09/03/2017 BBC News at Ten

Tonight at ten, the Prime Minister defends a controversial increase

in national insurance for millions of self-employed workers.

Theresa May insists the changes will make the system simpler,

The shift towards self-employment is eroding the tax base.

It's making it harder to afford the public services

on which ordinary working families depend.

But the Chancellor stands accused of breaking

an election manifesto pledge - and there are calls for him

What we've got to do is make sure it doesn't get through the net.

We've got to make sure it gets stopped.

The Chancellor needs to do a U-turn. He needs to do it quickly.

Stepping up the pressure on England's A departments -

the Health Secretary says extra Budget money means they must

Honouring the service and sacrifice of military and civilians who served

in Iraq and Afghanistan - the Queen unveils

Rescued from wildlife traffickers - we return to Ivory Coast,

to report on the continuing crackdown on the illegal

One of the great artists of his generation -

tributes are paid to the British painter Sir Howard Hodgkin,

And coming up in Sportsday on BBC News:

There's an away goal for Manchester United

But they're held to a draw by Russians FC Rostov.

The Prime Minister has insisted that the controversial change

announced in the Budget to increase national insurance for self-employed

workers is "simpler, fairer and more progressive".

Theresa May refused to accept that the government had

broken a manifesto pledge, saying the promise had only extended

But the move has angered a number of Conservative

backbenchers and been roundly criticised by Labour.

Our political editor Laura Kuenssberg reports.

Brussels is rarely a place where British prime ministers can

find a retreat, but Theresa May entered discreetly into the summit,

Not for her the grand arrivals of her other EU colleagues.

Not the day for Number Ten to stop and chat.

But after a domestic debacle over her budget,

As the Chancellor made clear yesterday, we will use this moment

of change to build a stronger economy and a fairer society that

works for ordinary working people by embracing genuine economic

You have said many times that you believe deeply that voters must

"A Conservative government will not raise VAT, income tax

As you know, that appeared in the Conservative manifesto

in 2015, the basis upon which voters elected a Tory government.

Will you admit that you have broken that promise to the public?

If you do not, do you not risk looking like other politicians

who try to wriggle out of uncomfortable truths?

The legislation was clear that it was honouring our manifesto

commitment in our 2015 manifesto and no amendments or concerns

Honouring a commitment is not exactly the same

We did make some difficult decisions in the budget yesterday,

but those decisions allowed us to fund an ambitious,

new approach to technical education, to open more than 100 new free

schools and meet the growing demand for social care.

The shift towards self employment is eroding the tax rates,

it is making it harder to afford the public services

on which ordinary working families depend and this goes some way

The referendum ended politics as usual, and despite the context that

is that Theresa May faces, she's had a relatively trouble-free time. But

with real anger at home over her government's Budget, not today.

Gavin Wright is a self-employed tiler from Norwich. He chose the

Tories in 2015. But now he fears he'll lose as much as ?500 a year

from the changes. He reckons the Conservatives have slammed the door

on him. Cheated, annoyed. Basically you vote for someone, you get told

something. A year or so down the line they change their mind. They

lied to you, basically, and here we are. We've all been cheated.

Thousands, millions of self-employed people. At home, Philip Hammond's

Budget will meet resistance from Labour but the real trouble is that

some Tory MPs are on the warpath as well. This is something that has

slipped through the net and what we've got to do is make sure it

doesn't get through the net. It has to be stopped. The Chancellor leads

to do a U-turn, quickly. This is not sending out the message that I know

every Conservative member of Parliament believes in, which is

supporting business growth. These people are making the growth of the

future. In seven months the Prime Minister's team has rarely felt

pressure like this. They may well learn the hard way their Brexit

adventures in Brussels are not the only fund. Laura Kuenssberg, BBC

News, Brussels. Around 15% of all British

workers are self-employed. Under the new tax change

announced yesterday, more than half of them

will lose out. Higher and middle earners

will be hardest hit. Our economics editor Kamal Ahmed has

been looking at the numbers. Hairdressers, builders,

minicab drivers, well-paid The growing five million strong army

of the self-employed. They tend to pay less

tax and the Treasury I asked the man charged

by Theresa May with investigating the new world of work

whether Phillip Hammond was right to impose an increase

in National Insurance contributions Tax rises are never popular,

but as tax rises go, It's economically rational and it

strengthens the long-term So if you're going to

increase taxes, this Mr Hammond has talked

about fairness. So what are the differences

between being employed directly by a company

and being self-employed? For employed people,

there's the issue of rights at work. They receive parental leave,

sick pay and holiday pay. If you are self-employed,

you receive none of these rights. At present, an employed person

on about ?25,000 a year would pay For a self-employed person, that

insurance payment falls to ?1630. After this new tax increase,

that payment will rise to ?1810. That means that the tax gap

between the employed Self-employed people earning less

than ?15-16,000 per year The biggest hit will be about ?580

a year by 2019 for people earning The self-employed aren't the only

people facing a tax increase. This is Kelly Gilmour-Grassam,

who runs her own writing business. She takes some of her income

in dividends from her The Government is going to ask her,

and over a million other investors with shares,

to pay more tax. The people that might be

thinking of making the leap to being a freelancer or setting up

a small business, it might This is just the one budget

and we have already had If you can imagine what might happen

next year or the year after, you know, it's setting a culture

of discouragement But what about the employers

of the self-employed? They also gain, by,

for example, not making The Government is looking at

changing the rules for them as well. This debate about the new world

of work and fairness We heard earlier the Prime Minister

refusing to accept a manifesto pledge has been broken, but how much

pressure is the government under, over this? I think there is a lot of

pressure on them and in a way this has been one of, if not the most

bumpy yesterday for Theresa May's government since she took charge.

Back in the heady days of the summer. She's in trouble for two

reasons. Firstly, because of breaking that manifesto promise,

even though she was trying at pains to get off on bat on a technicality,

if you like, about how legislation went through the House of Commons.

But also because of who this tax rise will actually affect. For many

Tory MPs, what she and the Chancellor are doing is basically

going after the Tory tribes, going after their own people. The PM did

have a couple of reassurances. She said the legislation won't come in

until the autumn. She did hint at a package of measures, saying this

basically couldn't be looked at in isolation. And above all, she tried

hard to explain her conviction that this is fair. So whether or not in

her view it was really in the manifesto or not, whether or not

it's going to be a measure that's just going to come in on its own,

this in her view is something that is fair and therefore it's something

that has to be done. But it certainly has been a bumpy day for

her, no question about that. The Prime Minister is in Brussels, the

last summit before the start of negotiations on leaving the EU. It's

a crucial moment for her. Oh, yes, it's very sensitive. There's a sense

here that the UK and the other 27 countries are sizing each other up

before they sit down, facing each other across the negotiating table.

One of the biggest fights that is likely to come very early in the

tricky Brexit negotiations is over the bill that the UK has to settle

before we actually depart. There have been suggestions in this town

that the UK could be asked to stump up tens of billions of pounds, in

order to pay off things like EU officials' pensions, other projects

we might have committed to, but basically we've got to pay an exit

bill. The Foreign Secretary has told the BBC that instead of paying that

bill, in fact, he's suggested that Theresa May should do what Margaret

Thatcher did, back in 1984, and instead of paying up, she should ask

for money back. Now, this whole issue of whether or not we should be

stumping up any cash to pay to get out is something that is going to be

very controversial at home, but very controversial here, in Brussels.

There's determination here to make sure the UK doesn't walk away, but I

think that we are set at the start of the negotiations for opportune

Asti fight over cash. Laura Kuenssberg in Brussels, thank U. --

a nasty fight, over cash. The Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt

says it is essential that A departments in England hit waiting

time targets over the next year, now that extra money has been

earmarked for care and health NHS trusts are meant to assess 95%

of patients within four hours, but the latest figures suggest most

are currently only reaching 85%. Immense pressure on hospitals,

long delays for some patients. It's been one of the toughest ever

winters for the NHS, with the worst performance

on waiting times in England Having hinted the key A

target might be changed, the Health Secretary now says

the 95% benchmark can I'm personally not a great fan

of targets and I'm certainly not a fan of having too many targets,

but this one is critical How is that going to be

achieved and how quickly do It is not going to be overnight,

but it is essential, and I am expecting the NHS to return

to that target during the course Hospitals in England have now been

given a strict timetable. We hope to be in a position whereby

we will deliver 90% performance by September and 95% performance

by the end of March 2018. Some hospitals, like this one,

are consistently meeting the target. As you can see, we've got a bank

of computers here that give us Technology helps them monitor

the flow of patients and there is a focus on diverting

them if possible to Our attendances for the past year

were around about 140,000 patients. 40,000 of those we were able to get

to see the GP which we have on site and that has enabled us to remove

from the emergency department a lot of patients that probably did not

need to be here in the first place. Getting the A system

back to the 95% target is a big commitment,

given how far short of that the national

performance figure now is. So can the NHS in England deliver

with the money it's got? Ministers said the Chancellor's

budget increase will help - That includes a 100 million A

spending boost in year one. But that is a small proportion

of NHS England's annual It is a very big stretch

to hit 95% next year. It will need significant

investment in extra doctors, nurses and beds and in communities

and hospitals and we can't see Ministers say new money for social

care in the community and GP facilities in hospitals will help,

but they will now be judged on whether that 95% target

is met in a year's time. A brief look at some of the day's

other other news stories. The United States has said it's

deployed 400 extra troops to Syria, to speed up the defeat

of the Islamic State group They've been sent to support

an expected assault by an allied local force, which includes

a Kurdish militia. German police say several people

have been injured in an axe attack There are no reports about how

serious the injuries are. Angela Merkel has sharply criticised

Turkey's president for describing the cancellation of Turkish

political rallies in Germany President Erdogan made the comment

after hearing that his ministers wouldn't be able to speak

to Germany's Turkish community about a forthcoming referendum

on constitutional reform. Mrs Merkel said his language

wouldn't be tolerated. Two people have been killed

after a motorway bridge collapsed on Italy's main

Adriatic coast highway. A temporary structure had been

supporting the bridge near the north-east Italian

city of Ancona. Media reports say that two Romanian

workers were also injured. A national monument paying tribute

to members of the military and civilians who served and worked

in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan The Queen led the ceremony,

watched by 2500 invited guests, including other members

of the Royal family, politicians Tony Blair - who's faced strong

criticism for taking the UK into the Iraq conflict -

was also at the ceremony, There have been many accounts

of individual sacrifice during the longest and most intense

period of combat operations This was a day to recognise

the stories that have not been told. We meet in the presence of God

to commemorate and give thanks for all those civilians and members

of the military who have served 682 service personnel lost

their lives in Iraq and Afghanistan. The political decisions

which put them in harm's way No one has ever doubted the courage

and dedication of every man and every woman who travelled

to a troubled region. May this memorial commemorate

the lives and service of all. My son was called Kris O'Neill,

he was killed in Iraq in 2007. At least they are all being

recognised, that is the main thing. With all the controversy over

the Iraq war, I did not even think we would get a memorial,

but it shows what But delight at public recognition

was tempered by regret. A very fitting service,

a very pretty memorial, Bereaved parents, family members,

were not originally invited to this. Those who were invited saw

a sculpture that offered a glimpse Today brought a good closure

to the events, both Iraq, which was quite traumatic,

and Afghanistan, which I went to four times,

which was very traumatic. And I am leaving a team behind that

will continue working. One day, Sergeant Mark Lunn

and his wife Michelle will pass on their Iraq experiences

to their son Alfie, not on his best Alfie, and generations to come,

will have a permanent reminder of a chapter in our history that

remains unfinished business. Fake news, corrupt, the enemy

of the American people - those are just some of the attacks

that President Trump has repeatedly launched on a number

of mainstream media outlets. But what effect have his attacks

had on the journalists? The BBC's media editor, Amol Rajan,

is in the United States assessing This is what your brain

has been waiting for. This is a city and country that

thrives on information. But in the age of Donald Trump

and digital media, it is getting harder for Americans to sort

fact from fiction. The next generation

of great talk radio... A new generation of conservative

talk radio hosts is making millions of Americans feel like they're

being heard at last. This President today, Donald Trump,

I would go into battle for, whereas I would never have gone

into battle for Obama. Proud patriot Andrew Wilkow

broadcasts on a station that now has The internet really opened

people's eyes, because now, In this digital new media age,

the closed guild of media companies in this country,

they no longer enjoy You know I have a running

war with the media. That attack was aimed at CNN,

yet they and other networks are seeing their ratings rise

sharply, because of A lot of politics is

usually in the grey area. Trump says things that

are clearly untrue. His aides say things that

are clearly and provably false. In some ways, it is more

black and white now, which makes it easier

for journalists to fact check and to be blunt and to be

clear in their reporting. Donald Trump has provided

an unexpected boost to ratings and revenues at organisations

like this one. And in declaring a war

against the media, perhaps this President is helping to create

a golden age for journalism. Another organisation targeted

by Trump is the New York Times. Its editorial pages backed

Hillary Clinton in the election. It actually clarified our mission

in a way, you know, newspapers like mine went through a long decade

or so of debating what our future And suddenly, in comes this

transformational president, and I think the answer is in a lot

of ways, our future There has been a lot

of talk in the media about the responsibility to hold

Donald Trump accountable and I'm here to tell

you that it goes two ways. You don't want to say anything

on the record at all? For those reporters who cover

the White House, it is a challenge when journalists are excluded

from the official briefings. You do your best to get the actual

information out of the White House and you write a story and then

they come back at you with, How are you supposed to write

anything resembling reality if you're actually not

getting their side of the story? So it kind of puts

you in a double bind, A media savvy President has damaged

trust in American journalism. But for those who report on Trump,

it's rarely been harder or more rewarding to search for the truth

about where power lies. The man appointed by President Trump

to be in charge of America's environmental policies has said

he doesn't believe that carbon dioxide is a primary

cause of global warming - a view that's at odds with most

scientific evidence. Scott Pruitt also described

the Paris Climate Accord, which aims to reduce greenhouse gas

emissions, as a bad deal. Let's speak to our North America

correspondent Nick Bryant who's And the reaction? It is a moment in

the Trump administration that comes as no surprise. Scott Pruitt is a

climate change sceptic, which is why he got the job. But for many a

jaw-dropping moment to hear the head of the Environmental Protection

Agency to say he's not convinced carbon dioxide is a contributor to

global warming, which flies in the face of mainstream science and has

been slammed by environmental groups and it contradicts his agency's

website, which has policy implications. We are expecting an

executive order from President Trump that would roll back many of Barack

Obama's environmental regulations. There is also a fierce debate in the

Trump administration about whether to withdraw from the Paris Accord,

the landmark agreement. People like Scott Pruitt say it is a bad deal.

The President's daughter and Rex Tillerson say America should stay

in. It is a measure of how much has changed that Rex Tillerson, who till

a few months ago was head of the largest oil company is now a

moderating voice in the administration on climate change.

A brief look at some of the day's other other news stories.

A woman stabbed to death by her brother at a flat

33-year-old Ann-Marie James was killed in the incident on Wednesday.

36-year old Melvin James is understood to have

Staff at John Lewis and Waitrose - who own the company

and receive a yearly bonus - have seen their bonus cut to its

The John Lewis Partnership chairman said it had been reduced

for the fourth year in a row because of uncertainty

about inflation and the impact of Brexit on the value

A Church of England bishop has turned down a promotion

after his congregation protested about his opposition

The Right Reverend Philip North, who is currently the Bishop

of Burnley, was selected as the next Bishop of Sheffield in January.

Mr North said it was clear his appointment would be 'counter

productive' to the mission of the Church.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said he will take fans' opinions into

account when he makes up its mind whether to stay in the job. Arsenal

have lost five of their last seven games leading to speculation about

the future of their longest serving manager.

Earlier this year, we brought you the story of Nemley Junior,

a baby chimpanzee freed - thanks to a BBC investigation - from

Two of the traffickers are now being prosecuted,

And the body responsible for trying to stop the illegal trade

in endangered species has now tightened up its procedures.

David Shukman has been back to Ivory Coast.

A heart-warming story of recovery - a baby chimpanzee, Nemley Junior,

An astonishing turnaround, given the trauma he's been through.

Poachers killed his mother and the rest of his family and then

He was freed as a result of a BBC News investigation.

But he never liked to get too far from his keepers.

Chimpanzees live in close families in the wild.

Nemley Junior has now lost his and needs a new one.

This is a key moment for Nemley Junior, meeting another

He's never going to make it back into the wild,

so the best hope is to create bonds with a new family.

Just a few months ago, he looked so much thinner while in the hands

We briefed the police and they moved in.

A young dealer called Ibrahima Traore and his uncle Mohamed.

They're now awaiting trial - the first prosecution for wildlife

trafficking that Ivory Coast has ever seen.

And with big money involved, they're linked to another network

The Sidibe family also sold baby chimpanzees,

but two of them have now been arrested, so this could

Once you get one, you arrest them, you prosecute them,

That message starts to get out - that wildlife crime is no

low risk, there is a risk here, in fact, I might go to jail.

The dealers circulate videos of the chimps for sale.

Wildlife investigators say the arrests will slow the trade

It is just one big step, but it is a neverending battle,

So you've made progress, but it's not the end?

Not the end, it's like a drug, it's a never-ending battle.

Back at the zoo, Nemley Junior is playful.

A mobile phone keeps him amused and here's the view from it.

After our first report of his rescue, many of you were keen

Well, it's reassuring to see him thriving,

and also to think that with four traffickers arrested,

other chimps in the jungles may be a little safer.

David Shukmman, BBC News, in Ivory Coast.

The artist Sir Howard Hodgkin has died at the age of 84.

A painter and printmaker, he was a central figure

in contemporary art for more than half a century

and became known for his semi-abstract blocks of colour.

The Tate described him as one of the greatest artists

of his generation, as our arts editor

This is a self-portrait by Howard Hodgkin.

It is how he saw himself, not in physical terms,

but as a representation of his feelings and sensations.

That was his style, to step out of time and place

It is what marked him out as an artist.

Each painting was the result of the laborious stop-start process

I hate the act of painting, I always have done.

amateur painters, aren't you lucky to be able to do this?

I may be lucky with the result, but having to go through the horrors

of painting the picture is not something I ever look forward to.

Howard is really one of the great painters of his generation.

He is up there with David Hockney, with Bridget Riley.

He has got an international reputation and he leaves

behind him some very, very great works of art.

Howard Hodgkin first arrived on the scene in the 1960s.

He made his name in the 70s and triumphed in the 80s,

representing Britain at the Venice Biennale

I am very pleased, very grateful and very surprised.

Matisse, Degas and Jackson Pollock were all influences.

But it was the light and life of India that he first discovered

in 1964 which became his great love and inspiration.

Lilac, the pink, the orange, yellow between.

I think more than any other artist I can think of,

Howard's paintings are a celebration of life, they are an

It is not just life as if seen by a one-eyed Cyclops.

It is life in motion, it is life as experienced over many years,

but more than anything else, it is viewed through sensation

Howard Hodgkin might not have enjoyed picking

up his brush and making his art, but he couldn't resist

His paintings were his way of remembering and will be our way

The artist Sir Howard Hodgkin, who has died at the age of 84.

Tonight, David Cameron's former director of communications

when he was Prime Minister tells us that being perceived to have

broken a manifesto pledge on National Insurance is a very

difficult position for the government.

Now, time for the news where you are.