25/01/2014 BBC Weekend News

50p top rate of income tax. The party says those with the broadest

shoulders should pay a fairer share of the burden. The next Labour

Government will reverse this Government's top rate tax cut so we

can finish the job of getting the deficit down fairly. Business

leaders warn the move would threaten economic recovery. The other

headlines: No let-up in the fighting in Syria as the first face-to-face

peace talks take place in Geneva. The French President announces he's

to split from his long-term partner, after allegations of an affair. The

COMMENTATOR: Will he make them pay? He does. No giant killing in today's

fourth round of the FA Cup. The big boys brush aside the minnows.

Good evening. Labour have pledged to bring back the 50p top rate of

income tax, if they win the next election. The higher rate would be

introduced for those earning more than ?150,000 a year. In a keynote

speech, the Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls, said "those with the broadest

shoulders should bear a fairer share of the burden." The announcement was

quickly condemned by the Conservatives. Our political

correspondent Ross Hawkins is at Westminster for us tonight. Plenty

of politicians go into an election campaigning hinting they will keep

taxes down, Ed Balls promised to put one up because, he argued, it would

be a fairer way of dealing with the deficit. Should high earners pay a

top tax rate of 50p in the ?1? That question is certain to loom over the

general election campaign after Ed Balls said this. It cannot be right

for David Cameron and George Osborne to have choosen to give the richest

people in our country a huge tax cut. That's why, for the next

parliament, the next Labour Government will reverse this

Government's top rate tax cut so we can finish the job of getting the

deficit down fairly. No surprise it went down well with this friendly

audience. Because in 2009 a lane r Labour Chancellor, Alistair Darling,

announced the top rate for those earning over ?150,000 a year would

go up from 40p to 50p. Just in time for the general election, perhaps

guessing that three years on, a Conservative Chancellor, George

Osborne, would bring it down to 45p. Letting Labour accuse him, as they

have ever since, of cutting taxes for the rich, the Tories say they've

heard it all before. What we've heard from Ed Balls today is the

same old Labour. Their reaction to almost every economic problem is

more borrowing and more taxes. Today's no change from that.

Business groups are critical, so too is one businessman who supported

George Osborne's policies in the past. We've been through a very

tough time in the economy over the last couple of years. I know we're

recovering from that. Why would we want to jeopardise it. I think it's

a dangerous move. Tories say official figures show cutting the

rate cost just ?100 million, not much in tax term. Labour dispute the

judges. Either way the numbers aren't huge. In terms of tax

revenue, on the most optimistic view, this will make no difference

to the amount of money available for publicpublic services. Could make a

big difference to the politics though. Ed Balls promised to spend

less on day-to-day outgoings than he does on taxes. Politicians campaign

with symbols, not spreadsheets. Labour will hope this one looks fair

and not the sign of a party poised for too much tax and spend. Others

have doubts as well. Lord miers in, the former Labour city minister,

warned about predatory (inaudible) A Labour peer said he thinks it is a

bad idea for the party and the country. The debate has started

already within Labour's ranks. Thank you very much. Ed Balls will be

among Andrew Marr's guests tomorrow morning on BBC One at 9.00 am.

Syria's government and opposition have finally met face-to-face at the

UN-sponsored peace talks in Geneva. Today's talks were aimed at getting

agreement for local ceasefires to allow humanitarian aid to be

delivered. Tomorrow, they will discuss the issue of prisoners. Our

World Affairs Correspondent, Paul Wood, reports now from Geneva. The

Geneva has brought no relief yet from the Agnes of Syria's civil war.

This is the latest fight in the Deraa suburb of Damascus. Regime

forces are dropping the much feared barrel bomb. It's hoped that Geneva

will bring a ceasefire here and in many other places. In coming here

the regime was forced to accept the Geneva I declaration for a transfer

of power. The Government doesn't accept that means President Assad

should go. This is a big lie when we speak about President Assad to step

down. This is not part of Geneva I. This is a misinterpretation of the

provisions of Geneva I. For the opposition, getting rid of Mr Assad

is the entire premise of these talks. A first day of meetings

hasn't moved the two sides closer together, or eased the rhetoric. You

know dictators usually they don't like to listen, but today they had

to listen to us and to the voice of Syrian people that Syrian people

they want transition from dictatorship to democracy. For the

UN mediator, just getting regime and opposition into the same room was an

achievement, he know there is is much more to do. We hope they will

exercise their influence on all sides inside Syria and in the region

to, you know, get out of the ditch that they're in and work with us.

These discussions have been inching forward, but so far only because

they've avoided the main issue, that is the future of President Assad and

of his regime. The as many as 130,000 people have lost their lives

over that question. It won't be solved quickly or easily here. Paul

Wood, BBC News, Geneva. Here, a senior police chief has warned

Britons returning to the UK from Syria that they'll be stopped at the

border and face arrest. Sir Peter Fahy, who's the Chief Constable of

Greater Manchester Police told the BBC there was "huge concern" that

Britons arriving back after fighting in Syria could return as terrorists.

There are very extreme groups now, so people may well have seen things,

may have been subjected to terrorist training. May be traumatised. May

have been radicalised. Therefore, we are saying anybody coming back, who

we believe has been in Syria, they will be stopped. They will be, they

may well be arrested. We need to find out what they have been up to.

There clearly is a concern that people are getting training, in the

Syrian conflict, then clearly could come back and pose a threat to this

country. 29 people have been killed during anti-government marches in

Egypt. Most of the dead were supporters of the ousted President

Mohamed Morsi. The violence came as the country marked the anniversary

of the revolution in 2 o 011 that swept away Hosni Mubarak. Tahrir

Square, three years on. A street party at the birthplace of the

revolution. It was here that crowds swept away Hosni Mubarak, a military

strong man, but now many are back looking for another one. This may be

the face of the future, General Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, supporters of

the army chief were showing their devotion and urging him to run for

the presidency. Across town we found some of el-Sisi's opponents, not

kissing his picture here, but tearing it up. They weren't able to

protest for long. Three years after the revolution, this is the approach

to dissent. Well it didn't take long for trouble to start here. In the

last few minutes the police have been using teargas. And they've been

using live round. We've seen them being fired. The crowd has now

scattered. The heavily armed police are still in the area. The

authorities have been cracking down on both Islamist and secular

protesters. On what was billed as a day of celebration, Egypt is tense,

divided and counting new dead. Orla Guerin, BBC News, Cairo. A murder

investigation has been launched by Surrey Police following the death of

a 17-year-old girl. Officers were called to an address in Oxted

yesterday afternoon after the body of the girl was discovered. A

16-year-old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is in police

custody. The French President, Francois Hollande, has announced

he's splitting from his partner of eight years, Valerie Trierweiler. It

follows intense speculation about their relationship since a magazine

published details of his alleged affair with an actress. Fraens First

Lady spent a week in hospital after the revelations became public. From

Paris, here's Christian Fraser. So, finally officially, it's over. The

President's statement tonight was carefully timed for evening

bulletins I wish to announce, he said, as a private individual I've

ended my relationship with Valerie Trierweiler. Hardly a surprise to

anyone. The gossip magazine Closer, revealed for two years Mr Hollande

has been in a secret relationship with the French actress, Julie

Gayet. There were details of their stolen weekends in the south of

France and the nights they'd shared together in a Paris apartment there

was a pressing need for the Elysee Palace to clarify the situation

before the President's upcoming trip to the White House on February 11th.

As for public opinion, well, successive polls suggest the

approval ratings are still routed at 22%. Unchanged from a month ago,

then the Railtrackings can hardly go any lower. The trouble is, less than

two years into his presidency, critics say Mr Hollande's campaign

pledges are returning to haunt him. I'll use transparency. I'll never

lie. I will never mix private and public life. It is exactly what

happened. And there will be endless speculation over Julie Gayet's

future position inspite of the president's insistence he will leave

along. Valerie Trierweiler heads off tomorrow to India, stripped of her

po position, her five staffed and her home. The woman he once called

the love of his life, now firmly placed outside it. The Ukranian

President, Viktor Yanukovych, has offered top government jobs to the

opposition as he tries to he are solve the political crisis which has

prompted a wave of anti-government protests across the country. The

concessions have been rejected by the opposition and tonight there are

more reports of disturbances. Steve Rosenborg reports now from Kiev. It

is hard toed believe that this is the centre of a European capital.

Earlier today Kiev's streets were a battlefield. Rocks and Molotov

cocktails were hurled over barricades towards lines of police,

despite reports of fresh negotiations between the President

and the opposition. Those talks ended with a surprise offer from

President Yanukovych. If the protests stopped, he would give the

job of Prime Minister to one of the opposition leaders. The opposition

demanded more concessions, constitutional change and fresh

elections. Prance a few weeks ago President Yanukovych's opponents

would have been persuaded to end their protest by the deal he is

offering tonight. Several anti-government protesters have been

killed this week in Kiev and the people here are in no mood to

compromise. I think it's a tricky move from the power from the

President Yanukovych to divide the opposition camp. The only guilty man

of all this is Yanukovych. And, people not leaving until he go away.

There's no sign that President Yanukovych is ready to agree to

that. Steve Rosenborg BBC News, Kiev. To round up all the sports

news here's Olly Foster at the BBC Sport centre. Good evening.

Manchester United have confirmed the signing of Chelsea's Juan Mata Juan

Mata for a club record ?37.1 million. The Spanish midfielder

passed his medical and agreed personal terms today. He said he

couldn't turn down the chance to join the champions. He could make

his debut at Old Trafford on Tuesday night against Cardiff. 12 FA Cup

fourth round ties today. No replace were required. No major upsets

either. Some of the countries' top teams ventured out of their comfort

zone. Football league fans dream of a chance to take on the Premier

League's finest on home soil in the Cup. Liverpool faced a potentially

tricky trip to Championship Bournemouth. The Moses snuffed out

early promise from the home side with a spark of Premier League

quality. Bournemouth might have had the chance to draw level from the

penalty spot, but Kelly's shirt tug was missed by the referee. They were

left wondering what might have been. Three minutes later Sturridge had a

clinical finish. Everton were up against a team two leagues below

them. Stevenage were unlucky not to get an early breakthrough. It cost

them. They couldn't clear their lines and Everton capitalised on

their first chance to take a troughy need through Steven Naismith.

Everton were shaken when rye their midfielder suffered a nasty leg

brake in the first half. The Premier League side remained composed.

Stevenage deserved more for that efforts. Everton wrapped up a 4-0

victory. Bony scored twice for Swansea to beat Birmingham. Watford

were 2-0 up with half an hour to play at Manchester City, an Sergio

Aguero hat-trick helped them to a 4-2 win. Cup holders Wigan, now in

the Championship, beat Premier League Crystal Palace 2-1. There

were four games in the Scottish Premiership. Celtic play tomorrow.

Third against second at Fir Park. Motherwell were two one up. Aberdeen

stay second in the table after their skipper got an late equaliser. Wins

for kill rnock and Hearts. Will Li Na claimed her second Grand Slam

title. She won the first set on a tie-break she flew through the

second. There was an international athletics meeting in Glasgow today.

Great Britain's won the 60m. There was also a Scottish national record

for 20-year-old student Laura Muer. Scotland came last in the overall

standing stands with a Commonwealth team finishing top. That is all your

sport. Thank you very very much. Is it. You can see more of all of

today's stories on the BBC News Channel. From all of us here, a very

With clear skies it is turning chilly out there at the moment. It

leaves us with a risk of ice nor northern England and Scotland.

Things are brewing in the Atlantic. This low pressure system will bring

rain, strong winds into Northern Ireland for the early hours. Cold

air for Scotland. Here some hill snow for a time. We will concentrate

on the rain,