01/04/2017 BBC Weekend News

Britain says that Gibraltar cannot be used as a bargaining chip

in Brexit negotiations with the European Union.

Spain - which lays claim to Gibraltar -

insists it will have a direct say on the territory, once Britain

On Gibraltar, no agreement between the European Union

and the UK will apply without the consent of Spain.

A devastating mudslide in Colombia has killed more than 150 people.

How thousands of high earners have benefited from a housing scheme

meant to give the less well off a leg up on the housing ladder.

And Yohanna Konta wins the biggest tennis title

by a British woman in 40 years, as she conquers at the Miami Open.

The Government has said it will defend the interests

of Gibraltar in the Brexit negotiations, following warnings

that Spain is attempting to use the process to pursue its claim

The EU has suggested that a Brexit deal won't cover Gibraltar

without a separate agreement between London and Madrid.

Labour say it's vital the people of Gibraltar aren't

used as a "bargaining chip" in negotiations.

This room, looming from the Med is casting a shadow over Britain's

Brexit talks and the people of Gibraltar are wondering what the

future holds. They voted almost unanimously to remain in the EU,

giving Spain hopes of taking the territory back, just this week,

Theresa May said that wouldn't happen. We are absolutely steadfast

in our support of Gibraltar and its people and its economy. Our position

has not changed. But the European Council position has changed. In its

draft negotiating guidelines, it says, after the UK leaves the union,

no agreement between the EU and the United Kingdom may apply to the

territory of Gibraltar without the agreement between the kingdom of

Spain and the United Kingdom. TRANSLATION: On Gibraltar no

agreement between the European Union and the UK will apply without the

consent of Spain. We won't accept any agreement that undermines

Spain's position on Gibraltar's sovereignty or that harms Spain's

interests. And there are other grievances too, like Gibraltar's low

tax economy. Brexit may just have given the Spanish a bit more

negotiating leverage to the annoyance of politicians on the

rock. These are draft guidelines. Already we see Spain making the

moves that people expect she might have made with five minutes to

midnight with an agreement ready, she's doing now. Frankly, I think

it's singling out Gibraltar unfairly. Theresa May's letter

triggering Article 50 did mention Northern Ireland's border with the

Irish Republic, but not that of Gibraltar with Spain. Critics have

said that was a mistake which emboldened the Spanish. A Spanish

veto could mean choppy waters ahead. Spain hasn't been shy of confronting

Britain in the past. Here over fishing rights off the Gibraltar

coast. So will Britain be more likely to compromise on Gibraltar in

the interests of a bigger EU deal? It's absolutely wrong that any

future Free Trade Agreement, any future security, bilateral

arrangements or anything else should depend on Britain giving some

concession to Madrid over Gibraltar. Let me tell you, that will not

happen. Spain is putting Gibraltar firmly in the middle of Britain's

road to Brexit, raising the question of what other EU member states may

demand from the UK as the price of a deal.

In a moment, we'll speak to our political correspondent,

Iain Watson, in Downing Street, but first our Europe correspondent,

Damien, why is the EU side then insisting on this role for Spain in

discussing Gibraltar's future? The EU side don't view this as an

unfriendly act. They view this as the logic of Brexit. This is what

Brexit means, they say. Now Spain has always disputed the sovereignty

of Gibraltar. What a senior EU official told us was that while the

UK has been inside the union, it's been able to prevent that being

reflected in official union policy. On matters that arise after the UK

has left, the EU, the official said, would speak for the 27 members and

they said that Spain had lobbied hard to have this in and it will

apply to a future trade deal being applied to Gibraltar, not to the

exit deal. So Spain, yes, getting some leverage. Richard asked the

question in his report, how determined is Downing Street going

to be to resist this? Downing Street are saying tonight that their

commitment to Gibraltar remains, yes, rock solid. Boris Johnson, the

Foreign Secretary, has said Gibraltar is not for sale. What can

Britain do about it in these negotiations? Well, first of all,

British Members of the European Parliament are going to raise the

issue on Wednesday, but their influence in this is limited.

Further down-the-line, Britain can talk tough during those trade

negotiations with Spain. But you get the impression that Britain's very

much on one side of the negotiating table. The other 27 member states

are very much on the other side. This was a week when a diplomatic

plates started to spin. Unless the Government remains focussed, it's

clear some precious, fragile things could be put in danger. Thank you

both very much indeed. It was meant to help those,

who couldn't afford to get on the housing ladder,

buy their first home. But it's emerged nearly 4,000

families, earning more than ?100,000 a year,

have benefited from the Help to Buy But for the government's Help To Buy

scheme, Lina Hannon and her husband would have needed an additional five

to ten years before they could She does worry, though,

that some high earners were also It does bother me a bit that some

people that didn't really need But to be fair, I think

that the fact that the scheme was able to help people like me,

and I know that a lot of people benefited from this scheme,

it makes me feel happy. Introduced four years ago

to encourage house-building and help mostly first-time buyers get

on the ladder, 250,000 people have bought property

using the Help To Buy schemes. But research suggests that existing

homeowners from wealthy households Using official data,

research found that around 4000 households in England earning more

than ?100,000 used to the Help To Buy equity loan

scheme, and 20,000 households used it even though they weren't

even first-time buyers. This scheme, in place,

playing a valuable part in helping people get into the housing market

for the first time, should only be there for first-time buyers,

and really shouldn't be there for people who are earning

over ?100,000 per year. The Help To Buy equity loan scheme

offers buyers up to a fifth of the cost of a new-build home

so they only need to The government says almost 400,000

people have been helped and ?8.6 billion has been promised

for it in England until 2021. The fact that the Help To Buy

scheme has helped existing and sometimes wealthy households

will worry some economists. They have long seen concerns

about consumer indebtedness, rising house prices and savings

at an all-time record low. If the cost of living

continues to rise as it has in recent weeks and months,

that will make the A young asylum-seeker

is in a critical condition in hospital, after he was beaten

by a gang in what detectives Police say the 17-year-old,

who's an Iranian Kurd, was attacked at a bus stop

in Croydon, in south The Prison Officers' Association has

criticised Government measures to tackle a recruitment

crisis in jails. BBC News has learned that only 5%

of prison staff in England and Wales will be entitled to new pay

allowances of up to ?5,000. Nottinghamshire police are appealing

for help finding a woman, who's suspected of abducting her

two young sons. It comes after a family court warned

that Samantha Baldwin, who's 42, A mudslide in southern Colombia has

left more than 100 people dead. Police and rescue teams

are at the scene, but their efforts are being hampered by

poor weather conditions. Urged on by soldiers,

people living in the city of Macoa There is no time to collect

possessions because this Deadly mudslides have

engulfed parts of southern Colombia, submerging homes,

businesses and people. Over 150 are dead and

hundreds more are injured. As rescuers continue

the search for survivors, the president today declared a state

of emergency across the region. Unusually heavy rains

flooded the Macoa River, bursting its banks and those

of three tributaries. It created what eyewitnesses called

an avalanche of mud, that's pulled buildings apart,

devastating towns, leaving residents amazed

and appalled in equal measure. As families continue to flee,

the emergency services pick their way through the debris

in treacherous conditions. The Red Cross have tonight

warned that the death With all the sport, here's

Olly Foster at the BBC Sport Centre. Great Britain's Johanna Konta

is celebrating the best She won the Miami Open this evening,

beating the former World Number One, Caroline Wozniacki,

in straight sets. It's the most significant win by a

British woman since Virginia Wade won Wimbledon, 40 years ago.

Miami is a place for the relaxed and cool, not so easy in the baking heat

and playing one of the biggest matches of your life so far. Johanna

Konta British number one, with break one in game one. In the sun, it

takes some energy to sit and watch, let alone to contend with the

athleticism of Caroline Wozniacki. The first was a set of frequent

breaks, in serve, but not intensity. Like the sport's best, Konta peaked

at the most important points. This one earned her the first set 6-4.

Wozniacki is a former world number one, and yet, Konta started this as

favourite. A mark of her startling progress, the rankings are no

accident. The Danish woman was repaired, but never relented. Konta

offered more energy-saving thunder bolts. No British woman had won this

tournament before. She got there in straight sets. Now up to seventh in

the world, Jo Konta says she's benefitted from playing in Andy

Murray's shadow. You won't find much shadow in Miami.

There were eight matches in the Premier League today.

There are some great goals coming up on Match of the Day after the news,

but if you want to know the results, then here they come.

Chelsea's lead at the top is down to seven points.

That's after they lost 2-1 at home to Crystal Palace and second placed

All the goals at Stamford Bridge came in the first 15 minutes.

Christian Benteke with the Palace winner.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool are up to third after victory

There were also wins for Hull, Leicester and Watford.

Manchester United drew at home to West Brom,

Southampton against Bournemouth was also goalless.

Celtic will win the Scottish Premiership title tomorrow,

Today's matches saw some movement at the other end of the table.

Hamilton are on the up after beating nine-man St Johnstone with two

of their players sent off for fighting each other.

Inverness are now bottom after a 1-1 draw with Kilmarnock.

Partick Thistle beat Ross County 2-1 and Rangers drew with Motherwell.

Wasps have been knocked out of Rugby Union's European Champion's Cup.

The two-time winners were outclasssed by the three-time

The home side scoring four tries in their quarter-final.

32-17 the final score at the Aviva Stadium.

And on a good day for the Irish sides, Munster also

41-16, the final score at Thomond Park, as the province

reached their 12th semi-final in the competition.

The third round is under way at the first women's

golf major of the year, the ANA Inspirational in California.

Charley Hull is the best placed British player.

You might remember the story of a brightly coloured car that caused

consternation in certain quarters for spoiling the view in a Cotswold

village. The owner was criticised for parking

outside his home. After the story was broadcast,

100-strong convoy of fellow yellow car owners from around Britain

converged on the village in a very You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. Good evening. We've had some intense

April down pours today.