Nicholas Watt

Political Editor BBC Newsnight

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Here’s my #newsnight interview with Andy Burnham on the eve of the 2016 Brexit referendum in which he said there was a strong chance that Leave would win.

Me: Are you concerned this referendum could be slipping away from you?

Andy Burnham: Yes. I think here we are two weeks away from a very real prospect that Britain will vote for isolation.

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

"We've definitely been far too much Hampstead and not enough Hull..."

In 2016, then-MP for Leigh Andy Burnham spoke to @nicholaswatt about the Brexit debate, shortly before the referendum - and long before becoming PM.

#Newsnight

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Here is my encounter with Sir Ed Davey at the #libdem conference in Brighton as he walked to a lift for an evening reception on the eve of his speech @EdwardJDavey @LibDems @BBCNewsnight

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

“The gentleman is not for leaving?”

“No - I’m going up in the lift though”

@nicholaswatt asks Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey for his response to criticism from some in his party that he lacks the ambition and vision to cut through.

#Newsnight

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Allies of Sir Keir Starmer are strongly disputing what this cabinet minister told me last night. One Starmer ally tells me that earlier this year the former prime minister asked his aides to chase Foreign Office ministers for “proper advice” on blocking settler trade or imposing sanctions on West Bank settlements.

“He was no blocker,” the Starmer ally told me. They claim that the Foreign Office told them the issue was “complicated” which showed, according to that ally, that they simply “had no plan”.

The ally tells me: “There’s just a lot of rewriting of history going on.”

The critics of Starmer point to evidence given on 15 July - five days before Andy Burnham became PM - to the business select committee by the then Europe minister Stephen Doughty and the then trade minister Sir Chris Bryant. They both talked about how the powers in place did not go far enough to impose blanket sanctions on West Bank settlements. The two ministers, who are both still in government, said they would like to have gone further.

The dispute now is:

Critics of Starmer say he was the block on going further

Allies of Starmer say the Foreign Office was the block because they reportedly didn’t have a plan in this area

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

“What happened today is really simple, we’re doing things which Keir wouldn’t let us do...”

@nicholaswatt shares a Cabinet Minister’s response to the UK placing sanctions on West Bank settlements, but one ally of the ex-PM added: “What happened today is wrong, dreadful.”

#Newsnight

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Newsnight understands that the morning summoning of the NATS CEO reflects deep concerns in government at the performance of NATS. One government source said the meeting with Martin Rolfe “demonstrates the seriousness with which it's being taken”.

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Breaking on #newsnight at 2230: transport secretary Heidi Alexander has summoned the NATS CEO Martin Rolfe to a meeting tomorrow morning for an explanation of the air traffic control disruption which led to the cancellation of hundreds of flights. The move came after Ryanair called on Rolfe to quit

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Newsnight understands that Heidi Alexander will tell MPs tomorrow that she can “categorically” rule out a cyber attack as the cause of the air traffic disruption. It is understood that the disruption was caused by a software problem

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

In answer to a question last week from the Labour MP Martin Rhodes about opposing the “expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank”, Ed Miliband told MPs: “Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.”

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Ed Miliband will deliver a “comprehensive” reset of the UK’s relationship with Israel and Palestine in a statement to parliament tomorrow, two ministers have told me. As @joncraig has been reporting, Andy Burnham confirmed to tonight’s meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party that the statement would be made tomorrow. I am told that the prime minister also told MPs that he had been making “international calls” this afternoon about the statement. Andy Burnham spoke to Donald Trump this afternoon. That suggests that the PM may have briefed the President on the UK’s plans to impose sanctions on goods and services emanating from what the government regards as illegal settlements in the West Bank. These have been strongly criticised by the Trump administration. No 10 is declining to comment on tomorrow’s statement by the Foreign Secretary

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

One minister told me: “The statement will be a complete reset of the nature of our Israel / Palestine relationship. It will all feel very different. It is not just about sanctions. We hope that this will finally achieve what those of us who have been working towards for two years over the Middle East have been working on.”

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

The former cabinet minister told me they expect the government to give its response to a non-binding advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice from 2024 on trade with illegal settlements. This said, according to a House of Commons research paper, that states should not enter any economic deals with Israel “concerning the Occupied Palestinian Territory”. This is the ICJ opinion: https://t.co/uZ8J7yzrFZ

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

One former cabinet minster who has been campaigning for sanctions is impressed with the package of measures to be announced by Ed Miliband. They believe the government will show its intention to impose sanctions on trade (both goods and services) from those settlements in the West Bank that are regarded by the UK as illegal. Crucially, this former cabinet minister told me, that should include services. So that would mean no UK company involved in providing mortgages for example to those living in illegal settlements. But the law is not in place for that at the moment, I was told. The former minster also told me they are confident that the Ed Miliband plan would not look at all like the much wider BDS campaign which targets Israel for sanctions

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

@mlchealth @BBCMarkSimpson @StepWalkTV It is such devastating news. Sharon Bradford was held in the highest possible regard

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

That is such a lovely tribute, David, to one of the true greats of Northern Ireland journalism. Stephen was a beautiful writer, a superb journalist and such fun company. This is very sad news. We mourn a truly lovely and remarkable man. @StepWalkTV

[David Blevins @skydavidblevins]

He always had the words. I'm struggling to find them. An incisive writer, compelling broadcaster and a real friend. Stephen Walker's wisdom, humour and generosity made the world a better place. @StepWalkTV

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

"I don't see a Democratic politician that has a coherent answer to that question of 'what's going to succeed Trumpism?'"

Francis Fukuyama warns the US Democratic Party: "you cannot make an argument to the country in 2028 just on the basis of 'we hate Donald Trump'"

#Newsnight

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

"It's not just hatred of Donald Trump..."

Professor Francis Fukuyama tells @nicholaswatt that "disillusionment with mainstream liberalism" is driving support for left-wing candidates in the US.

#Newsnight

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

"One thing about an authoritarian regime is it looks strong until it collapses"

Professor Francis Fukuyama tells @nicholaswatt that the war in Ukraine is having a "big toll on the Russian economy"

#Newsnight

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

"A symptom of... the stagnation of the British economy"

Francis Fukuyama tells @nicholaswatt that the UK's frequent change of Prime Ministers is caused by economic stagnation and "a series of politicians that haven't really been able to address the root causes"

#Newsnight

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

And here I am at BBC Towers with Francis Fukuyama armed with my homework - a copy of his landmark 1992 work and his new book

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

I’ve been interviewing the thinker Francis Fukuyama about his new book, In the Realm of the Last Man. Naturally I had to ask him about his bestseller The End of History and the Last Man and how aggrieved he feels about how that was perceived @bbcnewsnight https://t.co/XPEbBteYar

[Nicholas Watt @nicholaswatt]

Significant to hear Zia Yusuf voice to me his unease about what he saw and heard in the undercover documentary aired on Channel Four into Reform UK finances #newsnight

[BBC Newsnight @BBCNewsnight]

“Obviously the documentary, there’s no two ways about it, it was disappointing to see that - it's not comfortable to hear some of the things that were said.”

Reform UK’s Zia Yusuf gives @nicholaswatt his reaction to the allegations broadcast by Channel 4 News that the party plotted to get around the law over foreign political donations.

#Newsnight