Transcripts For BBCNEWS BBC News 20170725

A very good evening to you and welcome to bbc news. The government has hailed bmws decision to build a fully electric version of the mini in the uk as a vote of confidence in britain. Bmw has confirmed the model will go into production in 2019, with the parts manufactured abroad, before the car is assembled at its cowley plant, near oxford. Bmw had previously expressed fears about the uncertainty surrounding brexit. Today it said it had neither sought nor received any reassurances from the government on arrangements after britain leaves the eu. Heres our transport correspondent richard westcott. They make two thirds of the worlds minis here. To the relief of workers, we now know that the new Electric Mini will be made here too. Its great for the business, and were very thrilled that we will be part of this huge success, hopefully. It means there is no problem with the thoughts of them closing it down because of brexit, so it is very good news. Bmw, who make the mini, had hinted for months that the work could go to the netherlands. This is a significant boost for the cowley plant, which is the birthplace of the mini. But to put it into context, it doesnt mean they are going to get a brand new production line. It doesnt mean significant numbers of new jobs. The investment runs to tens of millions of pounds, but bmw, earlier this year, has already announced plans to invest £180 million in a plant in germany, £540 million in a plant in america. So significant, but not big money. However, its notjust about money, its about politics, too. The car industry has been one of the uks big manufacturing Success Stories in recent years. Keeping models in the uk is a boost for the government as it tries to negotiate its brexit deal. We are determined to Make Britain The Go to place for The Next Generation of vehicles. Theyve got a fantastic workforce already at oxford, and that combination of planning for the future has convinced them to back britain. The uk car industry has been pushing hard for up brexit deal that still allows free trade with the eu. Since the referendum vote, nissan has promised to make two new models at its huge sunderland plant. And toyotas spending a quarter of a billion updating this facility near derby. Still, experts say the real test is yet to come. I dont think this tells us very much about brexit at all. This is an adaptation of an existing car. The big, Big Questions will come when bmw produces a new mini, and Companies Like Vauxhall Produce The Next Generation astra. The decision, then will they decide to invest and produce in the uk, or will the uncertainty about the future of our relationship with europe put them off staying in the uk . So, a good day for the uk car industry, but the government is still under enormous pressure to cut a brexit deal that secures its long term future. Richard westcott, bbc news, oxford. It has been revealed that the government will unveil a new plan to ban diesel and petrol cars from 2040. It is part of a plan to tackle air pollution. The move follows similar plans announced by france earlier this month. A £250 million fund will be unveiled to help local councils speed up measures to deal with pollution from diesel vehicles. The government was ordered to produce new plans to tackle illegal levels of harmful pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide after the courts agreed with environmental campaigners that a previous set of plans were insufficient to meet eu pollution limits. Air pollution is linked to around 40,000 premature deaths a year in the uk. The parents of the terminally ill baby charlie gard are tonight waiting to find out if theyll be able to take him home to die. Having yesterday abandoned their legal fight to keep charlie alive, his mother connie yates returned to court to ask that her son leave hospital. A judge will make the final decision tomorrow. Charlies parents are now pleading for a doctor who can help them to come forward. Our medical correspondent fergus walsh reports. The legal battle over this desperately sick boy now centres on where and how soon he dies. Charlie needs a mechanical ventilator to breathe. He is tube fed and cannot move. Yesterday, his parents gave up theirfight to take him to the United States, and agreed no more treatment could help him. But charlies mum, connie, was back at court this afternoon, to make it clear she did not want him to die in the intensive care unit, where hes been since october. The parents lawyer said it was their last wish that charlie dies at home, for a few days of tranquillity outside the hospital setting. The hospital said it wont stand in the parents way, and yet is putting up obstacles. Lawyers for the parents said they would pay private nurses to take over his care, and seek to recover the costs from the nhs. But the court heard there were practical issues to be resolved for example, whether charlies ventilator would fit through their front door. In a statement, Great Ormond Street Hospital said it wanted to honour the parents wishes, but the care plan must be safe, it must spare charlie all pain and it must protect his dignity. Charlie is a child who requires highly specialised treatment. His care cannot be simplified. It must be provided in a Specialist Setting by specialists. The dispute over where and how soon charlie should die typifies the utter breakdown in the relationship between the parents and the hospital. The judge, mrjustice francis, said this was a matter crying out for mediation. Great ormond street said it offered that, but the parents have refused. The judge said the parents were entitled to decide where they spent the next few days, but it should not extend into weeks. That would be unacceptable, as it would simply extend the grieving process. Charmian evans lost her son, guy, when he was five. He was profoundly disabled and tube fed. She had searched for a cure. Theyve got to learn to let him go at all sorts of levels. Theyve got to know that stuff happens and they mustnt be bitter because it will only eat them. Theres no point in that. What theyve got to do is look at all the positive things. The hospital has offered a compromise charlie can be transferred to a hospice, where doctors from great ormond is the would supervise his Palliative Care and death after a period of some hours. His parents said they want days, not hours, and a hospice is a second best option. Fergus wallace, bbc news at the high court. The fate of the us Attorney General appears to be hanging in the balance, as President Trump today called him weak, and said time would tell about his future. The president has in the past week criticised Jeff Sessions for his approach to intelligence leaks, to hillary clinton, and to an official investigation on links with russia. For more, letsjoin our North America Editorjon Sopel in washington. Jeff sessions, the man who presides over americas judicial system, seemingly about to face rough justice from his boss and one time close friend, the president. For the past two days, donald trump has taken potshots at his top Law Enforcement officer via twitter. Today. Yesterday. The president of the United States and the president of the Council Of Ministers of the republic of lebanon. And the president heaped further ignominy on the Attorney General in a rose garden news conference, this afternoon, over sessions decision to step aside from the russian investigation. I am disappointed in the Attorney General. He should not have recused himself almost immediately after he took office. And if he was going to recuse himself, he should have told me prior to taking office. And i would have quite simply picked somebody else. But, come on, reporters demanded, are you going to fire the Attorney General . I told you before, im very disappointed with the Attorney General, but we will see what happens. Time will tell. If sessions does go over the whole Russia Investigation, then he willjoin the former fbi Directorjames Comey sacked over this issue, and the former National Security adviser michael flynn, who was fired after lying about his contacts with the russians. All of which begs the question, what happens next to robert mueller, the Special Counsel called on to investigate the sprawling Russia Investigation . If he goes, that is bound to lead to charges that the president is trying to obstructjustice. And who knows where that will lead. With these bewildering developments, in the senate the democrats fired a warning shot. Many americans must be wondering if the president is trying to pry open the office of Attorney General to appoint someone during the august recess who will fire Special Counsel mueller and shutdown the russian investigation. Even if the president has disagreements with him, which i think founded, self centred and wrong, you dont ridicule him in public. Someone who is your close friend. That speaks to character. SenatorJeff Sessions Jeff Sessions was the first senator to endorse donald trump during the campaign, giving his candidacy a massive boost and has given the president unswerving loyalty ever since. It is not being reciprocated. Jon sopel, bbc news, washington. The government says food Safety Standards will not be lowered to straight a post brexit trade deal with america. Liam fox, who is in america for talks with his counterpart says there was no food safety issue with chlorinated goods. This comes after concerns that were raised over chlorine washed chicken, which is banned in the eu, but legal in america. Housebuilders may be banned from selling new homes in england as leasehold, under new government proposals. A Public Consultation has begun on the issue after it emerged some developers have been Selling Leaseholds onto investment firms, leading to extra costs or rising charges for homeowners. More than 86,000 nhs posts were vacant in england in the first three months of this year. The latest figures show the number of vacancies were up by almost 8,000 compared with the same period last year, with nursing and midwife jobs worst affected. The Royal College of nursing says patient care is suffering, but the government insists it is investing in frontline staff. Our Health Correspondent Dominic Hughes reports. Looking after people when they are at their most vulnerable, providing compassionate and professional care is the main challenge and biggest reward for nurse Michelle Turner at the Royal Blackburn teaching hospital. It is a tough job that carries enormous responsibilities. It is a privilege to be a nurse, to be valued in the job that i do. You know, have people they put their lives in your hands on a daily basis. And it is the biggest privilege that you can have. But finding more nurses like michelle seems to be a problem, according to a new analysis of the Nhsjobs Being advertised. Around 86,000 nhs posts in england were recorded as vacant in the first three months of this year. In march alone, more than 30,000 jobs were advertised, 4,000 more than the same period the previous year. The majority of those unfilled this march were nurses and midwives. Todays figures indicate that many Hospital Trusts right across england are struggling notjust to recruit staff, but to retain them as well. So hospitals are having to think about cleverer, smarter, more flexible ways of using those staff they already have. Growing Patient Demand has meant that, like many hospitals, the Royal Blackburn has created extra nursing posts. But that doesnt make it any easier to recruit qualified staff to fill those jobs, and that may be one factor driving the increasing number of vacancies. We have had Recruitment Problems as a trust, similar to most trusts across the country, to be fair. But we have had a significant drive on recruitment. We have open recruitment days, we have been out internationally to recruit, we have used social media. The data for england reflects similar problems across the uk. But experts warn recruitment is a long term issue with no simple solution. Its difficult because of the time it takes to train doctors and nurses. Its hard to predict how many you will need in five or ten years time, or how policy will change. We have mitigated the risk in the past by getting staff from overseas, particularly from the european union. That is becoming harder with brexit. We also have issues around morale and retention. The Department Of Health in england says staffing is a priority, but more money being invested in front line positions. Collating job adverts may, in fact, underestimate the real level of staff shortages. One ad may be for several posts. But it does highlight the ongoing problems the nhs faces with Staff Recruitment and retention. Dominic hughes, bbc news, blackburn. You are now up to date with the top stories. Now, newsnight. Good evening and welcome to washington, where tonight the raging storm is a political one. This capital city is buzzing tonight with vicious intrigue and raw politics. The president is at daggers drawn with the man he appointed Attorney General, Jeff Sessions. The issue, of course, is russia. Donald trump cannot forgive mr sessions for recusing himself from an fbi inquiry into any russian meddling in last years election an inquiry which, if youre looking from the white house, is ever expanding