mark drakeford's labour government earned a reputation for caution.s well thought out? did they help or hinder the health service? i love that photograph though. that was a photoshoot that we did together. miranda lost her aunt, her uncle and her 94—year—old grandmother to covid. pearl higgins was admitted to hospital after a stroke. she picked up coronavirus on the wards and was cut off from herfamily, who, unable to see her, were told pearl wouldn't be granted intensive care. miranda says they're still traumatised. it can't be for nothing, you know? we cannot experience this again. future generations cannot go through what we have been through, and i think we've all been traumatised as a result of that. we still have nightmares. it's nearly four years since covid reached wales, but some are still living with the consequences. sarah was working as a community midwife when she became ill in march 2020, the start of what became long covid. she feels nhs staff weren't protected, the impact of the pandemic still not fully recognised. every day i don't wo

there is real anger here with mark drakeford , who is being mark drakeford, who is being blamed for thisbe brought in, which would, as you've been discussing, mean that farmers would have to hand over 10% of their land for, to, to, to grow trees , give it up to, to grow trees, give it up for food production and give it over to growing trees . now, over to growing trees. now, farmers here say that the pressure that would put on the normal family farm would just lead them to financial ruin . lead them to financial ruin. real lead them to financial ruin. real, real anger here today, i probably can't repeat what's on some of the signs that i've seen, but definitely there is not many fans of the labour government here in wales and i'm here now with james evans, who is a member of the senate for brecon and radnor. is a member of the senate for brecon and radnor . and james, brecon and radnor. and james, thank you very much for talking to me today. uh what do you think of how today went, how the turnout was the feeling on the ground? >> i think it's been amazing. you can just see the amount of

it was also said that mark drakeford was using whatsapp to discuss policy announcement regarding covidting evidence here today. as you mentioned there, the inquiry�*s purpose here in wales is to try to get into, really, the decisions made by first minister mark drakeford in the time between 2020 and 2022. a far more cautious approach here in wales, lockdowns were on the whole longer, easing took longer to happen here in wales, so there will be questions about the science and the reasoning behind that, really. so interesting information coming out here today, and we will hear more from some of those ministers named today by the bereaved families in about week three, when they are due to come here to give evidence. questions being asked about whether or not there was a failure of leadership? i or not there was a failure of leadership?— or not there was a failure of leadership? i think that is the cuestion leadership? i think that is the question that _ leadership? i think that is the question that many _ leadership? i think that is the question that many people i leadership? i think that

welsh first minister mark drakeford said...minister humza yousaf has also been giving his reaction to the king's cancer diagnosis. can i send my thoughts and prayers to his majesty the king and wish him well for a full recovery and a return back to public life. let me also send my very best wishes and my thoughts with her majesty the queen and all members of the royal family who will be deeply worried at this time. i don't think it matters whether you are a member of the royal family or not. if a family member has cancer, that is always going to be extremely worrying indeed, so i want to send them my very best wishes, notjust on behalf of myself, personally, the government i lead but on behalf of the entire nation. international reactions have come in earlier, including french president emmanuel macron, who also wished a speedy recovery to king charles.reactions have also been pouring in america, earlier i spoke to our north america correspondent david willis that's right, steve. yes. well, president biden himself is no strange

drakeford and vaughan gething.ord and vaughan gething. few, thank you very — drakeford and vaughan gething. few, thank you very much. _ the video sharing app tiktok says it has started removing many songs from its platform. it comes after the world's biggest record label, universal music, withdrew permission for them to be used on tiktok, in a row over money. the video sharing app tiktok says it has started removing many withdrew permission for them to be used on tiktok, in a row over money. our music correspondent, mark savage, has the details. music this is all about the business end of the music business. if your company wants to use a song that's owned by a record label, you have to pay them. and universal music says tiktok isn't paying enough. as a result, earlier this month, songs by universal�*s biggest artists including taylor swift, the beatles and billie eilish were all muted on the app. some estimates say 80% of the songs on tiktok could vanish. the app argues that the figure is closer to 30%. in a state

voting has begun to select mark drakeford's successor as the leader of welsh labour, and the next firstwill choose between two current ministers, vaughan gething and jeremy miles. the ballot closes on 1a march. it looks like uk high streets are bouncing back after record poor sales in december. official figures suggest that retail sales rose 3.4% last month. food sales at supermarkets rose strongly, while department stores reported a positive impact from january sales. but inflation remained elevated with people paying more for less. a rare harry potter book that was anonymously donated to a charity shop may fetch up to £10,000 at auction. the unread first edition copy of the philosopher's stone was given to an rspca shop in the isle of wight. and will go under the hammer on 26 february. funds from the sale will go towards the charity's isle of wight branch, with a dog named harry among the beneficiaries. you're live with bbc news. prison officials say the leading kremlin critic alexei navalny has died. mr navalny�*s death is the latest in prominent kremlin critics to have died after op

drakeford, and his health minister at the time, vaughan gething.eak over the october period, over half term. that didn't happen in england. did that make much of a difference? it's up for debate. a lot of it will be focused on that. was that the right decision? the knock—on effect of the cautious approach would have been the mental impact on a number of people having to stay at home for longer, miss theirfamilies of people having to stay at home for longer, miss their families and things like that. those will be the key questions to come out of the inquiry in wales. for key questions to come out of the inquiry in wales.— key questions to come out of the inquiry in wales. for now, thanks very much- _ and you can watch the welsh covid inquiry live on our website — we'll be streaming the proceedings at bbc.co.uk/news, starting in a few minutes time. we will have plenty of analysis on the key evidence throughout the day and over the coming weeks. you are watching bbc news. it's nearly 80 years since the d—day landings — when allied troops attacked germ

voting has begun to select mark drakeford's successor as the leader of welsh labour, and the next firstlot closes on the 14th march. it looks like uk high streets are bouncing back after record poor sales in december. official figures suggest that retail sales rose 3.4% last month. food sales at supermarkets rose strongly while department stores reported a positive impact from january sales. but inflation remained elevated with people paying more for less. you're live with bbc news. prince harry has said his father's cancer diagnosis could lead to a reconciliation. the duke of sussex said he loved his family and he was grateful that he was able to spend time with king charles. prince harry refused to comment on the outlook of his father's health — saying he would keep that between them. he was giving an interview to the us breakfast show— good morning america— the first since he visited you're live with bbc news. returning to our main story, the death announced earlier of alexei navalny, the critic of putin held in jail for a navalny, the critic of putin held in jailfor a number of mont

the outgoing first minister, mark drakeford, and rural affairs minister lesley griffiths, did announce you make of their proposals? brute farmers could be helped. what do you make of their proposals?— make of their proposals? we hope that we would _ make of their proposals? we hope that we would be _ make of their proposals? we hope that we would be able, _ make of their proposals? we hope that we would be able, as - make of their proposals? we hope | that we would be able, as farmers, to be able to help shape it, and we are hoping we can put our input, because we can do many things on our farms to help with climate change and loss of food production. as farmers we are part of, a small part of the solution of climate change, and we want to be able to help the government to shape the new policy. and victoria, just briefly, what you think about the government's proposals, and what would you like them to do to help you specifically? like i said, wejust need them to do to help you specifically? like i said, we just need the government to listen to the farmers. the farmers— government to li

could have had mark drakeford on and then we'd have had three — the leader of welsh labour, the firstrsation. it's actually where ourjobs intersect, isn't it? is the challenge for labour in scotland versus, or it's not really versus, alongside the challenge for them in the rest of the uk and how they get that right. and actually, keir starmer and anas sarwar are at the crux of that... not necessarily dilemma, but not necessarily also easy thing to square. yeah. and we got into that a little bit there, didn't we, with anas sarwar, and i suppose there's a couple of angles you can look at that from. one, on the specifics of this policy, you can look at how much more important, arguably, the energy question is to scotland and particularly to the north east of scotland, because aberdeen and the surrounding area and therefore the wider scottish economy has been anchored in the prosperity that the north sea has provided for decades. and it has been a crucial part of the political argument in scotland for a long time, and there is a lot of concern in aberdeen, particularly, about this transit

mark drakeford as well, the first minister of wales, writing on social media, i am saddened to hear theghts and those of people across wales will be with him and his family this evening. i sent my very best wishes as he starts treatment for a full and swift recovery. reflections there from cardiff and edinburgh and from the house of commons. ichris cardiff and edinburgh and from the house of commons.— cardiff and edinburgh and from the house of commons. chris mason, thank ou. let's house of commons. chris mason, thank you- let's return — house of commons. chris mason, thank you. let's return to _ house of commons. chris mason, thank you. let's return to nicholas _ you. let's return to nicholas witchell who joins me from you. let's return to nicholas witchell whojoins me from hong kong tonight. your thoughts about this coming relatively recently after the coronation, after the king acceded to the throne. i coronation, after the king acceded to the throne.— to the throne. i think we are already hearing _ to the throne. i think we are already hearing in _ to the throne. i think we are alre

drakeford said: in the past few minutes the scottish first minister humza yousaf hs been giving hisn to the king's cancer diagnosis. cani can i send my thoughts and indeed my prayers to his majesty the king and wish him well for a full recovery and a return back to public life. let me also send my very best wishes and my thoughts with her majesty the queen and all members of the royal family who will be deeply worried at this time. i don't think it matters whether you are a member of the royalfamily or not, whether you are a member of the royal family or not, if a family member has cancer, that is always going to be extremely worrying indeed, so i want to send them my best with —— wishes on behalf of the entire nation. with me is our royal correspondent sarah campbell. there will be people joining there will be peoplejoining us there will be people joining us who will be just there will be people joining us who will bejust coming there will be people joining us who will be just coming to the news this hour. let mejust will be just coming to the news this hour. let me just to recap o

voting begins today to select mark drakeford's successor as the leader of welsh labour and the next firstour party and affiliated trade unions will choose between two current ministers, vaughan gething and jeremy miles. the ballot closes on the 14th march. the broadcaster itv confirm ben shephard and cat deeley as the new presenting duo for this morning. shepard and deeley will replace holly willloughby, who left the programme in last october, and philip schofield, who quitted the presenting role injune of 2023. let's return to our coverage of those two by—elections overnight. labour are celebrating — overturning big conservative majorities in two seats. in wellingborough, in northamptonshire, gen kitchen reversed a tory majority of more than 18,500 from 2019. the swing of 28.5% is the largest for 30 years. in the south gloucestershire constituency of kingswood, damien egan overturned a conservative majority of more than 11—thousand. earlier i spoke with polling guru sirjohn curtice, professor of politics at the university of strathclyde the one new thing we have got out of this by—electi

the welsh first minister mark drakeford said. to his majesty, the king, and i wish them well for a full recovery and it returned back to public life, let me also send my very best wishes and thoughts with her majesty the queen, and all members of the royal family, who will be deeply worried at this time. i don't think it matters with your member of the royal family or are not, if a family member has cancer, that would always be extremely worrying, so i send them my very best wishes, not just extremely worrying, so i send them my very best wishes, notjust on behalf of myself personally, but on behalf of myself personally, but on behalf of myself personally, but on behalf of the entire nation. the scottish first _ behalf of the entire nation. the scottish first minister humza yousaf. the news broke quite late this evening, under embargo until 6pm uk time, so limited reaction so far. here are some from the streets tonight. far. here are some from the streets toniaht. ., ., far. here are some from the streets tonight-_ sad _ far. her

, mark drakeford, has very been very clear that _ mark drakeford, has very been very clear that no reefers, the fastest roll—out in europe. _ programme, the fastest roll—out in europe, those were things that not happened — europe, those were things that not happened by accident, they relied on a tip team _ happened by accident, they relied on a tip team of people and the extraordinary work our staff did and i am confident about the role i undertook on helping to lead wales to the _ undertook on helping to lead wales to the pandemic alongside the first minister _ to the pandemic alongside the first minister. �* . to the pandemic alongside the first minister. . ., , ., to the pandemic alongside the first minister. �* . , ., ., to the pandemic alongside the first minister. . ., , ., ., ., minister. and have you got the what -- whatsapps. _ minister. and have you got the what -- whatsapps. did _ minister. and have you got the what -- whatsapps, did you _ minister. and have you got the what -- whatsapps, did you keep - minister. and have you got the what -- whatsapps, did you keep yours? | mini

mark drakeford's labour government earned a reputation for caution.pearl higgins was admitted to hospital after a stroke. she picked up coronavirus on the wards and was cut off from herfamily, who, unable to see her, were told pearl wouldn't be granted intensive care. miranda says they're still traumatised. it can't be for nothing, you know? we cannot experience this again. future generations cannot go through what we have been through, and i think we've all been traumatised as a result of that. we still have nightmares. it's nearly four years since covid reached wales, but some are still living with the consequences. sarah was working as a community midwife when she became ill in march 2020, the start of what became long covid. she feels nhs staff weren't protected, the impact of the pandemic still not fully recognised. every day i don't work, i don't really go out on my own. i go once a week to get my hair washed and dried because my hands — i can'tjust do it any more. i can't hold my hands above my head for that long to dry my hair, and i can't use

voting has begun to select mark drakeford's successor as the leader of welsh labour and the next firstord poor sales in december. official figures suggest that retail sales rose 3.4% last month. food sales at supermarkets rose strongly, while department stores reported a positive impact from january sales. but inflation remained elevated, with people paying more for less. a rare harry potter book that was anonymously donated to a charity shop may fetch up to £10,000 at auction. the unread first edition copy of the philosopher's stone was given to an rspca shop in the isle of wight and will go under the hammer on the 26th of february. funds from the sale will go towards the charity's isle of wight branch, with a dog named harry among the beneficiaries. you're live with bbc news. i want to replay pictures we had a few minutes agojust i want to replay pictures we had a few minutes ago just to get some absolute clarity on what we were watching here. there has been a feat of life pictures from moscow, people coming out and laying flowers and this is after the news of the death of alexei nav

remember that position is now vacant with mark drakeford eventually going , what is it?going to ask gareth wyn jones what is it, gareth wyn jones, that is upsetting farmers and is it true? is it true that the welsh government's proposals could cost up . to 5500 jobs? could cost up. to 5500 jobs? >> yeah. good evening . yeah, >> yeah. good evening. yeah, 5500 jobs. 200. and that's just in the agriculture sector. let's not talk about what the knock on effects hauliers, auctioneers , effects hauliers, auctioneers, you know, meat processing plants , all these people are going to lose their livelihoods. we've seen what's happened in tata steel. it's honestly it's a disaster . absolute disaster. disaster. absolute disaster. >> and that's because they're telling you to plant trees as opposed to rearing sheep and cattle. is that the nub of what the welsh government is trying to force you to do ? to force you to do? >> well, yeah. it's draconian , >> well, yeah. it's draconian, but it's not just that. so you know, a lot of farmers have come together. so there was 1100 down in wel

remember that position is now vacant with mark drakeford eventually going , what is it?'m going to ask gareth wyn jones what is it, gareth wyn jones, that is upsetting farmers and is it true? is it true that the welsh government's proposals could cost up . to 5500 jobs? could cost up. to 5500 jobs? >> yeah. good evening . yeah, >> yeah. good evening. yeah, 5500 jobs. 200. and that's just in the agriculture sector. let's not talk about what the knock on effects hauliers, auctioneers , effects hauliers, auctioneers, you know, meat processing plants , all these people are going to lose their livelihoods. we've seen what's happened in tata steel. it's honestly it's a disaster . absolute disaster. disaster. absolute disaster. >> and that's because they're telling you to plant trees as opposed to rearing sheep and cattle. is that the nub of what the welsh government is trying to force you to do ? to force you to do? >> well, yeah. it's draconian , >> well, yeah. it's draconian, but it's not just that. so you know, a lot of farmers have come together. so there was 1100 down in

voting begins today to select mark drakeford's successor as the leader of welsh labour, and the nextth march. the bbc has dropped a contestant from the apprentice spin—off show you're fired, after he was accused of posting anti—semitic comments on social media. asif munaf has apologised for any offence caused by his posts about israel. greece has become the first christian orthodox—majority country to legalise same—sex marriage. the change will allow same—sex couples to adopt, though the law will not permit them to have a child through surrogacy. the greek prime minister hailed it as a milestone for human rights. the duke and duchess of sussex are on day two of their trip to a ski resort in whistler to attend an invictus games training camp. prince harry tried his hand at skeleton as he joined athletes, with his wife meghan, to promote next year's winter games in the city. 0ur north america correspondent emma vardy reports. this is whistler sliding centre where the olympic sports of bobsleigh and luge and skeleton take place. and, if you've seen the film cool runnings, well, you know

i saw one sign which very pithily put it as mark drakeford, my sheep don't grow on trees, so that wasn you there was and i can tell you there was real, real anger with the laboun real, real anger with the labour, welsh government . one of labour, welsh government. one of the nigel owen, spoke the speakers, nigel owen, spoke particularly powerfully. is particularly powerfully. this is what to say . what he had to say. >> it's taken years and years of hard work to achieve a goal, >> it's taken years and years of hard work to achieve a goal , to hard work to achieve a goal, to get a smallholding and a small herd of pedigree herefords , and herd of pedigree herefords, and i do it because i care , because i do it because i care, because i'm passionate about the industry that we're in, not just for our way of life , but without for our way of life, but without farmers. there is no food there can be no six nations game in cardiff and next saturday against france. so there is no referee , there can be no food on referee, there can be no food on the table if there is no farmers i >> -- >> and

first minister mark drakeford has defended its plan to ask farmers to plant trees on their land in return, arguing it is not up to farmers to decide how subsidies are spent. >> now people across the east midlands will get the chance to elect a regional mayor for the first time, so powers held centrally in westminster can be given to leaders on the local level . level. >> well, many have considered devolution in places like greater manchester and the west midlands to have been a success. other regions are now looking to make decisions on housing, education and transport to be made closer to home. our reporter has the reporter will hollis has the story . story. >> in an election year, the nation's voice is amplified before more choosing a prime minister parts of the country will elect a mayor in the east midlands for the first time. councils in derby and derbyshire, nottingham and nottinghamshire form a new combined county authority . with combined county authority. with the mayor comes new powers to shape the future locally for 2.2 million people. devolution means greater choices on transp