Good morning. Welcome to bbc newsroom live. Theresa may will address eu leaders today at a summit in brussels at which theyre expected to confirm theyre not yet ready to open talks with britain, about a post brexit trade deal. The next opportunity to begin negotiations on the relationship will be in december. One of the main brexit pressure groups, leave means leave, has urged mrs may to tell the leaders that the uk is prepared to walk away with no deal, if they continue to refuse to discuss trade. Our assistant political editor, norman smith, is in westminster. So, as well as the big pressure from other eu leaders, big pressure from home for theresa may . Really a significant stepping up in the pressure on mrs may from those tory brexiteers increasingly anxious about what they see as the european commission, eu leaders, dragging out the negotiations to try to get more money and a better deal out of britain. Now saying to mrs may, tonight, she should issue an ultimatum to the eu saying
Of over 70 mph, although the effects have not been as bad as expected. We will go live to the catalan region, Carles Puigdemont is calling for independence of the region, we will see what he has to say. Translation that is what the government, with the support of the socialist party, as given the strongest hit to our autonomy since the days of the dictatorship and franco. Undermining the will of the cata la n franco. Undermining the will of the catalan people, and violating all the guarantees of parliament and representatives of the Catalan Government that have approved. That the Spanish Government has represented itself as. As a representative of the catalan people without going to the ballot boxes, without going to the ballot boxes, with a very short representation. The government of marijuana the government of Mariano Rajoy would like to govern directly from madrid, it is not the first time that the catalan institutions have received this strong clue from the Spanish Government in o
Welcome to bbc news. The spanish prime minister, mariano rajoy, is planning to strip regional leaders in catalonia of their powers following their controversial referendum on independence. Almost 500,000 people have been protesting against the new measures. The Catalan Leader says they are the worst attack on catalonia since the fascist regime of general franco. Tom burridge reports from barcelona. Angrier than ever before, catalans who want independence, digesting madrids unprecedented move. To temporarily scrap their devolved government. Theyjust want to crush us down. And weve got dignity. Weve got our dignity. We fought for it for years, were going to be catalans. We fought for it, like, 40, 50 years. Are we going to go back to that . I want to see the army here. Were going to see it at this rate. I dont want that. Im young and i dont have that much knowledge, but i have enough knowledge to know that that isnt normal, and it shouldnt be happening in our country. We are a developed
That much knowledge, but i have enough knowledge to know that that isnt normal, and it shouldnt be happening in our country. We are a developed country, this isjust outrageous. Im speechless. The leader of catalonias devolved government in the crowd. Tonight, he called it the biggest attack on catalonias autonomy since the dictatorship of franco. Translation this is the worst attack on the institutions and people of catalonia since the dictatorship of franco. Earlier, spanish ministers approved what is known here as the nuclear option. In a few days, Catalan Autonomy will be suspended, the Regional Government sacked, all of its responsibilities run from madrid. Prime minister rajoy said catalan leaders will not be allowed to destroy the whole way in which spain is governed. Translation we apply article 155 because no government of any democratic country can accept disregard for the law. Catalonia is divided on the issue of independence, and some here, like carlos, accept that the Spani
Lessons as the director of the National Theatre, what is it about alan bennett plays that seem to make them absolutely bullet proof when it comes to success . Dont say that well, the way alan talks through his characters is the way large audiences wanted to be talked to. They trusted what he had to say, they trusted the way he said it. Theres a kind of bond that alan creates in the way he writes, which i can always depend upon. Put the van in your drive . That never occurred to me. Such as the lady in the van, a play which they subsequently turned into a film about an eccentric old lady who inveigles her way into Alan Bennetts life. Youre not doing me a favour, you know. I have got other fish to fry. Is it true that you write about the outsider, principally . Well, i suppose it is true. But not consciously. I dont go casting about for people who arent in the charmed circle, as it were. Have you ever had a situation, alan, where youve taken a play to nick, he was unenthusiastic, and the