at the scene within police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported and to crime scenes remain in place at kingsland high street and campus to present. where we recovered a motorbike that we believe was used in the shooting and we now know to have been stolen. the investigation is being led by a specialist crime colleague and were sporting never specialist local offices as we use specialist local offices as we use special fast inquiries... specialist local offices as we use specialfast inquiries... to establish a motive behind this shooting. the investigation is at an early stage and we are keeping an open mind as to that motive. we are keen to identify other witnesses in that area around the scene at the time of the shooting. similarly, if you are in kings lynn high street as the time of the shooting and have information or footage from a phone

or another device apiece share that with us. this is a fast moving complex investigation and will be working closely with our specialist climb colleagues, our partners in the council and other partners to establish the facts over the coming days. locally, people can expect to see a significant police and council presence, including armed officers, to provide reassurance and support. we will also continue our unrelenting focus on suppressing violence, gun crime and the offenders who endanger our communities here in hackney. events such as these, are rarely spontaneous. someone knows who was responsible. this was a shooting who has left a little girl fighting for her life. if you have any

information that can assist us with the investigation, please do the right thing and make contact with us. you can contact us by calling 101 or if you wish to report information anonymously, you can call crimestoppers on oh 800, 555111 or call crimestoppers online at crimestoppers —— uk .org. or turn alternatively to speak to off directly you can call us on 02083453865. please do get in contact with us if you have any information. staying with the election, let's take a moment to focus on candidate selection. michael crick is a former political correspondent who has founded "�*tomorrow�*s mps�*, a guide of candidates that parties might pick for winnable westminster seats. my colleague, geeta guru—murphy,

spoke to him earlier. to say it is carnage in the labour party right now is perhaps an exaggeration. but we saw diane abbott, she's been sacked. lloyd russell—moyle, the mp for brighton pavilion, was sacked last night. faiza shaheen, a leading economist who was due to fight chingford and woodford green against iain duncan smith. she stood last time she was sacked for remarks that she made about gaza and about her admiration forjeremy corbyn. and now the replacements have got to be found in those seats. there's talk eze izzard might be slotted into brighton pavilion. sorry, brighton kempton. he previously tried to become

the candidate for brighton pavilion. there's a lot of other doubt going on. there's even a bit of a tussle going on in one of the east end seats between morgan mcsweeney and keir starmer. believe it or not, morgan mcsweeney being the labour campaign chief and it's all going to happen today. labour wants to have all its candidates settled by midnight tonight. but there's the one problem with that is that they may get further retirements or there may be further assassinations, as i call them, that people who've been sacked as candidates for one reason or another. on the conservative side, there's still about 30 seats that you would say are currently conservative held, which still don't have a candidate. so a lot ofjockeying amongst ambitious would be conservative mps. and in terms of the labour party, you said there's a tussle between starmer and morgan mcsweeney. tell us more about that. well, there's a seat called stratford and bow in the east end. and as i understand it, keir starmer was very much pressing for a camden councillor called abdul hai to get that seat. and normally if starmer said that then he would get it. i mean they might go through the process of having a short list and interviews and so on, but it would be decided.

however, morgan mcsweeney, as has got his own candidate for that seat, a woman called uma cameron, as i understand it anyway, and she is on the shortlist as well. so there's a bit of a tussle going on there. i think keir starmer wouldn't be too unhappy with uma cameron being chosen to unhappy with him, her being chosen for that seat, in that he did go to her wedding anyway and she used to work for him. but then the problem then arises is what they do about abdul hai, who is close to starmer and has been promised to seat. they'll have to find him a seat somewhere else, maybe by getting rid of one of their existing candidates, as has happened two or three times already this week. i mean, this is all the nitty gritty and the tussling and the raw politics of late selections, which are always like this. and, of course, what led

to it was this massive rush of last minute retirement announcements earlier in the week. there were eight of them in just two days, which was quite extraordinary, when hardly any labour mps have announced their retirements over the last two years, two or three years. they all did it in the last minute. that provides the labour high command with the excuse, can't have a proper democratic process. we'll have to impose candidates in all of these seats. that gives an opportunity for all sorts of horse trading going on on the labour national executive. believe it or not, five members of the labour national executive are being lined up, some of whom have already been announced are being lined up for safe labour seats. it's quite extraordinary what's going on right now. it is politics. it is raw politics. i mean, all parties do this. there's also always talk, isn't there, about people being persuaded to retire because they're perhaps offered something in exchange, maybe

a seat in the house of lords. the peerage is the normal deal. i mean, it won't be well, it's not normally quite as crude as somebody saying you'll get a period of you leave your retirement till very late and we'll make we'll put you in the house of lords. but you know, there'll be nods and winks and this used to happen in the blair years. in fact, tony blair once said to someone that he was very one of the things he most regretted about being labour leader was the number of duff, you know, mediocre labour mps that he'd had to put into the house of lords in order they could get hold of their seats to install the people they wanted to become mps. i mean the real problem is here that if you select your candidates through normal selection processes involving local party members, you don't always get in the house of commons the kind of people you want as a labour leader and who are going to be potential cabinet ministers. and so there's always that tension between the needs of forming the strongest possible government and the desire of local party members in each of

the constituencies. it has to be said, local voters, to have somebody who's going to be a good mp, preferably somebody who's local. often somebody who's a local councillor. so that tension and that tension is there in the conservative party as well, is one that always comes to a head right now in these last minute selections, but it's not quite last minute. i mean, the close of nominations is, what, 4:00 on friday week? so they still got eight days. there's still plenty of time for, you know, to decide they're going to jack it all in and leave the commons. and there's still time for parties to select new people. i mean, at the last election, there was in hartlepool, the conservatives on the day of the close of nominations, had to find a new candidate because, believe it or not, the nomination papers for their existing candidate were locked in the back of somebody�*s car at manchester airport. they couldn't get hold of them. the candidate himself was a long way from hartlepool, the seat concerned and yet quickly found

a new candidate at the last minute and they only got their nomination papers in with a few minutes to spare. there may be cases like that this time as well. sot chancellorjeremy hunt says labour has a £38.5 billion black hole in their spending plans. labour disputes that claim. the team at bbc verify have been analysing the figures. here's our policy and analysis correspondent ben chu from bbc verify. so on the 17th of may, jeremy hunt unveiled a conservative dossier called labour's tax rises. this claim that labour had committed to {38.5 billion in unfunded spending over the next four years, which it alleged was equivalent to £2,094 per working household. now not to be outdone, darrenjones of labour unveiled his own dossier at an emergency press

conference yesterday called conservatives interest rate rise. now this labour dossier claimed £71 billion of unfunded conservative pledges and alleged that this would put people's monthly mortgage payments up by £350. so some big and ominous numbers there. should we take them seriously? the answer is not really. this is a war of some rather dodgy dossiers. now the conservatives have made some questionable assumptions about how much a future labour government would spend based on what it said about things like providing school breakfast clubs and bringing more public service delivery in—house rather than using private companies. moreover, to get to that £38.5 billion figure, they've added up 4 years of supposedly additional spending to make it sound bigger. it's a bit like your boss adding up your wages over the next four years and suggesting that figure is your salary. as for labour, their £71 billion

figure for what they claim are unfunded tory pledges includes tens of billions of pounds on items such as scrapping employee national insurance and inheritance tax, which seem to be general aspirations, not policy. and they get their figure for the hit to household finances by assuming this sum gets borrowed and pushes up interest rates in five years' time, citing the experience of liz truss, 2022 mini budget. but economic circumstances in five years are likely to be very different, so treat both dossiers and those alarming numbers that flow from them with some heavy scepticism. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett. hello there we have seen a few showers here today. we are not as heavy as we have been seen recently. it is a drying trend over the next few days. between that and the north sea, we have got a northerly breeze which has been pushing this cloud which has been pushing this cloud which gave all the thunder squad in scotland. that cowardice whereas no

coming in with the no c. —— that cloud is winding down low coming from the north sea. it could make 19 or 20 degrees in a few places. with that cloud within all see, we have got a bit of rain. it will be possible in the south—east before those move away. it strives for a while, before a little bit of rain comes from this eastern part of england. we have short lives of mist and fog patches, it will be a bit chillier over... a fair bit of sunshine tomorrow, cloudy skies across it in parts of england, rain or showers, tend to be confined in the south—east. we have sunny skies elsewhere, quite a warm day as well. temperatures of 19, 20 degrees. you can see where it is a bit colder due to that cloud across east anglia and the south—east of england. this area of high pressure, tending to build a

bit towards the uk and will tend to move most of that rain away from south—eastern areas. still a chance of one or two showers. still a bit of one or two showers. still a bit of cloud coming in from that breeze from the north she. more sunshine, pleasantly warm sunshine, with the wind is becoming lighter as well. warmer in more western areas, a little bit cooler against more eastern parts of england. this may change over the weekend. that's area of high pressure tending to get squeezed away as we see more cloud coming atop of it. that will bring a bit more rain towards the north west of scotland and the northern isles as well. more cloud for northern ireland and more sunshine for england and wales. here, it is going to be warmer, temperatures reaching temperature, 23 degrees. still quite warm for north—east of scotland but colourful north east of scotland. ——

cooler for north of scotland. live from london, this is bbc news:

the conservatives, labour and the liberal demsocrats all rule out increasing vat after the general election. as confusion remains over diane abbott's future, labour's deputy leader says there's no reason why she can't stand for the party. five bulgarian nationals behind the uk's biggest benefit fraud are sentenced. the judge says they'd systemically plundered the state's support mechanism. police confirm two bodies have been found in the search for a missing father and son in glencoe. the jury in donald trump's hush money trial will resume their deliberations as we await a verdict. # as we await a verdict. you know it's not the same 6 and harry styles' hometown sees thousands of fans on tour visiting landmarks connected to the singer.

hello and welcome to bbc news. the conservatives and labour have both ruled out raising vat — which is currently set at 20% for most items — if they win the general election. the chancellor made the tories' commitment in a newspaper article last night, and accused labour of planning to put it up. the shadow chancellor rachel reeves immediately rejected that. the liberal democrats also said they would not look to raise vat or income tax. our business correspondent theo leggett reports. a week after the election was announced, campaigning is getting up to speed. the conservatives have gone on the attack with this ad suggesting a labour government would put up taxes — something the chancellor said his party would not do. four times this week they refused to rule out increasing vat.

overnight we hear they are ruling it out. and when you have an economy that has turned a corner, the labour party that cannot make up its mind on basic questions could only mean one thing is sure as night follows day, that taxes will go up. vat is the tax you pay in the majority of goods and services you buy. for most items it is levied at 20%. but labour has been keen to shut down that line of attack, seniorfigures have ruled out a vat increase. sir keir starmer campaigning in monmouthshire today repeated the point. we've been really clear about not raising income tax and ni and we've said repeatedly that nothing in our plans requires us to raise tax, and that is why we have been able to set out our position on vat as well. from the liberal democrats, it was a similar story. as ed davey enjoyed himself meeting voters in somerset, his spokesperson was in the tv studios.

we could not look to raise vat or income tax or national insurance. what we have set out is that we would reverse the cuts in tax to the big banks. i have set out today how we would tax more the tech giants and digital and social media companies. the snp�*s new leader and scotland's first minister john swinney was brewing coffee in edinburgh this morning. the party is still working on its manifesto but has already said it wants to see a cut in vat. but with the main parties largely ruling out increases in the headline rates of tax, national insurance and vat, experts say their room for manoeuvre is becoming severely restricted. if we take them at their word, there is a serious constraint on future options. those taxes are the biggest taxes raising together two thirds of the of tax revenue and it means even if they currently have no plans

to raise tax revenue in the future, if something comes along, a shock comes along, a shock, is a lot like recession or cost—of—living crisis, they have constrained their options. they are basically taking tools off the table before they know what they might have to fix. taxation and how much of your money the major parties planned to take away to fund spending commitments is already a key theme of this election but can be fairly sure the skirmish today over vat rates isjust the beginning. let's get more on those quesitons around candidate selection with our chief political correspondent, henry zeffman. tax absolutely centre stage on the campaign trail tree.— campaign trail tree. your analysis on what we _ campaign trail tree. your analysis on what we have _ campaign trail tree. your analysis on what we have heard? - campaign trail tree. your analysis on what we have heard? that - campaign trail tree. your analysis on what we have heard? that is l on what we have heard? that is right, and it would put centre stage byjeremy hunt, the chancellor, who last night made a vow and no increase in income tax, vat, national insurance, but crucially he claimed that labour had a secret plan to increase vat. the problem was by the time his newspaper article making that claim had been

published, labour had much the claim of no raising of those headline taxes. so both parties locked into the same major tax policies and though crucially they are battling over appearing to be the party best place to cut the uk's unprecedentedly high tax burden, both major parties are also still committed to leaving the threshold, the rates which people move through different bands of tax where they are, ratherthan different bands of tax where they are, rather than have them rising in line with inflation. that means over the next few years, whoever wins this general election, you will have millions more people dragged into higher rates of tax. it has been interesting watching the whole diane abbott saga go into another day. interesting watching each of the labour mps and party workers being asked about it. they have all pretty much stuck to the same line, sidestepping it, saying it is about the nec decision. not angela rayner

in the last little while. absolutely not. this has become chaotic for angela rayner, the deputy leader of the labour party, elected by a labour party members on the same day keir starmer was elected labour leader, she has a separate mandate, she says she does not have any reason —— see any reason diane abbott cannot stand as a labour candidate that she has represented since 1987, but that does not differ sensibly from keir starmer�*s position at all. he was adamant today and yesterday that diane abbott has not been barred from standing. behind the scenes, the direction of travel had been pretty clear, that her parliamentary career would be coming to a close. i think angela rayner�*s intervention makes that direction of travel much less clear and it also risks this coming off to the voting public as utter chaos at the top of the labour party. labour's ruling national executive will make a final decision not just on executive will make a final decision notjust on diane abbott but every

seatin notjust on diane abbott but every seat in the country on tuesday in a meeting, but in practical terms are liberal have to make a decision and communicate it sooner than that. i was going to think that exactly that point because politically it is a mess, isn't it? —— going to say exactly that point. you talk about the decision coming on tuesday and the decision coming on tuesday and the nec must know, so why don't they just say, one way or another? it is really unclear— just say, one way or another? it is really unclear what _ just say, one way or another? it 3 really unclear what is happening behind the scenes in terms of nec panels and a rubber stamp, but i think most people think it is ultimately a decision that will be made at the top of labour's campaign by labour high command and they must know what they intend to do. diane abbott yesterday morning said she thought they had made a decision to bar her, although it is a bit unclear whether she reached a conclusion from private communication she had with the labour party or media reports, although as these media reports so

as to the labour party, but only bit circular. labour desperate to talk about their campaigning message. yesterday we were meant to be talking about the nhs, which was overtaken by diane abbott. keir starmer in wales lunching his campaign today in wales, that overtaking diane abbott. i think they will be thinking they cannot take many more days being overtaken by diane abbott's station in any labour party. by diane abbott's station in any labour party-— by diane abbott's station in any labour pa . ., ,, i. , . labour party. thank you very much for that now- _ labour party. thank you very much for that now. let's _ labour party. thank you very much for that now. let's stick _ labour party. thank you very much for that now. let's stick with - labour party. thank you very much for that now. let's stick with that. l sir keir starmer has denied blocking candidates from the left of the party from standing in the election. he repeated, no decision has been taken to bar diane abbott, who, he says, has been a trailblazer as an mp. notjust labour grappling with selection candidates. the conservative party doing the same with so many candidates standing down. joining me now william atkinson,

assistant editorfor the conservative home website and alice perry, former chair of labour's national executive committee. alice, i know you can't talk about the details of the diane abbott case, but from the outside, people looking on, it looks like a complete mess at the moment. i looking on, it looks like a complete mess at the moment.— looking on, it looks like a complete mess at the moment. i think there is a se arate mess at the moment. i think there is a separate issue _ mess at the moment. i think there is a separate issue with _ mess at the moment. i think there is a separate issue with the _ mess at the moment. i think there is a separate issue with the candidate l a separate issue with the candidate selections and discipline and due diligence. it is important they are kept separate and to separate processes for a reason, we saw what happened when politicians and public figures intervened in the disciplinary matters, so it will be a busy few days getting all the candidates together for the election, but labour did anticipate there could be an election in the spring or early summer, so they have been working. the best kind it was elected to those in 22, that is when

the candidate selection began. so not too many to select at the moment. not too many to select at the moment-— not too many to select at the moment. ~ ., ., . ., moment. what about the central char: e we moment. what about the central charge we have _ moment. what about the central charge we have heard _ moment. what about the central charge we have heard over - moment. what about the central charge we have heard over the i moment. what about the central. charge we have heard over the last 24 hours that labour in these selection processes are trying to purge the left of the party? band purge the left of the party? and auain, purge the left of the party? and again. that _ purge the left of the party? and again. that is — purge the left of the party? and again, that is a _ purge the left of the party? fific again, that is a separate process. as someone who used to be involved in disciplinary decisions and did a lot of high—profile panels behind the scenes, one thing i would find quite frustrating was when people would speak about the cases without knowing all the details. so i will not do that. i’m knowing all the details. so i will rrot do that-— knowing all the details. so i will notdothat. �* ., ., not do that. i'm not actually asking about the various _ not do that. i'm not actually asking about the various disciplinary - about the various disciplinary cases. i'm saying the wider point within the new selection process thatis within the new selection process that is going on, how big a factor is that, which wing of the party people come from and where the allegiances are. that is a charger that as labour selects candidates, it is being selected it is those who

support keir starmer, who have been totally loyal to him are once her being selected. totally loyalto him are once her being selected.— totally loyalto him are once her being selected. ok, i have got you. there are a — being selected. ok, i have got you. there are a really _ being selected. ok, i have got you. there are a really fantastic - there are a really fantastic selection of candidates been put forward by labour and 56 burma veterans as well, lots of people with a variety of different experience, lots of people with local government experience too, and people with social diversity, all kinds of different diverse measures, notjust people kinds of different diverse measures, not just people from kinds of different diverse measures, notjust people from one ring of the party. i think what is important is high quality candidates who have achieved things in public life because labour are looking to rebuild trust with voters. the candidates are being put forward at the 2024 election are genuinely some really interesting, exciting people who will make fantastic mps can and it's notjust a factional thing. having also being involved in the past as well, i say sometimes there will be a strong front runner for a

seat, but other times it will genuinely be several excellent people vying for it and it will be hard to know who will get the seat. so obviously it will be a very busy few days, but there will be some excellent candidates at the end of it. , . ., ., excellent candidates at the end of it. let me bring william and because the conservatives _ it. let me bring william and because the conservatives have _ it. let me bring william and because the conservatives have a _ it. let me bring william and because the conservatives have a bigger- the conservatives have a bigger problem because they have more seats, more candidates to find, given we have seen so many, a raft, 70 plus mps are standing down what is a potentially mean for the calibre of candidates they find to replace, given the very short time in? i replace, given the very short time in? ~ . replace, given the very short time in? ~' ., ., , , in? i think we have to distinguish between the _ in? i think we have to distinguish between the seats _ in? i think we have to distinguish between the seats were - in? i think we have to distinguish between the seats were looking l in? i think we have to distinguish i between the seats were looking at. in? i think we have to distinguish - between the seats were looking at. a lot of between the seats were looking at. a lot of the _ between the seats were looking at. a lot of the 160 or so seats that remain— lot of the 160 or so seats that remain unfilled are seats that are not target — remain unfilled are seats that are not target seats are safe seats, so those — not target seats are safe seats, so those can _ not target seats are safe seats, so those can very rapidly be filled cch care with _ those can very rapidly be filled cch care with people who we want to see in a safe _ care with people who we want to see in a safe seat in future and who

wants _ in a safe seat in future and who wants a — in a safe seat in future and who wants a blood in his campaign and that consent to be done by cch care imposing _ that consent to be done by cch care imposing a — that consent to be done by cch care imposing a candidate in that constituency. another prominent mps have said _ constituency. another prominent mps have said they are stepping down over the — have said they are stepping down over the last few days like nadhim zahawi _ over the last few days like nadhim zahawi or— over the last few days like nadhim zahawi or michael gove, and in those cases, _ zahawi or michael gove, and in those cases. the _ zahawi or michael gove, and in those cases, the competition for their seats— cases, the competition for their seats will— cases, the competition for their seats will be very competitive in the process involves cc hq and the chairmah_ the process involves cc hq and the chairman drying up a list of three from _ chairman drying up a list of three from which — chairman drying up a list of three from which party members will choose — from which party members will choose _ from which party members will choose. it is happening to both the tories — choose. it is happening to both the tories and labour issues with people _ the tories and labour issues with people entering politics because it is a depressing job and especially labour— is a depressing job and especially labour banned second jobs as they have suggested, i'm sure that one not been _ have suggested, i'm sure that one not been shadow ministers and ministers — not been shadow ministers and ministers going along, so the tory party— ministers going along, so the tory party has — ministers going along, so the tory party has a — ministers going along, so the tory party has a bit of a selection problem _ party has a bit of a selection problem. we have a tendency towards local champions, basically people who are _

local champions, basically people who are prominent local constituency are good _ who are prominent local constituency are good campaigners but who might not be _ are good campaigners but who might not be future ministers and that is a problem — not be future ministers and that is a problem going forward. a not be future ministers and that is a problem going forward.- a problem going forward. a final twin thought _ a problem going forward. a final twin thought to _ a problem going forward. a final twin thought to you, _ a problem going forward. a final twin thought to you, william. i a problem going forward. a finall twin thought to you, william. are you worried about the diversity, the range of types of candidates you might end up seeing for the conservatives? and as there are also a problem when people look at the polls, perhaps it is not the most attractive proposition at the moment?— attractive proposition at the moment? ., , , , moment? no. they can be the polls and they can — moment? no. they can be the polls and they can see — moment? no. they can be the polls and they can see there _ moment? no. they can be the polls and they can see there is _ moment? no. they can be the polls and they can see there is a - moment? no. they can be the polls and they can see there is a long - and they can see there is a long slog _ and they can see there is a long slog in— and they can see there is a long slog in a — and they can see there is a long slog in a position ahead. it is not attractive — slog in a position ahead. it is not attractive. on the diversity questions, a lot of people with similar— questions, a lot of people with similar backgrounds from local governments and the like, but also ccho _ governments and the like, but also ccho is— governments and the like, but also cchq is quite worried there for your women _ cchq is quite worried there for your women being selected in safe seats after some 20 years of trying to get more _ after some 20 years of trying to get more women, more ethnic minorities into tory— more women, more ethnic minorities into tory politics, the natural demographic for a tory party member tends _ demographic for a tory party member tends to— demographic for a tory party member tends to be _ demographic for a tory party member tends to be male over retirement age and living _ tends to be male over retirement age and living in— tends to be male over retirement age and living in the south—east. for various— and living in the south—east. for

various reasons any 21st century, a party— various reasons any 21st century, a party comprised only of that is not something — party comprised only of that is not something cchq is very comfortable with. we _ something cchq is very comfortable with. ~ ., ., ., with. we have to leave it there. thank you _ with. we have to leave it there. thank you for— with. we have to leave it there. thank you forjoining _ with. we have to leave it there. thank you forjoining us - with. we have to leave it there. thank you forjoining us on - with. we have to leave it there. thank you forjoining us on bbc| thank you forjoining us on bbc news. both parties grapple with actually trying to find the number of candidates they have to fill before the deadline. let's get out on the campaign trail and speak to a political correspondentjess parker who has correspondent jess parker who has been correspondentjess parker who has been travelling with the conservatives. give me a sense of the campaigning to have been witnessing today.— witnessing today. yes, good afternoon — witnessing today. yes, good afternoon from _ witnessing today. yes, good afternoon from a _ witnessing today. yes, good afternoon from a rainy - afternoon from a rainy buckinghamshire. i have brought my umbrella. the prime minister will be arriving a little bit later. we will see if he has managed to bring his. he will be touring a factory this afternoon. we do not know exactly what rishi sunak will talk about, whether it is in terms of stump speeches or addressing factory workers, but what we have seen

overnight is the conservatives rather than carry on what was a bit of a policy splurge over recent days weather on apprenticeships, pensions, nationalservice, which was one of its eye—catching policies are tenants, it has rather gone on the attack against labour as henry was referring to. it seems trying to flush liberal to little bit on its policy on vat, value—added tax, one of the main taxes people pay here in the united kingdom, and this claim from the chancellor, hunt, saying he thought labour was going to a plan to raise value—added tax and labour hitting back saying no, absolutely not the case. behind all this, step back from the noise of the he says, she said, both parties, labour and conservative, trying to suggest in various ways that policies or plans or tax cuts are somehow unfounded,

there is not a solid plan behind them, and trying to suggest you can only trust us with the economy. ... only trust us with the economy. the conservatives are being pushed on how much extra they would put into the national health service. of course already in this campaign launch we have had what they have said about national service, the tax break for said about national service, the tax breakfor pensioners, said about national service, the tax break for pensioners, whether those sorts of spending commitments match and chime with what the public actually wants.— and chime with what the public actuall wants. , ~ �* actually wants. exactly. and you're ri . ht. actually wants. exactly. and you're right- they — actually wants. exactly. and you're right- they are _ actually wants. exactly. and you're right. they are trying _ actually wants. exactly. and you're right. they are trying to _ actually wants. exactly. and you're right. they are trying to find - actually wants. exactly. and you're right. they are trying to find ways l right. they are trying to find ways of differentiating themselves, labour and the conservatives. somewhat ironically today, after all the hubbub of this morning, as henry was reflecting, labour and the conservatives in terms of national insurance, income tax and vat have broadly ended up in the same place, so if there was an attempt overnight

to dry dividing line between the chancellor, jeremy hunt, it has not worked. there has been a rather equalising factor instead. it is quite interesting as well because when you think about the topics that parties usually want to talk about, we know labour wants to talk about the nhs and traditionally conservatives like talking about the economy, but labour thinks it has plenty of ammunition to throw at a rishi sunak and at the conservative government and record over recent years, particularly the mini budget by liz truss and the consequences of that. it is not actually an entirely comfortable topic for conservatives, also because of the height of the tax burden in the uk at the moment, so a bit of a complicated picture as they conservatives might try to differentiate themselves. of course, they have done that with policies like national service, but to quite a lot of people by surprise when it was announced a few days ago. yes. was announced a few days ago. yes, we have to — was announced a few days ago. yes, we have to leave _ was announced a few days ago. yes, we have to leave it _ was announced a few days ago. yes, we have to leave it there. _ was announced a few days ago. yes, we have to leave it there. thank you very much for now. let's catch up with the liberal democrats, hannah

miller is on the bus again, travelling with the liberal democrats. let me ask the same question i asked jess. give viewers a flavour of the campaign thus far today with ed davey. so a flavour of the campaign thus far today with ed davey.— a flavour of the campaign thus far today with ed davey. so ed davey was out and about — today with ed davey. so ed davey was out and about in _ today with ed davey. so ed davey was out and about in the _ today with ed davey. so ed davey was out and about in the somerset - today with ed davey. so ed davey was out and about in the somerset this . out and about in the somerset this morning in the constituency in froome. he was doing the slip and slide down the water slide, another campaign stunt, a key theme, if you like, with campaign stunt this week by the liberal democrats are not afraid to get in and get involved. he said he enjoyed it more than he thought he might. they want to be talking today that mental health and putting more mental health practitioners into schools, every school in england is the policy. they say they would fund that by tripling the tax that social media companies pay in the uk. it is clearly quite a task, quite a

challenge,, a rough number... they say they could reach half of schools in england as soon as next year. it is a more ambitious plan than that which has been set out by labour and the conservatives, though they do both have policies which recognise the need for increased mental health in schools. the campaign bus now with ed davey on it is on its way back to london at the end of what it is calling like one although i think there will clearly be many more legs of the journey and campaign to go. i think they're pretty happy, really, with how this first few days has gone for the liberal democrats. they have got the further opportunities, the moments, hitting the headlines, getting themselves noticed. that is clearly what is going on here with the end of it all. they will be hoping that translates into votes.

just a quick thought on the stunts you are talking about. i was listening to some criticism earlier in the day on politics live talking about the stance and whether it detracts from the really serious issues those politicians had to grapple with at the moment. what does ed davey say about that sort of criticism? ., ., , , ., , criticism? that was put to ed davey earlier and his _ criticism? that was put to ed davey earlier and his response _ criticism? that was put to ed davey earlier and his response essentiallyj earlier and his response essentially was that while he believes politicians need to take people seriously, they don't necessarily need to take themselves too seriously. i think that is clearly the approach they are taking. it is more challenging for the liberal democrats to get coverage, given it is often dominated by labour and the conservatives as the two main westminster parties with us, and at the remaining westminster parties who have fewer mps tend to find it harder to hit the headlines, and i think that is the strategy with the stance is to get themselves noticed,

get people talking about them. and they want to be the third biggest party in westminster. they will not put a number on the number of seats they want to win, but the snp effectively came third in 2019 and the liberal democrats clearly hope they can come third this time around. that would then amount to more time in parliament for them to raise the issues that are important to them. so i think while some people have been critical of the stance and some people might look at them and say, this is not about politics should be about, it sully serious business, the liberal democrats would say to that, we have a long campaign ahead, people need some light, a smile and if this is one way of getting attention with their party, why not give it to go? we believe it there, hannah miller. thank you. we will talk through the course of the programme —— we will leave it there. there have been more campaign today. our correspondent

had been covering the campaign launches of the greens and and plaid greens and cmryu in bangor today. let's hearfrom them both. this has been the most ambitious launch of the greens and they say they're hoping to get four mps. there were a lot of speeches about the conservatives records, when the queen think of a poor one. more talk about labour's plans —— won the greens think of as a poor one. the greens think of as a poor one. the greens are no if they are to get any mps at the general election, they will have to beat labour and persuade voters that whether it is on cost of living, affordable housing or preventing the privatisation of the nhs, they will have to persuade voters they can offer a left—wing challenge, an alternative to sir your�*s party.

they said that plaid cymru was the only party— they said that plaid cymru was the only party in wales that would keep labour— only party in wales that would keep labour in _ only party in wales that would keep labour in check and keep the tories out of— labour in check and keep the tories out of westminster. a vote for plaid cymru _ out of westminster. a vote for plaid cymru would help all of the communities across wales. but really plaid will— communities across wales. but really plaid will be swimming against the current— plaid will be swimming against the current in— plaid will be swimming against the current in this uk general election because _ current in this uk general election because of— current in this uk general election because of 40 seats in wales now become _ because of 40 seats in wales now become 32, and some experts predict that having _ become 32, and some experts predict that having one four seats in 2019, they will— that having one four seats in 2019, they will do— that having one four seats in 2019, they will do well to equal that this year~ _ they will do well to equal that this year~ it— they will do well to equal that this year. it will actually be ten exceeds _ year. it will actually be ten exceeds an equivalent of 2019. —— two seats — exceeds an equivalent of 2019. —— two seats. they have laid out what seats _ two seats. they have laid out what seats they — two seats. they have laid out what seats they will be targeting, the seats _ seats they will be targeting, the seats they will be targeting, the seats they are targeting are welsh language seats, and there may be a lack of— language seats, and there may be a lack of ambition, not targeting seats— lack of ambition, not targeting seats out— lack of ambition, not targeting seats out of those new would commonly believe you could win. he brushed _ commonly believe you could win. he brushed it— commonly believe you could win. he brushed it off and said that the boundary— brushed it off and said that the boundary changes have not been kind to us and _ boundary changes have not been kind to us and this is the first past the post system. i put it to him as well

that if— post system. i put it to him as well that if labour were to win and it was a _ that if labour were to win and it was a hung _ that if labour were to win and it was a hung parliament, which you go into coalition? he would not be drawn— into coalition? he would not be drawn into _ into coalition? he would not be drawn into that yet. the into coalition? he would not be drawn into that yet.— into coalition? he would not be drawn into that yet. the latest from our correspondent _ drawn into that yet. the latest from our correspondent at _ drawn into that yet. the latest from our correspondent at the _ drawn into that yet. the latest from our correspondent at the campaign | our correspondent at the campaign launches for plaid cymru and earlier with the greens in bristol. let me point you towards the election campaign website. we'll be covering the election campaign across the day, and you can also get all the latest updates on the bbc news website, where there's a live page. the story on diane abbott is still dominating, all the confusion around that. head to the bbc website or news app and you can keep right up to date with our live page. let's turn to some of the most important stories away from the campaign trail. five bulgarian nationals have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison after being convicted of the biggest benefit fraud ever in britain. the gang stole almost £54 million by making thousands of fraudulent claims for universal credit. the judge said they'd "systemically plundered the state's

support mechanism" to steal "eye watering sums". taxpayers' money thrown around like confetti by a multi—million pound fraudster. the scale of the scam astonished investigators, and now the gang behind it have been sentenced, the full story of britain's biggest benefit fraud can be told. prosecutors said thousands of people were flown from bulgaria to london. their ids were then used to make claims for the main benefit, universal credit. police officers! police officers! when the fraudsters various premises were raided, investigators found an extraordinary amount of evidence. 900 mobile phones, all fully charged, most with the names of the false claims attached. thousands of sim cards were also discovered. computers, some open on the universal credit application page.

claim packs full of forged documents, such as tenancy agreements and proof of earnings for fake companies. and spreadsheets with details of the thousands of fraudulent claims they'd made. they basically had laid it all out on a plate for us. there was so much there. we expected to go in and find evidence, but not on this scale. the magnitude of it was just...overwhelming, i think. that's when it really hit home. prosecutors say the fraud was the brainchild of gyunesh ali. in this video, he's promoting his accountancy business. he'd previously described himself as a carpenter. after his arrest, he fled to bulgaria and had to be extradited. he and galina nikolova were found to have started the fraud in 2016. ali was clearly a ringleader in the gang, and the evolution of the gang begins with ali. we could see ali essentially taught the gang how to operate and then nikolova branched into a version of her own.

the fraud allowed the gang to live a life of luxury, visiting stately homes and going on foreign holidays. nikolova and her boyfriend stoyanov posted pictures from turkey. they bought luxury goods, shoes, cars, watches. money was no object. when nikolova's home was raided, £750,000 in cash was discovered — under a bed, in a suitcase, even behind a fridge. till you start seeing the photographs, you don't realise how much was involved. and quite a disregard for that amount of money. to seize that much money in one day — unheard of. michael buchanan with that report. a nine—year—old girl is in a critical condition after a shooting in hackney, north—east london, in which three adults were also seriously injured. police have described her as an "innocent victim." they've been speaking

to the media in the last hour. it saddens me deeply to say that at about 9:20 last night, on kingsland high street in hackney, three men and a nine—year—old girl were shot when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike. i know that local people will be extremely concerned by this incident. we share that concern and an urgent investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible. three men aged 26, 37 and 42, who were sitting outside a restaurant, were taken to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds. their conditions are stable, but one potentially faces life—changing injuries. a nine—year—old girl, who was inside the restaurant having dinner with herfamily, suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in hospital

in critical condition. our thoughts are with her family and they are being supported, as you would expect, by specialist officers. we do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other. and, as with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported, and two crime scenes remain in place at kingsland high street and colvestone crescent, where we recovered a motorbike that we believe was used in the shooting and which we now know to have been stolen. the police speaking about that shooting in the last error. if there are more developments we will obviously return to that. —— in the last hour. we will catch up with the weather details any moment. ijust

want to show you the live pictures coming from the south—west of ireland and you —— iceland and you can see the volcano that opened up and started erupting yesterday, the fifth time in six months. still spewing out huge amounts of molten lava. a kilometre long for sure opening up any largely uninhabited part of iceland, but still spectacular pictures coming down from that —— a kilometre long fissure. here on the programme in the next few minutes, we will be back on the campaign trail. the bbc verify will be looking through those various tax claims. adonis trump has arrived in court in new york in the last little while so we will bring you the latest on that as the jury resume their deliberations. all of that is after the weather with darren. hello there. we are seeing a few showers today, but generally not as heavy or as widespread as they have been recently. it is a drying trend over the next

few days as that high pressure tries to build across the uk. between that and the low in the north sea, we've got a northerly breeze that's been pushing this cloud which yesterday gave all the thunderstorms in scotland. those are moving south of the uk, but that cloud is swirling around the low, coming in from the north sea and keeping it a bit cooler across some eastern parts of england, typically 15 degrees. elsewhere, those temperatures are going to be higher. we could make 19 or 20 in a few places with that cloud coming we've got a bit of rain ahead of that. a few showers chart. one still possible in the southeast before those move away. drives off for a while before a little bit more rain comes into eastern parts of england. away from here, though, we're going to have clearer skies, the winds a bit lighter, a few shortlived mist and fog patches, a bit chillier overnight in scotland and northern ireland could be down to seven or eight degrees here. they should be a fair bit of sunshine around tomorrow. we've got cloudy skies across eastern parts of england and the midlands. rain or showers tending to become confined into the southeast. some late sunshine in the midlands, sunny skies elsewhere and quite a warm day as well with the sunshine, those

temperatures again 19, 20 degrees. you can see where it's a bit cooler because of that cloud across east anglia and the southeast of england, lincolnshire too. tending to build a little bit more towards the uk will tend to move most of that rain away from south eastern areas. still a bit more cloud the north sea. but otherwise, again, more in the way of sunshine, pleasantly warm in the sunshine with the winds becoming lighter as well. it will be warmer across northern and western areas, a little bit cooler still across some eastern parts of england. fortunes may change as we head into the second half of the weekend. that area of high pressure tending to get squeezed away as we see more cloud coming in around the top of it, heading towards the northwest of the uk. and that may well bring with it, eventually, a little bit of rain towards the north west of scotland and the northern isles as well. more cloud for northern ireland. we'll see more sunshine for england and wales, and a sunnier

day with lighter winds across east anglia and the southeast. here, it's going to be warmer. temperatures reaching 22, maybe 23 degrees. still quite warm for eastern scotland, but cooler in western scotland. this is bbc news. the headlines: conservatives, labour and the liberal democrats all rule out increasing vat after the general election. here at bbc verify we are examining claims from the tories and labour that their opponents have unfunded economic pledges which would end up costing uk families hundreds of pounds in the next parliament. as confusion remains over diane abbott's future, labour's deputy leader says there's no reason why she can't stand for the party. five bulgarian nationals behind the uk's biggest benefit fraud are sentenced — the judge says they'd systemically plundered the state's support mechanism. the jury in donald trump's hush money trial will resume their deliberations

as we await a verdict. continuing with our election coverage, the chancellor says labour has a £38.5 billion black hole in their spending plans. labour disputes that claim. the team at bbc verify have been analysing the figures, and we can cross to ben chu, who's been looking at the claims. on the 17th of may, jeremy hunt revealed a conservative dossier called labour's tax rises which claimed labour have committed billion in unfunded spending over the next four years which was alleged to be £2094 per working household. darrenjones of labour

unveiled his own dossier at an emergency press conference yesterday called conservatives' interest rate rise. this labour dossier claim £71 billion of unfunded conservative pledges and alleged this would put people's monthly mortgage payments up people's monthly mortgage payments up by £350. some big, ominous numbers. should we take them seriously? the answer is not really. this is a war of some rather dodgy dossiers. the conservatives have made some questionable assumptions of how much a future labour government would spend based on things like providing school breakfast clubs and public service delivery being brought in house rather than privately. to get to that £38.5 billion figure, they have added up four years of supposedly additional spending to make it sound bigger, a bit like your boss adding up bigger, a bit like your boss adding up your wages over the next four years and suggesting that figure is your salary. as for labour, there are £71 billion figure for what they claim are unfunded tory pledges

includes tens of billions of pounds on items such as scrapping employee national insurance and inheritance tax which seems to be general aspirations, not policy, and they get theirfigure for the aspirations, not policy, and they get their figure for the hit to household finances by assuming this sum gets borrowed and pushes up interest rates in five years' time before some of these aspirations have even been turned into policies. but economic circumstances in five years are likely to be very different to treat both dossiers and those alarming numbers with some heavy scepticism —— so treat them with scepticism. experts have warned that both parties are downplaying or even ignoring something far more relevant to many people which is a major squeeze on day—to—day public service spending. the most recent budget pencilled in a 1% a year rise in overall day—to—day spending on whitehall departments in the next parliament. but existing commitments on protected departments including the nhs, defence and schools suggest

2.9% growth in spending in these big areas, the lighter area shows the probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal studies probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal studies means probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal studies means that probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal studies means that all probable range. and all of this according to the institute for fiscal studies means that all other departments such as local government, justice and the home office face cuts of up to 3.5% every year. this is something both parties are apparently prepared to see happen but with many public services are struggling, public finance experts argue that these cuts, including local councils, are going to be extremely challenging to deliver, to put it mildly. many argue they are not credible and believe there might well have to be tax rises or more borrowing from whoever forms the next government to avoid them. they say it is the subject that matters far more than the dodgy dossiers and inflated claims we've been getting so far. ben, thank you very much.

with me is keiran pedley who's director of politics at polling company, ipsos. a pretty straightforward question first of all, how much is moving in the campaign? it first of all, how much is moving in the campaign?— first of all, how much is moving in the campaign? it feels weird at the hon war the campaign? it feels weird at the phony war start _ the campaign? it feels weird at the phony war start of _ the campaign? it feels weird at the phony war start of the _ the campaign? it feels weird at the phony war start of the election - phony war start of the election campaign, people are on half term and we are waiting for debates and manifestos. labourare and we are waiting for debates and manifestos. labour are around 20 points ahead of the conservatives which is pretty much where they were a month ago. some pollsters have the lead as low as 12 points but in reality, everyone has a large labour lead which points to a large labour majority in this election but there are five or six weeks to go. we alwa s are five or six weeks to go. we always say _ are five or six weeks to go. we always say there are caveats about every poll. what have you done about specific policy announcements over the last seven days and what the public are made of them? what the last seven days and what the public are made of them? what we are keen to do with — public are made of them? what we are keen to do with the _ public are made of them? what we are keen to do with the campaign - public are made of them? what we are keen to do with the campaign tracker l keen to do with the campaign tracker every week you see the issues people are voting on and there are a consistent top four, the nhs, the

cost of living, the economy and immigration, and i think the key point is when you ask which party has the best policies on those issues, labour has very strong leads particularly on the nhs and the cost of living so what you are going to see is the conservatives and rishi sunak trying to fight back with some policies in those areas eventually but at the moment, labour are ahead. used that word eventually because if you look at what rishi sunak has concentrated on, the triple lock plus, nationalservice, not really within those top four that plus, national service, not really within those top four that you plus, nationalservice, not really within those top four that you were alluding to. it within those top four that you were alludin: to. , , ., ~', within those top four that you were alludin: to. , , ., «a ., within those top four that you were alludin: to. , , ., ., ., alluding to. it speaks to a challenge _ alluding to. it speaks to a challenge he's _ alluding to. it speaks to a challenge he's got, - alluding to. it speaks to a challenge he's got, our. alluding to. it speaks to a - challenge he's got, our analysis shows that the conservatives are losing voters into different directions, on one hand they are raising —— losing around 30% of the vote to reform uk, which has issues around immigration, and that seems to be the type of voters rishi sunak has been targeting this week. however, they are losing another one in ten directly to labour and those switches tend to focus on the nhs and cost of living. it's going to be important for the conservatives to

have some policy offers on those issues as they get close to the end of the campaign. issues as they get close to the end of the campaign-— of the campaign. what about the leaders themselves? _ of the campaign. what about the leaders themselves? we - of the campaign. what about the leaders themselves? we have i of the campaign. what about the - leaders themselves? we have watched them out and about, ed davey doing his stunts, what are you seeing around how the leaders are performing are perceived to be performing? the performing are perceived to be performing?— performing are perceived to be performing? performing are perceived to be erformin: ? , . ., , ., performing? the big challenges for rishi sunak, _ performing? the big challenges for rishi sunak, going _ performing? the big challenges for rishi sunak, going into _ performing? the big challenges for rishi sunak, going into this - rishi sunak, going into this election, his net satisfaction rating was —55, the lowest we've ever seen ipsos going back to 1978 was —59, whichjohn major had in the mid—90s so he has a lot of ground to make up. the public are more divided on keir starmer but when you put them head—to—head, and asked who would be the better prime minister, keir starmer leads by 12 points which reflects the wider pulling position. ultimately that's going to need to change if the conservatives are going to narrow the gap. you talk about _ are going to narrow the gap. you talk about the _ are going to narrow the gap. you talk about the change in the gap, in previous elections, how much movement have we actually seen over that six week period? everyone knows anything can happen in an election

but what tends to happen in previous elections about the size of shifts potentially you've seen? mi potentially you've seen? all elections — potentially you've seen? fill elections are different but we do have to say that, it might provide inspiration for the conservatives if it goes —— looking at an election it went really badly, in 2017, when theresa may squandered their lead and ended up with a hung parliament. they will be hoping for the reverse of that. it would require labour to have a particularly bad campaign and for the conservatives to win back the voters i described. it is rare but there is five weeks to go, let's see what happens. more from the campaign trail in a moment. the un says the amount of humanitarian aid entering gaza has decreased by two—thirds since israel began its offensive in rafah earlier this month. gaza's health ministry says 53 palestinians have been killed and 357 injured in the strip

in the past 24 hours. the israeli military says it has now established full operational control over the philadelphi corridor. it sits along the gaza—egypt border, including the rafah and kerem shalom crossings, where thousands of trucks with aid are now waiting. the israeli army say they've discovered rocket launchers and at least 20 cross—border smuggling tunnels in the area since taking control. residents in rafah say that there's been intense artillery shelling and gunfire over the past day, with people continuing to flee. speaking at a meeting of arab leaders and chinese officials in beijing, the egyptian president, abdel fattah al—sisi said palestinians must not be forcibly displaced. translation: i call on all the relevant parties - in the international community to fulfil their moral and legal. responsibility to stop| the brutal israeli war.

l i also call on the international. community to immediately provide for long—term humanitarianl assistance to the gaza strip. and to end the israeli siege - and to stop any attempt at forcing palestinians to forcibly flee their land. - our middle east correspondent, yolande knell. outlines the significance of israel's control over the gaza—egypt border. this is a strategically important stretch of land along the egypt gaza border which the israeli military has said it has operational control of. it took the rafah crossing between gaza and egypt early on in this month, close to the start of its offensive in rafah when it sent in ground forces. we have seen that using this corridor with tanks returning to positions close to their longer parter as they have carried out limited raids, even in

the very heart of rafah. the israelis are saying that what they have discovered along this strip of land is very important, they've talked about 20 tunnels they have found there, described those as having a lifeline for hamas and other palestinian armed groups in the gaza strip. they believe a lot of weapons have been smuggled through their in the past. they also say they have found dozens of rocket launchers and rocket launch sites and points out that in recent weeks, there have been something like 70 rockets and mortars that have been fired by hamas from the rafah area close to the border with egypt, suggesting that the intention of hamas was to try to stop israel from retaliating their because it would worry that it would misfire and could cross the egyptian border. it would cause a bigger incident.

let's get the latest from new york. it's the second day ofjury deliberations for donald trump's trial in new york. the former us president is facing 34 counts of falsifying business records, in relation to a hush—money payment made to adult—film star, stormy daniels. he denies all the charges. all 12 members of the jury must agree mr trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for prosecutors to secure a conviction. donald trump went into court a few minutes ago and today was criticising the amount of money that has been spent on this case. it’s criticising the amount of money that has been spent on this case. it’s a has been spent on this case. it's a dis race has been spent on this case. it's a disgrace that _ has been spent on this case. it's a disgrace that millions _ has been spent on this case. it's a disgrace that millions and - has been spent on this case. it�*s a. disgrace that millions and millions of dollars that are being spent daily on this case, it looks like fort knox outside, i've never seen so many police. with columbia university, you can plant a tent in front of the main door no problem.

just put your tent up, don't worry about it. ijust want just put your tent up, don't worry about it. i just want to say this is about it. i just want to say this is a very sad day for america, the whole world is watching. let's speak to our north america correspondent nada tawfik, who is there in new york for us. thejury the jury deliberated for four and a half hours yesterday, at one stage they came back, they asked to see detailed portions of testimony from two of the witnesses during the trial. tell me more about that. yes. trial. tell me more about that. yes, esterda trial. tell me more about that. yes, yesterday they _ trial. tell me more about that. yes, yesterday they wanted _ trial. tell me more about that. yes, yesterday they wanted to _ trial. tell me more about that. ye: yesterday they wanted to hear reid backs of testimony from david pecker who was the first witness, the former publisher of the national enquirer. they also wanted reid backs from michael cohen, the prosecution star witness, and it relates to a meeting in trump tower in august 2015 between david pecker,

michael cohen and donald trump. prosecutor said it was in that meeting that the alleged catch and kill scheme was hatched, this conspiracy for the tabloid to directly help donald trump's campaign, in part by buying up stories that are negative towards trump and killing them. so it's interesting that the jury wants to compare the testimonies of these two men from that key meeting. they also want to hear about david pecker�*s phone call with donald trump in which donald trump acknowledged knowing who are former playboy model, karen mcdougall, was, that's a playboy model that the national enquirer paid hush money to. and they want testimony where david pecker discussed his decision not to seek reimbursement from donald trump for that hush money payment to karen mcdougall. those portions are going to take at least half an hour to read back to tutors this morning. before they get to start actively deliberating again today, they are

going to have to have that testimony read back to them in court, they are not able to have hard copies of that, and they have also asked the judge to have some of his instructions read back to them, instructions read back to them, instructions surrounding what influences they can make from the evidence —— what inferences. that will be around 30 pages of instructions they will have read back to them. already we get a sense of just back to them. already we get a sense ofjust how long sometimes these deliberations can take. by, ofjust how long sometimes these deliberations can take.— deliberations can take. a final thou~ht deliberations can take. a final thought because _ deliberations can take. a final thought because you - deliberations can take. a final thought because you have - deliberations can take. a final i thought because you have been deliberations can take. a final - thought because you have been there every day for this trial, we were just watching donald trump, it really is high—stakes at this stage. did he look tense to you? really is high-stakes at this stage. did he look tense to you?- did he look tense to you? yeah, i have really _ did he look tense to you? yeah, i have really seen _ did he look tense to you? yeah, i have really seen donald - did he look tense to you? yeah, i have really seen donald trump i have really seen donald trump looking more and more worn out by this whole process. he sounded the most defeated he has yesterday when

he claimed that not even mother teresa could beat these charges. donald trump is always preoccupied with how the press is covering this, every day he comes with stacks of articles, trying to show the ones from conservative commentators that says this case has no merit, those very much echo his lines and so he tries each day to show how this case isn't affecting him. it's been interesting to see just hours in court certainly weighing on him. i spoke to one of his friends of 30 years, steve wyckoff, who is inside with donald trump, he is going to be there until the verdict but he insisted that donald trump is as upbeat as he has ever been while he waits for this verdict. brute upbeat as he has ever been while he waits for this verdict.— waits for this verdict. we will talk aaain waits for this verdict. we will talk again over _ waits for this verdict. we will talk again over the — waits for this verdict. we will talk again over the next _ waits for this verdict. we will talk again over the next couple - waits for this verdict. we will talk again over the next couple of - waits for this verdict. we will talk i again over the next couple of hours. thanks so much. two bodies have been found in the search for a father and son

who went missing after going hill walking in the scottish highlands. tom parry, who's 49, and his 12 year—old son richie, were reported missing yesterday after failing to return home to cheshire. glencoe mountain rescue say, the father and son were experienced hill walkers, and police say there are no apparent suspicious circumstances. here's leigh milner. the landscape and history of glencoe draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. it is fast and the changes constantly. and while it is undeniably breathtaking, it can also be dangerous. this is where 49—year—old market research tom parry and his 12—year—old son richie came to spend some time together on a hill walking trip after visiting ben nevis. but when they appear to return to their home in cheshire yesterday, they were reported missing and rescue teams began to search the area. last night, two bodies were found.

police said formal identification still has to take place but tom parry and his son's family have been made aware. the car was found in the three sisters car park in glencoe and they set off from there on tuesday. glencoe, this particular area, is not the trickiest to walk in, providing you are prepared but if you are not, unfortunately it can produce grave consequences. inquiries are ongoing and officers say there are no apparent suspicious circumstances. st mary's church in their hometown says it will remain open for anyone who wishes to offer their condolences and prayers to all the family and friends now coming to terms with this shocking and devastating news. we will have the weather forecast in a moment. one more story because every year, thousands of fans of the p0p every year, thousands of fans of the pop star harry styles flock to the cheshire village where he grew up.

starting next week, his supporters will be able to get a closer look into his life on a new guided tour of his old stomping ground. our culture reporter, noor nanji, has this report. we love you, harry! # you're no good alone...# harry styles is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet. # you know it's not the same as it was...# starting in one direction before launching a successful solo career. he shot to fame on the x factor. # isn't she lovely...# since then, the village where he's from has become a must—see for fans, known as harries. due to the weather today, the walk down to the viaduct itself will be quite muddy and challenging. now, people visiting holmes chapel are being offered a new walking tour. more than 5,000 fans are thought to have visited

this village last year. that's almost equal to its entire population. the new tour will take those fans through a trip through local harry hotspots. a little fun easter egg for you — to your right, just there behind those green metal gates, is harry's primary school. the tour guides faced a competitive process to get the job. i'm gillian. i'm from newjersey in the us. and why are you giving a tour of harry styles' hometown? i've been a fan of his for 14 years, and i saw thisjob, and i live in manchester now. and ijust thought it was my dream job and i had to do it and give it a shot. so tell me a bit about you. i work in a bakery. what do you do in the bakery? i, like, serve the cakes in, like, the shop. i this is manville's bakery. this is the cheese counter. it's where styles used to work part time. so you hired harry styles when he was just a teenager. what was he like? he was a really nice lad. just so easygoing.

such a pleasure to have working for me. so nice with the customers. did he turn up on time? yeah, his timekeeping was fine. yeah, no problem at all. how long have you been a fan? since about 2010. since one direction's started. pretty much half your life? way more than half, yeah! i've never had anyone to really go with, so it's really exciting, coming here and doing the tour. have you ever actually met harry? no, i haven't. i i've met his dad. well, you might run into him walking around holmes chapel. i want to one day. i mean, it might- happen, but, yeah... other stops on the tour include the tourmalet viaduct, where the singer had his first kiss. it's also where he famously wrote his name in the one direction documentary, this is us. and fans have now covered harry's wall with their own messages to him. behind it all, there's an important safety message. in the past, fans made their way

to the viaduct using this road, but locals say it's dangerous. by taking visitors in another direction on a traffic—free route, tour organisers hope to keep them safe. back at the viaduct, and i couldn't go without leaving my own heart. slate hart that is. noor nanji, bbc news in holmes chapel. let's return to those live pictures from iceland, that volcano continuing to spew out molten lava and gases but we are told from local officials that winds are expected to carry those poisonous gas pollution away from the capital, reykjavik. this is the fifth time it has erupted since december. yesterday, laffer was flowing over the main road that runs towards a town that had been evacuated but only a few people have returned. no reports of any injuries. now it's time for a look at the weather with darren bett.

hello there. we are seeing a few showers today, but generally not as heavy or as widespread as they have been recently. it is a drying trend over the next few days as that high pressure tries to build across the uk. between that and the low in the north sea, we've got a northerly breeze that's been pushing this cloud which yesterday gave all the thunderstorms in scotland. those are moving south of the uk, but that cloud is swirling around the low, coming in from the north sea and keeping it a bit cooler across some eastern parts of england, typically 15 degrees. elsewhere, those temperatures are going to be higher. we could make 19 or 20 in a few places. with that cloud coming in off the north sea, we've got a bit of rain. ahead of that, a few showers chart. one still possible in the southeast before those move away. dries off for a while before a little bit more rain comes away from here, though, we're going to have clearer skies, the winds a bit lighter, a few shortlived mist and fog patches. a bit chillier overnight in scotland and northern ireland, could be down to 7—8 degrees here.

there should be a fair bit of sunshine around tomorrow. we've got cloudy skies across eastern parts of england and the midlands. rain or showers tending to become confined into the southeast. some late sunshine in the midlands, sunny skies elsewhere and quite a warm day as well with the sunshine, those temperatures again 19, 20 degrees. you can see where it's a bit cooler because of that cloud across east anglia and the southeast of england and lincolnshire too. this area of high pressure, tending to build a little bit more towards the uk, will tend to move most of that rain away from south—eastern areas. still the chance of one or two showers. still a bit more cloud coming in off that breeze off the north sea. pleasantly warm in the sunshine with the winds becoming lighter as well. it will be warmer across northern and western areas, a little bit cooler still across some eastern parts of england. fortunes may change as we head into the second half of the weekend. that area of high pressure tending to get squeezed away as we see more cloud coming in around the top of it, heading towards the northwest of the uk. and that may well bring with it, eventually, a little bit of rain

towards the north west of scotland and the northern isles as well. more cloud for northern ireland. we'll see more sunshine for england and wales, and a sunnier day with lighter winds across east anglia and the southeast. here, it's going to be warmer. temperatures reaching 22, maybe 23 degrees. still quite warm for eastern scotland, but cooler in western scotland. live from london, this is bbc news: the conservatives, labour and the liberal democrats all rule

out increasing vat after the general election. as confusion remains over diane abbott's future, labour's deputy leader says there's no reason why she can't stand for the party. five bulgarian nationals behind the uk's biggest benefit fraud are sentenced. the judge says they'd systemically plundered the state's support mechanism. a nine—year—old girl is in critical condition and three adults seriously injured following a shooting in east london. the jury in donald trump's hush money trial will resume their deliberations as we await a verdict. # you know it's not at the same as... and harry styles' hometown sees thousands of fans on tour visiting landmarks connected to the singer.

hello, welcome to bbc news. the conservatives and labourhave both ruled out raising vat — which is currently set at 20% for most items — if they win the general election. the chancellor made the tories' commitment in a newspaper article last night, and accused labour of planning to put it up. the shadow chancellor rachel reeves immediately rejected that. the liberal democrats also said, they would not look to raise vat or income tax. our business correspondent theo leggett reports. a week after the election was announced, campaigning is getting up to speed. the conservatives have gone on the attack with this ad suggesting a labour government would put up taxes — something the chancellor said his own party wouldn't do. four times this week they refused to rule out increasing vat. overnight we hear they are ruling it out. and when you have an economy that has turned a corner,

a labour party that can't make up its mind on those basic questions can only mean one thing as sure as night follows day — that taxes will go up. vat is the tax you pay on the majority of the goods and services you buy. for most items it is levied at 20%. but labour has been keen to shut that line of attack down. seniorfigures have ruled out a vat increase. sir keir starmer, campaigning in monmouthshire today, repeated the point. we've been really clear about not raising income tax and ni, and we've said repeatedly that nothing in our plans requires us to raise tax, and that is why we've been able to set out our position on vat as well. from the liberal democrats, it was a similar story. as ed davey enjoyed himself meeting voters in somerset, his spokesperson was in the tv studios. we would not look to raise vat or income tax or national insurance.

what we've set out is that we would reverse the cuts in tax to the big banks. i've set out today how we would tax more the tech giants and digital and social media companies. the snp�*s new leader and scotland's first ministerjohn swinney was brewing coffee in edinburgh this morning. the party is still working on its manifesto but has already said it wants to see a cut in vat. but with the main parties largely ruling out increases in the headline rates of tax, national insurance and vat, experts say their room for manoeuvre is becoming severely restricted. if we take them at their word, that is a serious constraint on theirfuture options. those three taxes are our biggest three taxes. together they raise about two thirds of total tax revenue and it means that even if they currently have no plans to raise tax revenue in the future,

if something comes along — a fiscal forecast is worse, a shock comes along like a recession or a cost of living crisis — they've really constrained their options for what they can do. they're basically taking tools off the table before they know which problems they might have to fix. taxation and how much of your money the major parties plan to take away to fund their spending commitments is already a key theme of this election, but we can be fairly sure that today's skirmish over vat rates isjust the beginning. theo leggett, bbc news. our political correspondent leila nathoo is with the labour campaign. stammer out and about and tax issues dominating, but everywhere he goes he is followed by questions about diane abbott —— keir starmer out and about. his deputy angela rayner said she would welcome diane abbott back. what is the leadership thing right at the top? it is

what is the leadership thing right at the to - ? , , at the top? it is interesting heafina at the top? it is interesting hearing one _ at the top? it is interesting hearing one thing - at the top? it is interesting hearing one thing from i at the top? it is interesting | hearing one thing from keir at the top? it is interesting - hearing one thing from keir starmer as we've been following him in south wales this morning where he was launching labour's campaign in wales, along with the welsh first minister. hearing that from him this morning and then hearing these comments made to itv by angela rayner this afternoon about diane abbott, labourwanted —— keir starmer wanted to talk about his plans in wales, the six steps that labour in government would take, but again he was asked questions about diane abbott's future, and it is unclear at this point whether she will be labour's candidate in her seat of hackney north and stoke newington. keir starmer insisted she has not been barred and she has indicated her intention is to still try to represent that seat. he has paid tribute to her, described her as a trailblazer, saying she paved the way for many others to become politicians and go into public life. theoretically, yes, there is no decision because at the final decision because at the final

decision will be made next week by labour's national executive committee, but there is a wider commission here. diane abbott, remember, a key figure on the left, a key ally ofjeremy corbyn has accused keir starmer of a purge can al., in herwords, left—wing candidates. this is starting to become a wider issue. there are a couple of other candidates who have said they have not been able to stand for labour, faisal shaheen, left—wing candidate, has said she has also been barred, and i think she will challenge that the station having instruct a lawyer. about the deputy leader of the party, angela rayner, saying she could see no reason for diane abbott not to stand as a candidate. the other shadow cabinet members have not expressed a view when asked to do so and quite a

clear position from angela rayner, kyiv starmer deflecting questions in the process is still to run and decisions are still to be taken —— keir starmer. it decisions are still to be taken -- keir starmer.— keir starmer. it is dogging the leader providing _ keir starmer. it is dogging the leader providing a _ keir starmer. it is dogging the leader providing a political- keir starmer. it is dogging the | leader providing a political goal for the opposition, the chancellor ending his interview talking all about tax and the saying, if keir starmer can't handle diane abbott and questions around that, how will he handle vladimir putin at? it is a pretty easy hit for the conservatives.- pretty easy hit for the conservatives. ,, ., conservatives. keir starmer definitely — conservatives. keir starmer definitely does _ conservatives. keir starmer definitely does not - conservatives. keir starmer definitely does not want i conservatives. keir starmer i definitely does not want stories about splits opening up in the labour party are any sense of division between him and his deputy. he does not want that to come to dominate the election campaign. however, what we have been hearing form keir starmer repeatedly and, indeed, on this campaign trip i have been on so for the last couple of daysis been on so for the last couple of days is him hammering home the message that his party has changed.

he said his party was unrecognisable, in his words, then the party that fought the 2019 election. candidates, labour candidates are the future of the labour parliamentary party. so what word better than to demonstrate the party has changed by changed crop of candidates? so in some senses, a clear outcome if you like, of left—wing candidates could come in some people's view, benefit keir starmer and be an illustration and manifestation any change of the labour party has been talking about. diane abbott is clearly a very high profile example of this. she is a particular case because of her history, she was the first black woman mp to stand for parliament and has been an mp for 37 years. keir starmer himself described her as a trailblazer so she has a particular place and a particularly special place and a particularly special place in the labour party in the left of the labour party too. but i think there is, you could view it this debate over whether the left is

no longer prominent or welcome in the labour party is in some sense supporting keir starmer�*s argument that he has changed this party. but i think it could potentially risk damaging days of election campaigning because we still had a long way to go until the final decision from liber�*s nec that the final list of candidates. thank you there leila nathoo. let's switch to the conservatives. yes there. the conservatives concentrating on large part on taxes today. had they got very far? the accusation was that labour was going to put up vat and they flatly denied that straightaway. yes. to put up vat and they flatly denied that straightaway.— that straightaway. yes, exactly, the attack came — that straightaway. yes, exactly, the attack came on _ that straightaway. yes, exactly, the attack came on overnight _ that straightaway. yes, exactly, the attack came on overnight from i that straightaway. yes, exactly, the attack came on overnight from the i attack came on overnight from the chancellorjeremy hunt that labour had a secret plan, he said, to raise vat, image attacks that people pay

here in the uk. labour was quick out of the traps to sate, no, that is not the case, we will not be raising vat. 0r not the case, we will not be raising vat. or income tax or national insurance. they broadly ended up in the same position, labour and the tories. listening to what leila had to say, prime minister rishi sunak having a relatively less chaotic time can i do sell time so far. he hasjust arrived at time can i do sell time so far. he has just arrived at the factory where we are in buckinghamshire for what feels like a fairly controlled event for the conservative party. we haven't really heard anything from him today in the attack line came from the chancellorjeremy hunt overnight. it may be the conservatives are watching what is going on with labour and the stormy time labour is having in terms of the situation with diane abbott and whether she will be able to stand as a labour candidate. they might be happy to let that news story roll a little bit because over the past year as there has not been any big

policy announcements from the tories, but they have been making big policy announcements in recent days. let's see what rishi sunak, the prime minister, has to say is his campaign gets under way properly for today in the next hour or so. yes, and we'll watch that. as you are hinting there, over the past week or so, certain conservatives have been machine guarding us with different policy announcements. at some stage, pretty soon, they will have to boil it down, like all the parties, to the core messages. yes. parties, to the core messages. yes, absolutely- — parties, to the core messages. yes, absolutely- if _ parties, to the core messages. yes, absolutely. if you _ parties, to the core messages. yes, absolutely. if you think _ parties, to the core messages. 12: absolutely. if you think about the blitz of policy announcements, it seems to kind of form part of a core message they are trying to land. i think there was a deliberate effort to go, national service, which took a lot of people by surprise, quite a bold policy announcement, then the announcements on pensions and then as well on apprenticeships. i think what the conservatives are trying to

do is say, look, we have these ideas, we have a plan, what is labour's plan? they are trying to paint soma —— paint keir starmer�*s and his labour party is not having ideas. that has been criticised or derided in terms of the national service announcement and that is all part of announcement and that is all part of an approach that rishi sunak is trying to make canaletto today, but in recent days of grabbing headlines because of course the conservatives have been significantly behind in the polls. there was an element of them having to grab attention, but a lot of the attention today on the labour party, so rishi sunak might be pleased he does not have any party management problems today, though he has had plenty in the past. though he has had plenty in the ast., , , , though he has had plenty in the ast. ,, , :, though he has had plenty in the asit. ,, , past. jess, we will be back to you in a short — past. jess, we will be back to you in a short while. _ past. jess, we will be back to you in a short while. thank _ past. jess, we will be back to you in a short while. thank you i past. jess, we will be back to you in a short while. thank you for. past. jess, we will be back to you i in a short while. thank you for now. we have also had a campaign launches a little earlier in

the day,. our correspondents harry farley and tomos morgan have been covering the campaign launches of the greens in bristol and plaid cmryu in bangor today. let's hearfrom them both. for a long time the greens were relative political minnows, but there was a real buzz and excitement here. the greens say this is their most ambitious election launch ever. they say they're aiming to get four mps at the general election on july 4th. and there was a lot of talk in the speeches about the conservatives' record — one that the greens think is a poor one. but actually much more talk about labour's plans and what the greens say is labour's half measures and broken pledges, and that's because the greens know that if they're to get any mps at the general election, they're going to have to beat labour and persuade voters that whether it's on the cost of living, on affordable housing or on preventing the privatisation of the nhs, they're going to have to persuade voters that they can offer a left—wing challenge and alternative to sir keir starmer�*s party. well, leader rhun ap iorwerth said that plaid was the only party

in wales that would keep labour in check and keep the tories out of westminster, and a vote for plaid cymru would help all of the communities across wales. but really plaid will be swimming against the current in this uk general election because 40 seats in wales now become 32, and some experts predict that having won four seats in 2019, they'll do well to equal that this year — actually two seats will be the same, an equivalent of 2019. so, really, when you look at what they said today, plaid cymru, they have laid out which seats they'll be targeting. the seats they're targeting are in welsh language speaking strongholds. and i put it rhun ap iorwerth that there might be a lack of ambition there, not targeting seats outside of areas you would commonly believe that plaid could win those areas. he brushed that off and said, well, we've got to be realistic as well, the boundaries say changes haven't

been kind to us and this is a first past the post system. i put it to him as well that actually if labour were to win and it would be a hung parliament, would you go into coalition? he wouldn't be drawn into thatjust yet. the latest on those campaign launches. scotland's first minister john swinney says a generation of young people in scotland have been robbed of opportunity by westminster governments. the snp leader says the general election will give them a chance to demand a better future than the main parties are willing to offer. we'll be back in the campaign trail any i a reminder that there is a live page regularly being updated on any bbc website without the campaign stops and main stories of the day and analysis from a team is right across the uk, so head there to the bbc website also bbc news app. now to other news. a nine—year—old girl is in a critical condition after a shooting in dalston, north—east london, in which three

adults were also seriously injured. police have described her as an "innocent victim". they've been speaking to the media in the last hour or so. it saddens me deeply to say that at about 9:20 last night, on kingsland high street in hackney, three men and a nine—year—old girl were shot when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike. i know that local people will be extremely concerned by this incident. we share that concern and an urgent investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible. three men aged 26,37 and 42, who were sitting outside a restaurant, were taken to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds. their conditions are stable, but one potentially faces life—changing injuries. a nine—year—old girl, who was inside the restaurant having dinner with herfamily,

suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in hospital in critical condition. our thoughts are with her family and they are being supported, as you would expect, by specialist officers. we do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other. and, as with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported, and two crime scenes remain in place at kingsland high street and colvestone crescent, where we recovered a motorbike that we believe was used in the shooting and which we now know to have been stolen. the police in the last little while. let's go to the scene. our news correspondent thomas magill

is there in dalston, east london. there must be great shock where you are still. , , ,, ., ., are still. there is shock and fear here in dalston _ are still. there is shock and fear here in dalston today. _ are still. there is shock and fear here in dalston today. earlier i are still. there is shock and fear. here in dalston today. earlier this afternoon, the mayor of hackney, caroline woodley, issued a statement saying there may be a big concern in dalston today, but offered reassurance to members of the public there would be support for them as you can see behind me, kingsland high street remains closed and in the last few minutes or so forensic officers have just arrived the last few minutes or so forensic officers havejust arrived here the last few minutes or so forensic officers have just arrived here to begin their search of this area. all morning we have seen the curtain and officers stopping people passing by the turkish restaurant which was the scene of the shooting last night around 9:20pm when the chief superintendent said in that conference earlier a motorbike arrived in shout at diners, injuring four people, one a little

nine—year—old girl and three men —— shot at diners. today she is fighting for her life and the men remain in a stable condition. they also said the investigation is fast—paced and complex and are urging people who were perhaps in this area last night and in the hours afterwards who may have mobile phone footage are other footage from dashcams or cctv to come forward and make themselves known. there is a bit of tension in this area today this afternoon as people are gathering on street corners asking how this could happen and how some young girland how this could happen and how some young girl and three men could be shut down as they enjoyed an evening out at a restaurant like so many others in this area last night. —— could be shot down. eye witnesses i spoke to told me it was very busy in

this area and moments after the shooting happened, there were chaotic scenes and terrified people falling to the ground and trying to get away from the scene. today the investigation continues, as you see, the police very much asking members of the public who have any information to come forward. thank ou ve information to come forward. thank you very much _ information to come forward. thank you very much for — information to come forward. thank you very much for that _ information to come forward. thank you very much for that update i information to come forward. thank you very much for that update there from east london. thank you. a bbc investigation has uncovered widespread failures under any ht —— nhs it systems that have caused serious harm across trust in england. a freedom of information request found that 20,000 letters were never sent due to this. "to my baby boy, i miss you so much.

my heart aches for you every day. i have so many things to tell you when we see each other again". darnell, whose parents wrote this letter to their son, which he'll never hear. darnell had sickle cell disease, cerebral palsy, and he was nonverbal. he was admitted to hospital in sheffield and should have had his vital signs checked hourly for a minimum of six hours. but it wasn't done for more than 12 hours. two weeks later, he died of pneumonia. you're fighting for your child's life. imagine just sat watching your child die as a parent. that's what we endured. the hospital's it system had made it difficult for staff to see his care plan. it was a screen with different side bars that nurses could go into, and in the right—hand corner, a small square, which was the alert, which wasn't really visible. the it system should be set up in a way where you have the it system should be set up in a way where you have to see it — it should just

be a tick box or itjust doesn't allow you to move any further until you've read what you're supposed to read. it could be a matter of life or death. after darnell�*s inquest, the coroner said if clinicians can't see vital information like care plans, there was a real risk of further deaths. sheffield hospitals have apologised that darnell�*s care was below the standard they would expect. they said they've already made changes to limit the chances of this happening again and that it was implementing a new it system this year. but it's not the only hospital with computer problems. we sent a freedom of information request to 122 major hospital trusts. it revealed almost half of trusts with electronic patient records reported instances of potential patient harm linked to their systems. professorjoe mcdonald has overseen hospital it systems for years. the thing about paper is when you make a mistake, you make them one at a time. the thing about electronic patient records system is it gives

you the opportunity, unfortunately, to make the same mistake thousands of times. many experts agree digitising paper notes is the right thing to do, but the costs are huge and different systems don't always connect between hospitals. £100 million and in some cases you're looking at several hundred million pounds. that makes electronic health records probably the most expensive item on any hospital's budget. it's a broken jigsaw. they don't interoperate in the way that you'd expect a sane system to work. nhs england says it's invested nearly £900 million and says it's working closely with trusts to review any concerns. darnell�*s family hope his death will force hospitals to urgently check that their it systems are safe. sharon barbour, bbc news.

as promised, let's get back on the campaign trail. i was telling you thatjohn swinney, the first minister saying a generation of young people have been robbed of opportunity by westminster governments. let's speak to scotland political correspondent lynsey bews tell me more about the campaigning where you are. the tell me more about the campaigning where you are-— where you are. the snp leader and first minister _ where you are. the snp leader and first ministerjohn _ where you are. the snp leader and first ministerjohn swinney - where you are. the snp leader and first ministerjohn swinney was i where you are. the snp leader and first ministerjohn swinney was on | first ministerjohn swinney was on the election campaign trail first thing this morning. he visited a coffee shop to meet activists in the seat of edinburgh west, which the snp hopes to win from the liberal democrats, who currently hold that seat at westminster. the message today was a pitch to young voters. the snp say that young voters have been robbed of opportunity and let down by the westminster system when it comes to brexit, severity and the cost of living crisis. they say they are the party here in scotland that can offer real change in the form of independence and are rejoining the

eu. independence and achieving that is, of course, a central plank to the snp�*s page to voters and will be any manifesto when it has published later on in campaign. they say winning a majority of seats at westminster would enable the party to have a mandate and begin negotiations with the uk government to give democratic effect to scotland becoming independent. they would then pursue rejoining the eu. they say the only party now that holds that as its policy —— they are the only party. we holds that as its policy -- they are the only party-— the only party. we are into the second week _ the only party. we are into the second week of _ the only party. we are into the second week of actual - the only party. we are into the i second week of actual campaigning and scotland so important in this general election. what are the polls are suggesting. we have been looking at polls in england and not a huge amount of movement. is there any difference in scotland? john swinney had only become _ difference in scotland? john swinney had only become leader _ difference in scotland? john swinney had only become leader of _ difference in scotland? john swinney had only become leader of the i difference in scotland? john swinney had only become leader of the snp l had only become leader of the snp and the first minister a couple of weeks before the general election

was called, so it is difficult to really get a true sense of the impact his leadership might be having. but if you look at polling here, the broad trend has been that labour are now leading the snp in the polls. the snp have some catching up to do, but they are really fighting on three fronts, tonight main fronts. labour, they are trying to protect the seats they have mainly across central scotland from bids from labour in those seats and there are also trying to take seats from the conservatives in the north—east of the country, for example, and targeting some lib dems seats as well like the edinburgh west seat i mentioned. john swinney wants to be talking about his picture on the economy, he wants to be talking about big issues like the cost of living crisis and the nhs, but it hasn't been the easiest start to an election campaign for him because the row over the snp�*s former health secretary, michael matheson, has been dominating at holyrood, which continues to sit during this election campaign.

michael matheson was found to be in breach of the msps code of conduct over paying an £11,000 ipad builders that he was sanctioned at holyrood yesterday, the snp refused to back that and are now being built on that by labour and the tories. let’s that and are now being built on that by labour and the tories.— by labour and the tories. let's get out on the — by labour and the tories. let's get out on the campaign _ by labour and the tories. let's get out on the campaign trail- by labour and the tories. let's get out on the campaign trail to i out on the campaign trail to buckinghamshire. rishi sunakjust buckinghamshire. rishi sunak just starting buckinghamshire. rishi sunakjust starting the latest events. buckinghamshire. rishi sunak “ust starting the latest events. another cham - ion starting the latest events. another champion of _ starting the latest events. another champion of neighbourhood i starting the latest events. another. champion of neighbourhood policing, also a big fan of our plans to roll out more free childcare to those of you with kids. for kids as young as nine months old, but also a massive advocate in bringing skills and opportunity to young people here in milton keynes. crucially, the two of them will also stand up and oppose them will also stand up and oppose the labour council's plans to put 63,000 homes right here in milton

keynes, almost doubling the size of the population without any thought for what that would do to your precious green spaces and without the right infrastructure to go alongside. they are working very hard for you. will you join me in saying thank you to them for everything they are doing. thanks, guys. we'll i know the last few years have been really tough. we had a pandemic with all the damage that did and arejust as we a pandemic with all the damage that did and are just as we are recovering, russia invaded ukraine. without the impact that had on everyone and their finances. but i do believe that thanks to all your hard work, resilience and sacrifice you have all put in, we are getting through the worst of it now. you can see that. inflation is down from 11% to 2%, the economy is now growing faster than all our major competitors. wages have been rising faster than prices for almost a year now. so hopefully you can see that we have turned a corner and the plan

is working. the question ahead of us know is who do you trust to build on that, turn that foundation into a secure future for you, your family, and our country? that is the choice at this election. do we build on the progress we have made or do we go back to square one with no plan and no certainty? with the labour party, the only certainty you will get is that they will put up your taxes. as clear as night follows day, that is what they always do and that is what they will do. the independent officials at the treasury have tarted up all the things they said they want to spend money on, looked at the black hole in their plans and that reveals £2000, not my numbers, but the numbers from the independent treasury official. £2000 worth of tax rises for every working family in our country. i don't want that to happen to you. i don't think it will do anything for your family's financial security. you all watch

the tv, you all know right now we're living in perhaps the most dangerous and uncertain time that our country has in decades. russia, iran, china, north korea working together in a way that undermines our values, threatens our interests, both abroad and at home. threatening the integrity of our borders. these uncertain times call for a clear plan and build action so that we can chart a course to a more secure future. that is what i'm about, that's what the conservatives are about. take the one issue of illegal migration. i'm determined to stop the boats because it is simply not fair that people jump the queue, come to our country illegally, put pressure on local services. and we have got a bold idea to deal with it. making it crystal clear that if people come here illegally, they will not be able to stay because we will not be able to stay because we will be able to send them to rwanda. the penny is dropping across europe,

multiple other european countries all signing up to a declaration agreeing that our approach is the right one. who's the one person that doesn't agree with that? keir starmer. he is going to release all the illegal migrants we have already detained, he's going to cancel the flights, offering amnesty to illegal migrants, making us the soft touch of europe, making as a magnet for migrants from across the continent —— making us a magnet. you simply cannot trust labour to keep our country safe. what he wants you to believe is that this election is over before it's even begun, that it's a foregone conclusion. well, i'm going to work very hard every day for every single vote, i'm going to work hard to earn your trust. i don't think the british people like being taken for granted. if he was happy to abandon every single

promise that he made to become labour leader, as soon as he got the job, what makes you think you would do exactly the same thing if he became prime minister? if he doesn't stand for anything himself, how can he stand for all of you? what we've been doing in the first week of this campaign is putting bold ideas on the table, a new modern form of national service, protection for our pensioners with the triple lock plus, 100,000 new high—quality apprenticeships and in response, he's got nothing to say, no ideas, no plan, and you don't deliver any change without having those things. in contrast, i'm going to keep putting bold ideas on the table, working through our plan because that's how we deliver a secure future for all of you, and that's a future for all of you, and that's a future where we have a renewed sense of confidence in ourselves and our communities, renewed pride in our country, a britain where all of your hard work is properly rewarded and

where the opportunities that were there for the previous generation are there for the next, and in britain, where above all your safety and our defence is assured, so that's a secure future i'm working towards, that's a secure future i want for all of you and our country, and with your support, that's a secure country that i can deliver. thanks very much. before we open it up thanks very much. before we open it up for questions, i was also going to say thank you to roger and the team for having me here and congratulations to all of you. because of businesses like yours, during the incredible job that you are doing, you may have heard recently that we have overtaken france, the netherlands and japan and we are now the third—largest export economy in the world, that's something that has happened because people like you and your hard work, so it's a real pleasure to be here today. thanks for having me and the

guys. i'm happy to take some questions. who have we got first? it's good that you mentioned trust. my mum _ it's good that you mentioned trust. my mum died in 2020 at the height of the pandemic, my brother could not be with— the pandemic, my brother could not be with us— the pandemic, my brother could not be with us in— the pandemic, my brother could not be with us in hospital, you probably remember— be with us in hospital, you probably remember that was the month where the parties _ remember that was the month where the parties were going on in downing street _ the parties were going on in downing street i_ the parties were going on in downing street. i think the months after you attended _ street. i think the months after you attended a — street. i think the months after you attended a gathering where you got a fixed penalty notice, so my question was, how— fixed penalty notice, so my question was, how can anyone trust you or the party— was, how can anyone trust you or the party after— was, how can anyone trust you or the party after things like this? i�*m party after things like this? i'm really sorry _ party after things like this? in really sorry you lost your mum and it wasn't easy for so many people during the pandemic, the impact it had on everyone's lights, i can't imagine what have been like you —— must have been like for you at that time, and i'm sorry for what was going on in downing street. i

apologise, i showed up to a meeting earlier, i was working on things to help you and your business and many other families, help you and your business and many otherfamilies, and it was help you and your business and many other families, and it was around that period of time you might have got to know me as chancellor, most of you probably didn't know me before then, and i announced the furlough scheme because i knew we would have to work together to get through that. hopefully some of you here benefited from the support we put in place because that's what i was working on during the pandemic so when you ask can you trust me, we've had some really big shocks over the past few years and then what happened with energy bills and when those things happened, i did everything i could to protect you and your families to help the country through it, whether it was furlough or the considerable support with energy bills because that's who i am as a person, i'm in this to help you help your family, particularly when our country goes through tough times, i will always be there to support you. i got

through tough times, i will always be there to support you.- through tough times, i will always be there to support you. i got a two art be there to support you. i got a two part question. _ be there to support you. i got a two part question, the _ be there to support you. i got a two part question, the first _ be there to support you. i got a two part question, the first is, - be there to support you. i got a two part question, the first is, what i be there to support you. i got a two part question, the first is, what is l part question, the first is, what is the current— part question, the first is, what is the current status of the national service _ the current status of the national service conversation, as you brought up service conversation, as you brought up earlier? _ service conversation, as you brought up earlier? the second part is, when asking _ up earlier? the second part is, when asking young — up earlier? the second part is, when asking young people of their opinion of the _ asking young people of their opinion of the government, royal family and current— of the government, royal family and current affairs, the general consensus seems to be negative. why do you _ consensus seems to be negative. why do you believe there seems to be a lack of— do you believe there seems to be a lack of expressed patriotism for in country? — lack of expressed patriotism for in count ? , : ~ lack of expressed patriotism for in count ? , ., ,, , ., , country? they are linked questions in a way and _ country? they are linked questions in a way and a _ country? they are linked questions in a way and a great _ country? they are linked questions in a way and a great one. - country? they are linked questions in a way and a great one. part i country? they are linked questions in a way and a great one. part of i in a way and a great one. part of the answer to your second question is why i think national service is the right policy at the right time. i've been thinking about this for a long time and this job about how do we restore that sense of patriotism, pride and cohesiveness in our society, how do we bring ourselves together and support that, and that's one of the reasons i think national service is going to be great. it's going to give young

people incredible skills and opportunities, i think everyone can agree they will have a choice of whether they do a selective military component or a civic role instead but it will foster a culture of service, bring people togetherfrom all walks of life and strengthen the cohesiveness, the unity of our society. i think that's really important in this day and age when there are lots of forces pulling us apart, trying to divide us, and the other practical thing it will do is strengthen our country's resilience and security to deal with the threats and risks that may come along in the future. for all those reasons, i think it is a transformational policy or a new rite of passage that everyone goes through and brings us closer together, and i think if we get it right, it will help solve the second part of your question where actually we do have a renewed sense of service because i think service gives you purpose, being part of something bigger than yourself something bigger than yourself something that's really fulfilling, and as young people go through that together, they will have a greater sense of pride in what we stand for

and what we are as a country. excellent question. yes, sir? what will be done _ excellent question. yes, sir? what will be done to _ excellent question. yes, sir? what will be done to ensure _ excellent question. yes, sir? what will be done to ensure that - will be done to ensure that achieving net to support will remain achieving net to support will remain a priority— achieving net to support will remain a priority for this government and your party, — a priority for this government and your party, and how will you aid households in achieving net zero? thank— households in achieving net zero? thank you — households in achieving net zero? thank you for the question. i have two young girls, 11 and 13. of course, i believe in climate change, i want us to get to net zero because that's the right thing to do for my kids, your kids, our grandkids, making sure we leave the environment in a better state than we found it. the question at this election, the choice at this election, is how do we get there? i've been very clear we get there? i've been very clear we need to get there in a different way to what has been proposed

previously, which means we need to be more serious and pragmatic about it because there are a couple of things i want to prioritise, our country cosmic energy security. we see what has happened in the last couple of years when we are held hostage by dictators like vladimir putin, we can't have that happen, so that's why i'm supportive of energy coming out of the north sea, we are going to need it for decades, we are better off getting it here at home, is good for our economy, good for ourjobs and inner security, that something labour party opposes —— and our security. i also want to prioritise your bills and make sure we don't unnecessarily burden you with costs and i don't want to force you prematurely to rip out your boiler, upgrade your home, change your car, because those things costs thousands of pounds and we don't need to do them right now. we will do them slowly over time in a measured way like other countries are doing them, not race to do it overnight because that's going to cost you a fortune i do want you to

have financial security and i want our country to have energy security so we are going to get to net zero, but how we're going to get there is going to change if i elected as prime minister and the choice is very clear because keir starmer and labour don't believe in british energy from the north sea and they don't support my changes to that approach which is ultimately going to cost all of you thousands of pounds to pay for those changes. yes? , :, pounds to pay for those changes. yes? , ., ., ., ., yes? hi, you mentioned earlier that the uk is fourth — yes? hi, you mentioned earlier that the uk is fourth globally _ yes? hi, you mentioned earlier that the uk is fourth globally for - the uk is fourth globally for exports, however, manufacturing has been declining in the country for decades, — been declining in the country for decades, with many manufacturers moving _ decades, with many manufacturers moving to — decades, with many manufacturers moving to overseas countries which are cheaper— moving to overseas countries which are cheaper to manufacture. how will your self _ are cheaper to manufacture. how will your self in _ are cheaper to manufacture. how will your self in the party support and hopefully— your self in the party support and hopefully grow manufacturing to enable _ hopefully grow manufacturing to enable the economy and get the country— enable the economy and get the country back on its feet? i�*m enable the economy and get the country back on its feet? i'm going to olitel country back on its feet? i'm going to politely disagree _ country back on its feet? i'm going to politely disagree with _ country back on its feet? i'm going to politely disagree with you i to politely disagree with you because there was some very good

news that we had last year. because of businesses like yours, who are doing an incrediblejob, we overtook france in our manufacturing sector's size. we are doing really well and i want to make sure we continue to do well. there are a couple of things well. there are a couple of things we are doing. we were talking about them a little bit before but it is cutting taxes for businesses like this, to support your growth. we made the decision to cut taxes on investment. manufacturing businesses need to invest in factories like this to expand and grow, so what we put in place is at significant tax cut for businesses like yours that had investing back in the economy to support your growth and it will help us create more jobs, support your growth and it will help us create morejobs, we are support your growth and it will help us create more jobs, we are also cutting taxes for businesses like yours that invest in rnd. you've got new hydrogen lifts, incredible, it's going to help us get to net zero, that's great and it's going to be a new product you will be able to sell around the world, so when businesses

are coming up with new things, that's positive and that's why we want to cut taxes on rnd so those tax cuts are targeted at manufacturing businesses like yours and it will help you and lots of others to continue growing, create jobs that are well paid because that's how we will grow the economy and continue to overtake many countries in our manufacturing sector. ., countries in our manufacturing sector. :, :, countries in our manufacturing sector. ., ., , sector. how do we compete with heavily subsidised _ sector. how do we compete with heavily subsidised machines i sector. how do we compete with . heavily subsidised machines coming out of— heavily subsidised machines coming out of china?— out of china? trade policy has to be fair and we — out of china? trade policy has to be fair and we have _ out of china? trade policy has to be fair and we have someone - out of china? trade policy has to be fair and we have someone call- out of china? trade policy has to be fair and we have someone call the l fair and we have someone call the trade remedies authority that look at competition around the world and if we are being unfairly competed against, there are rules in place and we can take measures against those. i have enormous confidence and faith because of businesses like yours, talking to all of you, seeing what you're doing, we have the best people in the world, the best innovation in the world with the

right support i think businesses like yours can compete and grow because people know that britain stands for high quality at myjob is to make sure we also open up lots of markets around the world for you, and that's one of the advantages of brexit, we can sign trade deals as we are doing with many, many countries to reduce the barriers for businesses like yours to sail into even more markets. a lot of the growth in the world isn't coming from europe any more, it's coming from europe any more, it's coming from the new markets, india and elsewhere, and we need to make sure it is easier for your business is to sell to those markets so we are taking advantage of brexit, citing trade deals, opening brand—new markets for you. we got time for one more. ., ., , , more. the gentleman opened it up when he talked _ more. the gentleman opened it up when he talked about _ more. the gentleman opened it up when he talked about national- when he talked about national service, — when he talked about national service, i_ when he talked about national service, i see it as a good thing but i _ service, i see it as a good thing but i want — service, i see it as a good thing but i want to ask, how are you going to separate — but i want to ask, how are you going to separate the kids who have the so-called — to separate the kids who have the so—called post was because we are

losing _ so—called post was because we are losing a _ so—called post was because we are losing a lot — so—called post was because we are losing a lot of youngsters to knife crime, _ losing a lot of youngsters to knife crime, how — losing a lot of youngsters to knife crime, how will that be stopped because — crime, how will that be stopped because they will have to mix, wherever _ because they will have to mix, wherever they come from —— postcode wars _ wherever they come from -- postcode wars. ., , wherever they come from -- postcode wars, ., , ., wherever they come from -- postcode wars. . , ., . ., ., wars. parents are excited about that because for— wars. parents are excited about that because for the _ wars. parents are excited about that because for the right _ wars. parents are excited about that because for the right reasons, - wars. parents are excited about that because for the right reasons, it - because for the right reasons, it will bring kids together from all walks of life and that's a really powerful thing. walks of life and that's a really powerfulthing. it's walks of life and that's a really powerful thing. it's about fostering that sense of togetherness so regardless of where you live, what your postcode is, what your parents do, you will be doing something together with lots of other young people and i think that will be really positive. very practically, what parents are saying to me as they are excited about their kids having something to do that is meaningful, whether it is at evenings or weekends, it keeps them out of trouble, it means their life has some purpose and that's one of the most powerful things we can do to stop kids getting led down the wrong track. when you ask people about gangs, why do theyjoin gangs? when you talk to youngsters and their parents, it's because being in a gang gives them a sense of

identity and a sense of purpose, so this will give kids a much more positive sense of identity and purpose. one of the other benefits of it, we will see that it will reduce crime because they will be doing something positive for young people instead —— we will be doing something positive. i’m people instead -- we will be doing something positive.— people instead -- we will be doing something positive. i'm talking from a background _ something positive. i'm talking from a background of _ something positive. i'm talking from a background of an _ something positive. i'm talking from a background of an expert _ something positive. i'm talking from a background of an expert and - a background of an expert and officer, — a background of an expert and officer, we work with young kids, what _ officer, we work with young kids, what will — officer, we work with young kids, what will happen to the ones that are actually coming out of facilities that i have worked at? working — facilities that i have worked at? working in that kind of stuff, will you work— working in that kind of stuff, will you work better with people who run facilities _ you work better with people who run facilities like that to empower children— facilities like that to empower children who have suffered through their youth, from failed parenting or whatever it is? will they also be part of— or whatever it is? will they also be part of this — or whatever it is? will they also be part of this programme? yes, or whatever it is? will they also be part of this programme?— part of this programme? yes, it's want to be _ part of this programme? yes, it's want to be for— part of this programme? yes, it's want to be for everybody -- - part of this programme? yes, it's want to be for everybody -- it - part of this programme? yes, it's want to be for everybody -- it is l want to be for everybody —— it is going to be for everybody, and it will be a sensible set of exclusions as there always are and there are models we can look out around europe because there will be a small number of people for whatever reason it

doesn't make sense for, but this is for everyone and that's the beauty of it, everyone will benefit together because we don't want anyone to miss out. i'm sure it will be positive and transformational for our country and young people, i don't want anyone to miss out because i think it will be a good thing for them, particularly the youngsters you are talking about. all right, thanks very much, everyone, really good to speak to you. bye—bye. studio: and campaign stop for rishi sunak, talking and repeating that core message of his bold plans and comparing it with keir starmer again, saying again that he doesn't stand for anything, he accused keir starmer of wanting to grant an amnesty to migrants, to free migrants who are detained, all of which labour denies, and referencing tax and what labour would actually cost a voter. the usual, same

messages we've heard from the conservative leader. that issue of tax has dominated the campaign trail across the major parties. before we go back to jess across the major parties. before we go back tojess parker who is there with rishi sunak, let's look at that in more detail. the chancellor says that labour has a £38.5 billion black hole in their various spending commitments. labour disputes that claim. bbc verify have been analysing the figures for us and ben has been looking at the details. jeremy hunt revealed a conservative dossier called labour's tax rises which claimed labour have committed 38.5 billion in unfunded spending over the next four years which was alleged to be £2,094 per working household. darrenjones of labour unveiled his own dossier at an

emergency press conference yesterday called conservatives' interest rate rise. this labour dossier claim £71 billion of unfunded conservative pledges and alleged this would put people's monthly mortgage payments up by £350. some big, ominous numbers. should we take them seriously? the answer is not really. this is a war of some rather dodgy dossiers. the conservatives have made some questionable assumptions about how much a future labour government would spend based on things like providing school breakfast clubs and bringing public service delivery in—house rather than privately. to get to that £38.5 billion figure, they have added up four years of supposedly additional spending to make it sound bigger — a bit like your boss adding up your wages over the next four years and suggesting that figure is your salary. as for labour, their £71 billion figure for what they claim are unfunded tory pledges includes tens of billions of pounds on items such as scrapping employee

national insurance and inheritance tax, which seems to be general aspirations, not policy, and they get their figure for the hit to household finances by assuming this sum gets borrowed and pushes up interest rates in five years' time, before some of these aspirations have even been turned into policies. but economic circumstances in five years are likely to be very different so treat both dossiers and those alarming numbers with some heavy scepticism. experts have warned that both parties are downplaying or even ignoring something far more economically relevant to many people, which is a major squeeze on day—to—day public service spending. the most recent budget pencilled in a i% a year rise in overall day—to—day spending on whitehall departments in the next parliament, but existing commitments on protected departments — including the nhs, defence and schools — suggest 2.9% growth

in spending in these big areas, the lighter area shows the probable range. and all of this, according to the institute for fiscal studies, means that all other departments such as local government, justice and the home office face cuts of up to 3.5% every year. this is something both parties are apparently prepared to see happen, but with many public services struggling, public finance experts argue that these cuts, including to local councils, are going to be extremely challenging to deliver. to put it mildly, many argue they are not credible and believe there might well have to be tax rises or more borrowing from whoever forms the next government to avoid them. they say it's this subject that matters far more than the dodgy dossiers and inflated claims we've been getting so far. we will have more details about the various tax offerings from all of the parties, the various claims and charges and it always boils down to

theissue charges and it always boils down to the issue of trust. here we are, a week into campaigning in this general election. let's take stock of where we are with the polls. the director of politics at ipsos talked to me earlier and told me seven days in how much is actually moving in the polls. we are waiting for debates and manifestos. labour are around 20 points ahead of the conservatives which is pretty much where they were a month ago. some pollsters have the lead as low as 12 points but in reality, everyone has a large labour lead which points to a large labour majority in this election but there are five or six weeks to go. we always say there are caveats about every poll. what have you done around looking at specific policy announcements over the last seven days and what the public are made of them? what we are keen to do with the ipsos campaign tracker every week is look at the issues people

are voting on and there are a consistent top four, the nhs, the cost of living, the economy and immigration, and i think the key point is when you ask which party has the best policies on those issues, labour has very strong leads particularly on the nhs and the cost of living so what you are going to see is the conservatives and rishi sunak trying to fight back with some policies in those areas eventually but at the moment, labour are ahead. interesting you used that word "eventually" because if you look at what rishi sunak has concentrated on, the triple lock plus, nationalservice, not really within those top four that you were alluding to. it speaks to a challenge he's got, our analysis at ipsos shows that the conservatives are losing voters in two different directions. on one hand they are losing around 30% of the vote to reform uk, which has issues around immigration, and that seems to be the type of voters rishi sunak has been targeting this week. however, they are losing another one in ten directly to labour and those switchers tend to focus

on the nhs and cost of living. it's going to be important for the conservatives to have some policy offers on those issues as we get close to the end of the campaign. what about the leaders themselves? we have watched them out and about, ed davey doing his stunts, but what are you seeing around how the leaders are performing or perceived to be performing? the big challenges for rishi sunak, going into this election, his net satisfaction rating was —55. the lowest we've ever seen ipsos, going back to 1978, was —59, which he had last month and whichjohn major had in the mid—�*90s so, he has a lot of ground to make up. the public are more divided on keir starmer but when you put them head—to—head, and ask who would be the better prime minister, keir starmer leads by 12 points which reflects the wider pulling position. ultimately that's going to need to change if the conservatives are going to narrow the gap. you talk about the change and the gap. in previous elections, how much

movement have we actually seen over that six—week period? everyone knows anything can happen in an election but what tends to happen in previous elections about the size of shifts, potentially, you've seen? all elections are different, we know that, but we do have to say that. what might provide inspiration for the conservatives is looking at an election that went really badly, in 2017, when theresa may squandered their lead and ended up with a hung parliament. they will be hoping for the reverse of that. it would require labour to have a particularly bad campaign and for the conservatives to win back the voters i described. it is rare but there is five weeks to go, let's see what happens. it is the second day ofjury deliberation for donald trump's trial, the former president is facing 3a counts of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payment made to the adult film star stormy he denies money payment made to the adult film star stormy he denies all money payment made to the adult film star stormy he denies all the charges. all 12 members must agree

he is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a conviction. let's head back to the courthouse. presumably the jury is out and deliberating again. the presumably the jury is out and deliberating again.— deliberating again. the “my is still listening * deliberating again. the “my is still listening back h deliberating again. the “my is still listening back to h deliberating again. the jury is i still listening back to testimony that they had requested so not actively deliberating yet, quite a bit of business to get through this morning. they first heard the judge read back some of his instructions, they were interested in some of the law that guides them to what inferences they can draw from the evidence —— inferences. we have two court reporters literally re—enacting the statements of david packer, the tabloid publisher of the national enquirer, they are reading back his testimony. one court

reporter is in the witness box, one is on the floor of the court room and they are reading the testimony exactly as it was given at the time. that's going to take a bit of time butjurors clearly that's going to take a bit of time but jurors clearly want to review this as part of their deliberations. give me a sense of what it is like where you are. last time we spoke about how tense donald trump is as we get to this absolutely crunch time. give me an idea of the sort of media interest that is all around you. media interest that is all around ou. ., , ., , media interest that is all around ou. . , . ., ., you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict. the — you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, the scene _ you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, the scene of _ you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, the scene of press - you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, the scene of press here . you. certainly as we get closer to a | verdict, the scene of press here has grown, the amount of security has increased and we are seeing more protesters than usual turn up at the park across from me. donald trump

inside is often closing his eyes as he has done throughout this trial is not appearing to engaged today in the portions of having testimony read back to jurors. the portions of having testimony read back tojurors. he has to remain close by in this building in case of a verdict so he is here with a close group of his inner circle, with his son eric today, some of his other kids havejoined him on other days, he's here with some close friends, his campaign staff, his legal staff, friends, his campaign staff, his legalstaff, but friends, his campaign staff, his legal staff, but there is a real air of anticipation but also everyone very much aware that it's impossible to predict how long jurors might need, and remembering that this is a historic decision that they are now having to bear the weight of taking. thanks once again from new york. do head to the website because there is a page running there with our reporters inside that court room.

you heard our correspondence saying they had two court reporters actually playing out the reading of the jury had actually asked for as a reminder in terms of some of the testimony heard over the six weeks. the latest from our team is inside the courthouse and outside as we wait for that verdict to actually land. that's available on the live page as well as all of our general election coverage. you can see the diane abbott story that is dominating as those questions continue to be asked of keir starmer, but angela rayner�*s intervention, saying, "i see no reason diane abbott cannot stand for labour," so that's been an interesting intervention from angela raynerin interesting intervention from angela rayner in the last couple of hours. i am back in a moment or two with the day's main headlines from the election campaign.

live from london, this is bbc news:

as confusion remains over diane abbott's future, the labour's deputy leader says there is no reason why she cannot stand for the party. in other news, five bulgarian nationals behind the uk's biggest benefit fraud and sentenced. the judge they systematically plundered the state plasma mechanism. a nine—year old girl is in critical condition and adults injured following a shooting in london. thejury in donald trump's hush money trial will resume deliberations as we await verdict in new york. harry styles home town sees thousands of fans on tour, visiting landmarks connected to the singer.

hello. let's start with the latest from the election campaign. we have seen the latest stop of rishi sunak add a manufacturing plant in buckinghamshire. the prime minister meeting a group of workers, setting out his key themes and one of those is the economy. rishi sunak said he recognised the last few years have been really tough and the pandemic in russia's invasion of ukraine have impacted people's finances. he also spoke about immigration. take impacted people's finances. he also spoke about immigration.— spoke about immigration. take the issue of illegal _ spoke about immigration. take the issue of illegal migration, - spoke about immigration. take the issue of illegal migration, i - spoke about immigration. take the issue of illegal migration, i am - issue of illegal migration, i am determined to stop the boats. it is not fair. we have got a bold idea to deal with it, making it crystal clear if people come here illegally they will not be able to stay because we will be sending them to

rwanda. multiple other european countries just recently have all signed up to a declaration, agreeing that our approach is the right one. who is the one person who does not agree with that? keir starmer. he will release all the migrants we have detained and cancelled flights, offering amnesty to illegal migrants are making us the soft touch of europe, a magnet for people across the continent. whether it is a refusal to match my plans for defence spending, you cannot trust labour to keep the country safe. he wants you to believe the election is over before it has even begun, it is a foregone conclusion. i am going to work very hard every day for every single vote, going to work hard to earn your trust. i do not think the british people like to be taken for

granted. british people like to be taken for ranted. ., ,, ~ british people like to be taken for ranted. . ~ , ,, ., ., ., granted. that q&a session going on. and while. also — granted. that q&a session going on. and while. also answered _ granted. that q&a session going on. and while. also answered a - granted. that q&a session going on. and while. also answered a question j and while. also answered a question about why people should trust the conservative party. mr; about why people should trust the conservative party.— about why people should trust the conservative party. my mum died in 2020 at the — conservative party. my mum died in 2020 at the height _ conservative party. my mum died in 2020 at the height of— conservative party. my mum died in 2020 at the height of the _ conservative party. my mum died in| 2020 at the height of the pandemic. i could not be at the hospital. that is the month where the parties were going on in downing street. the month after, you attended a gathering and we got a fixed penalty notice. how can anyone trust you all the party up to things like this? i am really sorry you lost your mum, particularly — am really sorry you lost your mum, particularly in those circumstances. it is hot _ particularly in those circumstances. it is not easy during the pandemic with the _ it is not easy during the pandemic with the impact on everyone's lives. i cannot— with the impact on everyone's lives. i cannot understand what it could have _ i cannot understand what it could have been— i cannot understand what it could have been like at that time and what was going _ have been like at that time and what was going on at downing street. i apologise. — was going on at downing street. i apologise, i showed up at a meeting earlier, _ apologise, i showed up at a meeting earlier, working on things to help

you. _ earlier, working on things to help you. your— earlier, working on things to help you, your business and many other famities— you, your business and many other families like — you, your business and many other families like that.— families like that. let's go strai . ht families like that. let's go straight to _ families like that. let's go straight to westminster i families like that. let's go i straight to westminster and families like that. let's go - straight to westminster and our political correspondent listening to all of that. very interesting. a question about trust and tax, another big issue today. the bottom line. many questions revolving around that will voters is the same thing, trust. around that will voters is the same thing. trust-— thing, trust. this happens on a campaign _ thing, trust. this happens on a campaign trail. _ thing, trust. this happens on a campaign trail. when - thing, trust. this happens on a campaign trail. when politicall thing, trust. this happens on a - campaign trail. when political party leaders come into contact with members of the public, there is no script. we do not know what will happen. the conservatives in rishi sunak are keen to talk about tax today. there was a letter from jeremy hunt pledge the party would not increase vat over the course of the next parliament. that has been backed up by labour and the liberal democrats and the snb as well. that is what he wanted to talk about, creating a point of difference

between the conservatives and labour. perhaps the highlight from that event was a member of the public questioning the prime minister about lockdown parties in downing street and about the fixed penalty notice the prime minister himself got when he was chancellor of the exchequer at the time. interesting in the answer by rishi sunak to that man. he has been harking back to some of the things he was responsible for as chancellor during the pandemic. he has spoken a lot about the furlough scheme, energy schemes since then. in the answer, once he had apologised and talked about how difficult it was, apologising for what happened in downing street at that time, it turned the topic very quickly on to things like the furlough scheme, trying to say he had people's backs in tough times. that has been his pitch so far in this campaign. the

whole issue _ pitch so far in this campaign. the whole issue around vat with what the chancellor was saying. if you look at the history books, the party who put up vat over the years was the conservative party with margaret thatcher and david cameron. taxes the big battle _ thatcher and david cameron. taxes the big battle a _ thatcher and david cameron. taxes the big battle a minute _ thatcher and david cameron. i—s" the big battle a minute between the two main parties. over the big three taxes, income tax, national insurance and vat, there is not a lot of difference between the two parties. they have said none of those things would go up during the course of the next parliament. jeremy hunt did acknowledge on the radio this morning that due to income tax thresholds be frozen until 2028, income tax thresholds be frozen until2028, people income tax thresholds be frozen until 2028, people could still end “p until 2028, people could still end up paying more because as raises rise, they could slip into higher tax brackets. the labour party also supports freezing of the thresholds until 2028. the headline is none of

the taxes will go up. people could pay more tax by being in the higher band, whether the conservatives or labour forming the next government. thank you very much. jack finishing, talking about vat. let's look at that in more detail because it dominated the early hours of campaigning this morning. the conservatives and labour have both ruled out raising vat, which is currently set at 20% for most items, if they win the general election. the chancellor made the tories' commitment in a newspaper article last night, and accused labour of planning to put it up. the shadow chancellor rachel reeves immediately rejected that. the liberal democrats also said, they would not look to raise vat or income tax. our business correspondent theo leggett reports. a week after the election was announced, campaigning is getting up to speed. the conservatives have gone on the attack with this ad suggesting a labour government would put up taxes — something the chancellor said his own party wouldn't do. four times this week they refused

to rule out increasing vat. overnight we hear they are ruling it out. and when you have an economy that has turned a corner, a labour party that can't make up its mind on those basic questions can only mean one thing as sure as night follows day — that taxes will go up. vat is the tax you pay on the majority of the goods and services you buy. for most items it is levied at 20%. but labour has been keen to shut that line of attack down. seniorfigures have ruled out a vat increase. sir keir starmer, campaigning in monmouthshire today, repeated the point. we've been really clear about not raising income tax and ni, and we've said repeatedly that nothing in our plans requires us to raise tax, and that is why we've been able to set out our position on vat as well. from the liberal democrats, it was a similar story. as ed davey enjoyed himself meeting voters in somerset, his spokesperson

was in the tv studios. we would not look to raise vat or income tax or national insurance. what we've set out is that we would reverse the cuts in tax to the big banks. i've set out today how we would tax more the tech giants and digital and social media companies. the snp�*s new leader and scotland's first ministerjohn swinney was brewing coffee in edinburgh this morning. the party is still working on its manifesto but has already said it wants to see a cut in vat. but with the main parties largely ruling out increases in the headline rates of tax, national insurance and vat, experts say their room for manoeuvre is becoming severely restricted. if we take them at their word, that is a serious constraint on theirfuture options. those three taxes are our biggest three taxes. together they raise about two thirds of total tax revenue and it means that even if they currently have no

plans to raise tax revenue in the future, if something comes along — a fiscal forecast is worse, a shock comes along like a recession or a cost of living crisis — they've really constrained their options for what they can do. they're basically taking tools off the table before they know which problems they might have to fix. taxation and how much of your money the major parties plan to take away to fund their spending commitments is already a key theme of this election, but we can be fairly sure that today's skirmish over vat rates isjust the beginning. theo leggett, bbc news. let's turn to r to keir starmer has denied blocking candidates from the last from standing in the election. no decision has been taken on diane abbott and praised her as a trailblazer as an mp. his deputy

angela rayner, her interjection into all of theirs, saying she saw no reason why diane abbott couldn't stand for labour in that election. the gap between the leader and the deputy leader on the surface. i have been speaking to our political correspondent, who is with the labour campaign. it is interesting _ is with the labour campaign. it 3 interesting hearing one thing from keir starmer as we have been following him this morning in south wales where he was launching the labour party campaign in wales along with the wales first minister. hearing that and these comments later by angela rayner this afternoon about diane abbott, keir starmer wanted to talk about the labour party plans in wales and his six first steps in government that a labour government would take. inevitably, he was asked again questions about the future of diane abbott. it is unclear at this point whether she will be labour's candidate in hackney north and stoke newington. keir starmer insisted she

had not been barred. her intention was to try to represent that seat. he has paid tribute to her and described her as a trailblazer, paving the way for many others to become politicians and to go into public life. theoretically, yes, there is no decision because the final decision will be made next week by the labour party national executive committee. there is a wider question. diane abbott is a key figure on the left, at key ally ofjeremy corbyn. she has accused keir starmer of a purge of left—wing candidates and it is starting to become a wider issue. a couple of other candidates have said they had not been able to stand for the labour party. another said she had also been barred. she will now challenge that decision, having instructed a lawyer. really significant to hear angela rayner, the deputy leader of the labour

party, saying she saw no reason why diane abbott could not stand as a candidate if she chose to. she told itv she was speaking as a deputy leader of the labour party, expressing a view other shadow cabinet members have not expressed a view when asked to sodi. a clear position from angela rayner. keir starmer deflecting questions. no decisions are yet to be taken. i5 starmer deflecting questions. no decisions are yet to be taken. is it sustainable _ decisions are yet to be taken. is it sustainable to _ decisions are yet to be taken. is it sustainable to talk about a decision on tuesday, given it is dogging the leader and providing a political open goalfor the leader and providing a political open goal for the opposition? leader and providing a political open goalfor the opposition? the chancellor this morning and in his interview after talking about tax and saying, if keir starmer cannot handle diane abbott and questions around that, how will he handle vladimir putin? a pretty easy hit for the conservatives. keir starmer definitely does _ for the conservatives. keir starmer definitely does not _ for the conservatives. keir starmer definitely does not want _ for the conservatives. keir starmer definitely does not want stories - definitely does not want stories about split opening up in the labour

party. already there is a sense of division between him and his deputy. he does not want that to dominate the election campaign. what we have been hearing repeatedly from keir starmer and on this campaign trip i have been on so far in the last couple of days is him hammering home the message his party had changed. his party was unrecognisable from the party that fought the 2019 election. candidates, labour candidates, are the future of the labour parliamentary party. where better in a way to demonstrate that the party has changed by a changed crop of candidates? in some senses, a clear out but if you like, of left—wing candidates could in some people because mac view benefit keir starmer and be an illustration of the manifestation of change in the labour party he had been talking about. diane abbott is at clear high profile example of this. she was the first black woman mp in the house of

commons, she has been an mp for 37 years. keir starmer described her as a trailblazer, she has a particular special place to the left of the labour party. you could view it that there is debate over whether the left is no longer welcome in the labour party as in some senses supporting the argument of keir starmer that he has changed this party. it could potentially risk damaging days of election campaigning because there is still a long way to go until the final decision from the nec about the final list of candidates. latte decision from the nec about the final list of candidates.— final list of candidates. we will return to the _ final list of candidates. we will return to the issue. _ final list of candidates. we will| return to the issue. fascinating final list of candidates. we will - return to the issue. fascinating for both parties, labour and conservative about this election and candidates. it will hear from the political correspondent on that here in a moment or two. let's turn to a

couple of the election launches we have had today. our correspondence have had today. our correspondence have been listening to those. they have been listening to those. they have been listening to those. they have been done earlier in the day with the greens in bristol and plaid cymru in bangor. with the greens in bristol and plaid cymru in lhanger-— cymru in bangor. let's listen and. for a long — cymru in bangor. let's listen and. for a longtime. _ cymru in bangor. let's listen and. for a long time, the _ cymru in bangor. let's listen and. for a long time, the greens - cymru in bangor. let's listen and. for a long time, the greens are i for a long time, the greens are relative political menace. the greens saying it is their most ambitious election launch adder, aiming to get four mps onjuly the 4th. lots of talk about the conservatives record and how the green party thinks it is a poor one. lots more talk about the plans from the labour party and the half measures and broken pledges. the green party knows if they are to get any mps that the general election, they will have to be labour and persuade voters that whether on the cost of living or affordable housing, preventing privatisation of

the nhs, they will have to persuade voters they can offer a left—wing challenge and alternative to the party of sir keir starmer. it challenge and alternative to the party of sir keir starmer.- party of sir keir starmer. it was said that plaid _ party of sir keir starmer. it was said that plaid cymru _ party of sir keir starmer. it was said that plaid cymru was - party of sir keir starmer. it was said that plaid cymru was the i party of sir keir starmer. it was i said that plaid cymru was the only party— said that plaid cymru was the only party in _ said that plaid cymru was the only party in wales to keep the labour party— party in wales to keep the labour party in— party in wales to keep the labour party in check and keep the toys out of westminster. a vote for them would _ of westminster. a vote for them would help older communities across wales _ would help older communities across wales. they will be swimming against the current— wales. they will be swimming against the current initial uk general election _ the current initial uk general election. 40 seats in wales now become — election. 40 seats in wales now become 32. some experts predict having _ become 32. some experts predict having one — become 32. some experts predict having one for mac receipts in 2019 do well— having one for mac receipts in 2019 do well to— having one for mac receipts in 2019 do well to equal that share. two seats— do well to equal that share. two seats will— do well to equal that share. two seats will be the equivalent of 2019 — seats will be the equivalent of 2019. when you look at what they said today, plaid cymru, daily a at which _ said today, plaid cymru, daily a at which seats— said today, plaid cymru, daily a at which seats they would be targeting. they are _ which seats they would be targeting. they are welsh and welsh language speaking _ they are welsh and welsh language speaking strongholds. there might be a lack— speaking strongholds. there might be a lack of— speaking strongholds. there might be a lack of ambition were not targeting seeds outside of areas he would _ targeting seeds outside of areas he would commonly believe they could

win. would commonly believe they could win they— would commonly believe they could win. they have brushed off and said they need _ win. they have brushed off and said they need to be realistic. boundary changes— they need to be realistic. boundary changes have not been kind and this is changes have not been kind and this is the _ changes have not been kind and this is the first— changes have not been kind and this is the first past the post system. if labour— is the first past the post system. if labour were to when, would you go to coalition? — if labour were to when, would you go to coalition? they would not be drawn _ to coalition? they would not be drawn into _ to coalition? they would not be drawn into it.— to coalition? they would not be drawn into it. ., . . , drawn into it. reform uk leader has ro osed a drawn into it. reform uk leader has proposed a multi-million _ drawn into it. reform uk leader has proposed a multi-million tax - drawn into it. reform uk leader has proposed a multi-million tax on - proposed a multi—million tax on businesses for employing overseas workers. together with nigel farage, they looked at the policy to employ these workers over british nationals. this was a bid to discourage fans from looking for overseas staff and stopping what he called the uk's addiction to foreign labour. have a listen. what called the uk's addiction to foreign labour. have a listen.— called the uk's addiction to foreign labour. have a listen. what we need is a cure to — labour. have a listen. what we need is a cure to this _ labour. have a listen. what we need is a cure to this addiction _ labour. have a listen. what we need is a cure to this addiction and - labour. have a listen. what we need is a cure to this addiction and the i is a cure to this addiction and the keel is an employer immigration tax.

that is the keel to this addiction. smart immigration, highly qualified, highly skilled can be a great thing. there is a price to it, a cost to it. the truth is at the moment there is no cost to big business for employing cheap, low skilled overseas labour. shes employing cheap, low skilled overseas labour. a , ., , �*, overseas labour. as promised, let's return to that _ overseas labour. as promised, let's return to that really _ overseas labour. as promised, let's return to that really controversial i return to that really controversial issue of the selection of candidates. we have seen two days where it has been dominated with diane abbott. the row is widening for the labour party. the conservative party has over 70 mps standing down at their selection. with the snap election called, they have a headache and getting the right candidates in place. earlier on bbc news, we had from michael

crick, former political correspondent, who has founded tomorrow's andhe's, a guide. he gave us his view on the picking of candidates for the election. to say carna . e in candidates for the election. to say carnage in the _ candidates for the election. to say carnage in the labour— candidates for the election. to say carnage in the labour party - candidates for the election. to say carnage in the labour party is - candidates for the election. to say carnage in the labour party is an l carnage in the labour party is an understatement. diane abbott has been sacked. the mp for brighton pavilion was sacked last night. and leading economist, he was due to fight chingford and woodford green are against iain duncan smith, she was sacked because of her remarks about gaza and her admiration for jeremy corbyn. replacements have to be found in those seats. there is talk eddie izzard might be slotted into brighton pavilion, surrey, brighton came to be found in those seats. there is talk eddie izzard might be slotted into brighton pavilion, surrey, brighton kentish town. he previously tried to be a

candidate for brighton pavilion. there is a tussle going on between morgan mcsweeney and keir starmer. morgan mcsweeney and keir starmer. morgan mcsweeney and keir starmer. morgan mcsweeney being the labour campaign chief. it will happen today. labourwants campaign chief. it will happen today. labour wants to have all of its candidates settled by midnight tonight. they may be that the of further assassinations, people being sacked as candidates for one reason or another. sacked as candidates for one reason oranother. on sacked as candidates for one reason or another. on the conservative side, there is still about 30 seats that you would say are currently conservative held, which still do not have a candidate. a lot of jockeying amongst ambitious would be conservative mps.— conservative mps. talking to us earlier in the _ conservative mps. talking to us earlier in the day. _ conservative mps. talking to us earlier in the day. as _ conservative mps. talking to us earlier in the day. as always, i conservative mps. talking to us| earlier in the day. as always, do had for the website. that is being routinely updated. the live web page from all the campaign stops and the

key themes. that is also dominating, as it has since yesterday. had that for the latest analysis from all of our teams across the uk. a nine—year old girl is in a critical condition after a shooting in north east london. police have described her as an innocent victim. they have been speaking to the media in the last couple of hours. it speaking to the media in the last couple of hours.— couple of hours. it saddens me deel couple of hours. it saddens me deeply to _ couple of hours. it saddens me deeply to say _ couple of hours. it saddens me deeply to say that _ couple of hours. it saddens me deeply to say that at _ couple of hours. it saddens me deeply to say that at about - couple of hours. it saddens me - deeply to say that at about 9:20pm last night in hackney, three men and a nine—year—old girl were shot when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike. i know that local people will be extremely concerned by this incident. we share that concern and an urgent investigation has been launched to identify and apprehend those responsible. three men aged 26,37 and 42, who were sitting outside a restaurant, were taken to hospital

for treatment for gunshot wounds. their conditions are stable, but one potentially faces life—changing injuries. a nine—year—old girl, who was inside the restaurant having dinner with herfamily, suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in hospital in critical condition. our thoughts are with her family and they are being supported, as you would expect, by specialist officers. we do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other. and, as with any child, she was an innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported, and two crime scenes remain in place at kingsland high street and colvestone crescent, where we recovered a motorbike

that we believe was used in the shooting and which we now know to have been stolen. that was the police a little earlier. i that was the police a little earlier. ., . that was the police a little earlier. . , , , . ~ that was the police a little earlier. . , , , ., ~ ., .. earlier. i have been speaking to our correspondence, _ earlier. i have been speaking to our correspondence, he _ earlier. i have been speaking to our correspondence, he was _ earlier. i have been speaking to our correspondence, he was at - earlier. i have been speaking to our correspondence, he was at the - earlier. i have been speaking to our i correspondence, he was at the scene. he gave this update.— he gave this update. earlier this afternoon. _ he gave this update. earlier this afternoon, the _ he gave this update. earlier this afternoon, the mayor _ he gave this update. earlier this afternoon, the mayor of - he gave this update. earlier this| afternoon, the mayor of hackney issued a statement to say there may be a big concern in dalston today but offered reassurance to members of the public that would be support for them. of the public that would be support forthem. kingsland high of the public that would be support for them. kingsland high street remains closed. in the last few minutes or so, forensic officers have just arrived here to begin the search of this area. all morning we have seen the corton and officers stopping people passing by the turkish restaurant that was the scene of the shooting last night round about 9:20pm, as the chief

superintendentjames round about 9:20pm, as the chief superintendent james conway round about 9:20pm, as the chief superintendentjames conway said in that press conference earlier, a motorbike arrived and shot at diners, injuring four people, one little nine—year—old girl and three man. he said as well that today she is fighting for her life and the man remained in stable condition. they also said that investigation is fast paced and complex and are urging people who were perhaps in this area last night, before, during and in the hours afterwards, he may have mobile phone footage or other types of footage from dash cams or cctv to come forward and make themselves known. there is a better tension in this area today, this afternoon, as people are clattering on street corners asking how it could happen and how a young girl and three men could be shot down as they enjoyed an evening out at a restaurant like

so many others in this area last night. eyewitnesses i spoke to told me it is very busy in this area and that in the moments after the shooting happened, there was chaotic scenes and terrified people falling to the ground and trying to get away from this scene. today, the investigation continues as uc and the police very much asking for members of the public that any information to come forward. the role of the _ information to come forward. the role of the princess of wales will be replaced by a member of the armed forces and a ceremonial military eventin forces and a ceremonial military event injune. the princess has not been attending public engagements and she revealed she was being treated for cancer. it has been confirmed that king charles will attend a tripping up the colour ceremony to mark the sub and's official birthday. he will arrive in a carriage and not on horseback. ——

the sovereign's birthday. lestate a carriage and not on horseback. -- the sovereign's birthday.— the sovereign's birthday. we are seeinr a the sovereign's birthday. we are seeing a few _ the sovereign's birthday. we are seeing a few showers _ the sovereign's birthday. we are seeing a few showers today. - the sovereign's birthday. we arej seeing a few showers today. not the sovereign's birthday. we are i seeing a few showers today. not as heavy or widespread as they have been recently. it is a drying trend over the next few days. between that and the low in the north sea there is a northerly breeze pushing this cloud, which yesterday gave all of the thunderstorms in scotland. the cloud is around low, coming in from the north sea, keeping it cooler in the north sea, keeping it cooler in the east of england, particularly 15 degrees. as the temperatures will be higher. we could make 19, 20 in a few places. there will be when and a few places. there will be when and a few showers. it tries up for a while before more rain comes into eastern parts of england. away from here there are clearer skies. the winds are a bit lighter. a bit chilly overnight in scotland and northern ireland, going down to seven, 8

degrees. that should be a fair bit of sunshine around tomorrow. cloudy skies in the east of england and the midlands. rain or showers becoming confined in the south east. sunny skies elsewhere and a warm day with the sunshine. temperatures again 19, 20. you can see where it is cooler because of the cloud across east anglia and the south—east of england, lincolnshire as well. the area of high pressure building more towards the uk. still the chance of one or two showers. still a bit more cloud coming in of the breeze of the north sea. otherwise more in the way of sunshine. pleasantly warm in the sunshine with the wind is becoming lighter as well. it will be warm in the north and west and cooler across eastern parts of england. fortunes may change as we head into the second half of the weekend. the area of high pressure tending to get squeezed away as we see more cloud

coming in heading into the north—west of the uk. that may well bring rain in the north west of scotland and the northern isles as well. more cloud for northern ireland. a sunny day with lighter winds are crossed east anglia and the south east. it will be warm with temperatures reaching 22, 23. quite warm in eastern scotland but cooler in western scotland. the headlines:

this is bbc news. the headlines: rishi sunak, on the campaign trail, has been visiting workers in buckinghamshire and answering questions about trusting the conservatives after pa rtygate. questions about trusting the conservatives after partygate. hagar conservatives after partygate. how can anyone — conservatives after partygate. how can anyone trust _ conservatives after partygate. firm-h" can anyone trust you or the party after things like this? l’m can anyone trust you or the party after things like this?— after things like this? i'm really sor that after things like this? i'm really sorry that you _ after things like this? i'm really sorry that you lost _ after things like this? i'm really sorry that you lost your - after things like this? i'm really sorry that you lost your mum i after things like this? i'm really sorry that you lost your mum in j sorry that you lost your mum in those _ sorry that you lost your mum in those circumstances. the conservatives, labour and the liberal democrats all rule out increasing vat after the general election. as confusion remains over diane abbott's future, labour's deputy leader says there's no reason why she can't stand for the party. five bulgarian nationals behind the uk's biggest benefit fraud are sentenced. the judge says they'd systemically plundered the state's support mechanism.

the jury in donald trump's hush money trial will resume their deliberations as we await a verdict. back to the election. the day started with the chancellor saying labour has a £38.5 billion black hole in their spending plans. labour disputes that charge. the team at bbc verify have been analysing the figures. jeremy hunt unveiled a conservative dossier called labour's tax rises which claimed labour have committed 38.5 billion in unfunded spending over the next four years which was alleged to be £2,094 per working household. not to be outdone, darrenjones of labour unveiled his own dossier

at an emergency press conference yesterday called conservatives' interest rate rise. this labour dossier claim £71 billion of unfunded conservative pledges and alleged this would put people's monthly mortgage payments up by £350. some big, ominous numbers. should we take them seriously? the answer is not really. this is a war of some rather dodgy dossiers. the conservatives have made some questionable assumptions about how much a future labour government would spend based on things like providing school breakfast clubs and bringing public service delivery in—house rather than privately. moreover, to get to that £38.5 billion figure, they have added up four years of supposedly additional spending to make it sound bigger — it's a bit like your boss adding up your wages over the next four years and suggesting that figure is your salary. as for labour, their £71 billion figure for what they claim are unfunded tory pledges includes tens of billions of pounds on items such as scrapping employee national insurance and inheritance tax, which seems to be general aspirations, not policy,

and they get their figure for the hit to household finances by assuming this sum gets borrowed and pushes up interest rates in five years' time, before some of these aspirations have even been turned into policies. but economic circumstances in five years are likely to be very different so treat both dossiers and those alarming numbers with some heavy scepticism. moreover, experts have warned that both parties are downplaying or even ignoring something far more economically relevant to many people, which is a major squeeze on day—to—day public service spending. let's explain. the most recent budget pencilled in a i% a year rise in overall day—to—day spending on whitehall departments in the next parliament, but existing commitments on protected departments — including the nhs, defence and schools — suggest 2.9% growth in spending in these big areas. the lighter area shows the probable range. and all of this, according

to the institute for fiscal studies, means that all other departments such as local government, justice and the home office face cuts of up to 3.5% every year. this is something both parties are apparently prepared to see happen, but with many public services struggling, public finance experts argue that these cuts, including to local councils, are going to be extremely challenging to deliver. to put it mildly, many argue they are not credible and believe there might well have to be tax rises or more borrowing from whoever forms the next government to avoid them. they say it's this subject that matters far more than the dodgy dossiers and inflated claims we've been getting so far. the first minister of scotland, john swinney, says a generation of young people in scotland have been robbed of opportunity by a westminster government. the snp leader says the

general election will give them a chance to demand a better future than the main parties are willing to offer. our scotland political correspondent has more. john swinney was on the campaign trailfirst thing this john swinney was on the campaign trail first thing this morning visiting a coffee shop to meet activists in the seat of edinburgh west which the snp hopes to win from the liberal democrats who currently hold that seat at westminster. the message today was a pitch to young voters, the snp say that young voters, the snp say that young voters have been robbed of opportunity and let down by the westminster system, when it comes to brexit, austerity and the cost—of—living crisis. they say they are the party in scotland that can offer real change in the form of independence and rejoining the eu, independence and rejoining the eu, independence and rejoining the eu, independence and achieving that is a central plank to the snp's pitch to voters, it will be in their manifesto when it is published later in this campaign. they say winning a

majority of seats at westminster would give the party amounted to begin negotiations with the uk government to give democratic effect scotland becoming independent. they say they are the only party that holds that as its policy. interesting because we are into the second week of actual campaigning. scotland so important in this general election. what have the polls been suggesting there? not a huge amount of movement in england, is there a difference in scotland? john swinney had only become leader of the snp and first minister a couple of weeks before the general election was called so it's difficult to really get a true sense of the impact his leadership might be having but if you look at polling here, the broad trend is that labour are now leading the snp in the

polls, the snp have some catching up to do but they are really fighting on three fronts, two main fronts. labour, they are trying to protect the seats they have mainly across central scotland from labour bids in those seats, they are also trying to take seats from the conservatives in the northeast of the country and are targeting some lib dems seats as well like the edinburgh west seat i mentioned. john swinney wants to be talking about his picture of the economy and big issues like the cost—of—living crisis but it hasn't been the easiest start to an election campaign for him because the row over the former health secretary michael matheson has been dominating at holyrood which continues to sit during this election campaign. michael matheson was found to be in breach of the msp' code of conduct, overpaying an £11,000 ipad data bill, he was

sanctioned yesterday at holyrood, the snp refused to back the sanctions because they didn't believe in the process and are now being attacked by labour and the tories. keiran pedley who's director of politics at polling company, ipsosjoined me earlier and he told me how much is moving in the polls currently. we are waiting for debates and manifestos. labour are around 20 points ahead of the conservatives on average, which is pretty much where they were a month ago. some pollsters have the lead as low as 12 points, but in reality, everyone has a large labour lead which points to a large labour majority in this election, but there are five or six weeks to go. of course, it's only one poll and we always say there are caveats about every poll. what have you done around looking at specific policy announcements over the last seven days and what the public are made of them? what we are keen to do with the ipsos campaign tracker

every week is look at the issues people are voting on and there is a consistent top four, the nhs, the cost of living, the economy and immigration, and i think the key point is when you ask which party has the best policies on those issues, labour has very strong leads on particularly the nhs and the cost of living so what you are going to see is the conservatives and rishi sunak trying to fight back with some policies in those areas eventually but at the moment, labour are ahead. interesting you used that word "eventually" because if you look at what rishi sunak has concentrated on, it was the triple lock plus, it was national service, not really within those top four that you were alluding to. it speaks to a challenge he's got, our analysis at ipsos shows that the conservatives are losing voters in two different directions. on one hand, they are losing around i3% of the vote from 2019 to reform uk, which tends to be around issues like immigration,

and that seems to be the type of voters rishi sunak has been targeting this week. however, they are losing another one in ten directly to labour and those switchers tend to focus on the nhs and cost of living. it's going to be important for the conservatives to have some policy offers on those issues as we get close to the end of the campaign. what about the leaders themselves? we have watched them out and about, ed davey doing his stunts, but what are you seeing around how the leaders are performing or perceived to be performing? the big challenge is for rishi sunak. going into this election, his net satisfaction rating was —55. the lowest we've ever seen ipsos, going back to 1978, was —59, which he himself had last month and john major had in the mid—�*90s so, he has a lot of ground to make up. the public are more divided on keir starmer, but when you put them head—to—head and ask who would be the better prime minister, keir starmer leads by 12 points which reflects the wider polling position. ultimately, that's going to need to change if the conservatives are going to narrow the gap. you talk about the change and the gap. in previous elections, how much movement have we actually seen over that six—week period?

everyone knows anything can happen in an election, but what tends to happen in previous elections about the size of shifts, potentially, you've seen? all elections are different, we know that, but we do have to say it. what might provide inspiration for the conservatives in a roundabout way is an election that went really badly, in 2017, when theresa may squandered their lead and ended up with a hung parliament. the conservatives will be hoping for the reverse of that. it is very rare — it would require labour to have a particularly bad campaign and for the conservatives to win back the voters i described. it is rare but there is five weeks to go, let's see what happens. party leaders and campaign organisers have so many things to worry about on this election trail. we've seen the prime minister and

picture's and memes with the exit staff around him, clothes and style is one thing we have to be aware of on the campaign trail. let's speak to julia robson who is a fashion journalist, assistant professor at regent's university and formerfashion editor of the sunday mirror. let's talk about what you've seen over the last eight days, who do you think is winning in the style stakes? �* . . think is winning in the style stakes? h , , , stakes? it's interesting because if ou are stakes? it's interesting because if you are going _ stakes? it's interesting because if you are going to _ stakes? it's interesting because if you are going to compare - stakes? it's interesting because if you are going to compare rishi i stakes? it's interesting because if- you are going to compare rishi sunak with sir keir starmer, i think rishi sunak in his suits tends to win over, he looks very polished, he has his pristine white shirts, and keir starmer is looking like a sort of dad. he almost looks like an art

curator. keir starmer has potential but it is still rishi sunak in his slim suits who is actually looking more groomed from a fashion point of view. �* more groomed from a fashion point of view. . ., ._ view. apart from the day he announced _ view. apart from the day he announced the _ view. apart from the day he announced the election - view. apart from the day he i announced the election itself, view. apart from the day he - announced the election itself, and everyone has had such fun with that absolutely drenched suit. he said he took it off and hasn't seen it since, no surprise about that. i read earlier in the day that keir starmer has actually declared donations in terms of this whole area, £16,000 for work clothing, £2500 for multiple pairs of glasses. after i read that, i started to look at these pictures that are currently on the screen. had you clocked it? yeah, there is realfashion potential with keir starmer but i think needs to change his glasses,

they are talking about change and i think we should look at themselves as well and their personal performance. with all mps, whether male or female, performance. with all mps, whether male orfemale, the performance. with all mps, whether male or female, the uniform you wear is astute and they have to look smart and even if they don't go with a tie, that's going to be scrutinised, so i think it's quite difficult because the uniform of the politician is a suit, but i still think there's an awful lot you could do and i think we are throwing it away, i think you can really harness fashion to get your point across. the person who has ditched the suit quite often in his first week is ed davey, he's been on a wet suit more than a proper suit as he goes into the drink in windermere and he has been doing the slip and slide. lots of people noticing all of that but

what do you think fashion and the leaders are trying to project when it comes to clothing, are they trying to project anything? l it comes to clothing, are they trying to project anything? trying to pro'ect anything? i think there's a trying to project anything? i think there's a real _ trying to project anything? i think there's a real lack _ trying to project anything? i think there's a real lack of _ trying to project anything? i think there's a real lack of that. .. - there's a real lack of that... casual smart is hard to pull off anyway and i think they're hedging everything on the suit so i think maybe they should look at some of the european mps and politicians who seem to be able to do that preppy look quite well without being too suited. it's a very british look, wearing a suit, so the alternatives aren't great but i think they should really consider the cut of the suit, the shoulders. i think the problem with rishi sunak, if you can imagine him in a sort of loose suit, is just not going to work so he knows the cut of his jacket and the slim trousers, that is still on fashion so he's doing it quite well. it's a

shame that he has fallen so much in the polls. keir starmer is still looking like boden dad and he needs to address that. you looking like boden dad and he needs to address that.— to address that. you are talking about rishi _ to address that. you are talking about rishi sunak, _ to address that. you are talking about rishi sunak, we - to address that. you are talking | about rishi sunak, we remember to address that. you are talking - about rishi sunak, we remember the time he was wearing those trainers which sparked a different world of responses. this comes with an enormous amount of caution. do you think voters are noting any of what you havejust think voters are noting any of what you have just been talking about? l you have just been talking about? i think everyone noticed his adidas trainers but that's off duty and when you are on duty, you need to think about how you're going to be perceived and fashion sends out a lot of signals to everyone out there so if you are going to do one thing, i think rishi sunak should stick to his pride at £500 shoes. trainers

are not going to cut it when you're doing other routes and meeting everyone in the public —— stick to his prada £500 shoes. l’m everyone in the public -- stick to his prada £500 shoes.— everyone in the public -- stick to his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure those shoes _ his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure those shoes would _ his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure those shoes would do _ his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure those shoes would do the - his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure those shoes would do the same - his prada £500 shoes. i'm not sure i those shoes would do the same either but, julia, thanks forjoining us for your take on this particular election. there is the latest available on the bbc website, every aspect of the election, perhaps even aspect of the election, perhaps even a word or two about the various fashion choices, but all the latest from our teams following the party leaders right around the uk and it's available on the bbc news app. some important other stories of the day. two bodies have been found in the search for a father and son who went missing after going hill walking in the scottish highlands.

tom parry, 49, and his 12—year—old son ritchie were reported missing yesterday after failing to return home to cheshire. glencoe mountain rescue say the father and son were experienced hill walkers and police say there are no apparent suspicious circumstances. the landscape and history of glencoe draws hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. it's vast and changes constantly. and while it's undeniably breathtaking, it can also be dangerous. this is where 49—year—old market researcher tom parry and his 12—year—old son, richie, came to spend some time together on a hill—walking trip after visiting ben nevis. but when they failed to return to their home in alsager, cheshire yesterday, they were reported missing and rescue teams began to search the area. last night, two bodies were found. police said formal identification still has to take place but tom parry and his son's family

have been made aware. their car was found in the three sisters car park in glencoe, where they set off from on tuesday. glencoe itself, this particular area, is not the trickiest to walk in, providing you are prepared, but if you are not, unfortunately, there can be pretty grave consequences. inquiries into this incident are ongoing. officers say there are no apparent suspicious circumstances. st mary's church in alsager says it will remain open for anyone who wishes to offer their condolences and prayers to all their family and friends, who are now coming to terms with this shocking and devastating news. in day ofjury deliberation in new york over the donald trump hush money trial. —— it is the second day. he is facing allegations of falsifying business records in relation to hush money payment paid to stormy daniels. he denies all the

charges. all 12jurors must agree that donald trump is guilty beyond reasonable doubt for prosecutors to secure any conviction this case. our correspondent is outside of the court. , . . our correspondent is outside of the court. , , , . court. the 'ury is still hearing testimony— court. the jury is still hearing testimony they _ court. the jury is still hearing testimony they had _ court. the jury is still hearing| testimony they had requested court. the jury is still hearing - testimony they had requested so not actively deliberating yet, quite a bit of business to get through this morning. they first heard the judge read back some of his instructions, they were interested in some of the law that guides them to what inferences they can draw from the evidence. we now have two court reporters quite literally re—enacting the statements of david pecker, the editor of the tabloid publisher of the national enquirer, they are reading back his testimony. one court reporter is in the witness box, one

is on the floor of the courtroom, and they are reading the testimony exactly as it was given at the time. that's going to take a bit of time, but jurors clearly want to review this as part of their deliberations. give me a sense of what it is like where you are. last time, we spoke about how tense donald trump is as we get to this absolutely crunch time. give me an idea of the sort of media interest that is all around you. certainly as we get closer to a verdict, the scene of press here has grown, the amount of security has increased and we're seeing more protesters than usual turn up at the park across from me. donald trump inside is often closing his eyes as

he has done throughout this trial and not appearing too engaged today in the portions of having testimony read back to jurors, but he has to remain close by in this building in case of a verdict so he is here with a close group of his inner circle, he's here with his son eric today, some of his other kids have joined him on other days. he's here with some close friends, his campaign staff, his legal staff, but there is a real air of anticipation, but also everyone very much aware that it's impossible to predict how long jurors might need, and remembering that this is a historic decision that they are now having to bear the weight of taking. the un says the amount of humanitarian aid entering gaza has decreased by two thirds since israel began its offensive in rafah. gaza's health ministry says 53 palestinians have been killed and 357 injured in

the gaza strip in the last 24 hours. thousands of trucks are now waiting at the crossing. the israeli army said they have delivered rocket launchers and cross—border tunnels in the area since taking control. residents in rafah say there has been intense artillery shelling and gunfire over the last day with people continuing to flee. the egyptian president said palestinians must not be forcibly displaced. translation: i call on all the relevant parties _ in the international community to fulfil their moral and legal. responsibility to stopl the brutal israeli war. i also call on the - international community to immediately provide - for long—term humanitarian assistance to the gaza strip

and to end the israeli siege, and to stop any attempt - at forcing palestinians . to forcibly flee their land. our middle east correspondent outlined the significance of israel's control over the gaza egypt border. this is a strategically important stretch of land along the egypt gaza border, which the israeli military has said it has operational control of. it took the rafah crossing between gaza and egypt early on in this month, close to the start of its offensive in rafah, when it sent in ground forces. we've seen it using this corridor with tanks returning to positions close to their longer parter as they have carried out limited raids, even in the very heart of rafah. the israelis are

saying that what they have discovered along this strip of land is very important, they've talked about 20 tunnels they have found there, described those as being a lifeline for hamas and other palestinian armed groups in the gaza strip. they believe that a lot of weapons have been smuggled through there in the past. they've also said they have found dozens of rocket launchers and rocket launch sites, and pointed out that in recent weeks, there have been something like 70 rockets and mortars that have been fired by hamas from the rafah area, close to the border with egypt, suggesting that the intention of hamas was to try to stop israel from retaliating there because it would worry that it would misfire and could cross the egyptian border, causing a bigger incident. when we return, we will have the

latest on a busy day of campaigning. we are a week into this campaign so we will get the latest from all the campaign stops, all the issues that have been discussed through the course of the day but that's after the weather with darren. hello there. we are seeing a few showers today, but generally not as heavy or as widespread as they have been recently. it is a drying trend over the next few days as that high pressure tries to build across the uk. between that and the low in the north sea, we've got a northerly breeze that's been pushing this cloud which yesterday gave all the thunderstorms in scotland. those are moving south of the uk, but that cloud is swirling around the low, coming in from the north sea and keeping it a bit cooler across some eastern parts of england, typically 15 degrees. elsewhere, those temperatures are going to be higher. we could make 19 or 20 in a few places. with that cloud coming

we've got a bit of rain ahead of that. one still possible in the southeast before those move away. drives off for a while before a little bit more rain comes into eastern parts of england. we've got cloudy skies across eastern parts of england and the midlands. rain or showers tending to become confined into the southeast. some late sunshine in the midlands, sunny skies elsewhere and quite a warm day as well with the sunshine, those temperatures again 19, 20 degrees. you can see where it's a bit cooler because of that cloud across east anglia and the southeast of england, lincolnshire too. this area of high pressure, tending to build a little bit more towards the uk, will tend to move most of that rain away from south eastern areas. still the chance of one or two showers. still a bit more cloud coming in off that breeze off the north sea. but otherwise, again, more in the way of sunshine, pleasantly warm in the sunshine with the winds becoming lighter as well. it will be warmer across northern and western areas, a little bit cooler still across some eastern parts of england. fortunes may change as we head into the second half of the weekend.

that area of high pressure tending to get squeezed away as we see more cloud coming in around the top of it, heading towards the northwest of the uk. and that may well bring with it, eventually, a little bit of rain towards the north west of scotland and the northern isles as well. more cloud for northern ireland. we'll see more sunshine for england and wales, and a sunnier day with lighter winds across east anglia and the southeast. here, it's going to be warmer. temperatures reaching 22, maybe 23 degrees. still quite warm for eastern scotland, but cooler in western scotland.

live from london. this is bbc news.

ruling out after the general election. on the campaign trail, rishi sunak is visited a factory in buckingham shirt and sees questions raised about trust conservatives after party date. a nine—year—old girl is in critical condition and three adults seriously injured following a shooting in east london. the jury and donald trump's following a shooting in east london. thejury and donald trump's hush money trial return with deliberations and the verdict. and harry styles hometown sees thousands of fans on tour visiting landmarks connected to the pop star. hello,

another day of campaigning and about tax. they said they would not increase the rate if they win the general election. there still questions about the candidate selection the deputy leader saying today that she does not see any reason why the parties veteran cannot stand in the general election at a fascinating intervention in the last hour you can see pictures of the prime minister. rishi sunak has been visiting a cherry picker manufacturer in buckinghamshire. the prime minister met a group of workers getting ready to bolt wheels onto a mobile elevating platform. let us round up but is been a really busy day of campaigning. let's bring in our political correspondent and let's start with a campaign visit in the last hour with rishi sunak because of the usual themes in all of these q&a sessions, you

potentially get moments where there is a real pointed question and that is a real pointed question and that is exactly what happened with the prime minister and that issue of trust and party gate. that prime minister and that issue of trust and party gate.— prime minister and that issue of trust and party gate. that is right. whenever those _ trust and party gate. that is right. whenever those in _ trust and party gate. that is right. whenever those in general- trust and party gate. that is right. l whenever those in general election campaigns are coming into contact every day with members of the public, they never quite know what's going to happen, there's no script written in public it's asking them questions, they can throughout things that they don't know wanted to talk about tax and jeremy hunt in the article for the daily telegraph this morning and the party would not be increasing vat over the course of the next parliament. that is of a metal labour, the lib dems in the scottish national party agree with

and in the big taxes the national insurance income tax and under the labour party, that is what they're expecting to be talking about however, that is not quite what they were talking about after the event where the people questioning in one of the main questions brought up the issue of party gate when parties are held in downing street during the election which we will watch your. my election which we will watch your. my mum died in 2020, the height of the pandemic and my brothers could not be in the hospital you remember, those the month with all the parties are going on in downing street and i think the month after you attended the gathering, we got a fixed penalty notice and my question was, how can anyone trust you or the party of things like this? i'm really sorry _ party of things like this? i'm really sorry that _ party of things like this? u�*sn really sorry that you lost her mother and especially under those circumstances because it was not easy for so many people in the pandemic and the impact that on

everyone's lives. i cannot imagine what it must�*ve been like for not being with her at that time and i'm sorry on a downing street and on my part, i apologised and showed up for meeting and i was working on things to help you and your business and many other families like that. late many other families like that. we hear from just parker but i wanted to turn to labour because rishi sunak, not the only leader where news agenda just being different to their agenda and keir starmer being dogged again for the second straight day with questions about diana abbett and now you've had an intervention from the deputy leader. the main priority, labour probably would not of wanted to talk about this today is that this long—standing row overwhelmed that he made whether or not diane abbott will be able to stand as a labour mp

after being suspended for ten months ago following accusations of racism and a letter for the ago following accusations of racism and a letterfor the newspaper. the system to the forefront from the bbc�*s system to the forefront from the bbc�*s newsnight programme investigation into diane abbott concluded five months ago and we still didn't know whether or not she would be allowed to stand in there as the election coming up very quickly we need to know if she can stand or not and there are some mixed messages going on here. we hearfrom the mixed messages going on here. we hear from the secretary this morning when asked, it is not for me to make a personal point to make an intervention either way. it is up to the national executive committee. but later in the day, the deputy leader did take a personal view on this and said she doesn't see any reason why diane abbott shouldn't be able to stand as a candidate begins with keir starmer singh and he had

one word about her and it was trailblazer, the first black female mp elected in this country but didn't set the way whether or not should be allowed to stand. as things are, we still do not know. let us turn to the liberal democrats and we saw a couple of days ago, following into windemere and the highlighting water quality and today, he was on slip and slide, closing focusing on in terms of political themes? ihe closing focusing on in terms of political themes?— closing focusing on in terms of political themes? politicalthemes? he has become uuite politicalthemes? he has become quite accustomed _ politicalthemes? he has become quite accustomed to _ politicalthemes? he has become quite accustomed to holding - political themes? he has becomel quite accustomed to holding these events and getting pictures of whether or not lick windemere during the slip and slide and pictures on the slip and slide and pictures on the tv it is free to say it's been pretty effective in doing that so far but as he has been sending previous events, previous message they was to convey as well and today was about the mental health of young people and he said the liberal democrats want to see a mental

health specialist in every school and that would be funded by tripling the already existing tax on the large tech companies in places like amazon and labour in the conservative city with regard to mental health specialist in school, they are already pledging to do similar things but liberal democrats want to raise this issue in the campaign as well as get some fun pictures on the tv. the campaign as well as get some fun pictures on the tv.— pictures on the tv. the strength of scotland on — pictures on the tv. the strength of scotland on the _ pictures on the tv. the strength of scotland on the general _ pictures on the tv. the strength of scotland on the general election i scotland on the general election and fascinating because westminster and the scottish parliament and first minister was out and about and talking about a lost generation, wasn't a? . . talking about a lost generation, wasn't a? , , . wasn't a? the first minister and lots of scottish _ wasn't a? the first minister and lots of scottish national - wasn't a? the first minister and lots of scottish national party l lots of scottish national party politicians have been focusing their attention on things like austerity, brexit and sing both of these things

are products of westminster. they're saying they were mps who brought this about picturing themselves as the people who can defeat the conservatives in more seats than any other party in scotland but we have also heard from other parties, the liberal democrats saying they snp beat the smp and third place of role, but we've been hearing the rallying cries against westminster politics and they been trying to turn the heat on both parties this week writing to both parties and talking and asking them to recognise palestine is a state, another example of events going on to the campaign and after seeing with diane abbott and rishi sunak, things we not expecting. abbott and rishi sunak, things we not meeting-— abbott and rishi sunak, things we not expecting. thank you very much on some of— not expecting. thank you very much on some of the _ not expecting. thank you very much on some of the campaigns - not expecting. thank you very much on some of the campaigns that - not expecting. thank you very much on some of the campaigns that i'ml on some of the campaigns that i'm hearing that angela rayner has done

some media interviews talking about diane abbott and as soon as we get that information in, we'll plan that to you but talking of moments with rishi sunak on his last campaign stop, let's go to just parker because she was the prime minister and justice were saying, the electric campaign trail, you get these moments where member of the public will ask an unexpected question it was that a moment he saw a little earlier?— a little earlier? hook, sometimes oliticians a little earlier? hook, sometimes politicians and _ a little earlier? hook, sometimes politicians and political— a little earlier? hook, sometimes politicians and political parties . politicians and political parties are accused of staging events and trying to control questions but would happened tonight was in the room in the factory earlier where rishi sunak was visiting and he gave his speech weird a lot of familiar themes from the prime minister about why he thinks the conservative party have a great plan a criticisms he has of the labour party and that's

all pretty predictable but jack was talking about from a man whose mother had died during the pandemic and he had not been able to be with her and brought up those infamous downing street parties that grab deadlines and infuriated people up and down the country. and rishi sunak of his sympathies for the man's mothers death and as he described it during the pandemic, he went on to talk about actions that he had taken during covid—19 as well when he was chancellor because at the time, borisjohnson is the prime minister. but standing back a bit from the some why rishi sunak might have expected this, something he is trying to do and all parties are trying to do and all parties are trying to do at the moment is essentially sent the message and

trying to tell people that you can trust me and you should trust me more than the other guy and have a question like that right off the bat, and also talking about trust as well, gets the heart of that and undermines the message and it shows that voters do have long memories 2020 was not that long ago and rishi sunak was prime minister than in chancellor and got drawn in to the whole saga but it is interesting to see that someone brought that up with him and he eight gone through something very personally painful during that time and asked why should i trust you given is happened in the past and it was an unexpected moment for rishi sunak.— moment for rishi sunak. thank you ve much moment for rishi sunak. thank you very much and _ moment for rishi sunak. thank you very much and there _ moment for rishi sunak. thank you very much and there have - moment for rishi sunak. thank you very much and there have been - moment for rishi sunak. thank you very much and there have been on| very much and there have been on terms of all that campaign. they've been covering the campaign with the greens in bristol and blackcomb rate, literacy from both of them.

the greens, relative political minnows but there's been a real buzz and excitement and they said this is the most ambitious election months ever and they want to get four mps onjuly the 4th there was a lot of talk in the speech is the most ambitious election months ever and they want to get four mps onjuly they want to get four mps onjuly the 4th they want to get four mps on july the 4th there was a lot of talk in the 4th there was a lot of talk in the speeches about conservative records and ones that they think is a poor one but much more talk about labours plans and the greens say where they have measures and broken pleasures in the greens know that if they are to get any mps at the general election, they have to beat labour and persuade voters that whether it's on the cost of living or affordable housing or on privatisation of the nhs, the point out to persuade voters that they can offer a left—wing challenge to sir

keir starmer�*s party. the offer a left-wing challenge to sir keir starmer's party.— offer a left-wing challenge to sir keir starmer's party. the said they are the only _ keir starmer's party. the said they are the only party _ keir starmer's party. the said they are the only party that _ keir starmer's party. the said they are the only party that would - keir starmer's party. the said they are the only party that would keep| are the only party that would keep labour— are the only party that would keep labour in— are the only party that would keep labour in check and keep tories at westminster and played they would be swimming against the current— they would be swimming against the current and some experts believe having _ current and some experts believe having seats in 2019, they will equal— having seats in 2019, they will equal that this year, there be two seats, _ equal that this year, there be two seats, the — equal that this year, there be two seats, the equivalent of 2019 and they have — seats, the equivalent of 2019 and they have said which seats still be targeting — they have said which seats still be targeting in new welsh language speaking strongholds and there might be a lack— speaking strongholds and there might be a lack of ambition, they are not targeting _ be a lack of ambition, they are not targeting seats outside of theirs that he — targeting seats outside of theirs that he would commonly believe that they could _ that he would commonly believe that they could win and the brush that offence _ they could win and the brush that offence it— they could win and the brush that offence it had to be realistic in the past — offence it had to be realistic in the past has been kind to us in this

i put _ the past has been kind to us in this i put them — the past has been kind to us in this i put them as well, if labour were true when — i put them as well, if labour were true when there be a hung parliament, which are going the coalition — parliament, which are going the coalition, they would be drawn into thatiust _ coalition, they would be drawn into thatjust yet. coalition, they would be drawn into that just yet. the coalition, they would be drawn into that just yet-— that 'ust yet. the first minister and thatjust yet. the first minister and snp leader _ thatjust yet. the first minister and snp leader has _ thatjust yet. the first minister and snp leader has been - thatjust yet. the first minister and snp leader has been on i that just yet. the first minister| and snp leader has been on the campaign trailfocusing and snp leader has been on the campaign trail focusing on young people in his speech and said that austerity, brexit and the cost of the entrances back an entire generation of young people in scotland and the macro to see there's only party in scotland the will move back into the european union and going to alan smith, the spokesperson, thank you for being here with me and as a send tojohn swinney talking about how brexit and austerity in the cost—of—living of all impacted young people and what is the snp map out of that shell it

staggers me the extent to which the uk parties do not want to talk about that we are not in the uk parties do not want to talk about that we are not in— that we are not in the eu and how badl all that we are not in the eu and how badly all of— that we are not in the eu and how badly all of us _ that we are not in the eu and how badly all of us are _ that we are not in the eu and how badly all of us are missing - that we are not in the eu and how badly all of us are missing out - badly all of us are missing out and i've worked in various places across the eu and other countries and agrees me that young people are having those chances taken away from them we want them back. and obviously the snp wants to see an independent scotland into the eu and independence but also want to see the uk sign up to the programmes and offered the use of work studies and it's below the age of 30 but we would take them up on that offer and we would use her position westminster to see the whole of the uk popped back into these schemes because freedom of movement of the tories and labour, makes me sad to say that the snp uses position to make sure young people can get back to european rights because i believe

our best futures in the european union and an independent scotland will work with anybody. you union and an independent scotland will work with anybody.— will work with anybody. you don't even need _ will work with anybody. you don't even need me — will work with anybody. you don't even need me to _ will work with anybody. you don't even need me to tell— will work with anybody. you don't even need me to tell you - will work with anybody. you don't even need me to tell you with - will work with anybody. you don'tj even need me to tell you with the subtle political position is because you ask leaders about this and he said the party has decided there's no point going backwards in the argument, you have to look forwards. norway is not a part of the european union but they are part of the single market and freedom of movement likewise, switzerland and iceland as well and it's possible to not be in the eu would be a part of various schemes in the eu itself is of her youth mobility scheme from the 30s and we should be grabbing at the 30s and we should be grabbing at the chance for young people in asked me sad that middle—aged white men are telling people what they and the youth particularly life chances and we want to see them get

them back. fiend chances and we want to see them get them back. �* chances and we want to see them get them back. . . , , them back. and the incumbents being attacked on the _ them back. and the incumbents being attacked on the track _ them back. and the incumbents being attacked on the track record _ them back. and the incumbents being attacked on the track record in - them back. and the incumbents being attacked on the track record in the - attacked on the track record in the basics of health and education transport and also trying to fight a resurgent labour party and westminster government with the conservatives in charge. that is three flanks, isn't it?— conservatives in charge. that is three flanks, isn't it? that is why olitics is three flanks, isn't it? that is why politics is exciting. _ three flanks, isn't it? that is why politics is exciting. scotland - three flanks, isn't it? that is why politics is exciting. scotland is i politics is exciting. scotland is a very political country and i think the scottish electorates in the western world the people of scotland a at working on what they want and there is the turn of factors with politicians and people dissolution with westminster and disillusioned with westminster and disillusioned with what's coming out of holyrood. their dissolution with the snp and we have seen that in the spoils. lie. we have seen that in the spoils. its various points in various places and not to we have a date, reaction people focusing of your entry doors

and got a record to defend and also the scottish record to defend in there's a palpable sense of we want to see the administrations and a strong voice for scotland is crucial what is going to be a very difficult parliament going forward and starting on the record now defend the scottish governments record to the scottish governments record to the last breath and we have done better than we have been criticised for and that's not to say the party is not challenges, of course it is but we are trusted to stand up for interest annoyance claiming where perfect but compared to the other options, particularly about independence in eu membership, were the only ones were offering. scott is concerned _ the only ones were offering. scott is concerned is _ the only ones were offering. scott is concerned is said _ the only ones were offering. scott is concerned is said if— the only ones were offering. scott is concerned is said if you - the only ones were offering. scott is concerned is said if you take a real hit in scotland in this general election, does for independence, he's right about that, isn't he? it's all the more important that we get behind the snp and unite the yes

majority the ravens, and in the independence brought about 50—50 and the union. it's really important that we do have a strong voice and a democratic solution to the independence question and i want to send and independence, and in europe and that is the discussion and the fact that the westminster party can just say no to the people in scotland is not remotely sustainable.— scotland is not remotely sustainable. . ., . sustainable. we have to leave it there and thank— sustainable. we have to leave it there and thank you _ sustainable. we have to leave it there and thank you for - sustainable. we have to leave it there and thank you forjoining i sustainable. we have to leave it | there and thank you forjoining us in a quick point of yours and a list of candidates available on the website in duet there and have a look at that but let's continue a conversation about the election campaign because every day will be digesting the campaigning in newscast and let's talk to adam fleming in one of the presenters, welcome back onto the programme and what are you going to be looking at today and it's really fascinating day of campaigning in all sorts of different areas. ls

day of campaigning in all sorts of different areas.— day of campaigning in all sorts of different areas. is the first proper da of the different areas. is the first proper day of the election _ different areas. is the first proper day of the election it _ different areas. is the first proper day of the election it it's - different areas. is the first proper day of the election it it's all- different areas. is the first proper day of the election it it's all been | day of the election it it's all been quite stage—managed and putting the building blocks in place for the slogans and campaign buses. we are seeing actual genuine politics going on in rishi sunak being confronted by someone who lost their mother the covid—19 and he brought up party gate which is a subject that rishi sunak is the comfortable taking in the admixed reviews and how he handled that and these are day three orfour handled that and these are day three or four of the diane abbott saga and candidate selection which is expanding into a bigger story about factionalfighting expanding into a bigger story about factional fighting which stops them to this key campaign messages and thatis to this key campaign messages and that is classic too we've seen other parties watching their campaigns as well in the green party of england and wales trade influence the direction of the labour party from the green party, there been quite candid about the fact that they're focusing on four seats and up

fashion the end of the game be a government and being quite honest in the closet day where the parties are not able to, labour and the tories both publishing dossiers of other party spending pledges and kind of imaginary and it's fun reading them. it is interesting because you're talking about the answer around rishi sunak about trust in the courses and counterclaims and when you talk to the voters, its initial trust with the parties are going to actually do and i was listening to the radio early this morning and it is interesting because so many voters said that they were disillusioned they thought they were on the same in its real task for the leaders of the party to differentiate from each other. shes differentiate from each other. is someone differentiate from each other. .is someone was differentiate from each other. is someone was doing that spectacularly

well is the liberal democrats and talking in their funny photo ops, that water slide in the west country and what is interesting about that is that trope of between the funny campaign has gone from being a funny joke to people analysing whether or not it is a wise move for him to be doing that. and also, the tricky thing about gauging voters enthusiasm is how do you do it and i've been doing some other work over the last few days talking to people about opinion polls and the fact that the pollsters, when they're doing their opinion polls, they have to make a judgment on people, how likely they are to turn out and it is quite a big impact on the opinion polls themselves which then shape the shape of the race. don't get picking up whatever the matter is polling day on the 4th ofjuly. another thing were talking about is the return of angela rayner. she's beenin the return of angela rayner. she's been in a bit of a box to the police

investigation and being honest about where she was living a few years ago and her big signature policy which is enhanced rights for workers and thatis is enhanced rights for workers and that is much more nuanced and much less ambitious than it was when she first started talking about a few years ago but she's been let out of the traps and wants of us think she's done, cause a problem for keir starmer by having a different position than them on whether or not diane abbott should run his labour candidate when they start endorsing next week and ensure loss of her own battle bus which reminds me ofjohn prescott. do you remember when he was 20 blair's right—hand man he could talk to the right of the party and at a bus stop white and he had he had a famous left to look as well. intervention from angela rayner it will play the clip of her talking about diane abbott interposition may be different from

keir starmer will play that clip as soon as we have it but in terms of adam, what be rehearing, you can catch the latest episode of newscast and it is on bbc sounds. —— what we'll be hearing. plenty more here in the coming minutes but let's turn to some of the really important stories of the day because a nine—year—old girl is in a critical consists tagamet condition after a shooting in northeast london —— critical condition. there been speaking to the the last few hours. it saddens me deeply to say about him at 920 last night, on kingsland high street in hackney, three men and a nine—year—old girl were shocked when a firearm was discharged from a motorbike. i know the local people will be extremely

concerned by this incident and we share that concern. an urgent investigation is been launched identify and apprehend those responsible. three men, aged 26, 37 and 42 were sitting outside of a restaurant were ta ken to and 42 were sitting outside of a restaurant were taken to hospital for treatment for gunshot wounds. their conditions are stable but when potentially face life—changing injuries. in nine—year—old girl who was inside the restaurant having dinner with herfamily suffered was inside the restaurant having dinner with her family suffered a gunshot wound and she remains in a hospital in a critical condition. our thoughts are with her family and being supported, as you would expect, by specialist officers. we do not believe that the girl and the men injured were known to each other and as with any child, she was an

innocent victim of the indiscriminate nature of gun crime. police arrived at the scene within minutes of the crime being reported in the two crime scenes remain in place at the high street in galveston crescent were recovered a motorbike that we believe was used in the shooting in which we now know to have been stolen. lettel’iii to have been stolen. will bring those details _ to have been stolen. will bring those details to _ to have been stolen. will bring those details to you _ to have been stolen. will bring those details to you will - to have been stolen. will bring those details to you will be i to have been stolen. will bring. those details to you will be back to have been stolen. will bring i those details to you will be back in the campaign trail injust a those details to you will be back in the campaign trail in just a moment and hear some incredible pictures before we take a break. the beauty of nature has been captured on a beachin of nature has been captured on a beach in anglesey. the marine conservation society took pictures of a curled octopus changing colour last month. they are masters of camouflage will alter their appearance depending on mood and

situation and making its way safely back to see. that his head to iceland to show you the pictures from there because that volcano continues to erupt and it disrupted five times since december and officials there were saying actually that today, fortunately, the winds are sending all those poisonous gases away from the capital pretty uninhabited in a particular area with that volcano is but still some of the lava across the main road sitting towards the nearby town that has been evacuated but still, some spectacular pictures coming from the southwest of iceland. we are seeing a few showers but generally not a savvy and widespread as there have been recently. a drying trend as a pressure dress to build across the uk but between that

is a northerly breeze pushing this cloud which yesterday to evolve the thunderstorms in scotland and south of the uk, that cloud of swirling around and coming in from the north sea and across eastern parts of england, particularly at 15 degrees. the temperatures will be higher at 19 or 20 in a few places. cloud coming in of the north sea and a bit of rain in there's a few showers and possibly in the southeast before moving away, dress up for a while before bit of rain comes in the eastern parts of england and away from your will have clear skies and the winds bit lighter and short—lived missed fog patches in the eastern parts of england and away from your will have clear skies and the winds bit lighter and short—lived mist fog patch is a a bit chilly in scotland and northern ireland and and cloudy skies across eastern parts of england in the middle and surrender showers become confined to the south east and late sunshine in the midlands and sunny skies elsewhere in a warm day as well with the sunshine and thus temperatures rise 19 to 20 degrees

he could see where it's a bit cooler because the cloud because he's angry and southeast of england and lincolnshire. high—pressure building more towards the uk it will move more towards the uk it will move more away from the south eastern areas and still, the chancellor wanted to showers and a bit of cloud coming in off the breeze but otherwise more the way of sunshine and pleasantly warm of the wind becoming lighter as well and warm across northern and western areas in the bit cooler across distant parts of england and fortunes may change as we enter the second half of the weekend. that area of high pressure squeezed away as we see more cloud coming in at the top of his name to its northwest of the uk that may bring with it ran towards northwest to scotland and northern isles as well and more cloud for northern ireland and sunshine for england and wales in the centre deal with lighter winds across east anglia in the southeast and here it's going to

be warmer in temperatures reaching 22 or 23 degrees and quite warm priest in scotland but warmer in western scotland. in eastern scotland but warmer in western scotland. let's turn in eastern scotland but warmer in western scotland. let's turn to in eastern scotland but warmer in western scotland. let's turn to our in eastern scotland but warmer in western scotland. let's turn to our made in eastern scotland but warmer in western scotland. let's turn to our made headlines. the conservatives, labour and liberal democrats all roll increasing vat. as confusion remains over diane abbott's future — labour's deputy leader says there's no reason why she can't stand for the party. thejury in donald the jury in donald trump's trial will deliver deliver as we will await a verdict.

let's get back to the big theme of the day. it began with questions about tax and vat. there are still questions about candidate selections. labour's deputy leader said she doesn't see any reason why the party's veteran mp diane abbott cannot stand. we've also seen in the last couple of hours rishi sunak speaking of the economy and immigration, saying the labour leader would cancel flights to rwanda and make the uk the soft touch of europe. let's talk about all of that.

thanks, both of you, for being with us. adam fleming was saying it felt like the real first day of proper campaigning, the sorts of things that were flying around. george, a second day in a row where keir starmer faces questions about diane abbott. is that a problem? there's been a lot of confusion- _ problem? there's been a lot of confusion. it _ problem? there's been a lot of confusion. it will— problem? there's been a lot of confusion. it will be _ problem? there's been a lot of confusion. it will be sorted i problem? there's been a lot of confusion. it will be sorted out| problem? there's been a lot of l confusion. it will be sorted out in a few months. she must be considered, but the interesting thing is that we are way ahead in choosing our candidates and making sure they're good. the tories still have over 100 candidates to choose, including some in very previous strong tory areas. i think they're doing well.

strong tory areas. i think they're doing well-— doing well. you quickly go onto candidates _ doing well. you quickly go onto candidates a _ doing well. you quickly go onto candidates a selection, - doing well. you quickly go onto candidates a selection, away i doing well. you quickly go onto i candidates a selection, away from the abbott question. interesting what angela rayner added. ros altmann, what you think your? keir starmer and some talk about process and not actually the issue itself thatis and not actually the issue itself that is nominated every time he gets her reporter. they asked him protest over politics, is that bad? i her reporter. they asked him protest over politics, is that bad?— over politics, is that bad? i don't think that labour _ over politics, is that bad? i don't think that labour and _ over politics, is that bad? i don't think that labour and their i over politics, is that bad? i don't| think that labour and their leader will be _ think that labour and their leader will be very happy with the way things— will be very happy with the way things have gone on the diane abbott situation _ things have gone on the diane abbott situation i— things have gone on the diane abbott situation. i must admit i am full next _ situation. i must admit i am full next by— situation. i must admit i am full next by what is happening because it looks like _ next by what is happening because it looks like reports are coming in all over the _ looks like reports are coming in all over the place, each conflicting with each— over the place, each conflicting with each other. ijust don't think any of— with each other. ijust don't think any of us — with each other. ijust don't think any of us know quite what's going on, any of us know quite what's going on even — any of us know quite what's going on, even diane abbott may not know what is _ on, even diane abbott may not know what is happening. keir starmer said the report— what is happening. keir starmer said the report wasn't ready, then we hear— the report wasn't ready, then we hear it— the report wasn't ready, then we hear it it — the report wasn't ready, then we hear it it was actually done in

december. then we hear that diane abbott _ december. then we hear that diane abbott was — december. then we hear that diane abbott was going to be reinstated in the party— abbott was going to be reinstated in the party so she could resign with dignity _ the party so she could resign with dignity. then that was denied. then we were _ dignity. then that was denied. then we were hearing that she couldn't stand _ we were hearing that she couldn't stand as — we were hearing that she couldn't stand as a — we were hearing that she couldn't stand as a labourer and he, even though— stand as a labourer and he, even though natalie else it can. —— natalie — though natalie else it can. —— natalie elphicke. though natalie else it can. -- natalie elphicke.— though natalie else it can. -- natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke is not standing _ natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke is not standing as _ natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke is not standing as an _ natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke is not standing as an mp. - natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke is not standing as an mp. she i natalie elphicke. natalie elphicke i is not standing as an mp. she made absolutely clear. but is not standing as an mp. she made absolutely clear.— absolutely clear. but she is currently — absolutely clear. but she is currently a _ absolutely clear. but she is currently a labour - absolutely clear. but she is currently a labour mp. i absolutely clear. but she is currently a labour mp. no, absolutely clear. but she is i currently a labour mp. no, no, absolutely clear. but she is - currently a labour mp. no, no, this is aood currently a labour mp. no, no, this is good for— currently a labour mp. no, no, this is good for you. _ currently a labour mp. no, no, this is good for you, ros. _ currently a labour mp. no, no, this is good for you, ros. it _ currently a labour mp. no, no, this is good for you, ros. it detracts i is good for you, ros. it detracts attention from the appalling start that rishi sunak has had. you see again today he was asked for questions about —— asked a question about a mother who had died during the pandemic, at a time where he was partying at number ten. and he dealt with it in a terrible way. he is so

unable to deal with direct questions from the electorate is unlike keir starmer. .,, . ,~' from the electorate is unlike keir starmer. . , ., from the electorate is unlike keir starmer. . i. . starmer. ros, let me ask you about that moment. _ starmer. ros, let me ask you about that moment, because _ starmer. ros, let me ask you about that moment, because we - starmer. ros, let me ask you about that moment, because we are i starmer. ros, let me ask you about l that moment, because we are playing that moment, because we are playing that clip during that q&a session. it is a moment for rishi sunak in terms of the way he is selling himself, he keeps referencing the furlough scheme and not wanting to go further back. that voter took him further back to really difficult territory. t further back to really difficult territo . ~ , .. further back to really difficult territo . ~ , ., �* , territory. i think you can't deny that there _ territory. i think you can't deny that there is _ territory. i think you can't deny that there is difficult _ territory. i think you can't deny that there is difficult territory l that there is difficult territory all over— that there is difficult territory all over the place in this election. sadly. _ all over the place in this election. sadly. we — all over the place in this election. sadly, we have had a few years of turmoil _ sadly, we have had a few years of turmoil. ~ , . . sadly, we have had a few years ofj turmoil-_ ltut turmoil. mostly self-inflicted! but the pandemic— turmoil. mostly self-inflicted! but the pandemic came _ turmoil. mostly self-inflicted! but the pandemic came along. - turmoil. mostly self-inflicted! but the pandemic came along. all- turmoil. mostly self-inflicted! but the pandemic came along. all of. the pandemic came along. all of these _ the pandemic came along. all of these things have built up over the

last few— these things have built up over the last few years, but i think what we are seeing — last few years, but i think what we are seeing is both parties need to settle _ are seeing is both parties need to settle down. we had real policies announced this week by the conservatives. we may agree or not, but we _ conservatives. we may agree or not, but we haven't heard much in terms of real— but we haven't heard much in terms of real policy. we for denials of policies — of real policy. we for denials of policies and things they are not going _ policies and things they are not going to — policies and things they are not going to do. policies and things they are not going to do-_ policies and things they are not auoin to do. . going to do. ros, your leader has said, as chancellor, _ going to do. ros, your leader has said, as chancellor, you - going to do. ros, your leader has said, as chancellor, you would i going to do. ros, your leader has| said, as chancellor, you would not value any tax. we have as well. which party put it up to 15%, then 17 and a half percent, then to 20%? that was your party. that was not the labour party.— that was your party. that was not the labour party. ros, respond to that, the labour party. ros, respond to that. because _ the labour party. ros, respond to that, because in _ the labour party. ros, respond to that, because in terms _ the labour party. ros, respond to that, because in terms of - the labour party. ros, respond to that, because in terms of the i the labour party. ros, respond to | that, because in terms of the vat, when you look back, 1979—1992, 20 11-3 when you look back, 1979—1992, 20 11—3 different conservative prime minister 's all putting up vat. yesterday, you had the chancellor

accusing labourer of having that plan. accusing labourer of having that .lan. ., , ., accusing labourer of having that lan. . ... . accusing labourer of having that .lan. ... ., . plan. labour were given a chance esterda plan. labour were given a chance yesterday several _ plan. labour were given a chance yesterday several times - plan. labour were given a chance yesterday several times to - plan. labour were given a chance yesterday several times to deny l plan. labour were given a chance i yesterday several times to deny that that was— yesterday several times to deny that that was their plan. they chose not to. that was their plan. they chose not to ~_ to. . george to. .— george laughs. to. . george laughs. �* ~ , george laughs. i'm very pleased about that- _ george laughs. i'm very pleased about that. you're _ george laughs. i'm very pleased about that. you're the _ george laughs. i'm very pleased about that. you're the only - george laughs. i'm very pleased i about that. you're the only party that put up _ about that. you're the only party that put up value _ about that. you're the only party that put up value tax. _ about that. you're the only party that put up value tax. you're - about that. you're the only party that put up value tax. you're in - that put up value tax. you're in total chaos. you're the party of these trusts, who gave us an awful budget —— liz truss, only in power for 47 days. the party of partygate, the party of total chaos. i’m for 47 days. the party of partygate, the party of total chaos.— the party of total chaos. i'm not t in: to the party of total chaos. i'm not trying to defend... _ the party of total chaos. i'm not trying to defend... crosstalkl trying to defend... crosstalk but i trying to defend... crosstalk ltut i must _ trying to defend... crosstalk but i must say _ trying to defend... crosstalk but i must say so _ trying to defend... crosstalk but i must say so far, - trying to defend... crosstalk but i must say so far, the i trying to defend... crosstalk - but i must say so far, the situation with diane — but i must say so far, the situation with diane abbott has been really chaotic _ with diane abbott has been really chaotic. .. .. .. with diane abbott has been really chaotic-_ 0n - with diane abbott has been really chaotic._ on the i with diane abbott has been really chaotic._ on the tax i chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax issue, chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax issue. there — chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax issue, there are _ chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax issue, there are plenty - chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax

issue, there are plenty of- chaotic. no, no, no! on the tax issue, there are plenty of taxes that labour may be planning to put wood _ that labour may be planning to put wood up _ that labour may be planning to put wood up without telling us. are they going _ wood up without telling us. are they going to _ wood up without telling us. are they going to put up the wealth tax? we don't know — going to put up the wealth tax? we don't know. we don't have the actual plans _ don't know. we don't have the actual plans we _ don't know. we don't have the actual plans. we know they won't see this and they— plans. we know they won't see this and they won't see that, but where is and they won't see that, but where is the _ and they won't see that, but where is the money going to come from? the auestion is the money going to come from? question is true is the money going to come from? tue: question is true about is the money going to come from? tta: question is true about the conservatives. all of the parties referred about income tax, about vat. george, let me ask you a different question. is it enough for keir starmer to run a safe campaign quiz below i don't think he's running a safe campaign. i think it will be more interesting as time goes on. we're going to see that as well. we still got five weeks of the campaign ahead of it. we've got a long time to to campaign ahead of it. we've got a long time to— campaign ahead of it. we've got a long time to to get to policy. but i must say. — long time to to get to policy. but i must say. the _ long time to to get to policy. but i must say, the disastrous - long time to to get to policy. but i must say, the disastrous start of i must say, the disastrous start of the tory campaign has only been

matched by the disastrous start of the snp campaign. that's been totally dominated by the scandal of michael matheson. falsely claiming £11,000, getting kicked out of parliament for 27 days. if he was a member of parliament in westminster, there would be a by—election. t just there would be a by-election. i 'ust need to have i there would be a by-election. i 'ust need to have a fi there would be a by-election. i 'ust need to have a finali there would be a by-election. i 'ust need to have a final word i there would be a by—election. ijust need to have a final word from ros altmann in terms of the campaigns we've seen. are you happy with the came pant —— campaign you've seen from rishi sunak so far? came pant -- campaign you've seen from rishi sunak so far?— from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's— from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's trying _ from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's trying his _ from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's trying his best - from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's trying his best with i from rishi sunak so far? well, i think he's trying his best with a | think he's trying his best with a verym — think he's trying his best with a verym we _ think he's trying his best with a very... we can't deny where the tories _ very... we can't deny where the tories are — very... we can't deny where the tories are in— very... we can't deny where the tories are in the polls. it is a dire — tories are in the polls. it is a dire situation for any leader to be trying _ dire situation for any leader to be trying to— dire situation for any leader to be trying to come back from that. i think george is right, we should hopefully— think george is right, we should hopefully settle down. we've got time for — hopefully settle down. we've got time for the rest of the campaign, but i _ time for the rest of the campaign, but i actually think the tories might— but i actually think the tories might have made a pretty good start with some _ might have made a pretty good start with some strong announcements of

things— with some strong announcements of things that _ with some strong announcements of things that i believe the majority of middle type voters feel works in their favour. there are lots of areas — their favour. there are lots of areas that _ their favour. there are lots of areas that we need to hear more about, _ areas that we need to hear more about, and — areas that we need to hear more about, and i have huge respect for george. _ about, and i have huge respect for george. by— about, and i have huge respect for george, by the way — i think he is a great _ george, by the way — i think he is a great parliamentarian. and george, by the way - i think he is a great parliamentarian.— great parliamentarian. and i do, for ros. crosstalk _ ros. crosstalk that ros. crosstalk that is _ ros. crosstalk that is a - ros. crosstalk that is a good i ros. crosstalk i that is a good place ros. crosstalk - that is a good place to ros. crosstalk _ that is a good place to end. i have run out of time. george fuchs and ros altmann, thank you. —— george foulkes. let's move straight to breaking news, because in the last few minutes, we havejust breaking news, because in the last few minutes, we have just heard of another infection of a conservative mp, mark logan. he's been speaking in the last hour to our political

editor chris mason. when i look back to my teenage years when 1997, we heard the song, things can only get better. i feel we are at that point again in british politics and history, and that's why i've decided i'll be going for labour this next election. there you are quoting — labour this next election. there you are quoting labour's _ labour this next election. there you are quoting labour's anthem - labour this next election. there you are quoting labour's anthem and i labour this next election. there you | are quoting labour's anthem and you were a conservative mp 24 hours ago — that's quite a thing. this were a conservative mp 24 hours ago - that's quite a thing.— - that's quite a thing. this isn't 'ust - that's quite a thing. this isn't just something _ - that's quite a thing. this isn't just something i _ - that's quite a thing. this isn't just something i thought - - that's quite a thing. this isn't just something i thought about| - that's quite a thing. this isn't i just something i thought about in the last 24 hours, i've been thinking about it for a long period of time, i believe the labour party has also been through a journey in the last few years. shire has also been through a 'ourney in the last few years._ the last few years. are you saying that the conservative _ the last few years. are you saying that the conservative party - the last few years. are you saying that the conservative party right l that the conservative party right now is unfit to govern? t that the conservative party right now is unfit to govern?- now is unfit to govern? i 'ust feel the conservative i now is unfit to govern? i 'ust feel the conservative party i now is unfit to govern? ijust feel the conservative party that i i now is unfit to govern? ijust feel. the conservative party that ijoined a decade ago is unrecognisable from the conservative party of today, but that's not to say that my colleagues from the conservative party

previously have not been doing a lot of hard work or good things. i don't want to be critical in that sense, chris, but i think overall, the sense in the tone, the hope and the optimism is with labour. it's no longer with the conservative party. what you say to the person so you should have crossed the floor as a couple of others have said, literally crossed the floor whilst you are still an mp rather than waiting? t you are still an mp rather than waitin: ? ., you are still an mp rather than waitin: ? . ., you are still an mp rather than waitin. ? . ., . ,.. waiting? i had thought about it. obviously. _ waiting? i had thought about it. obviously, before. _ waiting? i had thought about it. obviously, before. i— waiting? i had thought about it. obviously, before. ijust- waiting? i had thought about it. obviously, before. ijust felt i waiting? i had thought about it. i obviously, before. ijust felt more comfortable with my ending as an mp as midnight last night, sojust 24 hours ago. ifelt as midnight last night, sojust 24 hours ago. i felt that was the right thing to do because the electorate did vote in the end as a conservative mp.- did vote in the end as a conservative mp. . , ., conservative mp. final question, will ou conservative mp. final question, will youioin _ conservative mp. final question, will you join the _ conservative mp. final question, will you join the labour- conservative mp. final question, will you join the labour party? i will you join the labour party? absolutely, application going in today. let's go straight back to westminster and jack fenwick. the thought was they might be more defections, but we've seen another. what reaction has there been?

probably a little too soon from wider reaction. this story is very new. as we've just heard, mark logan, who has been a conservative mp since 2019, was still a conservative mp up until yesterday — has now said he's backing keir starmer's labour party. his seat was in bolton northeast, one of the rebel seats that moved from labour to conservatives in 2019. the sort of pillar borisjohnson's election winning coalition, if you like. but one of the guys who served in the last five years that he is now switching to the other side. he will not be standing for labour because they have picked the candidate, but as you heard, he said he will be joining the labour party. he harks back to the anthem of 97, things can only bit better. he believes the countries in that place again. he did defend rishi sunak somewhat. he

said as the conservatives to move the election —— lose the election, but rishi sunak and walk away with his head held high. when he talked about the pull factor of keir starmer. he talked about the economy message. he said the conservative party was unrecognisable from the party he joined a party was unrecognisable from the party hejoined a decade party was unrecognisable from the party he joined a decade ago. party was unrecognisable from the party hejoined a decade ago. he said he believes that centrist politics is what british voters want and that that's what keir starmer's labour party is operating. he says he thinks the party will do more for people's pockets. difficult listening and viewing for rishi sunak and the wider conservative party as we just learned. jack. sunak and the wider conservative party as we just learned. party as we 'ust learned. jack, we will come party as we just learned. jack, we will come back _ party as we just learned. jack, we will come back to _ party as we just learned. jack, we will come back to you _ party as we just learned. jack, we will come back to you if _ party as we just learned. jack, we will come back to you if there's i will come back to you if there's more. thanks very much for that snapshot reaction therefrom westminster. let's continue with the day's politics. the green party launched their campaign earlier today in bristol. they say they are for real hope and change and took aim at the labour party for

offering to made measures. carla, welcome to the programme. you said you hope to win four seats. is that anyway realistic given you've only had one. ? absolutely is. we've seen a huge increase in support and we are so grateful. over the last five local elections, we increased a number of counsellors nearly fivefold, so we're aiming to do similarly in westminster and could drupal representation in the house of commons. it's going well. we launched in bristol in my home city. sean barry is hoping to take over from the fabulous caroline lucas. we also had two rural seats were microliter adrian ramsey is standing

and onlyjones is standing in north kosher. —— my co—leader. mid suffolk recently won council of the year award. �* .. recently won council of the year award. �* ., i. .. award. before you get into constituencies, _ award. before you get into constituencies, let - award. before you get into constituencies, let me i award. before you get into j constituencies, let me talk award. before you get into i constituencies, let me talk more broadly about your pitch. it is real change and you're quite clear that labour is not ambitious enough. what is ambitious in your view? labour is not ambitious enough. what is ambitious in your view?— is ambitious in your view? that's ri . ht, the is ambitious in your view? that's right, the conservatives - is ambitious in your view? that's right, the conservatives are i is ambitious in your view? that's i right, the conservatives are clearly on their way out of government. that's good as far as i'm concerned and the greens are concerned. but labour have simply not offered the scale of change and ambition that's needed. ., �* . scale of change and ambition that's needed. . �* , ., �* scale of change and ambition that's needed. . �*, . �* . needed. that's what i'm asking - what in your— needed. that's what i'm asking - what in your view _ needed. that's what i'm asking - what in your view are _ needed. that's what i'm asking - what in your view are the - needed. that's what i'm asking - what in your view are the real- what in your view are the real changes that need to be made that go beyond what labour is saying? risreeh beyond what labour is saying? green mps will be prioritising, _ beyond what labour is saying? (eet mps will be prioritising, protecting the nhs from privatisation, something neither the considered

lives nor the labour party have offered — tackling the housing crisis, standing up for renters and rent controls, and making sure we build enough decent quality secure affordable homes, tackling the sewage leaks. we're the only party thatis sewage leaks. we're the only party that is acknowledging the privatisation with water companies have failed and they need to be brought back into public ownership to ensure the investment we need in that infrastructure. helping people with the cost of living crisis with practical measures that will make a difference right away, including increasing the minimum wage and interpersonal credit. and lifting the benefit cap which astonishingly not only the conservatives, but also labour want to keep that two child cap in place, even though it unnecessarily pushes larger families into poverty. and finally voters know they can trust us on climate in nature and we'll push for the next government to be stronger on tackling the climate crisis, because that's good for us, for the

environment, but also the economy, because tackling the crisis now will save the treasury a hell of a lot of money compared to waiting. you said eve hinu money compared to waiting. you said everything was _ money compared to waiting. you said everything was fully _ money compared to waiting. you said everything was fully costed. - money compared to waiting. you said everything was fully costed. you i everything was fully costed. you said you would raise taxes, aren't you? said you would raise taxes, aren't ou? a, , a, said you would raise taxes, aren't ou? a, , you? on those with a broader shoulder who _ you? on those with a broader shoulder who can _ you? on those with a broader shoulder who can easily - you? on those with a broader| shoulder who can easily afford you? on those with a broader i shoulder who can easily afford to ny- shoulder who can easily afford to pay. we think currently, the uk tax system is set up very unfairly, it puts more owners on lower income working people than it does on the super—rich. wejust working people than it does on the super—rich. we just three or three primary interventions, equalising capital gains with in income tax. yet that tax is at a lower level than the income tax we've paid from the money we get from working. that's clearly unfair. the green party would equalise capital gains, we would close the deliberate loophole that is set up to make sure

the wealthiest payless, and we would introduce a modest wealth tax that almost only applies —— only applies to multimillionaires. those three measures on their own would raise over £50 billion a year by the end of the next parliament. when rachel reeves tells you there is no magic money tree and they can't deliver their previous policy because they can't afford it, i think they're being dishonest with voters, because we live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world and the money is there, but is unequally distributed with quite modest changes. we can raise the funds to deliver well—funded public services that benefits everyone. flarld that benefits everyone. carla den er, that benefits everyone. carla denyer, thanks _ that benefits everyone. carla denyer, thanks for _ that benefits everyone. carla denyer, thanks for your - that benefits everyone. carla | denyer, thanks for your time. that benefits everyone. carla denyer, thanks foryourtime. plenty denyer, thanks for your time. plenty on the bbc website on all of these campaigns and analyses from our teams right around the uk. let us pause briefly from all that and had to the sportscenter. gavin is there.

that evening, gavin. we'll start with the tennis — and novak djokovic is looking in ominous form, as he seeks to defend his french open title. he beat roberto carballes baena in straight sets. djokovic won convincingly 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to reach the third round at the clay—court grand slam for the 19th consecutive year. the world number one, though, with a perhaps a point to prove — having not won a title on the tour this season. alex zverev proved why he's one of the favourites this year. he breezed past david goffin in straight sets, to reach the third round. zverev has reached the semi—finals in his last three appearances at roland garros. and in the women's draw, the second seed aryna sabalenka powered through to the third round after beating moyuka uchijima in straight sets. the belarusian hasn't gone beyond the semi—finals at roland garros, but is into the third round without dropping a set so far. she plays paula badosa next,

one of her best friends on the tour. it's always tough to play your friend, your best friend on tour. it's always tough, but we know how to manage that, we know how to separate court and life. so it's always great to fight against her and i always enjoy playing against her. so, we are good to separate things. the fourth seed, elena rybakina, is also through after a solid straight sets win over arantxa rus. the kazakh came through 6—3, 6—4 and will play either elise mertens or petra martic, who are in action right now. the latest is on the bbc sport website. the us women's open is under way and it's been a disastrous start for nelly korda. the american was the red hot favourite going into the second major of the year. she'd won the first and six of her last seven tournaments, but on her third hole at the course in pennsylvania, everything unravelled. it's just a par three, but it took her ten shots!

three times she found the water before finally needing two putts for a sextuplet bogey. the new bayern munich head coach, vincent kompany, says he's isn't worried about not being the club's first choice to take charge. kompany�*s move from burnley, who got relegated from the premier league, to take over at one of the biggest clubs in the world football shocked many, but not the man himself. the aspect of being surprised is because — the aspect of being surprised is because you assume that it was the only club_ because you assume that it was the only club that called, and you assume — only club that called, and you assume it_ only club that called, and you assume it was the only interest i had~ _ assume it was the only interest i had~ you — assume it was the only interest i had. you only assume that because i'm had. you only assume that because l'm very— had. you only assume that because i'm very private. by that time, i was _ i'm very private. by that time, i was not — i'm very private. by that time, i was not surprised. i love myjob honestly— was not surprised. i love myjob honestly too intense to speculate too much — honestly too intense to speculate too much or to make any decisions what _ too much or to make any decisions what to— too much or to make any decisions what to -- — too much or to make any decisions what to —— whatsoever. the opportunity there was to work with great _ opportunity there was to work with great people, that's why i signed.

it's a brave new era for emma hayes, as she's started her role as the head coach of the us women's national team after leaving wsl champions chelsea. she'll takes charge of her first match this weekend before leading them in the olympics this summer, and hayes has been telling the bbc in an exclusive interview that she believes this is the perfectjob for her. for me, little bit like brazil in the men's _ for me, little bit like brazil in the men's game. _ for me, little bit like brazil inj the men's game. historically, for me, little bit like brazil in - the men's game. historically, you know— the men's game. historically, you know what— the men's game. historically, you know what this _ the men's game. historically, you know what this team _ the men's game. historically, you know what this team has - the men's game. historically, you know what this team has stood i know what this team has stood for, what _ know what this team has stood for, what they've — know what this team has stood for, what they've advocated _ know what this team has stood for, what they've advocated for, - know what this team has stood for, what they've advocated for, what . what they've advocated for, what they represented _ what they've advocated for, what they represented as _ what they've advocated for, what they represented as women - what they've advocated for, what they represented as women — - what they've advocated for, what| they represented as women — not what they've advocated for, what - they represented as women — notjust in that— they represented as women — notjust in that country. — they represented as women — notjust in that country, but _ they represented as women — notjust in that country, but in— they represented as women — notjust in that country, but in the _ they represented as women — notjust in that country, but in the women's i in that country, but in the women's game _ in that country, but in the women's game worldwide _ in that country, but in the women's game worldwide. so _ in that country, but in the women's game worldwide. so it's— in that country, but in the women's game worldwide. so it's fitting - in that country, but in the women's game worldwide. so it's fitting forl game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to _ game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to be — game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to be with— game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to be with them _ game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to be with them and _ game worldwide. so it's fitting for me to be with them and vice - game worldwide. so it's fitting for. me to be with them and vice versa. i think— me to be with them and vice versa. i think we're _ me to be with them and vice versa. i think we're coming _ me to be with them and vice versa. i think we're coming together the - think we're coming together the right— think we're coming together the right time _ think we're coming together the right time i've_ think we're coming together the right time. i've had _ think we're coming together the right time. i've had a _ think we're coming together the right time. i've had a lot - think we're coming together the right time. i've had a lot of- think we're coming together the i right time. i've had a lot of media today~ _ right time. i've had a lot of media today. very— right time. i've had a lot of media today. very different _ right time. i've had a lot of media today. very different feel- today. very different feel to working _ today. very different feel to working in _ today. very different feel to working in the _ today. very different feel to working in the super- today. very different feel to| working in the super league. a reminder too that england's fourth and final t20 international against pakistan gets under way at the oval in the next hour. england i—o up in the series, but two of their matches have been abandoned due to the weather. we'll keep you updated on that on sportsday with jane dougall at 6:30. butthat�*s all the sport for now.

but that's all the sport for now. great to see golfers playing early like i do in your bulletin. the former us president is facing... he denies all the charges. a reminder that all 12 members of thatjury must agree that donald trump is guilty beyond a reasonable doubt for prosecutors to secure conviction. i've been talking to nada tawfik, outside of the courthouse. the 'ury is still listening fl outside of the courthouse. the 'ury is still listening back i outside of the courthouse. the 'ury is still listening back to i outside of the courthouse. the jury is still listening back to testimonyl is still listening back to testimony that they had requested. not actively deliberating at quite a bit of business to get through this morning. they first heard the judge read back some of his instructions. basically, they were interested in some of the law that guides them to what inferences they can draw from

the evidence. now what we have is two court reporters quite literally re—enacting some of the first witnesses in the cases, david packer, the head of the tablet publisher of the national enquirer. they're reading back his testimony. one reporter is in the witness box, one is on the floor of the courtroom, and they are both reading the testimony exactly as it was given at the time. that is going to take a bit of time, matthew, but jurors clearly want to review this evidence as part of their deliberations.— evidence as part of their deliberations.

we love you, harry! # you know it's not the same as it was...# harry styles is one of the biggest pop stars on the planet... # you know it's not the same as it was...# ..starting in one direction before launching a successful solo career. he shot to fame on the x factor. # isn't she lovely...# since then, the village where he's from has become a must—see for fans, known as harries. due to the weather today, the walk down to the viaduct itself will be quite muddy and challenging. now, people visiting holmes chapel are being offered a new walking tour. more than 5,000 fans are thought to have visited this village last year. that's almost equal to its entire population. the new tour will take those fans through a trip through local harry hotspots. a little fun easter egg for you — to your right, just there behind those green metal gates,

is harry's primary school. the tour guides faced a competitive process to get the job. i'm gillian, i'm from newjersey in the us. and why are you giving a tour of harry styles' hometown? i've been a fan of his for 14 years, and i saw thisjob, and i live in manchester now. and ijust thought it was my dream job and i had to do it and give it a shot. so, tell me a bit about you. i work in a bakery. what do you do in the bakery? i, like, serve the cakes in, like, the shop. - this is manville's bakery. this is the cheese counter. it's where styles used to work part time. so you hired harry styles when he was just a teenager. what was he like? he was a really nice lad. just so easygoing. such a pleasure to have working for me. so nice with the customers. did he turn up on time? yeah, his timekeeping was fine. yeah, no problem at all. how long have you been a fan? since about 2010, since one direction's started.

pretty much half your life? way more than half, yeah! i've never had anyone to really go with, so it's really exciting, coming here and doing the tour. have you ever actually met harry? no, i haven't. i i've met his dad. well, you might run into him walking around holmes chapel. i want to one day. i mean, it might- happen, but, yeah... other stops on the tour include the tourmalet viaduct, where the singer had his first kiss. it's also where he famously wrote his name in the one direction documentary, this is us. and fans have now covered harry's wall with their own messages to him. behind it all, there's an important safety message. in the past, fans made their way to the viaduct using this road, but locals say it's dangerous. by taking visitors in another direction on a traffic—free route, tour organisers hope to keep them safe. back at the viaduct, and i couldn't go without leaving my own heart — slate heart, that is. noor nanji, bbc news

in holmes chapel. that's almost it from me. let me take you to the live pictures in iceland, the southwest of the country. that volcano still erupting, the fifth time since december. staggering pictures. officials there saying the wind is helping them and all those poisonous gases are going away from the capital, but still, the molten lava continues to flow out of the volcano. spectacular pictures, which brings me to the end of today. see you at the same time tomorrow. next up you at the same time tomorrow. next up here, it's the six o'clock news. at 6:00pm, an outgoing conservative mp tells the bbc he isjoining the labour party.

mark logan, who until yesterday represented bolton north east, says he's now backing sir keir starmer. just overall, the sense and tone comedy hope and optimism, is with the labour and is no longer with the conservative party. but as labour welcome a new member, more questions over about one of the party's best known mps, diane abbott, as the deputy leader, angela rayner, says she should be allowed to stand at the election. yes, a big row tonight about the people keir starmer will welcome into his party, including another former conservative mp, and those who have been in the party for yonks who have been in the party for yonks who appear much less welcome. a nine—year—old girl's in a critical condition after a drive by shooting outside a restaurant in east london last night. three men were wounded. showering themselves in stolen money, the gang behind britain's biggest ever benefit fraud — £54 million — are jailed. and the king will take part in trooping the colour, but from a carriage,

not on horseback.