20/03/2016 BBC News at Ten

Iain Duncan Smith accuses his former Cabinet colleagues of losing

In a scathing attack the former Work and Pensions Secretary says

the government in which he served is getting it wrong.

I think it is in danger of drifting in a direction that divides society

rather than unite it. And I think that is unfair. He has

been an cabinet for six years, he has not been a spectator. He has

been part of the liver in the progress we have made in making sure

we are a one nation government. We'll be asking how the Chancellor

and the Prime Minister will move on from

a damaging 48 hours. Barack Obama becomes the first

American president to visit Cuba More arrivals on the Greek islands,

despite the new EU deal allowing migrants and refugees to be

sent back to Turkey. And Prince Harry meets survivors

of last year's earthquake in Nepal. Iain Duncan Smith has

intensified his attack on the government saying its welfare

cuts risk dividing society rather In his first interview

since his shock resignation, the former Work and Pensions

Secretary criticised what he called the Treasury's

"desperate search for savings" which he said were focussed

on benefit cuts for people Tonight, one of his former Cabinet

colleagues rejected the criticism, insisting that the Conservatives

were still a one nation government. Our first report is from our

political correspondent Alex The impact of his resignation

ricocheted through government. Two days on, the self-styled quiet man

is making his voice heard. In his first interview since stepping down,

Iain Duncan Smith delivered a damning indictment of government

policy, claiming it was balancing the books on the backs of the poor.

I'm concerned that this government that I want to succeed is actually

not able to do the kind of thing is that it should because it has become

too focused on narrowly getting the deficit down without being able to

say whether it should fall other than simply on those who I think can

less afford to have that fall on them. Iain Duncan Smith has

persuaded over deep cuts to benefit for the past six years. But now says

they have gone too far and are unfair. He lay blame at the

Treasury's door for protecting pensioners while seeking short-term

savings from the younger generation. We need to make sure we widen the

scope of where we live together deficit down, and not just narrow it

down on working age benefits. There is a reason, because otherwise it

looks like we see this as a pot of money, it doesn't matter because

they don't vote for us, and that is my concern. We will spend more on

real-time supporting disabled people... The recent budget proved

the final straw when disability cuts were included alongside tax

reductions for middle earners. Iain Duncan Smith's discontent had been

brewing for months. He now says he disagrees with the cap on welfare

spending that he had publicly supported. Your cases the Chancellor

is wrong on his overall benefits, he is wrong that where he's at

repeating the pain, he has been protecting better off orders at the

Spencer people who are more vulnerable. These are series of body

blows to the Chancellor. Firstly blows to the Chancellor. Firstly

this is not personal. People may think it is personal when you

resign, but it is not personal. And he gave a lukewarm response when

asked of George Osborne would be good Prime Minister. At exactly if

you want to send and if you are selected by the electorate, which is

not just me but everybody else, I would hope that he would, but I

would think the same for almost anybody else. Critics say his real

motivation is to destabilise the current leadership, driven by his

desire to leave the European Union. He insists he wants to force a

rethink on the government's welfare policy. I care for one thing and one

thing only, it is that the people who don't get the choices that my

children get are left behind. I do not want them left behind. I want

them given that opportunity. It is not easy, it is painful to resign. I

do not want to resign but I'm resigning cos I think it is the only

way I can do this. Some in Whitehall point out he was at the top table

when policies he is now criticising were implemented. Iain Duncan Smith

has been in Cabinet for six years, he has not been a spectator. He has

been part of delivering the progress we have made in making sure we are a

one nation government, that we help everybody. Spending on disabilities

has gone up every year. We make sure more people are in employment, and

we always help the people who are the lowest paid. But the manner of

his departure has undermined the government's court claim of

compassionate conservatism, and handed ammunition to its critics.

Tackling the size of the welfare budget has been a central

Conservative objective in government.

But delivering savings has proved to be more difficult than imagined.

Our Political Correspondent Chris Mason reports on the battle

Any government trying to save money is likely to be tempted to home in

on the welfare budget. The reason is simple and bake. Let's take a look

at where our taxes go. One third of all government spending goes on

welfare, but the biggest chunk of that, 42%, is spent on pensions,

which are protected from cuts. He will never get the deficit down

without doing something to that budget. The issue for the government

is that they are protecting the bit that goes to pensioners, and that

means bigger cuts on average to the benefits of close to people of

working age. And that has left people like Beth, who has multiple

sclerosis, feeling unfairly targeted and squeezed. It is pretty much the

most honourable people in society that are taking the worst hit from

changes, not just regards to stability. And I really seriously

think it needs to be rethought. I think there are other areas that

could be budgeted. The government hoped it could keep a lid on welfare

spending by imposing a cap. First there is the restriction on what

benefits individual households can get every year, soon to be cut from

?26,000 a year to ?20,000, or 23 in London. There is evidence of this

popular, and Iain Duncan Smith supported it, but it does not save

that much money. What annoyed Mr Duncan Smith was the second cap on a

big chunk of his department's overall spending. This is the

current limit, but the government acknowledged this has been breached

anyway. They have spent more. It is arguably a red herring. With

ministers facing awkward questions about their budgeting, and the rows

that have rumbled on within the Cabinet, it has given Labour a

chance to point out it is not just them who suffer from blast of

internal turbulence. They wanted explanation from the Chancellor, and

soon. We have asked George Osborne to come to Parliament to explain his

stance on the budget because this budget is falling apart. I cannot

see how he can not consider his position now. But it will be the

Prime Minister explaining what it plans to do tomorrow, and the big

challenge remains, shaking up welfare is hard enough when there is

enough money around, it is harder still when there isn't.

Our Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg is in Downing Street

We already had divisions in the government over the EU, and now this

on welfare. How does the Government move on from this? How do you move

on any organisation when its members have been hurling insults at each

other in public? And even more strongly in private. The answer is

it will be extremely difficult. In the short-term we will see David

Cameron tomorrow and he will push back at some of these stinging

accusations. I am told he will remake the argument and state his

amendments to modern, compassionate conservatism. In other words he will

push back and will suggest that the cuts are not unfair, and that this

government is in his words a one nation government, they are not

somehow going after the most honourable. That is Iain Duncan

Smith's strongest criticism of what has been going on. And the new

Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions, Stephen

Crabb, who has taken over, will confirm that those disability

benefit changes will not go ahead. They had become politically

impossible, but in the medium term that leaves another hole in the

budget. And in the longer term that will be challenging. The

Conservative Party is also divided over the European referendum. We are

in that campaign right now, it was already going to be difficult for

David Cameron to keep his party together through a period of intense

campaigning. That will be even harder with August that blood

swirling around in public. -- with this bad blood. Certainly it is not

apocalyptic, but this is the most dangerous political moment of this

Conservative government so far. Barack Obama has become the first

American president to visit Cuba for 88 years, arriving in Havana

a short time ago on Air Force One. The visit was made possible by last

year's historic new chapter in relations between

the United States and Cuba. Our North America editor Jon Sopel

joins us live from Havana. Yes, Barack Obama is due to go on a

walkabout very close to where we are speaking, in the next half an hour.

You might be able to see that we have thunder, lightning and heavy

rain. This was not part of the script. That the government had

imagined when it planned this trip. It is a hugely important visit. The

word historic is overused, but they be for this visit is justified.

In force one has taken US presidents to a lot of unusual places, but

there is still something unusual about the site of its taxing to a

halt at the airport in Havana. If we are a flight from Washington that

has taken over 50 years to make. The weather did not play ball. The

Obamas were greeted by black clouds and torrential rain as they arrived.

Travelling with them was a delegation of politicians and

business leaders. Huge numbers of American companies will want to ride

their luck. This rodeo is part of an agricultural show. Comment this

country is used to measure economic progress by tractor production. It

is not without irony that the first American company to set up on the

island since the thawing of relations will be selling farm

machinery to the achievements. I was here when the revolution happened,

and it feels like a very important aspect of history to me. Being able

to participate in bringing, through commerce, two peoples together, is a

very important issue. And it is historic. It is nearly 90 years

since the last American president set foot on Cuban soil. Then it was

Calvin Coolidge. Today the excitement will be even greater when

Barack Obama arrives. Even 18 months ago the idea that Barack Obama

worked come to all Havana and down a walkabout would be unthinkable. But

that is exactly what he will do later today. And when he does, 50

years of Cold War hostility will become history. And a New Year in

Cuba - American relations will begin. Although serious issues

remain, the president wants to keep a light touch, taking part in this

skit with Cuba's top comedian. But the less funny side of life in Cuba

this morning, as a group of anti-government protesters, the

so-called ladies and white, were arrested as they are regularly. The

White House has made clear that the president will meet these dissidents

with the Cuban government likes it or not. All Havana feels like a

place frozen in time, but change is coming, and coming quickly. Barack

Obama's visit is the vivid symbol of this new course.

A bus carrying foreign students has crashed in Spain killing at least 13

They were returning from a bonfire festival in Valencia when the bus

The passengers were on an exchange programme at Barcelona University.

A British student is thought to be among those injured.

Hundreds more migrants arrived on the Greek islands today

despite new rules coming into force that will allow them to be deported

The measures are part of a deal with the EU that it hopes will stem

the numbers of people attempting the crossing.

Our correspondent James reynolds watched some of the latest arrivals

A short time after dawn a boat full of migrants is escorted

It is early in the day, but they may be too late.

These migrants have made it to Europe, but if the new deal

is implemented properly, they may not get to stay

Europe may choose to send them back across these waters in just

Deportations may even begin in the coming days.

The new arrivals do not appear to know that they can't stay.

You and everyone here might have to go back to Turkey.

Osama and Nesrin have escaped from Syria and she is five months

They think they have got here just before the deadline.

Today is the first day of the new rules.

So maybe we go back to Turkey or what?

For now they will be sent to this fortified island camp.

The EU promises to send hundreds of judges to hear asylum cases

individually, but human rights groups doubt the promises

The asylum system in Greece is already overwhelmed,

so it is difficult to see how people coming to the island will receive

individual assessment and support that they need in order to claim

And this island is still working through its backlog of existing

migrants who have been sent to the Greek mainland.

Deporting new arrivals back to Turkey may be

Let's join our Chief International Correspondent Lyse Doucet who's

Can you see an impact from the new rules on your side? It is only 24

hours and already you can see an impact. The Coast Guard are saying

they stopped hundreds of people in the past 24 hours, Syrians, Iraqis,

Afghans. They have been interdicting the smugglers' boats, and stopping

some before they even reach the coastline. Some Syrians have told us

they will still keep trying the matter what because they have no

other option. Some are beginning to reluctantly accept that this door

may be closing. One of the main squares here, which months ago was

packed with people buying those life jackets, try to contact smugglers,

is much quieter now, and it can become quieter still wants grease

started blending its side of the deal, and that is as you heard in

the report deporting people back here to Turkey. This could

potentially be a turning point, but like those leaky boats that the

migrants and refugees are using, it is full of holes. There are riskier

route to use, unscrupulous smugglers, and still the war in

Syria that shows no sign of stopping.

Prince Harry has visited sites damaged by last year's earthquake

in Nepal which killed nearly 9,000 people.

He's on the second day of a five-day trip to the country.

Our Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell,

Harry was visiting one of the supposedly temporary camps

for the hundreds of thousands of Nepalese people whose homes

11 months on, they are still living in tents.

A brief diversion today, briefing their visitor.

Earlier Harry had been taken to Patan Durbar Square

It was here in this square, with its ancient Hindu and Buddhist

temples that a tourist caught on video the moment

It was just before midday on 25th April last year.

Across Nepal, it's estimated that more than 8,000 people were killed.

11 months on, the rubble may have been cleared away but very little

"The government is doing nothing", this man said.

But it's the human stories which resonate.

Stories which Harry heard from people living in tents,

who lost everything apart from their lives.

I know the earthquake has meant that you now live here,

but in some way you are lucky that you are alive and no-one

Nearly one year on, and most of the damage remains unrepaired

and many of the people are still without permanent housing

and there is no immediate prospect of any change.

With all the sport, here's Lizzie Greenwood-Hughes at the BBC

We're starting with football and Match of the Day 2

and Sportscene follow the news so if you don't want to know

the scores, this is your chance to leave the room.

England striker Harry Kane scored twice as second placed Tottenham

beat Bournemouth 3-0 to cut Leicester's lead at the top

of the Premier League back to 5 points.

Elsewhere the Manchester derby went the way of United as they beat City

to keep their hopes of Champions league football next season alive.

The relegation battle between Newcastle and Sunderland

And Southampton came from behind to beat Liverpool.

There was also a Scottish Premiership derby in which bottom

club Dundee United scraped a late draw against their neighbours

The new Formula One season got-off to a dramatic start

Nico Rosberg took first place ahead of Britain's Lewis Hamilton.

But the race will be remembered for a spectacular crash.

Our Correspondent David Ornstein reports.

The new F1 season starting is the last one finished. Nico Rosberg and

Lewis Hamilton were the dominant duo, another one and two for

Mercedes. But it will be remembered for a lucky escape. Attempting a

pass at 190 mph on lap 17, Fernando Alonso clipped the back of another

car. He was launched into a terrifying role that ended with his

McLaren obliterated. The two-time champion walked away without injury,

but theirs was a stark reminder of the dangers the sport poses. The day

started in thrilling fashion. Sebastian Vettel surged into the

lead as Hamilton fell to six place. Having voted to abandon the new

qualifying system that fails to improve excitement, the teams

provided no shortage of entertainment in the race itself.

Yet it was Roseberg who came out on top. Will he be the one to catch in

2016? The Head Coach of England's

victorious Six Nations winning team says his players will be even

better in a few years. Eddie Jones took England

from World Cup flops to Grand slam winners after just four

months in the job. There's a number of players in the

squad that are moving towards 30 caps, and when you have played 30

caps it means you have that three consistent years of test rugby, so

you know your way around test rugby and little bit, and that's what we

saw last night, the players maturing into their roles.

The Women's Six Nations concluded today.

France had already beaten England to the title on Friday.

In today's games Ireland thrashed Scotland to take third place

and condemn Scotland to the wooden spoon.

Great Britain's paracyclists showed they're the team to beat in Rio

after topping the medal table at the Track World Championships in

At the last big event before the Paralympics,

they won 17 medals - 8 of them golds including

a record-breaking performance in the team sprint today.

Before we go - congratulations to Eddie Izzard on a great sporting

This is the moment he completed 27 marathons in 27 days -

He raised an incredible one point three million pounds for Sport

I was trying to do something that might stir people's emotions,

Some people out there will be going, "I don't care at all."

But you people are not, you are wonderful people.

So well done to you, you wonderful people.

Sport Relief says its final fundraising total is nearly

That's all from us tonight. Now the news where you are.

We expect a big change in the weather this week, but for the

high pressure cost the UK keeping high pressure cost the UK keeping

things dry most of it were. Areas of cloud and clear skies, particularly

across England and Wales. The Southeast might hang on to cloud for

longer. More cloud coming into Scotland and Northern Ireland, not

as cold as last night. Some blue on the chart across the countryside in

Wales and the Midlands. A touch of frost and some short lived missed

and fog. Monday is a cloudy start across Northern Ireland, and cloudy

for western areas of Scotland. Eastern Scotland enjoys sunshine

from the start. Sunshine across the north-east of England. More cloud

across the Irish Sea may give drizzle in Wales and Merseyside.

South Wales and South Midlands, Southern England will see some

sunshine in the morning, cloud in the Southeast breaking up so it

should be quite bright. More cloud coming down from the North. That

will fill in across Wales and the Midlands. And more cloud later

across southern England. But the cloud should break for Northern

England. Temperatures for most of us into double figures. Monday evening

should be dry from many places. Rain into the far north of Scotland.

Overnight there will be more cloud, so not as cold for England and

Wales. And I choose the western part could be cloudy with spots of rain

and drizzle, mostly western Scotland and Northern Ireland. Temperatures

8-12d. Things are starting to change after Tuesday. High-pressure recedes

and we can say goodbye to that. Instead weather will come in from

the Atlantic and we have some weather front. The second one

bringing some rain to western areas on Thursday. But it opens the door

to some different weather for Easter weekend. Stronger winds bringing

rain from time to time, but not a wash-out. The sunshine will come

through and it will feel worn in the sunshine.