this is bbc news. the headlines at 7: the leader of of kensington and chelsea borough council rejects criticism of its response to the grenfell fire. to say that the local authority is not present and that we're not working together with other councils is inaccurate. the mayor of london sadiq khan says the council's efforts have not been felt on the ground. i spent this morning at a church service speaking to many residents, many families of the bereaved, many survivors and their experience is a million miles away from the experience of the leader of the council. the chancellor, philip hammond, has said leaving the eu without a deal would be a "very, very bad outcome" for britain. portugal declares three days of mourning as the emergency services battle to contain a forest fire which has killed more than 60 people. france votes in the final round of parliamentary elections. turnout is down. president macron‘s new party heading for a big majority. pakistan has won the champions

trophy after comprehensively beating its rival india at the oval in london. the mayor of london sadiq khan, says the grenfell tower fire disaster, in which 58 people are feared to have died, was the consequence of years of neglect by successive governments and the local authority. he says the tragedy was totally preventable. he was speaking as the leader of the local council in kensington and chelsea, said he was doing everything he could to provide help to those affected by the tragedy. there's been heavy criticism of the local authority and central government, for their handling of the disaster. today, sunday services were held, to remember the victims, as our correspondent jon kay reports. beneath the tower, people of all

faiths are trying to heal. it continues to be a time of bewilderment, of anxiety, anger, and... some of the dead and missing are known in this congregation, and evenin are known in this congregation, and even in moments of peace, you can feel the rage. heaven even in moments of peace, you can feelthe rage. heaven knows what will happen if the death toll keeps rising, i'm being deadly serious, because i have never seen anger like this. it is terrible. it is terrible and they are mad about everything. ata and they are mad about everything. at a nearby mosque, more donations

for the bereaved and displaced. the community response remains overwhelming. but five days on, some feel they are still having to do what the authorities should be doing. are you from the home office? no, i live up the road, no one knows that they are here, they are sitting at empty desks, i don't know who is coming down, so i have done a little poster. the local gym is a rescue centre for those who have lost everything. after criticism of the council, a neighbouring authority has now taken over the efforts here. i would say, small steps of improvement. volunteers, rishi dhawan ‘s niche, have told me there is progress but it is painfully slow. —— rashid and nisha.21i is progress but it is painfully slow. —— rashid and nisha. 2a hours ago, government said that they would get a ago, government said that they would geta grip. ago, government said that they would get a grip. there does not feel like there is, they are not here, central

government are not here. for us to feel that there is a grip, the government needs to remember that it is on the side of the people. the extra foot patrols promised by theresa may are now on the ground, brought in from other parts of london to provide reassurance and information. the leader of kensington and chelsea council says he understands the criticism his authority has faced, he has also defended their response. yes, of course, there is more we can always do, and we are attempting to do that but this was an enormous disaster, it has profound consequences. cheering gratitude this afternoon for the firefighters, who are searching for the lost, night and day. there is a growing sense here that all the emotion unleashed by the fire must lead to change. angry. angry, angry about the poor response, but also,

the years of neglect from the council and successive governments. while politicians talk of the legacy and of lessons learned, for some here, it is far too early. on a day like this, they say, it is impossible to think about the future. studio: the families of some of those still missing, remain hopeful their relatives may still be alive, but they're also realistic, that the chances are slim. our reporter sima kotecha, has been speaking to two brothers, searching for six members of theirfamily. this is our sister... her husband... mother... her children... those are my sister's children. two brothers, desperately searching for

theirfamily, who brothers, desperately searching for their family, who have brothers, desperately searching for theirfamily, who have been missing since the fire. they lived on the 22nd floor. today, they can to the tower to be close to where their family once lived, to hope for their return and to pray for all of those missing. we hope, we still hope, we still hope, to see them. i'm not going to give up hope. we will keep coming here. we will keep hoping to see them again. they describe themselves as breath and say they have received no help from the authorities. ministers say they are doing all they can to assist those who have been affected.” doing all they can to assist those who have been affected. i feelvery angry, not supported. ifeel the community have come together better. better than the government. all the support from the government. when

the casualty bureau number came out, i actually rang it and it went to voice mail. to hear that message, that was just like a knife in voice mail. to hear that message, that wasjust like a knife in my chest, if you know what i mean. the tall chest, if you know what i mean. the ta ll tower chest, if you know what i mean. the tall tower looms large here, shadow dominates the area. these men are demanding change. dominates the area. these men are demanding changelj dominates the area. these men are demanding change. i would like to see reform to all high—rise buildings within london. i want the removal, i want to see the government remove any future plans of cladding within high—rise buildings. we need to act, we need to learn from our mistakes, not at the cost of peoples lives. the sunshine blazed down on london today but the remains dark, for many, the pain is too great, and to roar. —— and too raw. still hopefulthat pain is too great, and to roar. —— and too raw. still hopeful that even though they were on the 22nd roar, at the time of the incident, that...

please, please. studio: our correspondent mark lobel is in west london. we are here at the notting hill methodist church, 300 yards from the tower, a candlelit vigil taking place, some emotional scenes there, very sad moments for people, remembering the victims. but if you start talking to them, the first thing that people have spoken to me about is that they are searching for a nswe rs about is that they are searching for answers about why it happened. events like this are helping, people overcoming grief for those in the tower, for those that lived in the tower, for those that lived in the tower, residents, still alive, the government has explained a bit more of what it wants to do with the £5 million discretionary fund for residents today, the prime minister

has outlined the costs. taking you through some of them, each household, not person, but each household, not person, but each household should be getting £5,500, that will be done in the following way, £500 in cash, from either the westway sports centre, the refugee centre, orfrom westway sports centre, the refugee centre, or from the westway sports centre, the refugee centre, orfrom the post westway sports centre, the refugee centre, or from the post office. i went down to speak with somebody from the sports centre, somebody who fled, he has received his £500. he said he had to queue an hour and a half to get it. he pointed out that with a family of seven, how far is £5,500 going to go for his household, when they have literally lost everything? the government

pointed out that £5,500 does not include funeral costs or temporary accommodation costs, does not include legal assistance that anyone who wants to represent themselves from those families in the public enquiry will need. the government is keen to show that it is doing things fast. there has been criticism on a local level for many days of the conservative leader of kensington and chelsea borough here. he came out to defend those criticisms on the bbc and this is what he did. i have been out this morning at the westway sports centre, i have been told that the council was never in evidence, it is disorganised, that was not my perception. the last thing we want to do after a tragedy of this

enormity is thinking about high visibility jackets. enormity is thinking about high visibilityjackets. , ties children, people who have lost relatives, whether they are wearing a high visibility jacket, whether they are wearing a high visibilityjacket, whether they whether they are wearing a high visibility jacket, whether they are from the local council, that is immaterial, what people need to know is that kensington and chelsea council officials have been working round the clock since wednesday, and i have come on air to support the work they are doing. i understand the enormous concerns and anger of people in north kensington —— kensington and wider, i share that anger, the council is wanting to know why that fire started, why it spread so quickly. my immediate concern this weekend is to ensure the right support services for very vulnerable people are on the ground, i have been out this morning to check that they are and satisfied myself that they are. this is a long—term requirement. the operation of the tmo, the way blocks should be

refurbished and managed, those are proper questions and questions for the enquiry, which will surely be set up to investigate the fire. awful tragedy for kensington and chelsea and its residents but this is, it raises a number of issues about towers and the way that housing has been designed over the la st 50 housing has been designed over the last 50 or 60 years. some form of apology that relief efforts were not as co—ordinated as they could have been. they are called native if people are not seeing it that way. one person who has been very critical of the council and the government, who was visiting the area earlier today, visiting a church, london now, sadiq khan, this is what he had to say. i spent this morning at a church service speaking to many residents, many families of the bereaved, many survivors and their experience is a million miles away from the experience of the leader of the council. it is clear to me, and i have spoken to many residents, that there has been a vacuum. the council has failed to go to residents, failed to do

the outreach work and has assumed that grieving families, that neighbouring residents will travel to the westway sports centre to receive the help. that there has been a vacuum. the council has failed to go to residents, failed to do the outreach work and has assumed that grieving families, that neighbouring residents will travel to the westway sports centre to receive the help. i have been to the sports centre, there is fantastic facilities being offered there, victim support, family liaison officers, british red cross, charities, but it is not acceptable to assume that grieving families, people who are struggling to cope are able to find where that help is and that is why yesterday, at the task force meeting that the prime minister chaired, i said it was crucial that we have staff in the community wearing high visibility tops going out to find those who need the help. i am pleased my views were taken aboard yesterday. i accept it is three days too late, in the meantime, people have suffered. we now have to make sure every single resident, every family, every person who needs help is gone

to to be offered that help rather than assuming they will go to the council. as the search and recovery effort continues and will continue late into the night, over there, very different views about how the relief effort is being controlled on the ground over here. two pieces of breaking news to bring you now, first, from mali, we hear that a luxury resort, popular with western expatriates, just outside the capital, has come under attack today by gunmen, this is a statement coming from the security ministry. no further details have been given of the actual attack in bamako but

it has happened at a resort, called le campement and it is still going on. french troops have been involved in trying to bring that unrest... trying to quell the unrest and have also been involved in air strikes as well. a luxury resortjust outside the capital of bamako in mali under attack by gunmen. and then here, we are hearing from police who are investigating the murder of 18—year—old ellen higginbotham have made an arrest, you may recall reports that she was reported missing on friday when she failed to return from college, family and friends said this was very out of character, her body was then found in the early hours of yesterday morning. —— ellen higginbottom. she

was... it has been confirmed that it was... it has been confirmed that it was her body and she died from multiple wins to the neck, in orrell. a 47—year—old man from the wigan area has been arrested on suspicion of murder and he is in custody for questioning. a man has been arrested, 47 years old, in connection with the murder of 18—year—old ellen higginbottom. the chancellor philip hammond, says brexit talks must safeguard the british economy, and that reaching no deal, would be bad for britain. he was speaking ahead of the start of negotiations, with the european commission, due to begin tomorrow. here's our political correspondent alex forsyth. voiceover: it was a key reason for calling the election. every vote for the conservatives will make me stronger when i negotiate for britain with the prime ministers, presidents and chancellors in the eu.

instead, by losing her majority, negotiations look tougher. on brexit, the prime ministerfaces pressure from all sides. many think the chancellor, who backed remain, is one of those pushing for a moderate approach. today he upped the stakes debate on the need to get a good deal with the eu. no deal would be a very bad outcome for britain, but there is a possible worse outcome, and that is a deal that is deliberately structured to punish us, to suck the lifeblood out of our economy. he said uk would leave this single market and customs union but there could not a cliff edge and there would have to be transitional arrangements to keep trade flowing. the economy must come first. he even attacked the tory election campaign for not making more of it. we did not talk about the economy as much as we should have done. whatever the reason, this is the result. angerfrom some.

lacking enough mps on their own, the tories have turned to northern ireland's dup. their views on brexit will now also have to be considered. theresa may is facing tough battles here. there is a raft of laws that need to be passed. the parliamentary session has been extended to two years, giving the government more time, but that won't make it much easier. the tories are divided about what brexit should mean, and that is without the views of political opponents. labour could flex its muscles, suggesting today the uk could stay lacking enough mps on their own, the tories have turned to northern ireland's dup. their views on brexit will now also have to be considered. theresa may is facing tough battles here. there is a raft of laws that need to be passed. the parliamentary session has been extended to two years, giving the government more time, but that won't make it much easier. the tories are divided about what brexit should mean, and that is without the views of political opponents. labour could flex its muscles, suggesting today the uk could stay in the customs union which allows tariff free trade within the eu. it should be left on the table. so we could stay inside the customs union? yes, there was also the notion of no deal being a viable deal, which theresa may and the government

have repeatedly said. no deal is what happens if you get to the end of two years and have not reached an agreement. you are pushed over a cliff. extracting the uk from the eu want be easy and there is still no real clarity from anyone about what brexit should or will look like, but it is clear that here as well as in brussels the prime minister is facing a tough fight. alex forsyth, bbc news, westminster. —— extracting the uk from the eu will not be easy and there is still no real clarity from anyone about what brexit should or will look like, but it is clear that here as well as in brussels the prime minister is facing a tough fight. studio: alexjoins studio: alex joins us studio: alexjoins us now from westminster, how significant are these comments? well, there was some expectation given that theresa may did not win a majority in the house of commons at this election, that there would be a lot of pressure on her to soften her stance on brexit and many were looking to what the chancellor had to say, first interview since the election campaign, because we know he is a remain supporter, what he said echoed what theresa may herself has said. in the past, the line, "no deal is better than a bad deal", he said that, but what he did was ramped up the rhetoric around what it would mean, saying it would be very bad for the uk. on the other

fronts he said we would be leaving the customs union, leaving the single market, this is all in line with the position on brexit that theresa may has set out previously. what we will see now is whether this can be delivered, we are finally at the stage in the talks, and the difficulty for theresa may is whatever her take on brexit maybe, whatever her take on brexit maybe, whatever she sends her team, the " b rex it" whatever she sends her team, the "brexit" set to terry, out to brussels tomorrow, is whether she can get it the breed here. —— brexit secretary. it is to get the mps on her side, and because she does not have a majority, she will rely upon every single vote, and we knowjust how split mps are on this issue of x. the tory party, as i mentioned, labour as well, differing views, the liberal democrats, through the election campaign were advocating a second referendum, that is before we get to the dup. facing a fight not just on the front in brussels, trying to work out what brexit looks

like and getting other countries to agree but a massive fight on their hands back home as well. how clear is the framework that they will be working with? all we have had from the government on the brexit front are two the government on the brexit front a re two key the government on the brexit front are two key moment, one was a speech that theresa may gave in lancaster house and the other was the moment when she triggered article 50, the mechanism by which we leave the european union, in that there were broad guiding principles as to what the government wanted to achieve, things like control orders, ending the principle of free movement, negotiating a good trade deal with the european union. talks of a deep and special partnership. effectively taking back control, the slogan we heard through the leave campaign, over things like money and laws and borders. that is the approach they go in with. what we don't know is the detail. we do know some sticking point, we know the issue of eu citizens rights, those living in the uk and uk citizens living elsewhere, the you want is to get that sorted

quickly. the issue of how much the uk may have to pay, financial settlement. settling commitments already made the european union, thatis already made the european union, that is likely to be tricky. they are likely to be some of the initial discussions that take place. the eu wa nts discussions that take place. the eu wants the divorce sorted before it's talks about the new relationship. the government is less keen, they wa nt the government is less keen, they want a bit of it to run parallel. we will start to get the real sense tomorrow who is going to get first concession. alex forsyth in westminster, thank you very much. in portugal, more than sixty people have died, in a huge forest fire. the blaze was in a mountainous area, in the middle of an intense heat wave. it's thought the fire was sparked by lightning hitting a tree. here's paul adams. voiceover: a desperate, sometimes hopeless, battle against nature. searing heat, strong winds and low humidity

— the worst possible conditions. large areas of central portugal now ablaze. this mountainous area is no stranger to forest fires, but these are some of the deadliest ever. the speed and ferocity of the flames catching people in their cars and homes. a woman's screams for her house. as the fire rages on several fronts, entire villages have been evacuated. officials are still not sure what remains. translation: we were inside the house, the fire was around us. the firefighters came to get us out because we could hardly breathe any more. as to whether the house burned or not, it must have, for sure. almost instantly, we saw the fire on the car, and within 15 seconds at the most, the wind that the fire created lacked across to the other side, and within 30 seconds, it was to the right, to the left, to the back of the car and you had no option but to keep driving into the fire. at times, the response has seemed chaotic, hundreds of firefighters working furiously since yesterday. some people say they have been left to fend for themselves while their homes burn. thick low—lying clouds of smoke make it hard for firefighting aircraft

to work effectively. france and spain have sent their aircraft to help. as the death toll mounts, the goverment has declared three days of national mourning. with no signs of a break in the weather, this battle isn't over. paul adams, bbc news. studio: projections havejust been published in the french parliamentary elections. and they indicate that of the 577 seats in the national assembly president macron's party la republique en marche, or rem, and its allies have won 355 seats, giving the president a strong chance of driving through crucial economic reforms. marine le pen's far—right national front party has 8 seats. the republican—led centre right group get 125 of the seats. hugh schofield is in paris for us.

you join us on the river centre, magnificent evening, looking across the national assembly, the building which is about to see this great change. —— river seine. figures coming in and they are very vague, could be anything between 350, 400, 420, four emmanuel macron's farty, whatever the case, clearly a convincing victory that he needs, and has been asking for, if not the pulverising defeat of his opponent some had predicted. —— for emmanuel macron. look like there will be a survival of a proper opposition, with the republicans, and i am joined by a couple of people who are vetera n joined by a couple of people who are veteran journalist and interpreters of france. let's talk to you first, there is going to be in opposition,

a decent opposition, there had been fears expressed this would be so convincing and crashing a victory that the opposition would not exist, barely. it is still an absolute majority. it's pretty good. not the soviet style majority, like my colleague said, but it is overwhelming. it is good, in a democracy, that the position remains, but let's not forget, the socialist party, president francois hollande's party has collapsed and the head has resigned, 30, 40 seats. enough to get a group, but then you have the left. they will also be able to have a group. front nationale, not enough to get a group, but marine le pen, very vocal, very loud voice, she will make her entrance at the national assembly for the first time ever, before she was a european mp, an mep. loud voices, it is likely to be

a very loud national assembly. what is interesting to me is a big majority for emmanuel macron, economic policies are liberal, doing things that appeal to the right, and an opposition which is on the right... so the whole of french politics has moved a long way to the right. precisely, very interesting development, and now we have to see what emmanuel macron is going to do about it. if he is really able to passin about it. if he is really able to pass ina about it. if he is really able to pass in a matter of three months quite... quite a lot of drastic reforms, statute style, he probably will be part of the french economy is -- will be part of the french economy is —— french economics and social mood. this is the big question. this is the big question. we will no much

more about that by the beginning of september, i would say. more about that by the beginning of september, iwould say. do more about that by the beginning of september, i would say. do you sense that this is a moment in french history, modern politics, when the re—forms which everyone keeps talking about, every presidential newcomer, that finally the stars are aligned and it is going to happen?” would not bet all my chips on it, you have do ask yourself whether france is reform a ball, it is not a question of presidents, it is a question of presidents, it is a question that we are very unruly people! —— question that we are very unruly people! — — reformable ? question that we are very unruly people! —— reformable? a lot of ambitions regarding the labour market, we will see, the position in france is often in the streets. in september, after the summer holidays, you know, we will see how astute, how shrewd he is. the fact there is an opposition now, that it is not just there is an opposition now, that it is notjust 30, 40 members on the right, 3040 members on the left,

that means there will be debate here. in a way, that is quite good for emmanuel macron, that means that the argument that the only place we can the argument that the only place we ca n ex press the argument that the only place we can express ourselves is on the streets does not hold. —— 30, 40 members on the right, 30, 40 members on the left. those people that did not vote for a manual micron on the second ballot had in mind a few unsavoury things that happened in between the two ballots like pressures on the press. —— emmanuel macron. by and large, this is a very interesting and healthy reaction from the voters. they give him a chance to do something but they have given eight quite strong position also, some latitude to act. —— they have given a quite strong position. thank you forjoining us. interesting result tonight, emmanuel

macron has his convincing majority, whatever the numbers are, he has his majority, the first phase, the conquest of power, is over, the next chapter, what he does with it, can begin. now, with humble beginnings in a shropshire garden, it has bloomed into one of the bbc‘s most iconic programmes, with an audience of up to two—and—a—half—million a week. so, as gardeners' world turns 50, kay alexander has been digging through the decades to investigate how a show, rooted in plants and personalities, has experienced such enduring success. fifty years ago, the advent of colour television enabled the bbc to make a new horticultural programme and gardeners' world was born. it was presented by the legendary percy thrower from his garden near shrewsbury, the magnolias. good evening. september. the sun still shining.