25/03/2017 BBC Weekend News

The UK Independence Party's only MP, Douglas Carswell, has announced

He said he decided to go because the party had

achieved its goal of pulling Britain out of the European Union,

adding that he was going on "amicable terms".

He will now represent Clacton as an independent MP,

but there are calls for him to face a by-election.

Our Political Correspondent Alex Forsyth reports.

Shall we shake hands? I don't think we need to! There's been no love

lost between Douglas Carswell and some in Ukip for some time. When he

joined the party two years ago, it was a big deal. I am today leaving

the Conservative Party enjoining Ukip. But the relationship with the

then leader soon soured. Differences in policies and personalities. And

today he quit Ukip, saying its job was done when the country backed

Brexit. We have achieved what Ukip was for. If other people want to

carry it on, I wish them all the best. But you were the country's

only MP -- the party's only MP, why quit if you have not put the final

mail in the coughing? Theresa May means Brexit is in safe hands. No

tears from Nigel Farage, the former party leader saying that Douglas

Carswell had jumped before he was pushed and was never truly Ukip.

Currently does agree. It really won't make very much difference to

us, other than drooling a line under something that has really cause

nothing but heartache for about a year, more than a year. -- drawing a

line. Douglas was never that comfortable in the party, so I think

really he will go on his merry way. Douglas Carswell is duly elected as

a member of Parliament for the said constituency. Thank you. Last time

he changed allegiances, the Clacton MP made a big play of asking voters

for approval, but not this time. If I were switching parties, if I were

going from Ukip to the Conservatives, then absolutely I

would feel honour bound to call a by-election. But the voters voted

for a Ukip MP and now they getting an independent. When I was a

conservative and switched to Ukip, I was the first member of Parliament

for 26 years to insist on a by-election. But I'm not changing

parties, I'm not switching sides. So what do Beagle think of his decision

in his constituency? Bit of a disgrace, he was doing well for

Ukip. It's down to him at the end of the day, if he wants to do that we

can't do a lot about it, can we? He hasn't ruled out returning to the

Tories but for now he is and it did -- is an independent who has once

again raised the question of Ukip's relevance. Let's pick up on that

point with Alex, who is in Westminster. Where does this leave

Ukip's future? After their role in securing Brexit, you would think the

party should be riding high but it is now seeking direction and it has

been plagued by bitter infighting for more than a year and much of

that has stemmed from different views about the way the party

approached that referendum, with Nigel Farage, the former leader, and

his supporters, advocating a hard-line stance on issues like

immigration and others wanting a more moderate approach, including

Douglas Carswell. For many, they will see his departure as a chance

to move on from some of the division that has bothered Ukip so long now,

frustrating the party and stopping its chances of moving forward. But

he left one party gift -- parting gift coming he said the UK's job was

-- Ukip's job was done now the public at backed Brexit, again

raising the question of what the party stands for following leaving

the EU. A former head of the Metropolitan

Police has called for changes to security at Westminster,

following Wednesday's attack there. Former Commissioner Lord Blair said

there should be a review Two men from Birmingham continue

to be questioned by police Our Home Affairs Correspondent

June Kelly reports. Minutes after the terrorist attack

in the precincts of the Palace of Westminster. On the ground is

Constable Keith Palmer, who was stabbed to death. His killer, Khaled

Massoud, has been shot to death by police. Meanwhile, armed officers

here have left the scene to investigate the gates, where

Masood's car has mounted the pavement and crashed. Meanwhile, the

gates were left wide open, anyone could have got through. An

understandable error according to a former head of Scotland Yard, who

nevertheless leaves that in the future security will have to be more

stringent. I'm absolutely certain that they will have to be a review

now of the outer soft ring. Always behind it is the inner core of armed

officers, but PC Keith Palmer has paid for his life for that soft

outer ring and I think his family at least, and everyone else, need

reassurance. The BBC has obtained new footage of the police response.

A fleet of cars carrying teams of marksmen racing down the embankment.

This was shortly after Khalid Masood's Trail of carnage which

began on Westminster Bridge. Questions remain unanswered about

his route to radicalisation. He was a violent criminal before converting

to Islam more than a decade ago. One of his victims who have arrived is

this Romanian tourist, who was hurled into the Thames. She was in

London with her partner, who was also hurt. In Remainiac, a friend

paid tribute to the emergency services in London.

TRANSLATION: We would especially like to thank the doctors and

nurses, all the medical staff, for everything they are doing to help

them. Today at Scotland Yard, police officers who were part of the

emergency response laid flowers in memory of their colleague, Keith

Palmer, who they tried to help. June Kelly, BBC News.

The bodies of two teenagers have been found at the bottom of cliffs

Cleveland Police were called to Huntcliff last night.

And our correspondent Lindsey Smith is there now.

Lindsey, they're still trying to establish

They are. It was at 7pm last night that Cleveland Police were called to

reports of a casualty here at the cliffs behind me. What they

discovered on arrival with the coastguard was far worse, the bodies

of two Devon senior boys on a ledge. They were airlifted to the James

Cook hospital and we are told by Cleveland Police that the two

families of these teenagers are being supported by specially trained

officers today. This part is buried popular with walkers and the police

are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area before 7pm

last night to get in touch with them and help piece together exactly what

happened to these teenagers. Thank you.

European Union leaders have marked the 60th anniversary of the EU's

founding treaty with a formal declaration promising

Theresa May is not at the ceremony, in Rome.

The meeting comes as tens of thousands of people protest

in London against Brexit, just four days before

the formal process of leaving the EU is triggered.

Damian Grammaticas reports from Rome.

This gathering was the EU's answer to Brexit.

27 leaders from across Europe returned to Rome, to where the first

steps to the creation of the EU were taken, to reaffirm

their vows of unity, just as the UK prepares to quit.

I do think that the Brexit, the exit of Britain, is a tragedy.

The leaders were marking exactly 60 years to the day from the signing

of the treaties of Rome, in the very same room

Then, just six nations met to create an economic partnership.

Countries who had fought each other putting aside

Today, in a vast league expanded union, 27 Prime Ministers

and presidents signed a new Rome declaration, pledging to continue

to cooperate, even as they faced challenges all around.

Their countries are emerging from the economic crisis

but there are fears about jobs, terrorism, migration and divisions

Europe as a political entity will either be united

Only a united Europe can be a sovereign Europe.

In relation to the rest of the world.

And only a sovereign Europe guaranteed independence

for its nations, guarantees freedom for citizens.

And on this anniversary, there were marches around Europe

More than 20,000 estimated to have taken part.

And in Rome, the gatherings were small.

What worries EU leaders is that, in the wake of Brexit,

it's their opponents, Eurosceptic nationalist forces,

With this summit, EU leaders are trying to find

a new impetus for their project, to confront Brexit and the other

The problem they have: how to rekindle enthusiasm

That's it for now. I will be back for the later news at quarter