about israel �*allowing' hamas to carry out the october 7th attacks. talking of by—elections, i am nicky schiller live in wellingborough where voters say will go to the polls on thursday. john led to this half hour where we will discuss the issue of knife crime in the constituency. and schools in england face a budget crisis as charges from private firms soar. all of those stories coming up in a moment or two. sport and a full round—up from the bbc sport centre. here is gavin. there's one game in the premier league later — between two clubs lower down the table than they'd like to be. chelsea are 11th, and they travel to crystal palace who're 15th. manager roy hodgson will be taking charge of this 200th

premier league match but his palace side are nowjust five points, and three places above the relegation zone. his opposite number later, mauricio pochettino, says he respects the experience hodgson has — but the palace supporters have been protesting. we've had two heavy defeats. it's a fact of life. it's a situation that is there and we cannot change it, no words of mine are no explanations are going to change it, that is where we are. and we have got to get on with it and keep doing the best we can for them. but we understand that at the moment they're not too with the situation. they let us know they are not happy with the situation. we have to take that on board. iadmire him, he is an unbelievable coach. and i think he is working really well and of course, there is pressure, when you lose one or two games, there is always pressure. no doubt that he is going to, you know, to be successful with palace. i hope after our game!

tributes have been pouring in from the world of athletics, following the sad news that kelvin kiptum — the marathon record holder — has been killed in a car accident. the 24—year—old kenyan is said to have been with his coach, who also died in the crash, on a road in western kenya where there is a training base for long distance runners. it comes just five days after the world governing body — world athletics — ratified kiptum's record time from his win at the chicago marathon last october. he smashed the world record by more than half a minute, running it in a time of two hours and 35 seconds. he also won the london marathon last year. disappointment for emma raducanu who has lost in straight sets to anhelina kalinina in the opening round of the qatar open. the former us open champion was outclassed in the first set, losing 6—0. raducanu fought back in the second set to take it to a tie break, but the ukrainian was too strong, eventually coming out on top 7—6. a boost perhaps for england, ahead of their third test with india on thursday kl rahul has ben ruled out

of the match with injury. the batsman also missed the second test with a thigh issue, which india won, to level the series 1—1. it is yet to be confirmed whether all—rounder ravindra jadeja will return to the line up after a hamstring injury. virat kohli will miss the rest of the series too, due to personal reasons. we've seen the celebrations following that dramatic overtime super bowl win for the kansas city chiefs. it will have further inspired hopefuls of playing in the showpiece event, including former rugby union player louis rees—zammit. the wales and gloucester wing shocked the rugby world last month, when he announced he'd be leaving the sport to pursue a career in the nfl — just weeks before the start of the six nations. he's since moved to florida — and started on a ten—week programme with big ambitions ahead, as he's been telling adam samuel. i had to sit down with my family and go through everything with them. it just came to me that it was just the right time in terms of age. i think if i did this in a couple of years,

it would be too late for me and i wouldn't be able to pick up the game as quick as other people but i think now is the perfect time for me to give this a go and i love challenging myself so, why not do it now? ., ., , challenging myself so, why not do it now? ., .,, i. challenging myself so, why not do it now? ., ., , ., ., now? how was your transition to ru . b to now? how was your transition to rugby to american _ now? how was your transition to rugby to american football? - now? how was your transition to l rugby to american football? what now? how was your transition to - rugby to american football? what had been the easiest and most difficult aspects? been the easiest and most difficult asects? ., , _, , , aspects? training is completely different. using _ aspects? training is completely different. using different - aspects? training is completely l different. using different muscles that you wouldn't use in rugby. the soreness is different. in general, because it is a ten week camp and i'm having to learn the sport in ten weeks, it is so intense and it is something different and i'm absolutely loving it. i would probably say the most challenging thing is how much you have to learn. the classroom staff is full on and, as i said earlier, i'm absolutely loving and learning a completely different sport. and that's all the sport for now. we will be back with more later on. now, all day we have been looking at this week's by—elections which will be a big test of public

opinion in what is likely to be a general election year. the conservatives will be looking to hold on to both seats, labour will be hoping to overturn those tory majorities, while the liberal democrats will want to try and cause an upset. voters in kingswood in south gloucestershire — which is on the edge of the city of bristol — will be at the polls on thursday. it follows the resignation of ex—conservative mp chris skidmore. the former minister stood down last month over the government's energy plans. the other by—election is in wellingborough which was called following a recall petition in the northamptonshire constituency. it was prompted by former tory mp peter bone's suspension from the house of commons for six weeks for breaching the code of conduct for mps. let's head back to nicky schiller who has spent the day in wellingborough for us. nicky, who has spent the day in wellingboroughfor us. nicky, good evening. wellingborough for us. nicky, good evenina. . evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here _ evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here all— evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here all day _ evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here all day and _ evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here all day and we - evening. good evening, matthew. we have been here all day and we have .

have been here all day and we have moved to st mark's church which will be one of the polling stations on thursday. it is in the queensway estate in wellingborough and back in 2019, this area was described as left behind both economically and socially deprived and then two years later in 2021, the area was rocked when a 16—year—old boy called dylan holiday was stabbed to death. he was stabbed 13 times and he sadly died and a man was convicted of his manslaughter but knife crime is one of the issues that has come up time and time again today as we have been in wellingborough and joining me now is the vicar here at st mark's, the reverend ben lewis who is known as father ben in the community and i wanted to start with that stabbing of 16—year—old dylan. how did the community react to that in the queensway area? we community react to that in the queensway area?— community react to that in the queensway area? we were totally devastated- _ queensway area? we were totally devastated. i _ queensway area? we were totally devastated. i think _ queensway area? we were totally

devastated. i think it _ queensway area? we were totally devastated. i think it really - queensway area? we were totally devastated. i think it really sent l queensway area? we were totally devastated. i think it really sent a j devastated. i think it really sent a lot of— devastated. i think it really sent a lot of fear— devastated. i think it really sent a lot of fear into people and we were devastated for the family involved and we _ devastated for the family involved and we have done our best to care for them _ and we have done our best to care for them and to reach out to them. and it's _ for them and to reach out to them. and it's not — for them and to reach out to them. and it's not the only stabbing that has happened in the area, you have had incidents outside the church? yes, there were a number of incidents _ yes, there were a number of incidents. they have used our cctv and there _ incidents. they have used our cctv and there was cctv tower installed 'ust and there was cctv tower installed just over_ and there was cctv tower installed just over the road now. find and there was cctv tower installed just over the road now.— and there was cctv tower installed just over the road now. and when we arrived, i just over the road now. and when we arrived. i was — just over the road now. and when we arrived, i was struck _ just over the road now. and when we arrived, i was struck by _ just over the road now. and when we arrived, i was struck by the - just over the road now. and when we arrived, i was struck by the fact - arrived, i was struck by the fact that on the side of the church, you have a red box next to the defibrillator that lots of people would see across the country but it isn't case someone gets stabbed, explained that?— explained that? after the crime happened. _ explained that? after the crime happened. a — explained that? after the crime happened, a charity _ explained that? after the crime happened, a charity called - explained that? after the crime happened, a charity called off. explained that? after the crime i happened, a charity called off the streets _ happened, a charity called off the streets was set up and they were installing — streets was set up and they were installing bleed kits and they asked if we would have won and i was pleased — if we would have won and i was pleased to _ if we would have won and i was pleased to say yes. god forbid if something like this happens again,

we have _ something like this happens again, we have the tools to be able to honefutty— we have the tools to be able to hopefully save that person's life. you have — hopefully save that person's life. you have been involved in the community work going on here with the young people. i mentioned that in 2019, this area was described as left behind. that must be quite difficult to deal with is a figure in an area that has been labelled like that? i in an area that has been labelled like that? ~ , , . like that? i think it is difficult for anyone — like that? i think it is difficult for anyone that _ like that? i think it is difficult for anyone that lives - like that? i think it is difficult for anyone that lives on - like that? i think it is difficult for anyone that lives on the l like that? i think it is difficult i for anyone that lives on the left behind — for anyone that lives on the left behind area but lets be honest, an area is_ behind area but lets be honest, an area is left— behind area but lets be honest, an area is left behind because the politics— area is left behind because the politics have failed to deliver for that area — politics have failed to deliver for that area so we are hopeful that things— that area so we are hopeful that things might change and that we get proper— things might change and that we get proper funding for programmes of intervention to really turn people's lives around. | intervention to really turn people's lives around-— lives around. i have been asking eve one lives around. i have been asking everyone today _ lives around. i have been asking everyone today that _ lives around. i have been asking everyone today that i _ lives around. i have been asking everyone today that i have - lives around. i have been asking everyone today that i have met, j lives around. i have been asking - everyone today that i have met, what would you is your first priority want from your new mp here in wellingborough? i want from your new mp here in wellingborough?— want from your new mp here in wellingborough? want from your new mp here in wellinuuborouh? , ., , , ., wellingborough? i probably have too many priorities! _ wellingborough? i probably have too many priorities! but _ wellingborough? i probably have too many priorities! but certainly - wellingborough? i probably have too many priorities! but certainly a - many priorities! but certainly a community champion that is going to stand _ community champion that is going to stand up— community champion that is going to stand up for— community champion that is going to stand up for the area, secure funding — stand up for the area, secure funding and to love the people and

love the _ funding and to love the people and love the area. and funding and to love the people and love the area.— love the area. and are you optimistic _ love the area. and are you optimistic that _ love the area. and are you optimistic that will - love the area. and are you | optimistic that will happen? love the area. and are you - optimistic that will happen? i'm alwa s optimistic that will happen? i'm always hopeful. thank - optimistic that will happen? i'm always hopeful. thank you - optimistic that will happen? i'm always hopeful. thank you very | optimistic that will happen? i'm - always hopeful. thank you very much for “oininr always hopeful. thank you very much forjoining us— always hopeful. thank you very much forjoining us reverend _ always hopeful. thank you very much forjoining us reverend ben. - always hopeful. thank you very much forjoining us reverend ben. also - forjoining us reverend ben. also joining us here in the church is william carter who is one of the reporters for the north hants telegraph which is one of the local papers here in wellingborough and the wider constituency that will be voting in the by—election. william, i am interested in what issues your readers have brought up during this by—election campaign? aha, readers have brought up during this by-election campaign?— by-election campaign? a lot. ultimately. — by-election campaign? a lot. ultimately, what _ by-election campaign? a lot. ultimately, what we - by-election campaign? a lot. ultimately, what we have - by-election campaign? a lot. i ultimately, what we have found by-election campaign? a lot. - ultimately, what we have found is that local— ultimately, what we have found is that local people care about local issues _ that local people care about local issues so — that local people care about local issues so even if it is something very— issues so even if it is something very macro, _ issues so even if it is something very macro, like the nhs, it will be people _ very macro, like the nhs, it will be people are — very macro, like the nhs, it will be people are really concerned about the nhs _ people are really concerned about the nhs but at the point of use. things— the nhs but at the point of use. things like getting gp appointments and just— things like getting gp appointments and just knowing who their gp is. things— and just knowing who their gp is. things like — and just knowing who their gp is. things like that. town centre regeneration has been huge, certainly— regeneration has been huge, certainly in wellingborough and rushden but for very different reasons _ rushden but for very different reasons. wellingborough, we are seeing _ reasons. wellingborough, we are seeing a — reasons. wellingborough, we are seeing a decline in football ultimately because of the number of vacant _ ultimately because of the number of vacant units. we did our health

check_ vacant units. we did our health check recently, found out that 17% of units _ check recently, found out that 17% of units in — check recently, found out that 17% of units in the town centre are currently _ of units in the town centre are currently vacant whereas rushton is very much— currently vacant whereas rushton is very much more a case of anti—social behaviour— very much more a case of anti—social behaviour and — very much more a case of anti—social behaviour and trying to curb that. we found — behaviour and trying to curb that. we found that local people typically care about local issues to them in their— care about local issues to them in their own — care about local issues to them in their own community rather than national— their own community rather than national issues. | their own community rather than national issues.— their own community rather than national issues. i think what i have found today _ national issues. i think what i have found today is _ national issues. i think what i have found today is these _ national issues. i think what i have found today is these issues - national issues. i think what i have found today is these issues are - national issues. i think what i have i found today is these issues are ones that translate across the country. another one being brought up would—be potholes. another one being brought up would-be potholes.— another one being brought up would-be potholes. yes, which is interesting. _ would-be potholes. yes, which is interesting, that's _ would-be potholes. yes, which is interesting, that's one _ would-be potholes. yes, which is interesting, that's one of - would-be potholes. yes, which is interesting, that's one of the - would-be potholes. yes, which is| interesting, that's one of the ones people _ interesting, that's one of the ones people have spoken to us about as well _ people have spoken to us about as well. potholes are something that affects _ well. potholes are something that affects everyone, regardless. the decline _ affects everyone, regardless. the decline in— affects everyone, regardless. the decline in football in town centres, for example, there isn't a decline in the _ for example, there isn't a decline in the number of motorists in the road _ in the number of motorists in the road so _ in the number of motorists in the road so a — in the number of motorists in the road so a lot of people are very concerned _ road so a lot of people are very concerned about potholes and a lot of the _ concerned about potholes and a lot of the candidates have mentioned them, _ of the candidates have mentioned them, for— of the candidates have mentioned them, for sure.— of the candidates have mentioned them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm them, for sure. potholes quite high! l'm interested _ them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm interested in _ them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm interested in you, _ them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm interested in you, you _ them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm interested in you, you are - them, for sure. potholes quite high! i'm interested in you, you are a - i'm interested in you, you are a reporter on a local paper but we are heading into what is probably going to be a general election year and the national press are here. how has that been for you having the

national media coming in for a by—election? it national media coming in for a toy-election?— by-election? it has been interesting, _ by-election? it has been interesting, it's - by-election? it has been interesting, it's been - by-election? it has been - interesting, it's been different. the constituency is otherwise very unassuming, very lovely but seeing the national press, seeing a lot of new faces, — the national press, seeing a lot of new faces, a lot of new candidates, it has— new faces, a lot of new candidates, it has been— new faces, a lot of new candidates, it has been interesting. it has been nice to _ it has been interesting. it has been nice to see — it has been interesting. it has been nice to see local people's opinions and voices— nice to see local people's opinions and voices represented. for me as a reporter, _ and voices represented. for me as a reporter, it— and voices represented. for me as a reporter, it has been a lot of fun seeing _ reporter, it has been a lot of fun seeing a — reporter, it has been a lot of fun seeing a lot— reporter, it has been a lot of fun seeing a lot of people from different walks of life. yeah, it has been — different walks of life. yeah, it has been interesting, for sure, and something — has been interesting, for sure, and something very different to the local— something very different to the local area. something very different to the local area-— something very different to the local area. ~ , . ., ., local area. absolutely. what do you think the turnout _ local area. absolutely. what do you think the turnout is _ local area. absolutely. what do you think the turnout is going _ local area. absolutely. what do you think the turnout is going to - local area. absolutely. what do you think the turnout is going to be? i think the turnout is going to be? you have been with the local people here. how involved have they been in theissues here. how involved have they been in the issues and the campaigns and do you think that will translate into them actually going to the polling stations on thursday? i them actually going to the polling stations on thursday?— them actually going to the polling stations on thursday? i do, yeah. it has been a — stations on thursday? i do, yeah. it has been a pretty — stations on thursday? i do, yeah. it has been a pretty safe _ stations on thursday? i do, yeah. it has been a pretty safe seat - stations on thursday? i do, yeah. it has been a pretty safe seat since i has been a pretty safe seat since 2005— has been a pretty safe seat since 2005 so, — has been a pretty safe seat since 2005 so, yeah, seeing a lot of peoplem _ 2005 so, yeah, seeing a lot of people... yeah, we are seeing it

ultimately~~~ _ people... yeah, we are seeing it ultimately... yeah, it has been a very— ultimately... yeah, it has been a very safe — ultimately... yeah, it has been a very safe seat since 2005, i think the turnout — very safe seat since 2005, i think the turnout will be high. a lot of people _ the turnout will be high. a lot of people have a lot of very, very different — people have a lot of very, very different opinions, very different ideas _ different opinions, very different ideas i— different opinions, very different ideas. i think people rally around those, _ ideas. i think people rally around those, i— ideas. i think people rally around those, i think it will be high but i guess— those, i think it will be high but i guess we — those, i think it will be high but i guess we will wait and see. are you re arina guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for _ guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for may — guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for may be _ guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for may be a _ guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for may be a shock - guess we will wait and see. are you preparing for may be a shock here? j preparing for may be a shock here? we are always prepared for a shock. we are always prepared for a shock. we are _ we are always prepared for a shock. we are always prepared for a shock. we are always on standby. we will see. we are always on standby. we will see i_ we are always on standby. we will see ithink— we are always on standby. we will see. i think ultimately, any result is shocking — see. i think ultimately, any result is shocking. it has been a very shocking — is shocking. it has been a very shocking lead up to the election, so we will— shocking lead up to the election, so we will see — shocking lead up to the election, so we will see-— shocking lead up to the election, so we will see. william carter from the north hants — we will see. william carter from the north hants telegraph, _ we will see. william carter from the north hants telegraph, we - we will see. william carter from the north hants telegraph, we will - we will see. william carter from the north hants telegraph, we will see | north hants telegraph, we will see what happens on thursday. when you watch the election results, if you stay up in the middle of the night thursday into friday, the one thing you will always see is what is known as the returning officer who stands up as the returning officer who stands up and announces the result. i have always wondered what they do during the year and what they do on the night. i am the year and what they do on the night. iam pleased the year and what they do on the night. i am pleased that we are able to be joined night. i am pleased that we are able to bejoined by the returning officer for the wellingborough

constituency, that is adele wiley. thank you very much forjoining us on bbc news this evening. first of all, what do you do on the night? what is your role in the election? thank you. firstly, it is a politically impartial role and my role throughout the entire election is to make — role throughout the entire election is to make sure that it is administered effectively and in accordance with the law. in practical— accordance with the law. in practical terms, accordance with the law. in practicalterms, it accordance with the law. in practical terms, it means making sure _ practical terms, it means making sure that — practical terms, it means making sure that those voters who need to register— sure that those voters who need to register are — sure that those voters who need to register are registered, they are able to— register are registered, they are able to vote and as you say, it all culminates— able to vote and as you say, it all culminates into the account on thursday— culminates into the account on thursday night and declaring that result _ thursday night and declaring that result. so — thursday night and declaring that result. ., , ._ ., result. so on thursday night, what are our result. so on thursday night, what are your responsibilities _ result. so on thursday night, what are your responsibilities during - are your responsibilities during that night? do you have to go around talking to the candidates as well and do you let them know before they go on stage, the result?— go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the niuht go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the niht i go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the night i will _ go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the night i will be _ go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the night i will be certainly _ go on stage, the result? yeah, so on the night i will be certainly making i the night i will be certainly making sure that _ the night i will be certainly making sure that all the processes are

ideas — sure that all the processes are ideas -- — sure that all the processes are ideas —— did too. there is a responsibility around making sure the candidates are having a good experience, talking to the media, making _ experience, talking to the media, making sure everything is running efficiently. priorto making sure everything is running efficiently. prior to the declaration, we do a provisional result— declaration, we do a provisional result for— declaration, we do a provisional result for the candidates and the agents _ result for the candidates and the agents in — result for the candidates and the agents in case there are any issues, in case _ agents in case there are any issues, in case they— agents in case there are any issues, in case they want a recount and then we find _ in case they want a recount and then we find nearly moved to the declaration which is what everyone sees on _ declaration which is what everyone sees on the tv with the stage, etc. and this _ sees on the tv with the stage, etc. and this time round, it is a by—election in a general election year so is the pressure on you when you stand on that stage, knowing that it isn'tjust the local media that it isn'tjust the local media that are going to be watching you but the national media as well? i but the national media as well? i think there is always a natural curiosity— think there is always a natural curiosity around a by—election but particularly in a general election year. _ particularly in a general election year. as— particularly in a general election year, as you say. there has been a lot of— year, as you say. there has been a lot of media — year, as you say. there has been a lot of media interest in this election. _ lot of media interest in this election, there is pressure, but we are focused — election, there is pressure, but we are focused on the process and making — are focused on the process and making sure that we run the election as efficiently as possible and that is what _ as efficiently as possible and that is what we are focusing on right

now _ is what we are focusing on right now. . , �* is what we are focusing on right now. ., , ~ ., ., now. finally, adele, a rather important — now. finally, adele, a rather important point _ now. finally, adele, a rather important point which - now. finally, adele, a rather important point which has i now. finally, adele, a rather- important point which has changed over the last year or so is that people who come to vote you need to bring some form of id with them. it is worth us reminding viewers, generally, for election is now in the united kingdom?— generally, for election is now in the united kingdom? thank you, yeah. the legislation — the united kingdom? thank you, yeah. the legislation was _ the united kingdom? thank you, yeah. the legislation was introduced - the united kingdom? thank you, yeah. the legislation was introduced in - the legislation was introduced in may 2023 and that means you can't go to a polling _ may 2023 and that means you can't go to a polling station and vote unless you take _ to a polling station and vote unless you take your id with you. that could _ you take your id with you. that could be — you take your id with you. that could be a _ you take your id with you. that could be a passport, driving licence or a travel— could be a passport, driving licence or a travel concessionary pass but there _ or a travel concessionary pass but there is— or a travel concessionary pass but there is a — or a travel concessionary pass but there is a whole list of id that is applicable. if can't list gets that, you are — applicable. if can't list gets that, you are able to apply for a voter authority— you are able to apply for a voter authority certificate as well online so it is _ authority certificate as well online so it is really important that voters — so it is really important that voters take that to the polling station — voters take that to the polling station because they won't be able to vote _ station because they won't be able to vote without it.— to vote without it. adele wiley of the returning _ to vote without it. adele wiley of the returning officer— to vote without it. adele wiley of the returning officer for - the returning officer for wellingborough, thank you very much forjoining us and good luck for thursday into friday night. i shall be watching you do that announcement here on bbc news and a reminder that

there are 11 candidates standing in the wellingborough by—election and you can find all of their details andindeed you can find all of their details and indeed lots more on the issues in this constituency and indeed that in this constituency and indeed that in kingswood which is where the other by—election will be taking place on thursday, on the bbc news website or app. matthew, place on thursday, on the bbc news website orapp. matthew, back place on thursday, on the bbc news website or app. matthew, back to you in the studio. website or app. matthew, back to you in the studio-— in the studio. nicky, thanks very much, in the studio. nicky, thanks very much. thank _ in the studio. nicky, thanks very much, thank you. _ you might think that the highest cost for headteachers would be staffing or teaching equipment, but some schools are also spending tens of thousands of pounds a year on contracts with private firms. more than 900 schools in england were built under the private finance initiative — under this deal, private companies construct the buildings and maintain them for an annualfee. but those charges are going up, as our education editor bra nwen jeffreys reports. boiling water exploding out of a school radiator — flooding classrooms repeatedly

until the system was replaced. but the roof at this school is still leaking. this is the 2021 bin. so this has been here now since 2021. this is one of the schools built under the private finance initiative. it's locked into contracts for decades — plagued with problems while public money pays off that debt. so when it rains in the school here now, i can sometimes get away with just having buckets on corridors. on other occasions, i'll lose between two, six or eight classrooms, depending on where the leaks are manifesting themselves across the site. how would you describe or characterise that struggle? no, sorry, i'm getting upset. no, oh, glyn. because it takes a toll? you feel like a failure. my sixth year of headship, and i'm no furtherforward in resolving the issues that affect the children who come here every day.

a few days later, we went back. i followed the headteacher and filmed on my phone as he dealt with the latest crisis. all the maintenance is out of his control. the hot dinners at middlefield primary in liverpool cost more than at nearby non—pfi schools. the contract also says the playing field grass can't grow higher than 2.5cm before it's cut. this year, we're looking atjust over £100,000 being spent on servicing the pfi contract. as i mentioned, that's 20% of our school budget, almost. it really is incredibly frustrating, and particularly to see those prices continue to rise. the pfi company at his school said

they would renegotiate for longer grass, but the council said the legal costs would outweigh the savings. the pfi investors body said the problem was school funding, not keeping up with rising costs. these contracts do make provision to make sure that schools are getting value for money when it comes to cleaning and catering and everything else. and there are mechanisms in the contract to compare and contrast local market rates for all of those services. so i'm pretty confident that these contracts do reflect good value for money for the taxpayer. 10cm add 2cm. the government told us funding to support pfi schools would go up by 10% from april. it said local councils could renegotiate these contracts at any time. branwen jeffreys, bbc news. a new campaign aimed at fighting fraud is being launched by the government. it's designed to stop people

falling victim to scammers and offers information about what to do if you are affected. fraud accounts for 40% of all crime in england and wales — and critics say ministers are doing too little, too too late. simonjones reports. want tickets for tonight? message now. final warning. to receive your package confirm your details and pay the fee immediately. a new tv advert with a simple message. if something appears too good to be true, that undoubtedly will be the case. hi,james. your bank account has been compromised. fraud is the most common crime in the uk. in the past, the police, banks and tech firms have all had their own strategies to warn of the dangers. but now the government says it's bringing them together to provide consistent and clear anti—fraud advice. stop, think fraud. chris messer from sussex saw scammers use his mobile phone account to buy an expensive iphone and run up a huge bill. well, it's despicable, absolutely despicable.

how people can get up in the morning and go to work, deciding they're going to steal money from other people, i don't know. there were three different individuals involved in my particularfraud. it's wicked. according to the home office, fraud accounts for around 40% of all crime in england and wales, with an estimated 3.2 million offences each year. though cases are falling, the cost to society is thought to be £6.8 billion. in scotland, fraud has more than doubled over the past decade, and cases in northern ireland spiked during the pandemic. the government's launched a new website designed to be a one—stop—shop for information about fraud. it gives details about how to avoid becoming a victim, and also, crucially, what to do if you do get scammed and who you should report it to. among the organisations backing the campaign are bt, google, royal mail, tiktok and meta. the aim, to reduce the effect on victims. it can leave you emotionally drained.

you may become untrustworthy of strangers. but unfortunately, people often forget that and theyjust see it as a crime statistic, when actually, we see the aftermath. the latest advice to be scam savvy — never send money to anyone you don't know or trust, always log onto a website directly rather than clicking on links in an email, and be suspicious. the government's fraud strategy aims to reduce levels of the crime by 10% by the end of this year, compared with 2019. but critics say it's not strong enough to effectively take on the scammers. and labour describes the advertising campaign as too little, too late. simon jones, bbc news. one more story before i go. could it be third time lucky for carey mulligan at next month's oscars. she's one of only two british actors to be nominated for an academy award this year — for her performance in maestro. she's been talking to our culture editor katie razzall. oscar—nominated first for best actress in an education...

how old am i? ..then more recently for promising young woman... what's my name? hello, i'm lenny. hello, felicia. ..could it be third time lucky for carey mulligan in maestro? and while she says she doesn't choose roles with awards in mind, she's frank about how much fun it can be. it is really exciting, principally because you get to be in a room with people that you really admire — directors you want to work with, writers you want to work with. i've introduced myself to everyone the last couple of months. i've been like, "hi, jesse armstrong, we've never met, but i'm a big fan of succession." she's a fan, too, of bradley cooper, nominated for acting and writing maestro — which he also directed — about the complicated love story between the conductor and composer leonard bernstein and his wife, the actress felicia montealegre. i've been in some incredible kind of overtly feminist films, which i've absolutely loved and relished being in — like promising young woman, and she said and suffragette. i have resisted playing the wife to the great man. but what was amazing about this was that they wrote this character, who was so well written,

fully fleshed out, complicated, and that in itself is such a feminist statement. i have heard actresses talk in the past about how, actually, it's very depressing to always get the script, which is, you know, "the wife of", "the wife of". is that changing? looking at this year, there are extraordinary roles for women. and i do think progress isn't a straight line, but everything is moving in the right direction. and i see it, definitely, in the writing. so how long do we have to do this for? maestro is up for a best make—up oscar, despite the criticism from some about bradley cooper's prosthetic nose. did it worry you, you know, there was claims it was anti—semitic? you know, bradley's whole focus from the offset was, "how do i make this as real as possible, to people who knew him, didn't know him, to his kids?" and part of that was the look. so i wasn't worried because i knew that when people saw the film, they would realise that this was, you know... and the family felt like, "yeah, he looks like our dad. that's amazing." your truth makes you brave... preparation for their roles included five days of dream workshops, in which these actors

bared their souls. a little bit la woo—woo, or did you think, "this works"? i think there's la woo—woo, but it's also... you know, we're actors — it's all quite woo—woo, anyway. we're dressing up and pretending to be other people. you can't go too far, really. as long as you're nice to people, do whatever it takes. so does maestro have what it takes to woo oscar voters? katie razzall, bbc news. great stuff. that is just about it from me today. thanks for watching, see you at the same time tomorrow. bye—bye. hello. good evening. rather showery today towards the northwest of the uk, but for many of us it was dry with some decent spells of sunshine and in the best of the sunny spells, it felt rather spring light. but still a lot of standing water out there, particularly for central southern england and the midlands. we're only going to be adding to those rainfall accumulations too as we head through this week.

big changes on the way. it will be turning wetter and also milder from the southwest. so the cooler air still in place through the day on monday. temperatures close to the seasonal average and then that milder air comes streaming through, displacing that colder air to the far north of scotland for still a few days to come. now, today, we've been seeing this little feature just run out west to east, piling some showers into scotland against some of the showers, wintry over the tops of the hills. and we'll still see some wintry showers over around 200 metres overnight tonight. again, a few showers just pushing into northern ireland and maybe through the pennines and into western wales as well. cloudier towards the south tonight, so here it's going to be a milder start to the day tomorrow, but still a frost possible from the north of england and northwards. quite a sharp frost i think across parts of scotland. now as we head through tomorrow, we look out towards the south—west to see these weather fronts just push that milder air in. so temperatures will be rising throughout the day. there will be brisk south—westerly winds and quite a lot of thickening cloud as well. it's a warm front, mist and murk.

outbreaks of rain on and off, the odd heavy downpour at times. that rain eventually pushing into the south—east of england and east anglia as we head through the afternoon, the bright start to the day across northern ireland, but it will cloud over here. the rain will arrive, maybe some cloud into southern scotland, but it's across scotland where we'll see probably the day's best sunshine. still some wintry showers, though, over the tops of the hills. and then that warm front continues to push northwards into scotland as we head through the day on wednesday. a sharp frost to start the day across northern scotland and then some of this rain likely to turn to snow as it bumps into the colder air. further south, outbreaks of rain on and off — misty, murky out there, some fog, maybe a slice of sunshine through the midlands into east anglia and north wales there. but temperatures will start to rise on wednesday to 13 or 1a degrees in the south and they could rise even further, perhaps as we head through thursday. it's generally milder, wetter for the rest of the week. bye— bye.

today at six: urgent warnings about the fate of palestinians, after airstrikes in southern gaza kills dozens, as israel rescues two hostages. with over 60 dead — and more than a million civilians in the area — the foreign secretary urges israel against a full—scale military offensive.

it really, we think, is impossible to see how you can fight a war amongst these people. there nowhere for them to go. there's nowhere for them to go. also today — tributes to the record—breaking kenyan runner kelvin kiptum, who has died in a road accident, aged 24. the headteachers struggling to make ends meet for their schools. they blame the rising costs of private contracts. you feel like a failure. my sixth year of headship, and i'm no furtherforward in resolving the issues. kansas city! and the kansas city chiefs star — and taylor swift's other half — on how he's going to celebrate his team's super bowl win. how will you and your lovely pop star girlfriend be celebrating? i'm pretty sure vegas is going to roll out the red carpet.

i'm going to be elvis for a night!