's a different thing and my _ no reward. that's a different thing and my instinct - no reward. that's a different thing and my instinct and i thing and my instinct and empathy will be towards the musicians and songwriters and poses and performs. yes but thatis poses and performs. yes but that is not to say the industry workers are less exploited than others. tell that to the man from emerson who wants to deliver thousand packages a day and running to the doorbell because he has a hand—held device demanding he is back span and 7.5 seconds. —— amazon. here is the thing is it moral when the likes of apple and google and tech companies and google and tech companies and big multinational record companies are reporting lifetime changing sums of money and profit and songwriters are out there not even making a minimum wage, so is there a need for the industry to examine and readdress? absolutely.— examine and readdress? absolutel. �*, , ., , absolutely. let's be honest, did ou absolutely. let's be honest, did you think— absolutely. let's be honest, did you think you _ absolutely. let's be honest, did you think you failed i absolutely. let's be honest, i did you think you failed people like mahalia, a r&b singer very successful been on tour with the chair and in one awards, she said the other day i have racked up 12 years of debt. when she goes on tour, she ends up when she goes on tour, she ends up with a deficit. i when she goes on tour, she ends up with a deficit.— up with a deficit. i have read the blog- — up with a deficit. i have read the blog. every _ up with a deficit. i have read the blog. every song - up with a deficit. i have read | the blog. every song defends download... _ the blog. every song defends download... there _ the blog. every song defends download... there is - the blog. every song defends i download... there is something wrong there and you are supposed to be working on these people's behalf. share supposed to be working on these people's behalf.— people's behalf. are they nettini people's behalf. are they getting played? - people's behalf. are they getting played? here i people's behalf. are they getting played? here is. people's behalf. are they i getting played? here is the thing. is the scheme available through apple? have we moved from where people could access all of the history of the internet and the music industry for free, internet and the music industry forfree, and internet and the music industry for free, and fast forward that to there are now as some kind of marketplace there. it does now exist off and it is there, i absolutely 100% agree. but happily applaud any and all efforts by the artist, there needs to be a rebalancing of the payment system and the means of distribution back to the artist because right now, they are being disadvantaged, it is unfairand they are being disadvantaged, it is unfair and that needs to be addressed and technologies and regulators and governments are as much a part of that is the record companies and the music industry. d0 the record companies and the music industry.— the record companies and the music industry. do you think of ou and music industry. do you think of you and your — music industry. do you think of you and your mates _ music industry. do you think of you and your mates were i music industry. do you think of you and your mates were in i music industry. do you think of. you and your mates were in your late teens today, looking at forming a band, looked at the realities of brexit for musicians which has definitely added to the bureaucracy and cost of touring in europe, look at the way the digital era works for musicians, do you think you would actually want to go into it?— to go into it? you are overlooking - to go into it? you are overlooking the i to go into it? you are overlooking the mostj to go into it? you are _ overlooking the most compulsive thing about why people become musicians or writers or painters, they have an inherent burning desire and ambition to do it you're not going to do a thing or put an obstacle in the way that is going to stop them from doing it. one of the things that actually sets the uk apart from most others on the planet, is thankfully, we have generation after generation of young people, who have that desire, that passion, that drive, that lionheart, and who go on to create the most extraordinary music in the world that the rest of the world that the rest of the world wants to embrace and listen to. world wants to embrace and listen to-_ world wants to embrace and listen to-— listen to. finalthought, you stop performing _ listen to. finalthought, you stop performing you - listen to. finalthought, you stop performing you left i listen to. finalthought, you stop performing you left the music industry behind, now you have fully adopted clean water and these beautiful rivers as your cause. you have raised your cause. you have raised your own profile when it comes to the politics of this issue. what is next for you? i mentioned earlier on people used to come up and talk to me about music, i'm happy to go back to obscurity again and go back to obscurity again and go back to obscurity again and go back to talking about music instead of talking about effluent and rivers, i talk —— i look forward to that day enthusiastically.- enthusiastically. feargal sharkey. _ enthusiastically. feargal sharkey, it's _ enthusiastically. feargal sharkey, it's been i enthusiastically. feargal sharkey, it's been a i enthusiastically. feargal i sharkey, it's been a pleasure, thank you for being on hardtalk.— thank you for being on hardtalk. ., ~ , ., i , thank you for being on hardtalk. ., ~ a , hardtalk. thank you, it's been a pleasure- _ hello there. you know, over the weekend, i've seen quite a lot of these. funnel clouds. the latest one was spotted between boroughbridge and harrogate, around the north yorkshire area, but i've seen quite a few over the weekend. that particular one formed along this convergence line — that's where the winds bash together — and those opposing winds would've helped create some of the spin that created that funnel cloud in the first place. right now, though, those showers have long since cleared out of the way. we do have just a few patches of rain working from west to east, but many of us will have a dry start to the day on monday, with temperatures holding up into double figures. overall, the bank holiday monday that it'll be for many of you is a better, drier kind of day — the reason, well, we've got this little weak ridge of high pressure building in. now, it won't be completely dry, there'll be just a few isolated showers around, but nowhere near as many as we've had over the course of the weekend. and probably the greatest risk of seeing an odd shower will be across the north—west of both england and wales. the emphasis, though, is on drier weather with spells of sunshine. temperatures, high teens to low 20s, feeling warm in that august sunshine. and again, into tuesday, another area of low pressure starts to move in from the north. and so, we will get outbreaks of rain moving its way into scotland. just a few patches of rain — showers, really — on this weather front, this cold front, as it works southwards across england and wales. but many of you will still have some spells of sunshine around, as well. and overall, the temperature is similarfor most, about 18—22 celsius — warm in the sun, but starting to feel perhaps a little bit cooler across the north of scotland. well, from tuesday into wednesday, that same area of low pressure works into the north sea while weakening. and really, we're looking at a day of sunny spells and showers again — this time, probably the heaviest showers, big thunderstorms affecting northern and eastern scotland, and down this eastern side of england. again, there'll be some convergent winds, so who knows? you might see another funnel cloud if you're lucky. western areas should stay dry with some sunshine for wales, south—west england, probably bright for northern ireland, as well. that won't last, though. thursday and friday, another area of low pressure moving in — this time, the rain will to be affecting areas a bit further southward. so, particularly for wales, south—west england, and northern ireland, we've got a spell of rain to come through. that clears, and then, we're back to rather showery conditions as we head off into september. bye— bye. live from london, this is bbc news. russian investigators say testing confirms wagner leader yevgeny prigozhin was killed in a plane crash. what does it mean for the mercenary group? police forces in england and wales are told every theft must be investigated as the home secretary says she wants to see radical change in tackling minor crimes. zimbabwe's election results have been declared, but both candidates are claiming victory. hello. i'm samantha simmonds. a very warm welcome. in moscow, russian officials have confirmed that the mercenary leader, yevgeny prigozhin, was one of the people who died on a plane which crashed last week. they say dna evidence from the wreckage matches that of mr prigozhin who led a short—lived mutiny against president putin. meanwhile, ukraine has warned that russia is intensifying its attacks along the front line. we'll assess the state of conflict with our correspondent in kyiv in a moment. but first, let's get the latest from our russia editor steve rosenberg. well, many people are asking is the story of wagner,