and the green party calls for more affordable housing as it launches its local election campaign — we'll bring it to you live. you're watching bbc news. let's just take you to bristol, where we're waiting for the green party to launch its local election campaign. party co—leaders carla denyer and adrian ramsay will kick off their campaign shortly — and we'll take you there as soon as it starts. we will also have one of our political correspondence joining us soon to discuss all those details, soon to discuss all those details, so please do stay with us here on bbc news. first though, let's talk about airports.

the installation of new security scanners in airports has been delayed by up to a year. it means that passengers will still need to remove liquids and laptops out of hand luggage this summer, and potentially for another 12 months. our transport correspondent katy austin explains. rail embankment slipping away, track buckling in the heat. it all adds up to destruction, including the train passengers. it is network male —— network rail's passengers. it is network male —— network rail�*sjob... passengers. it is network male -- network rail's job. . ._ passengers. it is network male -- network rail's job. .. network rail's “ob. .. every system that ou network rail's “ob. .. every system that you — network rail's job. .. every system that you are looking _ network rail's job. .. every system that you are looking at _ network rail's job. .. every system that you are looking at is - network rail's job. .. every system that you are looking at is affected l that you are looking at is affected in some way by the weather. you will see the signalling equipment. we need to make sure that we maintain the temperature and that doesn't trip out. you see the overhead power

lines and if those saget will catch the top of the train.— the top of the train. when the tracks get _ the top of the train. when the tracks get too _ the top of the train. when the tracks get too hot _ the top of the train. when the tracks get too hot they - the top of the train. when the tracks get too hot they can . the top of the train. when the i tracks get too hot they can warp. they are engineered to cope with britain's normal temperature way. we are britain's normal temperature way. - are spending more money than ever before but of course every year we see extremes of weather. we break records on heat, rain, wind, so we are really racing to catch up was white network rail says it has done more preparation than ever for this summer and new technology is helping. from this control centre in wales, staff can keep an eye out for overheating rails or flooding. wales, staff can keep an eye out for overheating rails orflooding. he overheating rails or flooding. he can actually see temperatures being relayed _ can actually see temperatures being relayed from site via a small little box that _ relayed from site via a small little box that we have attached to the side of _ box that we have attached to the side of the track. that has given us a live _ side of the track. that has given us a live feed — side of the track. that has given us a live feed of temperatures as they happen _ a live feed of temperatures as they ha en, ., . a live feed of temperatures as they hauen. . . , a live feed of temperatures as they hat-en, ., . happen. maintenance staff can then no to look happen. maintenance staff can then go to look closer _ happen. maintenance staff can then go to look closer or _ happen. maintenance staff can then go to look closer or send _ happen. maintenance staff can then go to look closer or send out - happen. maintenance staff can then | go to look closer or send out drones is now an option for psion it is all around predict and prevent on how we

stop something from becoming a major incident. what our main roads? yeah. incident. what our main roads? yeah, the drainage — incident. what our main roads? yeah, the drainage will— incident. what our main roads? yeah, the drainage will be _ incident. what our main roads? yeah, the drainage will be integrated - the drainage will be integrated within the safety barrier... climate chance within the safety barrier... climate change has — within the safety barrier... climate change has forced _ within the safety barrier... climate change has forced the _ within the safety barrier... climatej change has forced the organisation was looked after them to adapt. taste was looked after them to adapt. we are was looked after them to adapt. - are noticing the effects of the extreme heat on our network. some instances last year some roads did instances last year some roads did in extreme cases melt. we have introduced more resilient road surfacing, which means that as we experience greater heat they will not melt or potentially crack. we have introduced new drainage standards, which are in line with future climate projections. future climate pro'ections. weather extremesatso— future climate projections. weather extremes also add _ future climate projections. weather extremes also add to _ future climate projections. weather extremes also add to every - future climate projections. weather extremes also add to every driver's| extremes also add to every driver's nemesis, potholes. a headache for cash—strapped council is trying to keep local roads in shape. the government's infrastructure advisor says our society needs to think about how much we are prepared to

invest in shoring up our networks. we get the infrastructure that we are prepared to pay for. we either accept more frequent disruption or we engineer and design to limit that. in doing that, we are likely to increase the allocation of funds we have to put to maintenance and renewal. , , ., , ., ., renewal. keeping people on the move whatever the — renewal. keeping people on the move whatever the weather _ renewal. keeping people on the move whatever the weather is _ renewal. keeping people on the move whatever the weather is a _ renewal. keeping people on the move whatever the weather is a bigger - whatever the weather is a bigger challenge than it has ever been. katie austin beauty news. —— bbc news. we are going to go to some live pictures now back in bristol. we did tell you that they are launching their campaign. they are going to be starting their local election campaign, party co—leaders

carla denyer and... we denyerand... we are denyer and... we are going to speak to our political correspondence at some point. as a reminder, voters in parts of england will elect councillors and mayors on the 2nd of may. these are the last local elections before the next general election. that is why they are so important. now we will come back to that coverage as soon as it starts kicking off. let's go to our next story now. gracie spinks was 23 when she was murdered by a stalker three years ago. since then we have followed her parent's campaign to get every police force to have a stalking advocate. that's an independent specialist who offers advice and guidance to victims. gracie's parents have been to visit a police unit dedicated to tackling stalking, and bbc�*s abi smitton was given exclusive access to go with them.

this moment has been a long time coming for richard spinks and alison ward. it's nice to meet you. welcome to cheshire police hq. their daughter gracie was murdered by a stalker in 2021. this 101 call was heard at the inquest into her death.

four months after that call, gracie was killed. today, richard and alison are visiting cheshire police to see how the force's harm reduction unit protects victims of stalking. this is our office. james there is one of our four probation officers that's aligned with the unit. so did you start off quite small and sort of build up to this? yes, absolutely. three or four of you... this is eight years in the making. at the inquest, derbyshire police admitted it had failed gracie. since her death, her parents have been fighting for change to require all police forces to employ dedicated stalking advocates who will be there to provide help and support to victims, like vicky at cheshire police.

when we first meet a victim, you are meeting a person in absolute crisis a lot of the time. you are not a police officer there to take a statement. you are somebody to talk to, to vent to, who's also going to provide you with some knowledge, some information about how to keep yourself safe. we know what we're talking about. we specialise in stalking and we're going to hopefully guide you through the process. gracie's parents�* vision is to have someone like vicky in every police force. yeah, this is kind of what we want to push out. across the country. the same service should be available to anyone, wherever you live. and i think this is a great place to start. why can't it be done in other police forces? what works here might not work in another area. the unit's been running for nine years now. as well as support for victims, it works with psychologists to rehabilitate offenders and trials new technology to keep people safe.

that's essentially what the perpetrator wears. it means with a high degree of accuracy, we can see everywhere where this person goes, where they go to sleep, where they've been. the person that we want to protect has this little device. they have this little clip. you can put it in your bag, your pocket or whatever, and it essentially does the same job. so if these two things come close to each other, it alerts both parties. but at the same time, it's alerting our control room on an emergency call. other forces are now reaching out to cheshire police to find out how they can improve their response to stalking cases. i think most forces recognise they can and should improve their response and how they go about that will be different and we can learn from other ways. i've learned from richard

and alison today. it's made me think about the way we approach stuff and the things that we say. so i suppose the point i'm making overall is that it's very much a journey. we've spoken so many times. we feel we're supported more, you know, from people that want exactly the same as us and are doing it. that's what will change it. ijust wish that i got this service from our police force at the time, she made her first initial complaint report because she'd still be alive today. yeah, well, no, we were let down. but we've got to now for our own sanity, push forward in a positive way, because it's the only way forward for us. it's three years since gracie died injune, and we've been on this with the same sort of passion and intent right from the start. so it will be a long process, but i'm fairly confident, very confident, that we can make a difference. gracie wouldn't have died for nothing.

now remember we told you that the green party is launching their local election campaign. let's take you straight to bristol and listen in. welcome, friends and colleagues. it is such a pleasure to be here with you today in my home city of bristol to launch the green party's local election campaign. i have had the honour of being a councillor in bristol for many years and i know just how hard our counsellors work to represent the people who live here. we are aiming for a record number of seats in the city and to lead the next administration. we know there is a huge appetite for the bold, progressive approach of the bold, progressive approach of the greens here, like in so many other towns, cities and villages across the country. we go into these local elections with around 760 councillors on nearly 170 councils

in both urban and rural settings and greens being a governing party in 10% of all councils in england and wales already. applause. all across the country we see communities being let down by the people who are supposed to be supporting them. the other party is determined to turn off the tap to investment while our public services are at crisis point. housing waiting lists grow and climate breakdown accelerates. it would be easy to feel total despair in the face of these ongoing challenges. but at the green party we are choosing another way. we are offering an alternative, a change from the tired old politics that people are so sick of. we are offering hope and we are offering action. ~ , ., ., offering hope and we are offering action. ~ , . ., ., , action. when times are hard, as they are the 70 peeple — action. when times are hard, as they are the 70 people at _ action. when times are hard, as they are the 70 people at the _

action. when times are hard, as they are the 70 people at the moment, i action. when times are hard, as they| are the 70 people at the moment, we don't need more bluster, empty words and u—turns. when times are hard we need more ambition. not less. we need more ambition. not less. we need to rise to the scale of the challenges we face and be clear that not doing that is a political choice. leaving millions of children in poverty is a political choice stop letting our nhs fall into chaos is a political choice. and failing to commit to the green investment we need is a political choice. well, at the green party, we are making a difference political choice. we choose to listen to what people need. we choose to see the cost of living crisis for what it really is, a widening inequality crisis. and we choose to offer solutions to fix it. this is a critical year because not only do we have local elections next month we also finally, finally, have

a general election on the horizon. cheering. it's the year where we will see an increase in the number of green mps and the influence that we have in westminster to make the government make the right political choices. the choices that make sense of the people in their day to day lives. it is the year i hope to be elected as the green mp for waverley valley, joining mike co—leader, as mp here in bristol central. and others taking over the legacy of caroline lucas mp in brighton pavilion. and why do i feel i maybe fortunate enough to win the confidence of people in waverley valley? well, last may at the local elections we made history in this area by winning the green majority on mid suffolk

council. and the councillors there have spent the last year delivering on their promises, to secure investment in the local area, make the councils operations greener and improve local services. and their efforts are being recognised because the green majority council has recently won council the year award. we are so proud that people put their trust in us. and that when they did we have been able to deliver results. and i want to build on that in parliament. fine deliver results. and i want to build on that in parliament.— on that in parliament. one of the areas... yeah, _ on that in parliament. one of the areas... yeah, indeed! _ on that in parliament. one of the i areas... yeah, indeed! applause. on that in parliament. one of the - areas... yeah, indeed! applause. one of the areas where our approach is so different to the other parties, where we are bold and community led by others are prescriptive and

blinkered is around the ongoing housing prices in our country. now, we come back to talking about housing again and again because having a warm, safe place to live shouldn't be a luxury. but for many people that is exactly what it is, a luxury that is out of reach. and thatis luxury that is out of reach. and that is why we are proud today to announce our plans, which would make hundreds of thousands of affordable homes available for people and communities that desperately need them applause. i hear regularly from people who have been living in unacceptable conditions crying out for a secure home or struggling to make ends meet because their rents are through the roof. there are over are through the roof. there are over a million households on council waiting lists and in england the average home for sale now costs more than eight times the annual average household earnings. councils have a vital role to play in this but they

need a framework that supports them to provide the homes that people desperately need. we need to increase the availability of hundreds of thousands more council homes and keep them available for good. we also need a fair deal for the millions of people renting in the millions of people renting in the private sector. in the millions of people renting in the private sector.— the millions of people renting in the private sector. in our community housin: the private sector. in our community housing offer. _ the private sector. in our community housing offer. we — the private sector. in our community housing offer, we would _ the private sector. in our community housing offer, we would provide - housing offer, we would provide funding to councils to meet their local needs for affordable housing. this would ensure at least 150,000 extra council homes are made available every year through a mixture of new builds, refurbishment, conversions and buying up existing homes. we would taint the private rental market to keep rents fair and we would end the no—fault evictions, so no one is at risk of losing their home at a moment's notice. we would introduce a community right to buy two increase the supply of affordable

housing. we would end the no—fault evictions, so no one is at risk of losing their home at a moment's notice. it is also a crisis of housing quality. too often homes are built with a view to develop a's profits rather than community needs. that is why our right homes, right place, right price charter would transform the planning system to ensure all new homes are built to the highest environmental standards. prioritising brownfield sites while requiring all new developments come with investment in local services that people need, like extra school and gp places, dentist places, better bus services, dedicated pathways for walking and cycling. so thatis pathways for walking and cycling. so that is our foreign housing but that is just the beginning. that is our foreign housing but that isjust the beginning. we have these bold, ambitious plans for the nhs, social care, our transport, the economy, our public services at a national level but also in our

communities. whether it is hospitals or schools or bins or roads, the most important thing is that government does for us are done locally. we want to see a reverse in the decline of local council funding and we will fight for the investment we need for community services. applause. and that is why on the 2nd of may we are so pleased to be standing green candidates in hundreds of seats across england, giving people the opportunity to vote for something different. for hope and for action. applause. that hope and for action. applause. git the green party we are committed to doing things differently. with more and more elected greens to lead the way and push the other parties to be bolder. and with your help, four

weeks today we will be hours away from having more elected greens than ever before, including here in bristol. �* . ,, ever before, including here in bristol._ and - ever before, including here in bristol._ and with | ever before, including here in - bristol._ and with that we bristol. applause. and with that we will take another _ bristol. applause. and with that we will take another important - bristol. applause. and with that we will take another important step - will take another important step forward in making our country fairer and greener. 0k, thank you very much, everyone. listening to the green party launched their local election there in bristol. remember on the 2nd of may voters will be electing their councillors as well as their mayors and these local elections of course the last local elections before the

next general election. let's speak to our political correspondent helen catt to break down a lot of what they just said there. catt to break down a lot of what theyjust said there. helen, it is good to have you with us. they spoke a lot about affordable housing, that is not a surprise, is it?— is not a surprise, is it? now. housing _ is not a surprise, is it? now. housing was _ is not a surprise, is it? now. housing was the _ is not a surprise, is it? now. housing was the big thing i is not a surprise, is it? now. i housing was the big thing that is not a surprise, is it? now. - housing was the big thing that they went on the last year's local elections at which they did very well. they had record wins last year picking up 240 seats in england. the party, speaking to members of the party, speaking to members of the party early this year the expectation wasn't going to be that they would have winds on that scale but they are quite hopeful and certainly it is not a massive surprise that they are talking about housing again here as one of their key points, key policies for the local election. we heard them both talk there about affordable housing, making sure that more affordable social housing in particular is being built. but also the idea of putting in rent controls, taming the private rental market as they put it as well. that is something they spoke about last year, rent controls

has been pretty consistent green policy and that is one of the things that they're looking at here. thea;r that they're looking at here. they did say that _ that they're looking at here. they did say that they _ that they're looking at here. they did say that they did _ that they're looking at here. they did say that they did well in 2021 in their speech and that they are hoping to do even better this time around. how are things looking? well, in bristol, which is where they were having this launch, that is one of their key targets this year. they are already the largest party on bristol council and i think they became so back in 2021. they are hoping to repeat that and pick up are hoping to repeat that and pick up more seats there and that is important this year because while it doesn't mean that they would have an outright majority, which they won for the first time last year, you heard adrian ramsay say on mid suffolk council. there is a change in the system in bristol this year so that it used to have a mayor, which was in charge of the council, but that system has now been changed and so whoever comes out as the largest party on bristol council this time will have a shot at running it either with others or as a minority administration and that

is quite a big important unitary council was white and they did mention the big backdrop to all of this, that this is the last set of local elections before the general election. what is their strategy? well, these local elections are really important to them in that sense. what the greens have been doing over the last year or so the last few years is to try and build localised pockets of local support in areas like bristol, in brighton, in areas like bristol, in brighton, in suffolk, which they then hope will provide them with the base which will then be able to get the more mps. so for example one of the reasons for the focus on bristol is that they are heavily targeting the seat of bristol central, that is where carla danielle, one of the co—leaders that you just heard from his standing there. it will be a new seat —— carla denyer. if they can

build the support of a big council then that will help push them over then that will help push them over the line in terms of support to get more mps elected to parliament and they have been absolutely clear that thatis they have been absolutely clear that that is their goal, that they want more. they have had one mp since 2010, caroline lucas, she is stepping down this year, in brighton pavilion. they are hoping to get the person that is standing in her stead elected and they want to get more mps in parliament and they see getting these local councillors elected as a really key part of achieving that.— elected as a really key part of achieving that. elected as a really key part of achievin: that. , ., achieving that. helen, before we let ou no, achieving that. helen, before we let you go. can — achieving that. helen, before we let you go. can we _ achieving that. helen, before we let you go. can wejust— achieving that. helen, before we let you go, can we just compare - achieving that. helen, before we let you go, can we just compare the - you go, can we just compare the greens to their rivals right now? because of course the conservatives are at their lowest level on our bbc poll tracker since october 2022. what is the competition, the state of the petition that they are up against generally?— of the petition that they are up against generally? well, the sort of broader picture _ against generally? well, the sort of broader picture of _ against generally? well, the sort of broader picture of these _ against generally? well, the sort of broader picture of these local- broader picture of these local elections is, as you said, the polls in the conservatives is not good.

they're trailing quite heavily whereas labour are doing quite well in the polls. it was already a year when the conservatives were expected to find this a challenge these local elections because actually they had a bit of a high point when these seats were last contested. the expectation is that it will be quite challenging for the conservatives, less so for labour. and then for the greens, they will see this as an opportunity to maybe try and pick up some more of those seats. dire opportunity to maybe try and pick up some more of those seats. are right, helen, some more of those seats. are right, helen. thanks — some more of those seats. are right, helen, thanks so _ some more of those seats. are right, helen, thanks so much _ some more of those seats. are right, helen, thanks so much for _ some more of those seats. are right, helen, thanks so much for that - some more of those seats. are right, helen, thanks so much for that and i helen, thanks so much for that and of course there is plenty more in our bbc news website and app and that bbc poll tracker is on there as well. let's go to the weather with carol. hello again. the weather in the next few days does remain unsettled. we will see further spells of rain, there will also be sunny intervals, hill snow in scotland but this weekend it will turn warmer than it has been and also windier. we could have the warmest day of the year so far. low

pressure that has brought the rain this morning pulling away but more waiting in the wings bringing more rain across the south—west through the course of this afternoon. in between, variable amounts of cloud and also a few showers. the rain continuing to push away, showers developing behind it, some bright spells developing with the rain arriving, brisk winds in the south—west. in northern ireland, northern england and scotland quite a lot of cloud with a few brighter breaks. some patchy light rain and hill snow. cold in the winds, much milderfurther hill snow. cold in the winds, much milder further south with highs of 16. through this evening and overnight the rain continues to advance northwards and eastwards as it bumped into the cold air across scotland. it will turn readily to snow down to about 100 metres in the highlands. windy too, especially in the west, and we have another band of rain moving across wales heading eastwards through the night. very mild in the south for the time of year but cold in the north. as we had through tomorrow then, the first band of rain clears england, the

other end of it pushes across scotland. then later more rain comes in across northern ireland and pushes northwards and eastwards across scotland. further south it will feel mild in any sunshine, a few showers around but that milder air pushing a bit further north during the day. as we head into saturday, the rain moves northwards, very windy day. sunshine and showers coming in from the west, the risk of gales as well but it will be windy wherever you are. 0nce gales as well but it will be windy wherever you are. once again we are looking at it being very mild across the board, temperatures will be higher and we could hit 21 celsius, 70 fahrenheit. as we head on into sunday, a day of sunshine and showers, longer spells of rain at times across north—west scotland. they could also be gales. also a windy day in prospect. temperatures down a little bit but still high for the time of year, ten in lerwick to about 17 in norwich.

piling on the pounds: new fees on eu food coming into the uk. "more money is always good", rock legend gene simmons speaks the bbc about selling the kiss back catalgogue.

the best thing about this deal is who we are doing this deal with, about the collaborative nature and about the collaborative nature and about how we have met our newest best friends. welcome to world business report. we start here in the uk — where the government has unveiled how much companies will have to pay to import foods from the eu, now the country is no longer part of the european union. small imports of things like fish, salami and cheese will attract fees of up to £145 from the end of this month. the government says the fees will pay for what it describes as "world—class border facilities". phil pluck is the boss of the the cold chain federation, which represents companies working in the temperature controlled supply chain. thank you forjoining us. what impact do you think this will have on food prices? l

impact do you think this will have on food prices?— impact do you think this will have on food prices?