13/03/2018 BBC News at One

Boris Johnson says there's strong

international support for the UK

following its ulimatum to Moscow

over the nerve gas

poisoning in Salisbury.

I've been very encouraged, so far,

by the strength of the support

that we are getting.

I think in particular

from President Macron of France,

I spoke to Sigmar Gabriel,

my German counterpart,

and from Washington.

Russia has until midnight to explain

how a military-grade substance has

left a former Russian spy

and his daughter critically ill

in hospital.

Russia has strongly rejected

claims of involvement,

saying it won't respond

to the midnight deadline

unless its experts are allowed

to examine poison

recovered from the scene.

Also this lunchtime...

Do you have good news

today, Chancellor?

Is that a spring in your step?

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has

delivered his spring statement and,

with it, an upbeat assessment of the

state of the UK economy. He said

growth had risen and employment was

up. In last few minutes, Donald

Trump has sacked his Secretary of

State, Rex Tillerson.

Victims of the black cab rapist

John Worboys begin a High Court

challenge against the decision

to release him from prison.

And another medal for Team GB -

Menna Fitzpatrick skis into silver

at the Winter Paralympics.

And coming up in the

sport on BBC News...

Jump racing's annual showpiece,

the Cheltenham Festival,

gets under way this afternoon

with Buveur D'Air attempting

to defend his title in the feature,

the Champion Hurdle.

Good afternoon and welcome

to the News at One.

The Foreign Secretary,

Boris Johnson, has said he's

encouraged by the strength

of support from Britain's allies

following the poisoning of a former

spy in Salisbury last week.

Theresa May has said it's "highly

likely" that Russia was behind

the attack on Sergei Skripal

and his daughter and has given

the Kremlin until midnight

to explain its role.

Moscow has denied any

involvement and has summoned

the British ambassador.

Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei

Lavrov dismissed as "rubbish"

claims that his country

was behind the poisoning.

Our first report this lunchtime

is by Richard Galpin.

The historic city of Salisbury,

population around 50,000. And the

location of the first chemical

weapons attack in this country. In

which not a standard nerve agent was

used, but one called Novichok, which

is exceptionally potent and

persistent.

This is the most deadly

chemical agent we have ever come

across, that has the potential to

kill many millions of people. It is

a new chemical weapon, very

sophisticated, very toxic and very

persistent.

And it was developed

here in Russia. This, believed to be

one of the laboratories in Moscow

where scientists started working in

1970s and 80s to different forms of

the nerve agent, which are

particularly difficult to detect.

And that is why, back in Salisbury,

the decontamination process has

spread far and wide. All locations

on vehicles which may have come into

contact with Novichok needing to be

thoroughly cleaned. Nine days after

the attack on the Russian double

agent Sergei Skripal and his

daughter, nothing has been formally

announced about how, where and

exactly where they ingested the

nerve agent. There are plenty of

theories, including that it may have

been in this car, which belongs to

Mr Skripal and had been in the city

centre. It is amongst the many

vehicles to have been taken away for

examination and decontamination. For

the people of Salisbury, this is an

extraordinary and very worrying

time. Hundreds belatedly told to

wash their clothes, because they had

been in some of the contaminated

areas. And now they, like the rest

of the country, wait to see what the

government will do after it

announced it was highly likely that

Russia was behind the attack.

If

they can spot which one it was,

which spy it was or whoever did it,

yeah, got to take Russia to task.

I

would like to see what is now going

to happen, what Theresa May is going

to go on and do, really.

I don't

think that any particular aspect of

our interests are served by picking

a fight.

If there is no response

from Russia in the coming hours

about what happened in this city,

then the Government has promised to

announce tomorrow what action it

will take. Richard Galpin, BBC News.

So if the Salisbury attack

is officially declared to have been

ordered by the Russian state,

what can the Government do?

Paul Adams reports.

Theresa May and Vladimir Putin are

now locked in a diplomatic

stand-off. What chance of a

breakthrough in the coming hours? At

the Foreign Office, there is

certainly a feeling that support for

Britain's position is growing.

I

have been very encouraged so far by

the strength of the support that we

are getting. I think in particular

from President Macron of France, I

talked to Sigmar Gabriel, my German

counterpart, and from Washington,

where Rex Tillerson last night made

it absolutely clear that he sees

this as part of a pattern of

disruptive behaviour, increasingly

disruptive behaviour, malign

behaviour.

The outgoing American

Secretary of State said the US have

full confidence in Britain's

assessment that Russia was probably

responsible for the nerve agent.

Are

you worried about Russia after the

attack in the UK?

Yes.

In Europe,

frustrations over Brexit have, for

the moment, been set aside.

I

believe that the European Council

should come in clear terms, express

its full solidarity with the British

people and the British Government

and address this issue.

In Moscow,

little sign of a resolution. The

British ambassador was summoned,

with Russia demanding information

about the investigation and seeing

it is being thwarted. TRANSLATION:

We have already said it is

We have already said it is rubbish,

we have nothing to do with it.

Sergey Lavrov said Russia would

co-operate, but this would take

time. What will Britain do if Russia

doesn't respond by tonight? There

are plenty of options. Russian

diplomats could be expelled,

sanctions could be applied against

Russian individuals or businesses.

Russian broadcasters like TRT could

be blocked, and British officials

could boycott the World Cup. Today,

a meeting of the organisation which

monitors Uncle Ben's. The

organisation has condemned the

action in Salisbury, but it is not

clear what action it is planning to

take. Britain's representative says

that those that used chemical

weapons cannot be immune from

consequences of their actions.

In the last half-hour, Donald Trump

has announced he is removing the

secretary state Rex Tillerson from

office. He will be replaced by CIA

director Mike Pompeo. Is this linked

to Rex Tillerson pointing the finger

so squarely at Russia?

You can see

why people might conclude that. He

has just enthusiastically endorsed

the British position at a time when,

conspicuously, his boss Donald Trump

said nothing about it and people

have been wondering whether that is

to do with Donald Trump's alleged

closeness to Vladimir Putin. I think

that is a wrong assumption. The

timing, as always, with Donald

Trump, is eccentric. Rex Tillerson,

in the middle of a trip to Africa,

he's going to have to cut that

short. As usual, we get to hear

about it in a tweet on in the early

hours of the Washington morning.

Mike Pompeo, as the outgoing CIA

boss, will have seen all the

intelligence himself. He will know

what Rex Tillerson knows, I would be

surprised if we do not hear comments

from him at some point,

from him at some point, on similar

lines to those of Rex Tillerson,

even if Donald Trump remains silent.

Mike Pompeo is quite pro-British. I

don't think we should see any

connection there. It is clearly a

reflection of something that is in

the wings for a long time. We have

known since September or October

that Donald Trump wanted to get rid

of Rex Tillerson. Remember, there

was the famous quote attributed

was the famous quote attributed to

Rex Tillerson, alleged to have

called Donald Trump and exclusive

moron. That was denied, sort of, the

time. It was sort of expected, but

the timing is a little blunt, as

always. -- expletive moron.

We can

speak to Sarah Rainsford. We have

had a complete denial by the Russian

Foreign Minister of any involvement

in this incident in Salisbury. What

else can we expect before the

midnight deadline?

I don't think we

can expect anything different to

that. This was Sergey Lavrov,

responding to questions I put to him

in Moscow today. I was asking him if

he could exclude any Russian

involvement in the poisoning of

Sergei Skripal. He said he could,

Russia had nothing to do with it and

the suggestion that Russia is behind

it is nonsense. He said I should

make sure I report that. He said

what many people here are claiming,

that there is this kind of hysteria

in the UK, and that is what Russia

is claiming is behind all of this,

claiming that the finger is being

pointed towards Russia without any

evidence. Of course, the UK has

pointed very clearly to the

substance known as Novichok. Russian

state media is reporting that the

USSR did to do something called

Novichok, but that the stockpiles in

Russia were destroyed some time ago.

Sergey Lavrov has made another

claim, he says according to the

Convention on chemical weapons, if

Russia is being accused of a

chemical attack, then it should be

given a sample of the substance used

to conduct its own analysis. I think

what this means is that Russia is

essentially laying the groundwork in

order to deny everything, to say

that this was a close investigation

in the United Kingdom and that

Russia is innocent, but that Russia

has not been allowed to defend

itself properly and that it is being

accused unfairly. I think that is

probably where we are heading,

deadline or no deadline.

The Chancellor Philip Hammond has

delivered his Spring Statement

on the UK's economic performance.

In a break with recent tradition,

this was not a "mini Budget"

with no major policy or tax

and spending announcements.

Our political correspondent

Alex Forsyth reports.

There was no red box, no stopping

for a photocall.

Is that a spring in

your step?

But the Chancellor did

have a smile as he headed to the

Commons, not for a budget but for an

update on the state of the economy.

Statement, the Chancellor of the

Exchequer.

He told MPs growth

forecasts were slightly up and

borrowing down, but urged against

reckless spending.

Mr Speaker, I do

not agree with those that argue that

every available penny must be used

to reduce the deficit. Nor do I

agree with the fiscal fantasists

opposite, who argue that every

available penny should be spent

immediately. We shall continue to

deliver a balanced approach,

balancing debt reduction against the

need for investment in Britain's

future, support to hard-working

families through lower taxes and our

commitment to our public services.

But in an optimistic statement, he

hinted at money to come, saying

there was light at the end of the

tunnel.

If, in the autumn, public

finances continue to reflect

improvements that today's report

hints at, then in accordance with

our balanced approach, and using a

flexible as you provided by the

fiscal rules, I would have capacity

to enable further increases in

public spending and investment in

the years ahead.

But Labour wanted

more.

Hasn't he listens to the

doctors, the nurses, teachers, the

police officers, the carers and even

his own councillors? They are

telling him they can't wait for the

next budget. They are telling him to

act now. For eight years they have

been ignored by this government. And

today they have been ignored again.

The Chancellor scrap the spring

budget in favour of just one year,

so we were told not to expect any

major tax and spending measures

today. But for some, and improving

economic picture marks a moment to

end austerity, a chance to loosen

the purse strings. The Government

says now is not the time to splash

the cash.

I think what the

Chancellor wanted to do is continue

a balanced approach. That means

taking a responsible approach to the

public finances, making sure we have

the targeted investment that we have

increased in schools on the NHS, but

also keeping taxes as low as

possible.

So the streets around

Parliament may be free from the

ceremony of a budget, but the

political ordnance over the economy

aren't going anywhere.

Norman Smith is in Westminster. This

was a very different statement to

what we are used to at this time of

year?

It surely was. This is

normally a big bananas date. If you

look at previous chancellors like

Gordon Brown and George Osborne,

they used this as a mini budget. Not

so Philip Hammond. He deliberately

wanted this to be a much more

low-key event. I think that is the

story of today. It is all about

expectation management. Mr Hammond

has deliberately chosen to lower

expectations today, but has raised

expectations for his budget in the

autumn. So, today there were no big

announcements, no big spending

commitments, probably not even the

symbols of a big occasion, there was

no big red box or big red book. But

it seems to me that he has made a

rod for his own back when it comes

to the autumn budget, in part by the

very glowing review of the economy,

pointing to the fact that growth had

been revised upwards, that job

growth was expected to continue,

year in, year out, inflation was

likely to return to normal and the

deficit and debt were now in a much

better place. That will, inevitably,

create pressure from MPs, for Mr

Hammond to splash the cash in the

autumn. More than that, Mr Hammond

said that he would look at a new

path for public spending in the

autumn, and if the economy was still

performing as it is now he would

look at increased investment and

spending. So, he has lowered

expectations today, but, boy, has he

raced in for the autumn budget. --

raised them for the autumn budget.

As part of his Spring Statement

the Chancellor revealed the economy

was performing better than expected.

Our Economics Correspondent

Andy Verity is here.

You have to remember how gloomy it

was last November, there was a

slight upward revision in a common

growth, 1.5% for the year 2018, as

opposed to 1.4% before, which has a

knock-on effect. The faster the

economy is growing, though more

money comes in in taxes and the less

you spend in benefits and that tends

to improve public finances. There

was also a note that borrowing for

2017-18 £45.2 billion, £5 billion

better, £5 billion less common than

previously thought. Compared to what

people were saying before the

statement, it is a bit

disappointing. A lot of people were

predicting Philip Hammond would have

had room to come up with money for

the NHS or education or police. They

are now predicting, the official

forecasters, a positive sign, that

wages will start to grow by more

than inflation in the second quarter

of the year, springtime surprise, if

you like. Inflation is faster than

wages at the moment, 3% compared to

2.5%, the hope is that will change.

The bleak thing is still

productivity. A couple of positive

numbers on improvements recently and

there have been speculation the

forecast might improve that, --

might include that, but not

dismissing it as a blip and they

still think productivity is pretty

poor.

Thank you. There was also a

consultation on whether there should

be taxes on single use plastics.

It will consider whether charges

should be added to bottles,

cans and even possibly chewing gum.

Here's our environment

analyst, Roger Harrabin.

Our lives hang together with

plaster, the drinks we drink, the

foods we eat, the straws we suck,

the cotton buds, even the chewing

gum. But David Attenborough's Blue

Planet showed too many items ended

up in the stomachs of creatures and

the Government thinks putting a

charge on single use plastics might

help.

We will follow up on the vital

issue of plastic lettering and the

threat to our oceans with a call for

evidence to support us in delivering

on our vowed to tackle this complex

issue -- littering.

The scheme we

visited in Norway might be one

option. You pay a deposit on bottles

and cans and a machine checks them

and gives a coupon for your money

back. Homeless people collect

littered bottles because they have a

value. A levy has been demanded on

coffee by MPs, a proposed 25p

surcharge on disposable cups. The

Government favours coffee shops

offering discounts for customers who

bring their own cups.

It is

certainly sensible for the

Government to look at ways of heart

attacks plastic but it should not

delay urgent action that we need

Ashley Crow at ways to tax plastic.

We know recycling will never be

enough to deal with the plastic

crisis -- looking at ways to tax

plastic.

Chewing gum is after all a

type of plastic and is included.

This used chewing gum is being

turned into useful objects like the

souls of shoes. This idea might

benefit from a £20 million

innovation fund her plastics

announced by the Chancellor.

Whatever the result of the

Chancellor's consultation, the

public mood on throwaway society is

shifting, take this cup, it's usable

life is about... Three seconds. That

will surely change. Roger Harrabin,

BBC News.

Our top story this lunchtime...

Boris Johnson says there's strong

international support for the UK

following its ulimatum to Moscow

over the nerve gas

poisoning in Salisbury.

Coming up in sport...

Can Manchester United join

Liverpool and neighbours City

in the quarterfinals

of the Champions League?

Jose Mourinho's side face Sevilla

at Old Trafford tonight after it

finished goalless in the first leg.

Victims of the serial sex offender

John Worboys say the Parole Board

have failed to take account

of critical evidence

when reaching a decision

to release him from prison.

The High Court has begun hearing

a challenge against the decision

to allow the former taxi driver

to be released.

Tom Burridge reports.

A violent sexual predator

who tricked and drugged young women

and then raped or assaulted them

in the back of his taxi.

John Worboys was convicted

in relation to offences

on just 12 of his victims.

He was jailed indefinitely in 2009.

But earlier this year,

the Parole Board announced

he was to be released.

Today, here at the High

Court, two victims are

challenging the decision.

Usually, the Parole Board is pretty

cautious about letting

people out and in this

case it just seems very bizarre

to everybody that they made

this decision in such

an extraordinary case.

It was so extreme, so wrong,

it just seems that the reasoning

is wrong in this case.

This morning, we learnt

about the reasons behind

the Parole Board's decision.

It believed Worboys had learnt to be

open and honest and that he took

full responsibility for his crimes.

But the barrister representing

the victim said the Parole Board

ignored crucial evidence.

Phillippa Kaufmann QC said Worboys

has only ever admitted the offences

for which he was convicted,

when the police believe he assaulted

and raped more than 100 women over

a much longer period of time.

In court, we heard graphic

evidence of a sexual nature

to back that claim up.

The reasons behind decisions

taken by parole boards

are normally not published.

This case will have a bearing

on that principle and some

are urging caution.

Many of our members who give

evidence to parole boards

say they would welcome

some greater transparency.

But they are concerned at the impact

this might have and the possibility

of running into a trial by media

situation where one case is given

more prominence than another.

So, was the Parole Board right

to say this convicted rapist

was fit for release?

A decision by three

High Court judges will have

wider ramifications.

Tom Burridge, BBC News,

at the High Court.

The teenager accused of planting

a bomb on a London tube train has

told jurors he lied to officials

about being kidnapped

by Islamic State because he wanted

to study in Britain and become

the new David Attenborough.

Ahmed Hassan denies all charges.

He said he thought the device would

burn rather than explode, he denies

all charges.

Our home affairs correspondent,

June Kelly is at the Old Bailey.

Tell us what else was heard in

court. He has been in the witness

box all morning and he told the jury

he did plant the device on the train

but he said he did not want to kill

anybody, he said the idea of killing

another human being never crossed my

mind. He once said he thought the

device would burn, not explode, and

he said the reason why he planted

the device was he was bought over

the summer holidays and he liked the

idea of being a fugitive and he

thought he could be a fugitive being

chased across Europe by Interpol.

Just before lunch, he came under

cross-examination and we have heard

already that his father was killed

in a bombing in Iraq and she put it

to Hassan, you blamed the coalition

forces for your father's death? He

said, no. You believe the fight

against Britain should be brought

into this country. He replied, no.

Earlier the court heard he said he

did not have any connection with IS

in Iraq. Previously the jury had

been told he told immigration

officials when he came into the UK

that he had trained with IS and been

taught how to cool by them. This

morning he said he had lied about

that because he wanted to strengthen

his immigration case -- taught how

to kill. He said he was in fear of

IS. We heard he was a good student,

academically very strong, and he

said he came to Britain because he

wanted to further his education and

he was a big fan of David

Attenborough and his ambition was to

be a wildlife photographer and go to

university. The cross-examination

will continue this afternoon.

June

Kelly, thank you.

The British team have

won their fourth medal

of the Winter Paralympics.

Menna Fitzpatrick and guide

Jen Kehoe claimed a silver

in the women's visually-impaired

super combined event,

to help Paralympics GB close

in on UK Sport's target of seven

medals at the Games.

Kate Grey is in Pyeongchang for us.

That is right. You may notice I am

wrapped up warm with my hat on at

the moment but earlier today was

about 20 degrees by the coast by the

wheelchair curling is taking place.

20 of snow in the mountains for

another exciting day. The mountains

have been a happy hunting ground for

the Alpine skiers so far, what

fortunes with the super combined

hold today? After the speed

discipline this morning, Menna

Fitzpatrick and guide Jen Kehoe were

comfortably in silver medal

position. The technical slalom...

The penultimate hurdle on the tricky

course and the communication in the

headsets was integral. And

effective. They momentarily wearing

gold medal position. The turn of the

Slovakia team. They are unbeaten at

these Games. Would they falter this

time? A minor mistake but their

experience prevails. Menna

Fitzpatrick and Jen Kehoe had to

settle for silver.

No word spokesman

there has not sunk in yet. We're

just glad. -- no words! So grateful

it all went right today.

The Alpine

skiers have been making waves in the

mountains, the competition is

heating up on the coast, as the

wheelchair curlers move into the

business end of the round robin

matches. It may be 20 degrees

outside, but a cool head was

required on the ice as the Brits

faced another strong Slovakian team.

Early mistakes by the skip allowed

the opposition a comfortable lead

and the Brits were left with too

much to do. They will need to bounce

back quickly as their relentless

schedule continues. We have just

found out that Great Britain have

lost their second Match of the Day

against the neutral Paralympic

athletes from Russia meaning they

move down to fifth in the round

robin standings. They will have four

more matches to redeem themselves

before they go into the play-offs.

Thank you very much.

The Cheltenham Festival -

one of the most eagerly anticipated

events in the horse racing calendar

- gets under way today.

Heavy rain and the recent snow mean

jump racing's annual showpiece

is taking place on the wettest

ground for 36 years.

Andy Swiss sent this report.

It is the time when all hooves head

to Cheltenham, but rarely has jump

racing's biggest week had a more

testing build up.

This was the course

just ten days ago.

Fences engulfed by drifting snow -

more than 200 tonnes had to be

shovelled from the course,

and after further heavy rain,

this festival is starting

on the wettest ground for 36 years.

It rained a lot since Friday

last week, best part

of an inch and a half,

45 millimetres of rainfall,

which has turned the conditions

heavy-soft in places.

The first time the festival has

started on those ground

conditions since 1982.

Well, as you can see,

this is one of the soggiest starts

to the festival that

Cheltenham has ever seen.

The horses and riders

will have to conquer these

gruelling conditions

if they are to beat their rivals.

As ever, the highlight is on Friday,

the Gold Cup, won last

year by Sizing John.

Sizing John will win the Gold Cup.

By the end of the week, around

£350 million will have been gambled,

that annual battle between punters

and bookies is already under way.

We always say that Cheltenham can

make or break the bookies' year.

Last year happened to be a very good

year for us because a lot

of the odds-on shots got shinned

so that was a welcome.

The year before, it was a nightmare,

probably the worst in history.

So it is swings and roundabouts

and we just hope that we can get

some of the favourites beaten.

For the fans, the first big race

here is already over,

the customary charge

through the turnstiles,

but whatever your vantage point,

Cheltenham's challenges will once

again soon be plain to see.

Andy Swiss, BBC News, Cheltenham.

What is it like elsewhere?

What is it like elsewhere?

What is it like elsewhere?

Sunshine overhead enchantment today

and many

and many of us getting to the

sunshine. In a week when no two days

are the same, we can probably call

today the sunny day in most places,

certainly for this weather watcher

in Dorset, beautiful blue skies. We

are between weather systems. One

clearing away to the east, that

bought yesterday's rain, this next

one gathering strength in the

Atlantic, and in between, they slice

of sunshine. Still a fair amount of

cloud in northern and eastern

Scotland, still capable of producing

the odd shower, but more of us

getting sunny skies this afternoon.

That will feel like spring.

Relatively light winds. This evening

and tonight, we keep the clear skies

in Central and eastern areas,

turning quite chilly, there could be

a touch of frost, dipping below

freezing, mist patches as well. Out

West, a change taking place,

thickening cloud, outbreaks of rain

and strengthening winds as well and

that is because this area of low

pressure is going to start to slide

in from the West tomorrow, frontal

systems bringing rain and ahead of

that, strong winds touching gale

force in parts of the West, but

coming from a mild placed, really

mild air wafting across. Split

fortunes on Wednesday. Central and

eastern areas, dry weather after a

sunny start, staying pretty bright

in the afternoon, out West, very

different story, and a lot of rain

in the south-west of England, this

is the wet day of the week. The rain

coming in across parts of Wales and

Northern Ireland and there is the

potential for travel disruption,

perhaps localised flooding. Some

rain in south-west Scotland and

generally across all of the western

areas, strong winds touching gale

force in

exposed onto the hazy sunshine the

eastern Scotland and eastern England

lifting temperatures to 12 degrees

in Edinburgh, 14 in London. The wet

weather in the West will make some

progress further north and east on

Thursday. Very slow progress. To the

south, heavy showers. To the north,

noticed the temperatures dipping.

The frontal system progress in North

and east, it starts to move

backwards heading into the weekend,

bumping into this area of high

pressure and we will get into a

strong cold easterly wind and there

is the potential for some snow. Big

changes ahead.

A reminder of our main

story this lunchtime.

As Boris Johnson says there are

As Boris Johnson says there are

strong international support for the

UK, Donald Trump says he will call

the Prime Minister to discuss the

Government's ultimate to the Moscow

over the nerve gas poisoning