as they take their message directly to voters, it is the third full day of election campiagn. rishi sunak has been to the north as sir keir starmer heads to the west midlands. michael gove and dame andrea leadsom have added their names to a list of more than 100 mps who say they won't contest their seats at the general election. the announcements came as the parliamentary session was officially closed last night, allowing full scale campaigning to get under way. the scottish conservative leader was asked about the high number of mps stepping down, including significant members from the conservative party as it is his response. we members from the conservative party as it is his response.— as it is his response. we are seeing mps from as it is his response. we are seeing mp5 from all _ as it is his response. we are seeing mps from all parties _ as it is his response. we are seeing mps from all parties standing - as it is his response. we are seeing | mps from all parties standing down. some have served the party for a long time. a labour mp was a 2015 intake, he has decided not to stand again. but in scotland we have great candidates that are fighting for

every single vote because in key seats, it'll be very close between us and the snp. they can vote for a local scottish conservative. let's speak to bbc scotland political reporter, jenni davidson. talk us through what you are up to and what everyone else is up to, or the leaders. and what everyone else is up to, or the leaders-— the leaders. yes, it is the first bi da the leaders. yes, it is the first big day of _ the leaders. yes, it is the first big day of campaigning - the leaders. yes, it is the first big day of campaigning in - the leaders. yes, it is the first - big day of campaigning in scotland, as it is everywhere else. the scottish party leaders are out and about in different parts of the country. i am about in different parts of the country. iam in about in different parts of the country. i am in fife, where snp leader and first ministerjohn swinney has been meeting with party activists. he has said that the key part comedy heart of the snp campaign, is about opposing austerity, your writing against austerity, your writing against austerity, which he said was a punishing and damaging process which had undermined public services. the

suggested labour were continuing with austerity. i asked him how voting snp would make a difference, given they are not going to form the next government, but he said they are a strong group of snp mps at westminster. and they would fight and would tackle austerity from westminster. we have also heard from other parties in different parts of scotland. there was a clip from the scottish conservative leader douglas ross. he was in angus. he said the conservatives are the choice, the alternative to independence, he has also been taking issue with the problem with michael matheson the former health secretary, who has been criticised by the holyroodhouse standards committee, facing potential punishment over an ipad tale, something the conservatives keep bringing up, they are taking issue with the snp support for

michael matheson. john swinney said he did not think that was a problem and he is taking issue with one of the conservatives members actions on that committee. we have also heard from liberal democrats and labour. labour in lanarkshire with scottish labour in lanarkshire with scottish labour leader anas sarwar saying it was an opportunity for change and described the tory government as chaotic and dysfunctional and said it was a pivotal moment for scotland. the lib dems are in a very marginal seat that they are hoping to take in the new seat of made dunbartonshire. 149 votes in it in the last election. they are talking about tearing down the acid yellow of the snp there. according to home office data, the number of migrant arrivals in small boats crossing the english channel has surpassed ten thousand so far this year.

that's more than has made the crossing by the same point last year. with more on that i'm joined by david waddell. this is not solicitous —— statistics rishi sunak will want to hear today. this is an important issue for the government. rishi sunak made it one of his key pledges in government to stop the boats and let me give you some information about the data. home office figures show 280 people made the crossing in small boats yesterday, friday. the figure for the rest of the week had been much smaller. only eight people making the crossing between monday and thursday. on five boats in total, 288 people making that crossing yesterday, bringing the total this year alone to 10,170. that figure is higher than at this stage in any previous year since these same stats began in 2018. that'll be causing some concern to the prime minister.

and this is going to be a big election issue. at least, the conservatives like to talk a lot about it, it is one of his major pledges, rishi sunak, stopping the boats. how to play out, however labour talking about this, talk us through where the parties are all this? , ., , , through where the parties are all this? , . , , ., through where the parties are all this? , , ., ,, through where the parties are all this? , ., ,, ,. this? this has been an issue since before brexit, _ this? this has been an issue since before brexit, it _ this? this has been an issue since before brexit, it was _ this? this has been an issue since before brexit, it was one - this? this has been an issue since before brexit, it was one of - this? this has been an issue since before brexit, it was one of the i this? this has been an issue since l before brexit, it was one of the key campaign issues in that campaign. rishi sunak himself was one of the brexit campaigners at the time. this has been a big issue for him, controlling borders and in particular stopping the boats, that channel crossing which is not a safe route, that is the message the government wants to get out, to stop the boats and keep people safe and also to reduce the numbers coming into this country. he has of course introduced a scheme to send some migrants making that crossing the rwanda but there has been

legislative problems in courts and difficulties with that and the country has been unable to send only people to rwanda so far. no flights have taken. sir keir starmer labour leader has he would scrap the rwanda scheme straightaway if he gains power in the election. the lib dems say the best way to stop the crossings is to provide safe and legal routes for those seeking sanctuary. the former post office boss paula vennells has completed three days of public questioning at the inquiry into the horizon it scandal, in which more than 900 sub postmasters were wrongly prosecuted after faulty software said money was missing from their accounts. her answers included more than 20 apologies, four tearful moments and boos from the gallery. our international business correspondent, theo leggett, has more on how it unfolded. any word before you go in, miss vennells? after years of keeping a low profile, paula vennells was thrust into the spotlight this week and making her way through a scrum of cameras may have been the easy part.

she started with an apology. i would just like to say, and i'm gratefulfor the opportunity to do this in person, how sorry i am for all the sub—postmasters and theirfamilies and others have suffered as a result of all of the matters that the inquiry has been looking into for so long. there were tears as she was asked about the death of a sub—postmaster who took his own life after being financially ruined by the post office. and i imagine that... i'm sorry. i imagine that i was probably... just pause. yes. 0k. try and compose yourself if you can, and then continue your evidence, please. she defended her role. she may have been the boss, she said, but she wasn't responsible for everything and she wasn't told everything either. you are not responsible for everything that happens underneath you. you have to rely on the advice of internal and external experts.

you still continue to live in a cloud of denial. by day three of hearing her evidence, the lawyers for the sub—postmasters were clearly unimpressed and they went on the attack. i didn't know. nobody told me. ican't remember. i wasn't shown this. i relied on the lawyers. i have tried to do this to the very best of my ability. it is extraordinary, though, isn't it, because cartwright king, your external lawyers know all about it, and yet you're saying that you didn't, the board didn't. i mean, this is la la land, isn't it? and the sub—postmasters who were watching also seemed unconvinced. the crocodile tears did not faze me whatsoever. i was sat right at the front with my solicitor and i just wish she'd answer the questions instead

of going round and round in circles with the same answers. i think she knows a lot more than what she's letting on. i think, basically, she's lying. after three days of testimony, paula venables left flanked by police, the end of another major chapter in one of the biggest scandals the uk has ever seen. theo leggett, bbc news. earlier i spoke to former sub—postmaster, tim brentnall to gauge his reaction to paula vennell�*s evidence. i thought she might approach these proceedings with some openness, honesty and contrition, but it is just more of the same. from what we have come to seem from witnesses at the inquiry, it is alljust lies and deflection. she made 20 apologies, that was not enough i suppose and she also said that line we were hearing about that she was not responsible for everything.

i suppose, what they are trying to establish is who knew what and who was responsible, who took responsibility on all of this? who is more responsible in a company than the ceo. she was quite prepared to take the salary for the years that she was in that position but whenever anything awkward was put to her, she seemed to deny she was across the detail of absolutely anything. how do you feel more generally about this inquiry and its ability to achieve anything? i have got confidence in the inquiry. from what i have seen, sir wyn and the counsels are really across the issue. i think they are well aware that the problem is much more than an it problem and it was much more about the procedures and the culture within the post office. yes, and are you all right to remind us what happened to you? it was a £22,000 shortfall that was... that you were accused of.

can you expend your situation? i was audited in late 2009 and there was a £22,500 shortfall was found which the post office demanded i paid back immediately to avoid a theft charge. i was then charged with false accounting which my barrister advised me to plead guilty to because if i stood up in crown court and they said the jury would not believe me and the post office did not provide them with any exposure to mount any kind of defence. i ended up pleading guilty to false accounting and had a conviction for that. i stayed out of prison. i had a suspended sentence for two years. but for the last decade, i have not been able to gain any kind of meaningful employment because my conviction was not quashed until 2021. have you had any money back? i have had a small interim payment.

but because i have a conviction, we are going on to sue the post office. but they are insisting that we evident and document every loss that we claim for and that claim was taken the last three years to build. increasing numbers of england and wales' most vulnerable children are being detained in sometimes unregulated conditions by local authorities under measures known as deprivation of liberty orders. the use of them has increased twelvefold since 2017 with over 1,200 applications in the last year. for the first time young people who have lived under these orders have spoken publicly to our reporter ashleyjohn—baptiste. hanging with friends, making music, posting on social media, everyday

things for many young people. but zahra's childhood was far from normal. she was in care before she even started school. ijust remember being hungry, a lot of fighting, seeing my mother getting beat up and stuff like that. having no food, having to eat dog food, sexual abuse, stuff like that. a decade of failed foster placements followed, she repeatedly ran away, putting herself at risk of sexual and criminal expectation. when she was 13, her local authority applied for what is called a deprivation of liberty order. ifelt like i needed help, ifelt like i was not given help, and that is not how you deal with someone. these orders allow local authorities to take away vulnerable children's most basic freedoms when they are deemed at serious risk. the order was meant to keep zarha safe. i could not do anything.

everything they were doing, i was there, going to the toilet, cooking something, just simply going down to the kitchen, they were watching. zarha was detained in a care home 60 miles away. she was not allowed a phone or internet access and two workers often male would observe her 24—hour day. you could cry, and then they will think that you are going to harm yourself so they kind of put you on the floor. i don't believe that a teenager that is being sexually exploited should be restrained by two guys. were you in touch with people back home? no, they thought i was dead because they had not heard from me. when the high court for began issuing these orders, it was meant to be a last resort. the government recently set out a task force on the children's commissioner

for england sits on it. this is a national scandal, these are the most - memorable of our children. some might say in some instances, the deprivation of liberty order is a necessary resort. what would you say to that? we might need to protect them but i cannot help but think- there are better ways to achieve this. - children's services say they only use their orders when a child is extreme vulnerable and the increase is due to more young people with serious needs entering the care system. and you can hear the full story on radio 4's file on 4 programme — detained and restrained: britain's vulnerable kids, now available on bbc sounds. a group of mps have said the next government should consider a total ban on smartphones for children under the age of 16. the education select committee says it's heard shocking statistics on the damage being done to young people by excessive screen time. it's calling for whoever wins the general election injuly to take urgent action.

there was an extraordinary moment in parliament this week when the conservative mp craig mackinlay returned to the commons with four prosthetic limbs after losing them to sepsis last year. alex lewis from hampshire went through a similar ordeal ten years ago, also losing four limbs to sepsis. he's been speaking to linzi kinghorn about his rehabilitation. ever since i lost my limbs, it has been how do i prove myself that i can still live in amazing life and do some great things? alex is a quadruple amputee after having contracted strep a in 2013. doctor watson was one of the team who saved his life. he would come in having collapsed on a sunday afternoon, having been unwell for a few days and he was severely septic, so i came in on the monday morning and found him on absolutely maximum life support, everything, that was my first meeting with alex. and i met with his family and explain he was going to die

and if he had failed to achieve the target. now both are teaming up to take on an extraordinary challenge, rowing and cycling across the south coast, something they think has never been done before. no information anywhere, so we have had to develop attachments that i can release from because i attached it to the oars with my prosthetics. what happens if i fall in the water? we had done all sorts of drowning drills to learn what happens. what are your biggest concerns? the sea and the weather. we are doing it injune but it can be pretty unpredictable. pathetic, how do they cope in salt water? how do i cope in salt water? in extreme heat? it gets to 25 degrees and will be really hot out there. we're hot all time anyway. how will i cope with that?

the rubbing, the physical degradation of my right arm, i would think, over that area of time in the water. another quadruple amputee kent mp craig mckinley made headlines this week when he returned to parliament after suffering a life—threatening episode of sepsis which led to the amputation of his hands and feet. i don't think anybody had a dry eye when we saw him go back into the house of commons was a bit was an amazing reception and i was sat there watching it and i was tingling, thinking i have had similar experiences like that and it is incredible. when i left hospital, the military was supporting, so we were a real minority. alex open to raise money for three charities, including his own, the alex lewis trust. living life as an amputee has been investing for me ever. and if you could give me my arms and legs back,

i would not take them. the last ten years, we have packed in so much. it has been incredible. applying make—up, eating fast food and using a laptop computer, these are just some of the activities drivers have been filmed doing while on the motorway. they were caught by warwickshire police officers in an unmarked lorry and the footage was released by national highways ahead of a safety campaign. laura tra nt reports. we've got customers for you. car nearside, a lady is putting her makeup on while she's trying to drive. footage released by national highways has revealed just some of the reckless behavior of drivers behind the wheel. so he is driving with no hands on the steering wheel. so van to the nearside, bloke is having his mcdonald's and he's got no hands on the steering wheel, he's steering with his knees. so lane two, no control at all on the steering wheel,

steering with his knees, he's eating his mcdonald's. now he's picking up a drink. so drink in left hand, chips on the right hand. these two offenses are among over 46,150 detected as part of national highways�* operation tramline campaign, which aims to improve safety on roads. the reason she keeps swerving is because she keeps looking at the mirror and not on the road. the rac says being distracted behind the wheel seems to be on the rise. this is unbelievably dangerous. having no hands on the wheel, it beggars belief. the dangers, the consequences are absolutely frightening. the latest government data shows there have been more fatal collisions due to distraction than at any other point in the last ten years. 458 people lost their lives due to distraction and we have this kind of behaviour on our roads. it is absolutely frightening.

just don't need this kind of behaviour on our roads. driving is dangerous enough without people not properly concentrating and being distracted. on the m40, this driver was captured using her phone and laptop, oblivious to her actions being caught on camera by the campaign's unmarked hgv. just scrolling through, hands on the phone. we'lljust pull off now so you can pull her over. it looks like she's updating some kind of messaging. the offence of using a phone behind the wheel carries six penalty points on the licence and a £200 fine. warwickshire police said their aim is to save lives, but while education of drivers is their priority, due to the high stakes involved in some driving offences officers will be robust in their actions. laura trant, bbc news. one way to help vulnerable children

is to volunteer as a foster carer. fostering groups say the experience can be challenging but also incredibly rewarding. my mother, i didn't know this at the time, but she wanted to keep me a little longer for christmas so we could have that last time. later on, it was at school that i got brought home. there were some people, as clear as i can remember it told me just say bye to mum and everyone, give them a hug. michael was eight—years—old when he was taken into foster care. he's now taking gcse art and hoping to study at college. he prefers to concentrate on the present than talk about his past. six years ago he was fostered by clive and his husband. i never thought i could do that, actually, because as a gay man

you weren't allowed to, but things changed, society changed and that's where the opportunity came from. myself and my husband considered it and thought, yeah, we've got a room, we've got love to give. he's really pushed himself forward and dedicated himself to learning and stuff like that, so really proud of him. so there are two brothers, but she doesn't know what the long—term plan is going to be for them and they are looking to separate them. at the local charity break, they're discussing the latest fostering case. what would be the reason for separating them? - does she say? there are more children in the system wanting a home than foster carers. i think that's probably because there's lots of misconceptions about it and we know that people think about fostering for a long time, sometimes years, before they finally take the leap. finding the right child to fit into the family is critical in us knowing that when they move there,

they can stay there forever. foster carers are paid around £660 a week, but it's not easy money. it has its challenges and rewards. it wasn't about the rewards. it's about providing that opportunity for somebody, so regardless of what they bring to the door, we just hope that we've helped and provided that support that michael feels he can kind of explore the world. if you give it time, the things that have stopped them from living normally fade away. and when you foster, it is going to be difficult at first, but when you get to know each other, you're going to be like a normal family. some news to bring you from dorset police. a 17—year—old boy from lancashire has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 34—year—old woman died after being

stabbed on a beach in bournemouth. that was on friday evening. that news just coming through from dorset police. a 17—year—old boy from lancashire has been arrested on suspicion of murder. it isa it is a bit warmer today, more sunshine around but it is not dry everywhere, as we will see shortly. we had langley for the rest of the bank holiday weekend is it is going to be a mixture of sunshine and thundery showers breaking out. this is what has been happening recently. this cloud is spoiling the weather across lancashire. a little rain in that. we could make 20 degrees around the murray first handed merseyside and down towards london area. there is that first area of cloud coming in from the north sea. this rain coming into the south—west

will pivot northwards and eastwards across england and wales. a lot of cloud around overnight. temperatures typically down to 10 degrees. we start with those areas of rain and they will be moving their way northwards through the day. that rain should move away from scotland. then some sunshine but we will also see some showers. those showers could turn heavy and thundery. the greater risk of those downpours will be across northern england and parts of the midlands. these are the temperatures we are looking at. there are more showers around. the temperatures will not be quite as high. could make 19 across east anglia and the south—east. the thundery areas fading away. the wet weather moving into scotland and then clearing away overnight. on monday, we await more weather fronts coming in from the atlantic. low pressure close by bringing some more showers. not quite as wet as it was looking earlier on for bank holiday

monday. heavy thundery showers towards parts of scotland. it is likely to be a better day for bank holiday monday across northern england and much of the midlands and east anglia as well. temperatures around 16 degrees. those temperatures won't change a great deal next week. a south—westerly wind for a while and it may turn north—westerly later in the week. the week ahead is going to remain unsettled. there will be some sunshine at times but they will be some spells of rain and showers. some of them on the heavy side.

ex ex live from london, this is bbc news. thank you! party leaders hit the campaign trail — in the uk's general election and there's a growing list of tory mps who say they'll be standing down. israel has continued its attacks in gaza — including in rafah — a day after the un's top court ordered it to stop its offensive in the city. this year's bbc radio 1 big weekend is under way, with chase & status and rudimental topping the bill on friday. record—breaking brit award winner raye is the big name of today. iam i am live at radio 1's big weekend, the crowd behind me well and truly ready to go, getting excited for

tonight's headliner, raye. hello, i'm lucy gray. we start this hour here in the uk, where party leaders are kicking off a weekend of campaigning around the country ahead of the general election on the 4th ofjuly. so far today, rishi sunak has been in the north of england, where he delivered his message to voters at a pub. it comes after the cabinet minister michael gove announced that he was joining a growing list of conservative mps who will be standing down at the election. meanwhile, the labour leader sir keir starmer has been out meeting voters in the west midlands, where he told voters that stabilising the economy would be a number one priority. let's speak to our political correspondent harry farley who is in the west midlands now. what has sir keir starmer been saying today? this what has sir keir starmer been saying today?— what has sir keir starmer been saying today? this is exactly the kind of seat _ saying today? this is exactly the

kind of seat and _ saying today? this is exactly the kind of seat and area _ saying today? this is exactly the kind of seat and area that - saying today? this is exactly the | kind of seat and area that labour need to win back if they are going