this is bbc news, the headlines at 7.00. theresa may says the conservatives are a ‘low—tax party‘ as she addresses claims by labour that she's planning a ‘tax bombshell‘ if re—elected. they have a choice between a conservative party that takes taxes down for working people... the tories are handing 70 billion back in tax to big businesses and corporations. we won't do that. tight security across france as the country prepares for the first round of the presidential election. more than 100 afghan soldiers are killed or wounded in one of the worst attacks on an army base in the country. britain's first coal—free day since the victorian era — the national grid says 2a hours—worth of electricity has been generated without using coal for the first time since 1882. also this hour —

a grudge match at wembley as chelsea face tottenham. the blues take the lead again as eden hazard brings the score to 3—2. now 4—2. more on that in half an hour with sportsday — as well as the incident withjohnanna konta which left romania's tennis captain banned from the fed cup. good evening. 0n the first weekend of campaigning for the general election, the focus has been on taxes. theresa may in the west midlands today, refused to be drawn on whether she would raise income tax, vat or national insurance.

meanwhile the labour leader jeremy corbyn in manchester, has promised that the tax burden will fall on those with the broadest shoulders, if he wins onjune eighth. here's our political correspondent ben wright. get ready for the knock at your door. today the prime minister took her campaign message to dudley and one voter may have spoken for many. i couldn't understand why you called another election with three years to go. i need the strongest possible negotiating hand in europe. this general election is notjust about brexit and the parties are writing manifestos full of pledges and promises. the issue of tax will be prominent and theresa may was asked whether she will be keeping the tories 2015 manifesto pledge not to raise any of the three main taxes. at this election people have a very clear choice, between a

conservative party which always has been, is and will continue to be a party that believes in low taxes, in keeping taxes down for ordinary working people or the choice of a labour party whose natural instinct is always to raise taxes. two years ago david cameron said it would be no vat, national insurance or income tax rises, theresa may's comments today suggest that guarantee must not be in a new manifesto and follows the chancellor philip hammond saying he wants more flexibility in managing the economy. today is a flying start saturday in our general election campaign. already on his eighth campaign visit, jeremy corbyn was in warrington. wooing voters, insisting the election was not a foregone conclusion and sketching out labour's own approach to taxes. we will produce a manifesto very

soon and you will see all the details on that but i a tell you this, our tax burdens will not on those on low incomes, they will not fall on those with the broadest shoulders who can bear the greatest burden. at the last election more than 50 snps were swept into westminster and today the party said all but two of them have been reselected as candidates this time round. an election that will soon have competing policies to flesh out the slogans. i think we recognise the economy will slow down because

brexit, more taxes will be needed maintain a respectable budget position is notjust us, i think the other parties accept and agree to be raising taxes, the chancellor wanted to in the budget then run into this problem because of his party's one manifesto so it is going to happen. the question is how it is done and ensure it is done fairly and where would start as chancellor of the exchequer is stop the continued reduction in corporation tax perversely unnecessary, handing out tonnes of money to companies who sit on it because they are not investing in the current environment. we need lots of mps, there are various stages including the so—called great repeal bill going through parliament which needs mps who are committed to europe and preventing the damage of a heart brexit to and preventing the damage of a hard brexit to fight this clause by clause. we will get to a point where we have negotiations coming to conclusion, they could be bad. we could crash out of the european union entirely with catastrophic consequences.

we need a block of mps who are completely matter to the principle that if this happens, the process has to be stopped and the people have to be consulted again. what else did vince have to say, ben? the focus will be on the eu and brexit more than anything else, a bit like the conservatives and they would tie the leg try and swerve in detail on things like taxing too to core message because they are the only one with an unconjugated message about brexit which is at the end of this whole process there should be a second referendum before we leave the european union. it was interesting that vince cable was conceding that he thinks because of the uncertainty brexit over the next couple of years that it would be foolish to box the next government into tax commitments known and you have that from the chancellor philip

hammond yesterday in washington saying he would like more flexibility than the current triple block as it is called rules around raising personal tax gives him so it'll be fascinating to see if over the next few weeks the conservatives do decide to ditch that commitment that david cameron made. was there a surprise of the number of lib dems have rejoined the race? people who we re have rejoined the race? people who were recently prominent but her coming back. ithink were recently prominent but her coming back. i think rick reflects the fact that the tales of the liberal democrats are up. considering the state they run 2015 and a dreadful till election for them, they do think that brexit has presented them with a golden opportunity and they see a chance to ta ke opportunity and they see a chance to take on of course some brexit supporting labour mps, there aren't many of them but for instance in south london the figure could come from nowhere to take that seat for

the labour mp voted for gritters brexit. they are hoping to lead into the tory vote in the south—west, the classic heartland of these liberal democrats and they are pretty confident, they are loving the country and think this election is going to be for them and whether an increased lib dem vote translates to seats in parliament and gets them up from the name they have no... do they have a chance? tim farron has kicked labour by singularly watched opposition in political history. any predictions i am going to heavily caveat. we do not know. i don't think the lib dems actually think they can replace labour as the second party as the main opposition if that is the result but i do think this is a golden opportunity for them to come back into contention

and swell their ranks in the commons. the tories will not be too upset actually at the lib dem vote grows and labour conservative marginals because that could depress the labour vote and give the conservatives a good crop of seats. it is very difficult and precarious trying to predict how these bald poll numbers that we are starting to get rich give the conservatives a thumping great confirming the pattern we have seen for a number of months, translating those numbers into actually what will happen and individual seats where races are often very local. will be finding out in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30pm this evening and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30pm this evening in the papers — our guests

joining me tonight are bonnie greer, playwright and writer for the new european and former newspaper editor eve pollard. the french government has mobilised additional security forces, including elite units, to back up 50,000 police officers for tomorrow's presidential election. terrorism dominated the final day of campaigning, after the killing of a police officer in the capital on thursday. less tha n less than 2a hours now? less than 24 hours now? yes i do think there will be quite a bit of anticipation. i can tell you about the final poll published last night at 6:30pm, before the campaign finished, it has been ruling every day, 1500 people were appalled and put macron out in front by two

points from le pen with the former feminist and just behind and the far left candidate. they are all pretty close, it is possible thatjust a few thousand votes will separate them by the end of the evening so it is good to be very tight and plenty to look forward to tomorrow. but i was thinking how quickly things get back to normal here in france, they have proven themselves to be resilient before but is looking down here tonight, there are thousands of people out walking looking at the shops and sitting outside the terraces, you would hardly believe that something so awful that happened here on thursday evening. the interior ministry is putting 50,000 police officers at the polling stations, an extra 50,000 at 67,000 polling stations around the country to security is good to be tight, a lot of police leave has been cancelled and that is putting pressure on them as lucy williamson reports. those out campaign today weren't

supporting politicians, this rally was for the police. black balloons for those killed in the line of duty, pink for the family left behind. their message, the police need protecting too. one of the balloons was for a policeman targeted by a gunman this week. he was on duty in 2015 paris attacks and went back for a concert when the hall reopened one year on when he spoke to the bbc reporter. we are here with my friends to celebrate life and say no to terrorism. the police union say members need protecting from everyday risk, exhaustion, overwork and stress. the state of emergency following the attacks has taken its toll, boosting police numbers has been an issue for the president to campaigns.

this election has gone beyond questions of security, the economy or immigration. it has opened up a debate about the meaning of french values and how to define being french. all the more surprising that the number of people expected to abstain from voting tomorrow as high. people who decide to abstain are not people who don't care about politics. when you ask them why they refused to vote, they always tell you the same thing, they are all the same. they lie to us, we have tried everything, nothing changes, which are political arguments. it is not because they don't care, it is because they care a lot. across the country, buildings are being used as polling stations for tomorrow's vote. the one still moment in a presidential

campaign when rhetoric is redundant and people are honoured as the true holders of power. when can we start to see the results coming through? we will be here tomorrow at 6:30pm with our build—up tomorrow at 6:30pm with our build—up to the closing of the polls and the first projections, they are not exit polls, it is a projection of camps that have gone on around the country so the first few hundred votes that are counted in various polling stations around the country, from those results they will formulate an idea of who has gone through to the second round but given that it is so tight, it is possible that the production will start to change through the evening so it will be a rolling story, i will think if it is as close as the poll seen through the course of the evening. theresa

may hits the campaign trail against accusations of labour she is planning a tax bombshell. tight security across france as they contributors prepares for the first—round of the president shall election and an sport spurs are out of the fa cup after a thrilling 4—2 win for chelsea at wembley takes them into the cup final. the afghan government has declared tomorrow a day of national mourning, after the deaths of more than 140 soldiers, killed in a taliban attack. it happened at a military base in the north of the country, with the militants apparently disguised as soldiers. 0ur south asia correspondent justin rowlatt reports. it was during afternoon prayers that two suicide bombers blasted open the entrance to this army base in the north of afghanistan yesterday. eight other fighters, dressed in afghan army uniforms,

used heavy machine guns to attack the dining areas of the base and the mosque. afghan troops have been pouring into the area. the battle lasted for five hours, and today dozens of injured soldiers were being treated in a local hospital. translation: when i came out of the mosque after prayers, three people with army uniforms and an army vehicle started shooting at us. the assault on the army base is a shocking reminder ofjust how

tough the ongoing battle in afghanistan is. last month in afghan special forces helicopter landed on top of the military hospital in kabul after it was stormed by gunmen disguised as doctors. about 50 people died in that attack. two and a half years after the international combat mission in afghanistan ended and the taliban now controls more than a third of the country. and with casualties amongst the afghan forces running at almost 7000 a year there are questions about how long the afghan army can continue to defend the ground it still holds. justin rowlatt, bbc news. joining me now is the guardian's correspondent in afghanistan, sune engel rasmussen. this is a devastating attack, the numbers we are talking about, how significant was this attack? this is

the deadliest taliban attack on afg ha n the deadliest taliban attack on afghan security forces of the entire world, 16 years after the war started, that is very significant and they think the whole nation is in shock that this could happen, not just the numbers but also the method that it happened, ten taliban fighters are dressing up in army uniforms and armoured vehicles posing as injured soldiers and then managing to get all the way into dining facilities and a mosque in one of the most secure bases in the country, i think the government will be looking very hard at this incident to see what went wrong, as there was an side of help but it was also a stark reminder of how bad the war is still in afghanistan. it does seem as if it is that significant, it would be a game changer in how the government tackled the taliban.

i think with the other attack that you mentioned, the attack on the hospital it's definitely gives the government reason to pause and consider its intelligence and whether its intelligence is sufficient enough, whether it leads to vet ‘s personnel better than editors. 0ne to vet ‘s personnel better than editors. one thing is fighting in the provinces which has been done for a long time with her without international forces but these attacks come in the heart of urban centres which is a new thing at least four attacks of this size and i think the afghan security sources springwatch forces will need to rethink their strategy and boost security. we recently saw the ball that was dropped by the united states, targeting isrjust how strong habitat and become? been hearing more about islamic state than we have about the taliban.

hearing more about islamic state than we have about the talibanm is more to do with the fascination of isis and the west that what is actually going on in afghanistan. the taliban have been growing in strength steadily over the last two and a half years, actress and 2010 2011 but particularly since 2040 when the foreign troops started withdrawing from the battlefield. isis is a relatively small threats to the survival of the state, they are brittle and their methods and very cruel to their civilians that live under the rule but in terms of threats to the state, it is definitely the taliban and it is the bigger enemy here and i think we need to put that into perspective when we think about the bomb that was dropped last week. one question many people asked was why it was necessary for the americans to use a bomb of the size against a militant

gi’oup bomb of the size against a militant group that was relatively small computer the taliban and that question definitely resurfaced again yesterday. does this hurt recruitment to the military and security forces? the training of the soldiers, and just how involved are the united states still on the ground in afghanistan? the afghan security forces definitely have problems with recruitment and big problems with recruitment and big problems with recruitment and big problems with attrition and desertion, it is difficult to see how much of that is because soldiers think it is too dangerous to be in the forces or because of corruption and lack of pay. maybe it'll have an effect, we will have to wait and see. the americans are still very much in afghanistan but it is mainly what they call a advice and assist, not active in the battlefield, they are apt to a certain extent but mostly in the south and east and there is also an american counterterrorism mission but that is mainly focused on groups like isis in the east that are considered to

terrorist groups. i don't know if donald trump will make any steps to become more involved, we know that the american commander herejohn nicholson has asked for a couple of thousand more troops to boost the training of the afghan security forces and a lot of the people around the new american president rolled afg ha n around the new american president rolled afghan hands so maybe we will see an increase of american troops but it is a little bit too early to say that right now. thank you two men have been arrested in connection with an acid attack, which left two people blinded in one eye. twenty people were hurt in the attack at the nightclub in east london on monday. the two men in their twenties have been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. police are still urging another man to hand himself in to police. the sun newspaper has printed a formal apology to everton

footballer ross barkley. former editor kelvin mackenzie compared the footballer to a gorilla in an article for his column. ross barkley‘s grandfather is from nigeria but the newspaper says a racial slur was never intended. kelvin mackenzie remains suspended from the sun. police in nottingham say they're treating the death of a teenager on thursday night as murder. officers were called to a housing estate in aspley following reports a fourteen—year—old boy had suffered a cardiac arrest. he died in hospital later. a seventeen—year—old boy has been arrested on suspicion of murder. scientists have been taking part in a "march for science" past london's most celebrated research institutions. 0rganisers said that the growth of "fake news" and misinformation made it crucial to highlight the vital role that science plays in our lives. they also say there's a need to respect and encourage research that gives insight into the world. clashes have broken out

in the german city of cologne as tens of thousands of demonstrators picket a hall where the anti—immigration afd party is holding a conference. a huge police operation is being mounted, with up to 50 thousand protesters expected in cologne during the two day conference. two officers have been injured in the clashes. 0ur correspondent jenny hill is there. what you can see behind me is cologne's response to germany's most controversial political party. there are tens of thousands of people on the streets of cologne today, many of them held back by armed police officers some of them in riot geear, in fact we are told

two officers were injured during minor scuffles although the protests have by and large passed off peacefully. the mood inside was far more fractures, because afd is really a party in crisis. it is not only slipping in the polls,, it seems its anti—immigrant platform is no longer enough to attract the german electorate but is also a party bitterly divided over its future political direction. there are still a great deal of discussion about how the party is going to move forward. if you look at the polls, afd is still on course to win seats in the general election but really its chances of significant political success rests now on whether it can come together, agree on first of all a candidate to go into that election to stand against angela merkel but perhaps more importantly to agree on a very political identity

of the party itself. for the first time since the industrial revolution britain has gone an entire 24 hours without using coal to generate electricity. taxes on co2 emissions and the falling cost of renewable energy have made coal plants less economical in recent years. it's been described as a "watershed moment" by duncan burt — from national grid. he also said that with gadgets becoming more energy efficient it's time to find other ways to power them. richard black is director of the energy and climate intelligence unit, a nonprofit independent thinktank. how difficult was it to get to achieve 24 24 hours without using call? i think it has be easier than anyone would have predicted, demand for power has been declaiming

springwatch declining due to renewa bles springwatch declining due to renewables getting cheaper and the price of gas going down and i think this is an important symbol of what is not just this is an important symbol of what is notjust on trend but a worldwide trend of switching away from coal which is good news for climate change because coal is the most polluting of all the fossil fuels. does this signify the end of an era for coal? it is an important symbol of that, it is salutary to think that even just two years ago we got about a quarter of a delta state from coal. and the 19605 it was 80%, la5t from coal. and the 19605 it was 80%, last year it was just 9% so it is tumbling in europe. belgium has last year it was just 9% so it is tumbling in europe. belgium ha5ju5t gone coal free and other european countries are set to follow the lead of britain. 0n the global scale the big players china and india have written the last couple of years relate rever5ed, written the last couple of years relate reversed , let's written the last couple of years relate rever5ed, let's say down the

trend of building ever more coal fired power stations, india put in a five—year moratorium on new builds and china are basically cancelled plans already been constructed so there is a major turnaround happening, no doubt about it. you mentioned india and china, donald trump a5 mentioned india and china, donald trump as well going back from coal, when you mention some of the european countries who have gone cold free, we have achieved this 24 hour5, doesn't there vast consumption really cancel out what britain and these other european countries have achieved going coal free? the consumption is enormous. it is enormous but again on their populations are much bigger than our5 5o populations are much bigger than our5 so you would expect the consumption to be much larger. i think the reality is that britain and some of the richer european

countries are going through a change, countries such as china sea thati5 change, countries such as china sea that is possible and the anti—5en5e can leapfrog some of the technology that britain has gone through. india for example, its per capita emissions of carbon dioxide and we are emissions of carbon dioxide and we a re lower emissions of carbon dioxide and we are lower than britons, it would have to go through the same sort of macro three and gas era that britain and other european countries had to go three so the trend in china is remarkable and that is the reason really by the last three years we have seen global carbon dioxide emissions flat even as the global economy has grown by about seven or 8% so we are starting to see what economists have long thought might be possible which is a kind of decoupling from what has previously been a rise in global carbon dioxide emissions as we have seen a growth in the global economy. thank you. sarah

i5 is on the balcony and i think she has some news about the weather. this was the scene on saturday taken bya this was the scene on saturday taken by a weather watcher in warwick5hire. plenty of sunshine there, but the clear skies mean we have quite a chilly night tonight. 0vernight, we will continue to see showers acro55 0vernight, we will continue to see showers across the northern half of scotland. quite breezy, but elsewhere largely dry. five or 6 degrees overnight lows in the towns and cities, but a little bit colder than that in the countryside.