A former head of Scotland Yard confirms he was aware of allegations that pornographic material was found on a computer used by the cabinet minister, damian green, in 2008. Also in the next hour the spanish Prime Minister visits catalonia for the First Time Since he imposed direct rule on the region. Hell be campaigning for his Peoples Party ahead of next months early Regional Elections. And the travel show goes to china to meet the daredevil spider men thats coming up later on bbc news. Good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. Prince charles has led the tributes at the cenotaph as the nation comes together for remembrance sunday. Big ben chimes. Music last post. Prince charles laid the first wreath at the foot of the cenotaph, with the queen watching on from the nearby balcony at the foreign and commonwealth office. Prince charles was follwed by the duke of cambridge and prince harry, both of whom have served in the armed forces themselves. The Prime Minister theresa may led the leaders of the main political parties. They were joined by hundreds of former Armed Forces Personnel for the service at the cenotaph. And we can speak to our correspondent sarah campbell, whos at the cenotaph. A chilly day there, and the queen observing from the balcony at the foreign office, so rather different from normal proceedings . Thats right. Six times in her 65 year reign, she hasnt laid the wreath herself on the steps of the cenotaph. Four times, she was away on royal tours and twice, she was pregnant with princes andrew and edward. But this is the first time she has been in whitehall, but has observed from the balcony of the foreign and commonwealth office. Buckingham palace issued a Statement Last month when the decision was made known, and it was the queens decision. She wanted to be on the balcony with the duke of edinburgh. But clearly, there is the fact that she is 91 years old. Standing on whitehall requires standing for a least half an hour and walking backwards after placing a wreath and navigating a step while doing so. It is also seen as the most visible sign yet of the transition of roles, of duties from the queen to Prince Charles because of course, one day as king, he will lead the nation in remembrance. Other than that change, the ceremony, has it done has done since 1920, ran as it always does. A moment of remembrance and reflection, the two minute silence, and a chance to serving personnel and a chance to serving personnel and former personnel to reflect on their experiences and those of their friends and comrades. I have one of them here with me. This is officer gary edwards, 33 years in the royal air force. What goes through your mind during the two minute silence . During the silence, it is very humbling. Ithink during the silence, it is very humbling. I think what a privilege it is to represent my unit, her majestysforces in general, but also the public as well. It is that time when we reflect in this ever changing world, to stop a whole city for two minutes and think about what has happened in the past. You said to me that this is your first time at the cenotaph. You said two isa time at the cenotaph. You said two is a very different experience. You put it well, stopping a whole city. Yeah, normally i represent the units at the local villages and as the first time i have done the cenotaph. When you hear the cannon fire and for a whole to go into silence, it has an amazing effect on me. You have experienced three tours of afghanistan, two in iraq, one in kosovo. But one of your distant relatives, it is 100 years since the battle of passchendaele and your a ncestor battle of passchendaele and your ancestor was involved . Battle of passchendaele and your ancestor was involved . Yeah, private alfred edwards, my great grandfather, joined up in 1914 and served at passchendaele. Unfortunately, he was wounded at passchendaele, but he survived his injuries and was invalided out. So my thoughts at this 100 year point are with him. You must have a particular understanding, because at raf holton, you have a world war i trench that was used for training, so trench that was used for training, so you get a trench that was used for training, so you get a sense trench that was used for training, so you get a sense of what it must have been like. Definitely. I have the distinct honour to look after some trenches that were built in 1915 by the zist some trenches that were built in 1915 by the 21st division. It is one of kitcheners formations and they we re of kitcheners formations and they were used for training. To walk through those trenches now, which we re through those trenches now, which were abandoned in 1917, and then to come here and think about my great grandfather, private alfred edwards, really brings it home to me. Warrant officer, thank you for talking to us. It is a day when you hear lots of stories of amazing acts and acts of remembrance, people remembering the many people who have died or been injured by war over the yea rs. Died or been injured by war over the years. Sarah, thank you. Coalition forces in afghanistan have also been paying their respects on remembrance sunday. British troops joined with forces from other countries, including new zealand and australia for a service this morning. Lieutenant general Richard Cripwell stressed the importance of the solidarity demonstrated by countries coming together to remember those lost in conflict. Of course its important for us at any time. Its part of a promise we make. But its particularly important and poignant when youre in operations, and for us here in afghanistan, it provides a focus to remember those men and women whove given their lives in the service of their country not just in recent years, but over the centuries as well. We dont forget anybody. Also, one of the things about being on operations at this time is that we are part of a coalition. You will have seen this morning how many countries opt to join us in this service of remembrance, partly as an act of solidarity, partly as a way of remembering their own dead. Its just part of what makes any coalition greater than the sum of its parts. The environment secretary, michael gove, has said he doesnt know what a british iranian woman jailed in iran had been doing in the country before her arrest. He told the Andrew Marr Show that too much focus on borisjohnsons comments which gave the false impression that she was training journalists was playing into the hands of the iranian authorities. Our political correspondent, tom barton, is here bring us up to date on where we are with what the government is now saying about this woman who is in jail in iran. This row started earlier this month, when Boris Johnson told the Foreign Affairs committee mistakenly that Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe had been in iran training journalists, rather than on holiday. That led to pressure piling on borisjohnson holiday. That led to pressure piling on Boris Johnson from holiday. That led to pressure piling on borisjohnson from herfamily, from her employer, the Thomson Reuters foundation, and from opposition politicians. Last week, borisjohnson was opposition politicians. Last week, Boris Johnson was forced to opposition politicians. Last week, borisjohnson was forced to the house of commons to deliver a statement to mps making the governments position clear. He told them that the government has no doubts that she was on holiday in iran when she was arrested and that that was the sole purpose of her visit. Given that statement, it is curious to hear what michael gove said to andrew marr this morning. What was she doing in iran . |j what was she doing in iran . I dont know. You dont know . I want to stress that there was no reason why Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe should stress that there was no reason why Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe should be in prison in iran so far as any of us in prison in iran so far as any of us know. No evidence has been produced which suggests that she should be detained. We know that the Iranian Regime is capable of abusing the human rights of its own citizens. It appears here to be harming the human rights of someone whose plight moves us all. You say you dont know what she was doing. Her husband is clear that she was there on holiday with her child. Her husband is clear that she was there on holiday with her childm that case, i pick exactly her husbands assurance in that regard. Those comments have drawn criticism from the labour party today, saying michael gove is more interested in protecting borisjohnsonsjob michael gove is more interested in protecting borisjohnsons job than he is in the liberty of a british citizen in iran. And i was more pressure on Boris Johnson citizen in iran. And i was more pressure on borisjohnson today on the same programme from the mayor of london . Absolutely. We have already had todayJeremy Corbyn, the labour leader, saying for the first time that it was time for borisjohnson to go, calling his comments on this issue the latest example of his serial bungling. Those comments were underlined on the Andrew Marr Programme by labours londoner, sadiq khan. Hes offended the libyans in relation to what he said about sirte and dead bodies. Hes offended the sikhs with what he said about whiskey tariffs in the gurdwara. He has got to go. He is a foreign secretary, whose job is diplomacy and representing the best interests of our country. If theresa may was a strong Prime Minister, she would have sacked him a long time ago. There are questions about why she appointed him in the first place. She did, but surely he must have done enough to go. That was labours london mayor, sadiq khan. Michael gove was also on that programme, and he said that actually, there is a mistake here. We shouldnt be blaming Boris Johnson for this, mistake here. We shouldnt be blaming borisjohnson for this, we should be aiming fire at the Iranian Regime which is holding Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffe in jail. We make a big mistake if we think the right thing to do is to blame politicians in a democracy who are trying to do the right thing while ignoring the plight of a woman whos being imprisoned by a regime that is a serial abuser of human rights. Whos in the dock here . Iran. Earlier today, borisjohnson spoke to Richard Ratcliffe, Nazanin Zaghari ratcliffes husband, for the First Time Since this row broke. That phone call was described by whitehall sources are constructive and were out of the two will meet in person in the next two weeks. A former metropolitan Police Commissioner has confirmed that he knew pornographic material had allegedly been found on a computer used by the first secretary of state, damian green, in 2008. Sir Paul Stephenson said he was briefed about the claims but regarded them as a side issue to a criminal investigation into leaks from the home office. The allegations were first made public last week by former met assistant commissioner, bob quick. This morning, mr green issued a statement, saying that no allegations about the presence of improper material on his parliamentary computers had ever been put to him or to the parliamentary authorities by the police. He said he could only assume that they were being made now for ulterior motives. Jon donnison reports. Damian green, effectively the Prime Ministers deputy, is one of theresa mays closest colleagues. Already under investigation over allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female activist, accusations he denies, the first secretary of state is facing more questions about pornography allegedly found on his computer. The claim dates back to 2008, when police raided mr Greens Office as part of an investigation into leaks from the home office. When the allegations were first made last week by a former senior officer in the metropolitan police, damian green offered a strong denial. He called the story completely untrue and a disreputable political smear, saying police had never suggested improper material was found on his parliamentary computer. Now, though, the former metropolitan Police Commissioner sir Paul Stephenson, seen here with theresa may in 2010, has confirmed he was aware that pornographic material had allegedly been found. Hes told the bbc he was briefed about the allegation, but said it was a side issue and not relevant to the criminal investigation into the home office leaks. This morning, damian green responded to sir pauls claim, but he did not deny the material was on his computer, only that the police had ever asked him about it. He said he reiterated that no allegations about the presence of improper material on his parliamentary computers had ever been put to him or to the parliamentary authorities by the police, and said that he assumed the allegations were being made nine years later for ulterior motives. Theresa may has already lost two cabinet ministers this month. This story will only add to the growing feeling that her government is under siege. The headlines on bbc news a two minute silence has been observed at ceremonies around the country to honour the dead of two world wars and other conflicts. The queen watched the National Commemorations from a balcony while Prince Charles placed a wreath on her behalf at the cenotaph. In other news, the bbc understands the foreign secretary has contacted the husband of a british woman whos in prison in iran. Michael gove says tehran should be facing criticism over the case, as he rejected calls for borisjohnson to resign. Sport now, and for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, heres richard. England and australia have drawn the womens ashes test, a result which keeps the series alive. Georgia elwiss and Heather Knight steered their team home, with captain knight making a crucial half century. The series will now be decided by the three twenty20 matches still to come. From sydney, our correspondent andy swiss reports. A day which began with australia with a real chance of winning both the match and the ashes ended with england securing a draw ultimately fairly comfortably, although they did have a few scares in the first session, when they lost two wickets, both openers out. Tammy beaumont was bamboozled by wellington for 37. A few moments later, Lauren Winfield was trapped lbw. At that stage, australia must have felt as if they were in with a chance of securing the ashes. But from there, england managed to come back thanks to a captains innings from Heather Knight. She knuckled down and she and Georgia Elwiss guided england to safety, Heather Knight finishing unbeaten on 79. For a draw with an hour of scheduled play still remaining. So england secure the draw, but that means they have to win all three of the remaining twenty20 matches if they are to regain the ashes. That is some tall order. Even so, they will be delighted to have kept this ashes series alive. The first mens ashes test starts a week on thursday in brisbane. England will have been boosted by a convincing win in their latest tour match against a cricket australia xi and the news that fast bowler jake ball is likely to be fit, despite suffering ankle ligament damage in the match. Coach Trevor Bayliss has also been pleased with the newer batsmen in the side. The more inexperienced batters have spent time the start of the series. Theyre the ones under pressure the most. Theyve not had much experience, but theyve spent some time in the middle. But scoring 60s is not enough. We need 160s. England are through to the quarter finals of the Rugby League World cup after a 36 6 victory over france in perth. England ran three tries in the first eight minutes and had five by the break, the fifth courtesy ofjohn bateman. It wasnt quite as easy in the second half, but two more scores came from jemaine mcgillray to complete the emphatic win. England will play papa new guinea in the last eight next sunday. They are a great team and it will be a tough challenge, but for us, it is about what we do. We have to make sure we are doing ourjob individually and if we do, we will get thejob done. Northern ireland are building up to their crucial world cup play off against switzerland later today. Michael oneills men trail 1 0 after a controversial penalty in the first leg in belfast. Theyre aiming to qualify for a first world cup since 1986, and only the fourth in their history. Lewis hamilton will start from the back of the grid in the brazilian grand prix after he lost control of his mercedes at 160 miles an hour on turn six of the interlagos hamilton has already won his fourth formula one title, but starts on the back row as he didnt register a time. His team mate Valtteri Bottas will start in pole postion. Therell be coverage of the race on five live sports extra at 3. 30. Skiing, and a fall by Britains Dave Ryding in the second run cost him the chance of victory in the first slalom world cup of the season in finland. Great britain have never had a world cup win in an alpine race before, so there were high hopes for ryding but then disaster. Germanys Felix Neureuther took the win, but ryding can take heart from his earlier performance going into the rest of the season. Thats all the sport for now. Ill have more in the ne