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BBC Two — Newsnight, followed by Weather

Thursday 13 August 2026 · 22:30 BST · 35m · 2 stories · 7 annotated moments · 30 of 35 min on news stories (86%)

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Broadcast overview

An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.

Polls closed in the Clacton by-election, where Nigel Farage resigned his seat before parliamentary authorities could rule on whether he should have declared a £5 million gift from a cryptocurrency billionaire. A BBC correspondent reported an expected turnout of around 43% and said Farage was highly expected to win, though the parliamentary investigation into his finances would resume if he returned as an MP. The studio panel discussed how the major parties did not field candidates against him, leaving Count Binface as his main opponent, and noted focus groups in the constituency where some voters felt the by-election had made Clacton a laughingstock. Reform UK councillor Jamie McIver defended Farage, arguing the by-election gave constituents a chance to judge him and dismissed the financial questions as smears from the mainstream media.

The programme then turned to the UK's fifth heatwave of the year, with the hottest day on record and temperatures of 35 degrees or above recorded for four consecutive months for the first time. The panel discussed the lack of political consensus on handling climate change, with one panellist criticising the government's failure to adapt, such as not building reservoirs since 1992, and another expressing concern about the government's approach to North Sea oil and gas. Research was cited showing public concern about climate change remains high, but support for net zero has dropped to 45%, while a defence of net zero warned of catastrophic consequences if warming exceeds 1.5 degrees, including ocean acidification and collapse of food systems.

  1. 0:00
    Story begins Nigel Farage faces Clacton by-election after resigning
  2. 2:16

    Claim Nigel Farage faces Clacton by-election after resigning

    Turnout in the by-election is expected to be around 43%.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 2:16-2:21

  3. 3:19

    Claim Nigel Farage faces Clacton by-election after resigning

    The parliamentary investigation into Farage's finances will resume if he is re-elected.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 3:19-3:27

  4. 24:13
    Story begins UK records hottest day of the year with 38.1C
  5. 25:35

    Charged quote UK records hottest day of the year with 38.1C

    around and private jets etc talking about climate change all the time. What I find quite remarkable about this country is that the politicians seem to have no interest in sort of adapting to climate change. If they believe in climate change they never ever show any way of sort of what it is that they're doing to adapt. So we had a Cobra meeting I think yesterday,

    BBC TWO, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 25:35-25:49

  6. 25:54

    Claim UK records hottest day of the year with 38.1C

    The COBRA meeting was reported as ineffective in preparing for the heatwave.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 25:54-26:08

  7. 26:43

    Claim

    The last reservoir in the UK was built in 1992.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 26:43-26:53

  8. 28:00

    Charged quote UK records hottest day of the year with 38.1C

    smoking when they walk out there to fight the fires. We could talk about a maximum working temperature in this country and we could talk about fossil fuel use as well. I am really deeply concerned about this government's approach to this issue, not least as relates to the oil and gas fields in the North Sea because if we are serious about this issue and we have

    BBC TWO, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 28:00-28:11

  9. 29:01

    Claim UK records hottest day of the year with 38.1C

    Support for net zero was reported at 45% while concern about climate change was reported at 68%.

    BBC TWO HD, Newsnight, followed by Weather, 13 August 2026, 29:01-29:11

  10. 30:10
    ~5 min without annotations

Source: BBC TWO, "Newsnight, followed by Weather", Thursday 13 August 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.