17/02/2017 BBC News at Six

Tony Blair says he's determined to persuade Britons to rise up

and change their minds about Brexit.

The former prime minister calls for voters to rethink

the decision to leave the EU, saying they did not know

As these terms become clear it is their right

Our mission is to persuade them to do so.

We heard all these arguments last year.

It really is insulting the intelligence

of the electorate to say that they got it wrong.

We'll be asking whether Mr Blair is likely to have

The US food giant Kraft Heinz offers more than ?100 billion for Unilever,

The driver of the bin lorry that crashed in Glasgow,

killing six people, admits a driving offence

We have a special report from Guernsey where people

And after more than 20 years at Arsenal, what next

for Arsene Wenger as he hints he could be managing

And coming up on BBC News: Can non-league Lincoln

continue their run in the FA Cup as they prepare for a fifth round

Good evening and welcome to the BBC News at Six.

Tony Blair says he's on a mission to persuade British voters

to change their minds on leaving the European Union.

He's called on people to rise up against Brexit.

The former Prime Minister said the government was now set

on leaving the EU "at any cost", which would damage the economy

But the speech has been ridiculed by Leave supporters,

with the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, accusing

Mr Blair of insulting the public's intelligence.

Here's our political correspondent, Carole Walker.

A rallying cry from the former Prime Minister.

Time, he said, to rise up and force a rethink on the decision

The people voted without knowledge of

As these terms become clear, it is their right to

Our mission is to persuade them to do so.

He said he would expose the risks of the

current plans for Brexit, damage to the economy and jobs, put the

break-up of the UK back on the table.

He said controlling immigration had become the

government's main consideration as it took the country towards not just

I would actually question whether the referendum really provides a

We will withdraw from the single market, which is around half of our

We will also now leave the customs union,

covering trade with countries like Turkey.

This impacts everything from airline travel to financial

The Prime Minister has been meeting her French

counterpart this afternoon as she prepares to begin the formal Brexit

She said she will seek the greatest possible

access to the European single market through a new free trade agreement.

Will you take the advice of Tony Blair?

Ministers are scathing about Mr Blair's intervention.

We heard all these arguments last year.

It is insulting the intelligence of the electorate

Tony Blair believes the government's approach

to Brexit is being driven by ideologues passionate about the move

to take Britain out of the European Union

and that the Labour Party is failing to provide

But some will doubt whether he is the man to lead a

popular movement to overturn the Brexit vote.

Tony Blair did not say he wants a second referendum.

Do you really think you are the one with

the popular appeal to get a different answer if you did get a

This is a free country, so I have a right to speak and you

If you do not want to listen to me, do not listen to me. I am clear and

simple on this. I know there will be a volley of abuse coming my way for

speaking like this, but I care about the country. He has supporters in

the party he used to lead. Whether you love him or not he is somebody

we should listen to. He has huge experience of politics at the top

level. Theresa May is unlikely to be swayed by the warnings of one of her

predecessors as she embarks on complex negotiations to take us out

of the EU. And Carole joins me

now from Westminster. Tony Blair calling for the creation

of a new political movement. Is he likely to succeed? He wants to

change the terms of the debate to convince us that Brexit is not

inevitable. He is setting up an Institute to try to further the

cause. He has provoked an onslaught of abuse from many of the leading

Brexit campaigners who say that it shows that he is arrogant, out of

touch, it is undemocratic, teaching the British people as fools. It is

worth remembering he is also contradicting the present Labour

leader Jeremy Corbyn who says that his party will respect the vote in

the referendum last year and has instructed his MPs to support the

move is to begin the formal Brexit negotiations. Tony Blair is somebody

who in his day was a remarkable campaign. He won three general

elections. The legacy of the Iraq war means he is a hugely divisive

figure and even some of those who share his concerns about Brexit may

be wary of his involvement. Tony Blair's intervention is not going to

problem for the government as it embarks on this mission but it does

face some really huge difficulties on the road to Brexit.

One is famous for its brands like Marmite.

The other, the US food giant Kraft Heinz, has ketchup

But now Kraft Heinz has made a ?100 billion takeover bid for Unilever,

But the signs are that Kraft may well continue to push for a deal.

If it happens it would be one of the largest mergers

Our Business Editor Simon Jack reports.

Unilever, a name that may not be known in every household, but every

household will recognise what techniques. Marmite, PG tips, Surf

and dozens more. Hines which makes beans, and Cadbury, wants to put

these brands in one basket. Unilever say that Kraft trying to get the

company on the cheap and have rejected the offer but in mega deals

like this the first offer is rarely the last and Kraft will have a plan

to justify a higher one. They do that by radically cutting costs with

Unilever and pushing up Unilever's profits beyond what Unilever have

been prepared to offer to the market. Kraft will do that because

they have a different perception of what they are rated profit is done

here in Europe. When it comes to takeovers that does not get much

bigger than this. Kraft is offering ?115 billion which would put it in

the top three mergers and acquisitions of all time. The

combined company would be worth over ?200 billion. It would wield

enormous power. One of the reasons both company's shares rose on the

prospect that a deal may yet be done. Kraft has a track record of

buying well-known UK brands and not a good one. In 2009 Ed Bott Cadbury.

After promising to keep the factory near Bristol open it backtracked.

That led to changes to the takeover rules requiring companies to spell

out their plans for jobs and premises in more detail but many

feel they do not go far enough. At the moment the legal powers do not

allow the government to block takeovers of this kind but there is

a wider competition this year which the competition authorities should

investigate. Sky was snapped up. Great businesses on special, say

others. Unilever says it is not just about price. These two companies

just do not go well together. Shareholders will have the last

word. The driver of a bin lorry that

crashed in Glasgow in 2014, killing six people, has admitted

to a motoring offence that occurred Harry Clarke, seen here

on the right, pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless driving

in September 2015. His licence had already been

revoked after the crash Our correspondent Steven Godden

is at Glasgow Sheriff Court. It was the mag days before Christmas

in 2014 Harry Clark was driving a bin lorry through the centre of

Glasgow when he lost consciousness and the chaos that followed his

out-of-control vehicle, knocking over pedestrians, and six people

were killed. In the vehicle accident on Friday it was determined that

tragedy could been prevented if Harry Clarke had not lied about his

history of blackouts. He has never been prosecuted for what happened

that day but he had his licence revoked. That is crucial to today.

Nine months after the bin lorry crash, neighbours saw Harry Clarke

in the car park outside his house. He drove the car out onto the street

and return two hours later. Prosecutors said he was a danger to

the public, he should have known he was unfit to drive. They accepted

his guilty plea to a charge of reckless and dangerous driving. He

left without making any comment but he will be back here at the end of

next month for sentencing when he could be jailed.

Retail sales fell unexpectedly in the UK last month,

They'd been expected to rise by 0.9%.

Instead, sales in January dropped by 0.3% compared

The pound fell against the dollar and the euro

Analysts have blamed food and fuel price hikes for the squeeze

Business rates, they're the commercial version of council tax.

And in April they're set to change for the first time in seven years

to reflect the shift in property values in many areas.

But some of the revaluations are so dramatic that many

businesses, big and small, are worried about the impact.

Some even fear they could be put out of business.

But the government maintains that more will end up benefiting

It is a tale of two high streets. On the left there is Bolton where many

business rates are going down. On the right, London's Brick Lane, now

the home of hipsters where rates are going up. The owner of this

chocolate shop currently pays ?29,000 in rates. She does not know

her new bell but that's expert has worked it out. It is not good.

Unfortunately your bill over the next five years will increase up to

?47,000 per year. Effectively a 62% increase over five years. I am

speechless. If we can afford it it will be by the skin of our teeth.

It is all change on business rates, from shops and pubs

It affects 1.85 million properties in

It is set to rake in ?23.5 billion for the Treasury this year.

The government says 920,000 businesses will see their bills go

420,000 will stay the same, but to make the sums add up, it

More than half a million of them whose bills are going up.

The level of increases is just enormous.

And it is very difficult to see any business, particularly

when business rates are often the third largest

outgoing, to sustain that level of increase.

It is very difficult to see those businesses

This is the biggest shake-up to business

Streets like this one will have to share a far

bigger burden than they used to because property values have gone

But in other parts of the country, the changes will bring

Back to Bolton and a family run bakery who reckon

Our rateable value on this premises has gone down. We are a net gain in

this shop by about ?4000 a year. We quite like it. Under devolution

there are changes in Scotland and Wales as well. Edinburgh Castle will

see its rates rocket. Northern Ireland will not get an overhaul for

another few years. In England the government says the changes will be

phased in and more will benefit than lose out but for those who do life

may be far from sweet. Tony Blair calls on people

to "rise up against Brexit", Saying they have a right to

reconsider. But his critics accuse him

of insulting the intelligence And still to come: They've been

dubbed The Lady and The Tramp - she gave him a cup of tea

when he was homeless, now more than 40 years later -

they're getting married. he will be managing next season -

whether that's at Arsenal or somewhere else, as his future

hangs in the balance. Should patients be forced to pay

to see a GP or for a visit to A to ease the financial

pressure on the NHS? It's a controversial subject but one

that some feel should be considered. Well just 100 miles off

the south coast of England, the channel island of Guernsey has

been doing just that for decades - with islanders paying for many

aspects of their care. But critics say it can deter

people from seeking help. Our Health Editor Hugh Pym has been

to Guernsey to find out more. A card payment machine

in a hospital. Yes, it does happen in one part

of the British Isles. You see the list of

charges when you arrive. ?49.50 during the day,

more at night. 25% of the service's running costs

come from patient fees. This marine Ambulance Service

mainly covers the small Local people can either take out

an annual subscription, or might have to pay hundreds

of pounds to be picked up That subscription,

less than ?1 per week, If you don't have it,

the service says, it won't Payment is never mentioned as part

of the clinical care we provide. They are sent an invoice

within a couple of weeks following their use

of the Ambulance Service and they normally then

settle by whatever means This doctor thinks that

is fair for patients. I think there are enough

safeguards to ensure people go I think inevitably payment

for a service does make you think as to whether you really

should be going. Some residents pay

for medical insurance. Anyone on benefits has their health

costs covered by the state, though pensioners and children

are not automatically exempt. I had an accident at Christmas

and I had to go to A There could be a reduction

for pensioners. Because it is a lot of money

out of your pension. You can get to see a doctor

with one or two days of notice and the hospital

is first class, yes. You do have to pay for a GP and A,

but not ongoing hospital that people on low income might

delay seeking timely care. I think that for those people just

above the benefits threshold, they might not go to the GP early

enough, and that might mean when they do present,

things have got worse and then they have to be treated

in a hospital environment It is an island community relatively

well off with a population That's equivalent to

a medium-sized town in the UK. So it is hard to draw obvious

conclusions about what the NHS might The real risk of charging

is we do not raise very much money. We increase the administrative

complexity and, in fact, people with really important health

care conditions are deterred even further from going to see

their medical practitioner If anyone wants to see

a charging model, it's here. But, politically, it's not even

on the horizon for the NHS. Any party advocating it

might find its electoral Pakistan has told Afghanistan

to hand over more than 70 high profile militants

after a suicide attacker killed at least 80 people at

a Sufi Muslim shrine. In Pakistan the security

forces have carried out raids across the country,

killing and arresting dozens of suspected militants,

following yesterday's attack. The so-called Islamic State have

claimed responsibility He's been in charge of Arsenal

for more than 20 years - but will he be there

for much longer? Arsene Wenger said today that he'll

definitely be managing a team next season -

whether that's at Arsenal This week his team were thrashed

5-1 by Bayern Munich After the match some former players

suggested it was time Our Sports Correspondent David

Ornstein is at the Emirates Stadium. For 21 years Arsenal and Arsene

Wenger have gone hand in hand. But the club have struggled to get their

hands on a major trophy recently. He has been under pressure before but

is out of contract in the summer and today for the first time

acknowledged that his time here could be coming to a close. For

Arsenal the feeling was all too familiar. Badly beaten, all eyes on

the boss. For club and coach, is the end finally in sight? No matter what

happens I will manage next season. Visit here or somewhere else, you

know? That's absolutely for sure. You do not stay somewhere for 20

years and what out after a defeat like that. I have the strength and

experience to respond to that. In 1996 he arrived to headlines of

Arsene who? But he silenced critics by collecting trophies. He turned

the likes of Thierry Henry into superstars and his team became

invincible is, going an entire league season unbeaten. Three

Premier League titles and six FA cups among his achievements. Arsene

Wenger has not only managed this club but transformed it. The club,

the new stadium, and this state-of-the-art training ground are

all based on his vision. But not everything has gone to plan, he has

failed to conquer Europe and has not won league title since 2004 causing

a split amongst the fans. I have never seen Arsenal win the league

which is sad and I want that to happen. He has done us proud but I

think he has overstayed now. Enough is enough, we need to move on. I

would like to announce he's going to step down now so he can go out on a

good vibe and the fans can reunite. People have to be careful what they

wish for. I think it is important the club makes the right decision

for the future, I did not work here for 20 years not to care for this

club, I had many opportunities to go elsewhere during that period and it

is important the club is always in safe hands. Arsenal are still in

three competitions, the season is far from over. But the future of

their greatest manager looks more uncertain than ever before.

A deputy headteacher has been banned from schools for a minimum of ten

years for having sex with teenage girls. The council has launched an

enquiry into why he received an ?8,000 payoff and a reference

despite his actions being known about. One of the ringleaders behind

the Hatton Garden rate of 2015 has admitted trying to steel ?1 million

worth of gems from our London jewellers five years earlier. Daniel

Jones is serving a prison sentence for his role in the infamous

jewellery heist. He tried to break into a Mayfair jewellers in 2010.

Dick Bruna, the Dutch illustrator and author who created

the much-loved cartoon rabbit Miffy, has died at age of 89.

He wrote more than 30 books about Miffy's adventures

which sold over 80 million copies worldwide.

They've been nicknamed The Lady and The Tramp.

That's because when Joan Neininger met Ken Selway -

more than 40 years ago - he was sleeping rough

The pair - who are both now 89 years old -

This weekend they're getting married.

Joan ran the little shop in the centre of Gloucester

with her husband, and one day in 1975 she saw Ken

What sort of food would you take? Anything that was beatable.

So Joan gave Ken a cup of tea that day and sketched

She invited him to live with her husband and children and as the

decades passed he became part of the family. In 1983 her husband died and

she was left alone. How lonely life can be, the shadows follow me. Which

brings us to today, they are living in the same sheltered housing block

and tomorrow they get married. He sings like Perry Como. How much of a

difference has she made to your life? Big difference. I have got

security now. A roof over my head. Food every day. And who would have

thought it, all these years on, a wedding? Yeah, well I never drink

it. He is lovely. When he's not being grumpy and stinky and

horrible. He's lovely. It hasn't always been easy. Joan helped Ken

get treatment for schizophrenia. Did she save your life? Yes. We just

belong together, that's all. We made it, didn't we darling? You know what

I think of you, I don't have to put it into words. He's just that part

of me. They will marry tomorrow with the full support of their families

on what will be Joan's birthday. What does the future hold in store?

Well it would be babies and it would be a white wedding dress! -- it will

not be babies and it will not be a white wedding dress!

Spring blooms encouraged again this weekend, some mild weather for the

past few days, staying that way, the breeze will pick up once again but

it would be bone dry, outbreaks of rain affecting western and northern

parts of the UK overnight am not amounting to match, pepping up a bit

in west of Scotland later in the night. With the blanket of cloud it

will be frost free for the vast majority, one or two fog patches,

hill fog, quiet start to Saturday morning. Early reign in Northern

Ireland clearing, behind it brightening up, there will be blast

the showers. A band of rain moving its way through Northern England and

North Wales, to the size of that we start with plenty of cloud,

brightens up a bit more especially into south-east England. What about

these temperatures for mid-February? Going out on Saturday evening light

rain moving south through parts of England and Wales, still blustery

showers across north-west Scotland and looking ahead to the second part

of the weekend, breezy across the board, variable cloud, the odd spot

of rain around. Later moving into part of Northern Ireland and western

Scotland. So we have established the mild weekend and in fact going into

the start of next week it will be even milder. It's just possible on

Monday that somewhere might get as high as 17 Celsius. But before you

get too carried away we are not expecting clear blue skies, lots of

cloud coming and might see a bit of sunshine and maybe realise the 1617.

Many of us will fall short of that but it will still be very mild for

the time of year although later next week it will turn colder again but

still nowhere near as cold as it was last weekend. The forecast wherever

you are or where you are going is on a website and you can see in more

detail what is happening next week with the weather for the week ahead

video. A reminder of our main story:

Tony Blair calls on people to "rise But his critics have

accused him of insulting And the US food giant Heinz makes a

takeover offer for Unilever. That's all from the BBC News at Six

- so it's goodbye from me -