is. if you create that platform, then the market will respond in two vital ways. if you have good transport and a safe environment and good schools, then suddenly the market will find that it can build thousands more homes, superb affordable homes on brownfield sites, giving young people the chance to have the keys to their own property, which every survey continues to show is one of our most fundamental instincts. and we will help with a big expansion of art by, pa rt rent help with a big expansion of art by, part rent schemes to help people get onto the housing ladder. if you have safe neighbourhoods, decent skilled workforce, good transport links, what else happens? you get business investment, confidence and jobs. that is why you need a government that believes in business and understands wealth creation. and, they need to support family business and cut business rates. there have been 1.4 million

businesses created in this country since 2010, one .4 million. napoleon said that we were a nation of shopkeepers, and i think that's an insult we can take, isn't it? he was right, by the way! there have been more businesses created since 2010 then france and germany combined. i'm proud to say. that is the balance and symmetry at the heart of oui’ balance and symmetry at the heart of our one nation conservatism, between fantastic public services, building the platform for growth and the strong, dynamic market economy. what i say, when people get up at the crack of dawn to get their business ready, when people take out a mortgage for a new venture and when people have the guts to put a new product on the market, we do not sneer. we cheer for product on the market, we do not sneer. we cheerfor them. and, to make sure that the businesses of this country can continue to innovate, we are announcing today that the government, if we are elected, will not only invest more

to support electric vehicle technology, we will double funding for research and development £18 billion in the next parliament, the biggest ever increase in support for r&d. and we proudly back businesses across this country because they are creating the wealth that actually pays for the nhs and everything else. and they are helping to create thejobs. i'm afraid else. and they are helping to create the jobs. i'm afraid that is the key difference between us, a one nation tory government and the labour party and jeremy corbyn. not just tory government and the labour party and jeremy corbyn. notjust that labour would be an economic disaster for this country because they would delay brexit yet again, they would simultaneously wreck this economy with a simultaneously wreck this economy witha 1.2 simultaneously wreck this economy with a 1.2 trillion pounds spending splurge. they will be instantly rejected by the markets, they would massively increase notjust this

countries debt, but also the cost of this countries debt. by taking out a mortgage to pay for your groceries. and they would make it impossible to make future sensible investments this country needs in the nhs and other public services. to pay for it, they would pick up —— put up taxes on this country to the tune of £2400 per year. in fact, they themselves were so worried about a run on the pound thatjohn mcdonnell, the shadow chancellor, has already said that he is actually going to impose exchange controls on this country again. can you imagine? the only countries that do have those these days are places like angola, zimbabwe and venezuela. you guessed it. well, do we want to have oui’ guessed it. well, do we want to have our country run under the playbook of bella vari and socialism? we cannot let it happen. that is the

choice of this election, come with us choice of this election, come with us and have a government that backs oui’ us and have a government that backs our armed forces as a path of good around the world, or havejeremy corbyn who said on the whole he wa nts to corbyn who said on the whole he wants to scrap them? you can come with us, we support the police and fighting knife crime. they say stop and search is inappropriate and oppressive. we want higher wages and rising, as i say, the living wage by its bigger ever increase. jeremy corbyn says higher taxes for everyone. we know the only way we can make huge investments in the nhs is if we also have a strong and dynamic market economy. john mcdonnell has literally said that he wa nts to mcdonnell has literally said that he wants to ferment the overthrow of capitalism. that is his mission. so he says. we stand up for the people of this country when other nations threaten us with harm and it was quite incredible when russia ordered

the salisbury poisonings. jeremy corbyn seemed to actually take the side of moscow. above all, we will get brexit done. and, unleash the potential of the whole country. they wa nt potential of the whole country. they want together and delay, deadlock and division, doubt and despair, all of which will go with another referendum. i say to you all, let's give that madness a mess. i want you to imagine what this country could be like injust ten to imagine what this country could be like in just ten years as a result of the decisions we are taking now and have taken over the last three months. i want you to look forward to a britain where the streets are safer, where the air is cleaner, where we have built 40 new hospitals as a direct result of the programme on which we have just embarked, the decisions we have taken, and britain where the ten—year—olds of tomorrow have benefited from the funding of literacy and numeracy we are unleashing today and opportunity is

being spread across the whole country, and where in ten years time scientists are starting to reap the huge rewards from our plans to double funding for research and businesses as well, from space to artificial intelligence, to a giger factory for batteries that we are going to build in the next three yea rs. going to build in the next three years. a britain where we are uniting and levelling up across the country. where great new infrastructure is helping to rebalance the economy, where we are delivering northern powerhouse rail and a metro style system for the whole of the west midlands. a britain where left behind towns have recovered their vibrancy, and commercial life with shops and businesses made possible by better transport and fantastic broadband, and with responsible local politicians who know how to champion their communities and to build thousands of superb new homes on

brownfield sites and plant millions of trees. not just brownfield sites and plant millions of trees. notjust because they are beautiful but because they will help us beautiful but because they will help us in dealing with flooding and with climate change. i want you to imaginea britain climate change. i want you to imagine a britain whose regions experienced a renaissance at the same time as our incomparable capital city lengthens its lead as the financial business tech, artistic cultural, academic capital of europe, if not the world. and, in ten yea rs of europe, if not the world. and, in ten years time, i confidently prophesied that we will all be citizens of a proud, strong and whole united kingdom. more united than ever. flying that red, white and blue flag that represents the best of our values from democracy to rule of law to free trade to free speech, freedom to love whoever you

choose, from tackling climate change to protecting the wildlife of the world from the tragedy of habitat loss and extension. and, a britain thatis loss and extension. and, a britain that is able to lead the world, as we do, in tackling climate change and to reduce our c02 to net zero by 2050. not because we hate capitalism, not by gluing ourselves to the top of tube trains or whatever, as important as that may be to make a point. not because we wa nt to be to make a point. not because we want to destroy market economics, but because it is precisely through the brilliance of companies like this one that we can make the technical breakthroughs that enable us technical breakthroughs that enable us to curb c02 and go for carbon neutral by 2050. and, of course, that help us to pay for great public services and create wonderful, high skilljobs. that is the vision that

we are offering. to make this country the greatest place to live, breathe, to be, to raise kids, to start a business, the greatest place on earth. the greatest place on earth. not necessarily the most powerful, but the greatest place on earth. and i propose we get on with that project now, don't you? let's not hang around. i don't want to waste 2020 with two more soul destroying referendums. i want next year to be destroying referendums. i want next yearto be an destroying referendums. i want next year to be an exciting year, and a productive year. a year of prosperity and growth. a year that is about the people of this country, and not about its politicians and i ask you finally, do you want to wake up ask you finally, do you want to wake up on friday the 13th and find a nightmare on downing street? a corbyn — sturgeon coalition of chaos? is that what you want? no, it

certainly isn't. i think it would be a disaster for this country. certainly isn't. i think it would be a disasterfor this country. let's thank you all for your time, and go for with sensible, moderate, thank you all for your time, and go forwith sensible, moderate, one nation, a conservative government and take this country forwards over the next ten years. thank you very much for your kind attention this afternoon. thank you. applause thank you all very much. make you very much indeed, and thank you everybody for your patience, pity those who are standing at the back. i've got a list ofjournalists and media who are down to ask questions. let me go to laura kuenssberg of the bbc first? thank you. thank you very

much, prime minister. you clearly wa nt much, prime minister. you clearly want to talk about brighton every time you are in front of a microphone but today we have seen vote rs microphone but today we have seen voters in yorkshire be very unimpressed by your handling of the floods and several of your former colleagues, even conservative ministers, suggesting that people think seriously about voting lib dems. do you think you are in control of this campaign? thank you. 0n the floods, it is very important to say that i have been twice now, ina to say that i have been twice now, in a week, to see what is happening in south yorkshire. in derbyshire, and in nottinghamshire. i want to pay tribute, first of all, to the emergency services for everything they have done. police, fire brigade, the army last night. we sent in, as you know, 200 like to doing a fantasticjob in remediating some of the flood defences in the don valley. i've had the chance to

thank them today. but my strongest impression is of communities coming together. and helping each other. i wa nt to together. and helping each other. i want to thank all of those communities i saw today in stain further and fishla ke and communities i saw today in stain further and fishlake and elsewhere. i think people really showing the best spirit of this country. i made clear throughout my time there that the government stands ready to support in anyway that we can. and i hope that people understand the m essa g es of messages of reassurance that we can get. the effect of flooding is terrible, we are compensating with funds for homeowners and households, and also funds for businesses as well and stand ready to ensure that where there are gaps and problems in insurance, then we will sort it out.

your second question was about the election. and, all i would say there, laura, is of course we need to get brexit done. i make no apology for mentioning it. it has been paralysed in politics for 3.5 yea rs. been paralysed in politics for 3.5 years. i'm afraid to say that the only way to get brexit done, at this election, is to vote for the conservatives and hope that we can get a working majority. a vote, alas, for any other party would simply lead to a premiership of jeremy corbyn in coalition with nicola sturgeon. as i said earlier on, two referendums next year when i think the people of this country really wa nt think the people of this country really want to make so much more progress on other things. full brand, itv? good afternoon, prime minister. you are pitching your

brexit message partly at our viewers in the north of england, many of them have now been underwater for them have now been underwater for the best part of a week. if you want their vote, they feel badly let down, so will you apologise to them? asi down, so will you apologise to them? as i said, the government and emergency services, and indeed the volu nta ry emergency services, and indeed the voluntary sector have been working flat out over the last period of days to get people back on their feet and try to sort out the consequences of the flooding. again, i'm not in any way going to... people must understand being hit by a flood is a terrible thing and a huge amount of work is going on. i think the most important thing is that people understand the financial compensation that is available. i have explained that already to

various of your colleagues who were at fishlake various of your colleagues who were at fishla ke and various of your colleagues who were at fishlake and stainforth today. we will come as a government, ensure that everybody is protected. i would just say this. we, as a country, need to be investing in the long—term in flood defences. we've already put £2.6 billion in as a government. by the way, we have ensured that places that are particularly vulnerable in the north of the country do get more per capita than other places but there is much more work to be done. that's why i stress the importance of infrastructure. we need to be investing in flood defences, flood banks, protection of all kinds. that's why, i also mentioned, the importance of planting millions of trees. people don't often talk about this but in the long—term, it's not an immediate solution but in the long—term we need to think about the way we manage our landscape and we

manage water in our landscape. you just have to look around, fly over the uk at the moment, parts of britain and you can see the threat of flooding has, by no means, gone away. we need short—term recovery, but also a long—term plan. at the risk of being political again, you need a government with sound management of the economy that can make those long—term investments without prejudicing the uk's financial position. thank you. beth? thank you, prime minister. beth rigby, sky news. you talk about your one nation agenda, but david gauke, who was in your cabinet not for months ago, says you winning this election would be a bad outcome for this country. he says people should vote liberal democrat if they want to support the centre ground in politics. why should the public

trust you to lead the country if those who have worked at your side don't? thank you. beth, if you look at what we are doing and what we have done, since i stood on the steps of downing street. this is a one nation government that is driving the people's priorities. whether investing in 20,000 police officers or the biggest ever increase in nhs funding for a generation. all raising the living wage by the biggest amount ever. this is a government that is determined to get on and deliver the priorities of the british people. the thing that is blocking us at the moment, as david and others know very well, is that parliament will not put brexit through. that is the problem. the reason we need to get brexit done is because, as i said, then the whole country can move forward. we will unleash investment into this country and be able to get on with delivering on all the priorities for the british people.

we must end paralysis in this parliament and i say respectfully to david and others what i said before. u nless david and others what i said before. unless you vote for a working majority, a conservative government, you end up with a coalition led by jeremy corbyn and years, as far as i can see, of paralysis. we want next year to be a year of prosperity and growth, not two referendums. i'm going to go to rachel stratum of the coventry telegraph? if she's here? rachel, sorry. hello, prime minister. given that coventry city council is receiving £120 million less call government funding then it was ten years ago, and this year it is facing a 16.7 million funding gap, what would you do to decline local authority budgets? to restore

budgets? what we are doing is putting huge amounts more into local governments, particularly as a first stage into social services and social care because we recognise thatis social care because we recognise that is where things are really have been pinching. we are trying to help in all sorts of ways but let me get back to my main point, which is the best way we can support the council in coventry and indeed across the country is to get the tax base that will enable us to fund all kinds of great public projects. you will not have the tax base that is necessary if you've got a £1.2 billion spending spree if you put up corporation tax to the highest level in europe. if you put taxes on employment, businesses, pensions, inheritance, that is the plan of jeremy corbyn of the labour party. you need to sound management of the economy to be able to deliver for local government and we made a start, with £1.1 billion going into

social care that there's a lot more, obviously, to come. jack doyle, daily mail? prime minister, earlier today jeremy corbyn daily mail? prime minister, earlier todayjeremy corbyn questioned the us government account of the death of abu bakr al— baghdadi, us government account of the death of abu bakr al—baghdadi, the leader of abu bakr al—baghdadi, the leader of isis. do you think he was right to question that account, and do you agree that the isis leader should have been detained and arrested?” have been detained and arrested?” have not seen exactly what the leader of the opposition has said. but you have to be realistic about the threats that this country faces. whether they are from iran or from russia, or indeed from international to from isis. abu bakr al—baghdadi, make no bones about it, was an absolutely diabolical flow of this

country, our values, our liberal values, everything that we believe in and support. he was responsible for untold murders. i have to say that i do not think it is realistic to suggest that he could be just apprehended by police. in the circumstances in which he was finally run aground. i think it is very important, when look at the threats this country faces, that we are realistic about what we must do to be strong in the face of those threats. if you are correct in what you say, which i'm sure you are, about what jeremy corbyn you say, which i'm sure you are, about whatjeremy corbyn had to say, i think his approach is naive. and it is naive to the point of being dangerous. tom newton dunn, of the sun? thank you, prime minister.

there are 23 hours left before candidates have been registered for the deadline tomorrow afternoon, 23 hours left for nigel farage to withdraw from your precious marginal labour targets. what is your final appeal for him to do that? and you called jeremy corbyn and on the —— and on the nest. —— is that the language of ordinary people? thank you, tom! let me deal with the point of the election first. i just want to say about nigel farage and the brexit party. it is always a difficult thing for any party leader to withdraw candidates from an election. i understand that but all

ican election. i understand that but all i can say, tom, for the avoidance of doubt, to repeat my central message, there is only one way to ensure that we get brexit done, get this thing finished, do a fantastic free trade deal and that is to vote for us and the conservatives. if you vote for any other party, you risk a coalition of chaos, and two chaotic referendums next year. on your second point, all i can say is that a stray early draft seems to have somehow found its way... clapping laughter found its way into your otherwise peerless copy! by a process i do not pretend to understand, but i will make enquiries, tom! sam lister of the daily express? let if nigel

farage fights the marginal seats tomorrow, and puts candidates in tomorrow, and puts candidates in tomorrow, is that risk in you securing the jollity that you want? is he putting brexit at risk, or can you give a clear guarantee that whatever the circumstances, if you return to number 10, you will take is out onjanuary return to number 10, you will take is out on january the return to number 10, you will take is out onjanuary the 31st? let me repeat the crucial point i've already made to tom, at a risk of belabouring this. there's only one way to get brexit done, that is to get a working majority and a parliament working for you. take us out. we've got the deal ready to go. asi out. we've got the deal ready to go. as i say, slam it into the oven. before christmas we can come out in january and a vote for any other party, alas, any other party simply means dither and delay, and two chaotic referendums next year. last

question now, to paris of the scotsman. prime minister, jeremy corbyn has ruled out holding a second scottish independence referendum, the only people talking about it in 2020 iu referendum, the only people talking about it in 20201u and nicola sturgeon. are you misleading voters by suggesting there will be two referendums next year and what do you say to those who believe your relationship with the brexit party is as shady as any deal between the snp and labour? on the first point, the only way, i think i may have said this before, the only way to deliver and get brexit done is we are fighting every seat and fighting them to win. as i said many times, we do not do deals with other parties. we are the oldest party in the country and in europe and we believe in fighting elections across the nation, as one nation tories. 0n

nicola sturgeon, and the corbyn — sturgeon alliance. first of all, you have corbyn himself saying he would not be averse to having a referendum, but not immediately in the next parliament. that's what i think he has said. and you have nicola sturgeon, who is his route to power, his path to power, his yoke made of destiny, if he were to form a government, saying that she wants it next year. paris, i humbly submit to you that it is hard to see how jeremy corbyn could very easily turn her down if that were to be the condition that she were to put for a coalition. as indeed she surely would. so, what we are faced with is a second referendum on the eu. with all the toxic torpor and tedium, and division, and rancour that it would

involve. and a referendum on scotland, when as you know, paris, and as the people of scotland were told at the time, it was meant to be a once in a generation thing. in 2014 they were told that if they voted to remain in the united kingdom the question would not come back again for a generation. and they did. and i really think that this country, as a whole, has had enough of referendums of this kind. we wa nt enough of referendums of this kind. we want to get on and deliver on the mandate of the people of 2016. we wa nt to mandate of the people of 2016. we want to get brexit done and unleash the potential of this whole country. the potential of this whole country has never been more perfectly represented. i'm going to wind up now with this final point, i don't think i have any more questions to ta ke think i have any more questions to take in the media but the potential in this country is perfectly represented by the electric vehicles that are produced here and people

said it could not be done, they said they were technically impossible. they are being made. they are fa ntastically they are being made. they are fantastically popular and we are going to boost and turbo—charge, if you can turbo—charge an electric vehicle, which i don't think you can turbo—charge an electric vehicle... a technician is nodding at the back. maybe you can! but we are going to boost that incredible opportunity for this country. thank you all very much for your time. thank you. applause i'm rebecca jones, you are watching the bbc news five o'clock. we have been watching the prime minister, borisjohnson, been watching the prime minister, boris johnson, making been watching the prime minister, borisjohnson, making his first major campaign speech to an audience atan major campaign speech to an audience at an electric taxi factory in warwickshire. 0ur political correspondent alex forsyth is at the event and has been watching it as well. what did you make of it, alex?

yes, to explain why we are in a slightly quieter room is because the event is taking place next door and we've snuck out so as not to disturb proceedings while they were ongoing. to sum up what the prime minister was saying it was essentially the co re was saying it was essentially the core of his campaign message. if you vote for boris johnson, core of his campaign message. if you vote for borisjohnson, give him a majority in polmont, he will sort out brexit, get it done quickly and then he can move onto other stuff, investing in green energy. that is why he is at this green electric vehicle company today. talking about investment in schools and tackling knife crime, a whole host of things. it was a wide—ranging speech where he tried to set out a vision but it depends on him getting that majority that he so craves in order to get what he says is brexit done. his bra kes what he says is brexit done. his brakes deal through parliament. borisjohnson faced brakes deal through parliament. boris johnson faced some uncomfortable questions, not just about his vision for but how it

plays out with the brexit party. still standing in some of those key seats he needs to win if he is to get the majority. in places like this, the midlands and the north. he still faces a threat from nigel farage there. and uncomfortable questions about how he dealt with some of the flooding, he was asked when he visited flood stricken areas earlier. what he is wanting to come through from this event today is the sense of bringing the campaign back on to turkey is more comfortable with, which is trust me, i can deliver brexit but whether people actually do is another question. that was going to be my question, it was clear listening to him that he is trying to get the core message back on track. let's get brexit done and unleash the uk's potential. the question is, will it work? that is the heart of borisjohnson's campaign. the method she is taking out there, is i didn't want this

election, but i had to, because parliament is paralysed. that is very much what he is trying to do, and the strategy he is trying to target leave voters in the midlands. i expect we will see him come here again during the course of the campaign, and parts of the north, as well. they are the key marginal areas. he wants the majority he needs from here, and it isn't easy to get his brexit through parliament, because labour are advocating for a second referendum, pushing hard for some of these seats, he has the brexit party still challenging in these seats, and the danger is boris johnson challenging in these seats, and the danger is borisjohnson positioning himself as the man who will deliver brexit, he could alienate those who wa nted brexit, he could alienate those who wanted to stay in the eu, and in the south and south—west, its no

straightforward calculation. david gauke is saying he didn't back boris johnson, borisjohnson gauke is saying he didn't back boris johnson, boris johnson being gauke is saying he didn't back boris johnson, borisjohnson being tackled when he went to visit the flood areas. there are always curveballs, this one is less predictable than most elections. borisjohnson is trying to keep it on track so that the theme of this election is what he wanted to be, brexit. thank you. meanwhile, labour has unveiled plans to outspend the conservatives on health care in england, with a warning that the nhs is crying out for a financial rescue plan. labour is pledging a real terms increase in funding about £6 billion more than the current government plans. it says it will use the money to cut waiting times and increase

investment in mental health treatment, but the conservatives have warned that labour's plan for a shorter working week would send staff costs soaring. it is, they feel, their territory. labour will go big on the nhs at this election. £6 billion big to be precise, to be added in time to england's annual health budget. we will give mental health the greatest priority it has ever had. we will introduce free prescriptions. prevention and well—being will be at the heart of our mission to help people live healthier, happier, longer lives. the quality care patients deserve. a rescue plan for our nhs. labour's plans are costly and unworkable, say the conservatives, especially with jeremy corbyn's long term aim for a four—day working week. but the tories have had a rebuke of their own. 0n the right, a young david gauke. he has been a party member for nearly 30 years, and served in theresa may's cabinet. now he is saying this.

traditional conservative voters like me should lend their support to the liberal democrats. he lost the party whip in september, and now... you are going to stand as an independent — why? yes, lam. the reason being, and this pains me to say it, but a conservative majority after the next general election will take us in the direction of a very hard brexit. this intervention from a man, who was until recently a serving member of a conservative cabinet, surely remarkable in the midst of a general election campaign. except it doesn't quite feel that way. it's the latest example of how politics recently, particularly brexit, has pushed party loyalties to and beyond breaking point. last week, the former labour mp ian austin urged voters to back boris johnson, claiming jeremy corbyn was unfit to lead the country. you took your time, boris! visiting flood—hit yorkshire today,

not everyone was receptive to the prime minister. is there anything in particular you would like us to do? no, thank you! today he is reinforcing his mantra of getting brexit done, and reacting to david gauke. we are fighting for the vote, we will do our best in the campaign ahead. every politician will attract the critics and fans. but, today, a push on all sides to convey but, today, a push on all sides to co nvey co re m essa g es . as we've heard, labour is promising to spend more on the nhs in england — do their pledges add up? 0ur reality check correspondent sophie hutchinson explains. the cost to patients has been long waits in a&e, delays for treatments for illnesses

such as cancer and reductions in mental health services. labour says it will reverse that. a £26 billion real term health care funding boost for 2018-19 to 2023-24. a annual increase of 4.3% in real terms for health spending over the next four years. so how generous is that pledge? drilling into the figures, you look at nhs front line funding in england. labour is promising an annual increase of 3.9% over five years. compare that to the last decade under the coalition, there were 1.1%, and 1.4% rises under the conservatives. the lowest sustained rates in the history of the service. the 3.9% pledge is a whisker away from the 4% believed to needed to cope with rising demand.

it's a relief to move from the very low level of funding we have had to a relatively stable position, but it will take a long time to deal with the backlog of problems that have accumulated, and there is a serious issue with the lack of nurses and resources that it will take a long time to put right. how does labour compare to the conservatives on the nhs? the parties are not so different. labour are planning to spend more by 2024, but that is out of a total budget of £155 billion. so both parties are proposing significant increases which should help to stop the current crisis. but they don't come close to the large 6% rises given to the nhs under new labour. jeremy corbyn has ruled out holding a second referendum on scottish

independence during the first term of a labour government. aides later said the position could change if the snp performed well in the scottish parliamentary elections in 2021. he made the remarks during a visit to glasgow, where earlier he was heckled by a man, accusing him of sympathising with terrorists. 0ur political correspondent, nick eardley has the detail: (sot 0ur political correspondent, nick eardley has the details.sot jeremy corbyn is taurus, and hasn't got off to a great start. today, mr corbin in an interview with a broadcaster said that he would not

allow a referendum at all in the first term of a labour government, which means in the next five years. he has done some interviews since, again, on the campaign trail, but that message has changed again, but it all paints a confusing picture on whether labour thinks that the scottish parliament should be able to hold another independence referendum. it gives the conservatives stick to beat the party with, and the s&p has said that if labour had a chance of forming government they would help them do it, not necessarily and if official pact, but to keep corbin a number ten, if they took on board their view that the scottish parliament should choose when the next referendum is. potentially, some trouble for mr corbin, too. there was also some trouble when he

arrived in glasgow. have a listen. do you think the man that is going to be prime minister of this country should be a terrorist sympathiser? who is going to be the first terrorist invited to the house of commons when you are prime minister? he is running away! that man heckling the jeremy he is running away! that man heckling thejeremy corbyn was a minister. he has apparently made offensive remarks on social media. the church of scotland have said they have paying close attention to any complaints. let's ta ke any complaints. let's take a look at some of the other stories in the election campaign. nigel farage has confirmed that the brexit party will stand against the labour party at the next general election. he had been under

some pressure to pull out, and pledged not to stand against seats held by the conservatives. the truth is, there are labour constituencies, there are two or three round here, in which the challenger is not, and frankly never will be, the conservative party. the challenger is the brexit party. so, the only people now after my big gesture, the only people now who are threatening to split the votes, and might stop a brexit majority in parliament, it is not the brexit party it is the conservative party, who should have stood down in those seats and given us stood down in those seats and given usa stood down in those seats and given us a means stood down in those seats and given us a means of getting a big number of people into parliament. campaigning ata of people into parliament. campaigning at a boxing club in north london this morning, the lib dems have pledged half £1 billion to

tackle knife crime. the party's leaderjo swinson has said the club will provide opportunities to prevent young people being drawn into youth violence and gang—related crime. nicola sturgeon has challenged westminster get to get its act together on green energy and stop obsessing about nuclear power. the snp has also pledged to prioritise green action. she has said that the proposed... (00v)the green party says that the new government needs to put the ‘climate emergency front and centre' and make it ‘the priority for all financial commitments'. shipped its co—leader jonathan ba rtley also called for the role of chancellor to be replaced

with a ‘carbon chancellor‘ to oversee the treasury and a new department for the green new deal. we have to radically transform the way that we look at the economy, energy and housing. only by prioritising that in a new government are we going to get the action we need to decarbonise by 2030. royal mail has won a legal battle to prevent a postal strike in the run—up to the general election and christmas. the high court backed its application for an injunction due to "potential irregularities" during the ballot of workers endorsing the industrial action. the strike was called as part of a dispute overjob security and terms of employment. the communications workers union called the ruling "an utter outrage," the snp has confirmed it is to take legal action over the proposed

general election debate to be broadcast on itv featuring boris johnson and jeremy corbyn. the snp party leader, nicola sturgeon, said it was unacceptable and a breach of breach of broadcasters‘ obligations for the snp and other parties to be excluded from the leader‘s debate. she‘s been explaining her legal case. taking legal action is never something you should do lightly, but it is really important that we take a stand for fairness, most importantly fairness for boaters. the uk is no longer a 2—party state. it is no longer stomach i think voters have a right to notjust to hear our views, but see our views subject to scrutiny, as well, so this is fundamentally about fairness

in this most important election in our lifetime. some people will wonder, though, you are not standing in this election, you are definitely not going to be prime minister, so why should you be involved in the debate about who is going to be the next prime minister? again, we are at the biggest party in scotland, the third biggest party in westminster, and in the election we could hold the balance of power. a lot of the discussion between the labour and tory parties just now centres on what the snp would do, almost every day you hear boris johnson talk about labour allegedly doing deals with the snp, so we are central to this campaign, and we may well be central. i think voters, as well be central. i think voters, as well as us having the right to put our views forward, voters at the right to hear what we were doing those circumstances, and subjected to scrutiny. the head—to—head debates are scheduled for next week

on itv, that will happen before postal votes go out, but the time postal votes go out, but the time postal votes go out, but the time postal votes are going out, a lot of people will already have voted, so there is a lot of lack of balance and fairness. sometimes you just have to take a stand for fairness. the broadcasters appear to be trying to decide what the natures of the choice is, and it doesn‘t reflect modern democracy in the uk, and it‘s important that these debates reflect the choice voters have, as it is. what would you do about the balance of power if you are in that position? jeremy corbyn has made it clear today there won‘t be an independence referendum in the first few years of a labour government. he‘s basically saying no to your ask. you must be the only person in the uk to think thatjeremy corbyn has been clear on this question. he has been clear on this question. he has different messages, but he has said it definitely won‘t happen in

the first year. it took a morning for the position to crumble and to be rowed back by aids. in scotland, if you think it is important that scotla nd if you think it is important that scotland should choose our own future, we have the opportunity to see that, and vote for the snp this in election. i think the reason jeremy corbyn is getting into a mess on this is that he knows that it is not democratically acceptable or sustainable to block the right at the scottish people to choose our own future. it is legitimate for them to pose an argument about independence, but not for westminster because took us to cast a veto. this constantly leads him into model positions like this one. there is plenty more on the election, including a special

analysis of the battle grounds that will make the difference. from ultra marginals to this those with strongest leave and remain support. you can see this on the website and the news app. the first public hearings in president trump‘s impeachment inquiry have begun in the us congress. he is accused of improperly seeking help from ukraine to boost his chances of re—election next year, something he denies. in his opening statement at the televised hearing, the chairman of the house of representatives intelligence committee, adam schiff, outlined the accusations against the president. earlier this year, the was elected president of ukraine. he was new to

politics, and spoke to ukraine‘s most powerful patron, the united states. we a re most powerful patron, the united states. we are seeking to find whether he the president of the usa sought to take advantage of the relationship. whether he was willing to assist with two investigations that would at assists trump‘s next campaign. republicans say the president‘s accusers are conducting a witch hunt against mrtrump. here‘s house intelligence committee ranking member devin nunes. what we will witness today is a televised theatrical performance staged by the democrats. ambassador taylor and mr staged by the democrats. ambassador taylorand mr kemp, staged by the democrats. ambassador taylor and mr kemp, i would like to

welcome you here. i would like to congratulate you for passing the democrats star chamber additions herald in the basin of the capital. it seems you agreed wittingly or unwittingly to participate in a drama, but the main performance, a russia hoax, has ended, and you are cast in the low rent ukrainian secret. senior state department official in charge of ukraine policy, george kent, was the first to give testimony. he described efforts by donald trump‘s personal lawyer to attack us officials in ukraine. 0ver over the course of 2018 and 2019! became increasingly aware of an effort by rudy giuliani and others, including his associates, this run a campaign to smear the ambassador and other officials. the chief agitators on the ukrainian side of this effort with the same corrupt prosecutors i

had encountered. they were now peddling false information in order to extra ct peddling false information in order to extract revenge against those who would expose their misconduct, including us diplomats, ukrainian anti—corruption including us diplomats, ukrainian anti—corru ption officials. during the late spring and summer of 2019 and became alarmed as those efforts bore fruit. they led to the ousting of ambassador yovanovitch, and in mid—august it became clear to me that giuliani‘s efforts to increase investigations were for leveraging ukraine. the top us diplomat to ukraine explained about a conversation he had with ukraine diplomats concerning president zelensky‘s role. i had ihada i had a phone conversation with president zelensky's national

security adviser, who emphasised that president zelensky did not want to be used as an instrument for the re—election campaign. with me is dr thomas gift, lecturer in political science at university college london. talk us through the significance of these proceedings. why do they matter? i don't know if we have learned a whole lot of new facts. most of these have been disclosed by the private testimony, but we‘ve heard a lot of the same political messaging from democrats and republicans, democrats making the case that this is a really serious abuse of power, the republican saying that it‘s a witchhunt. this is the first time that the american people have actually been able to see the figures who are involved in this controversy, and hear the voices, see the faces of the public serva nts voices, see the faces of the public servants coming forward, so they are now able to judge for themselves on

the basis of these facts. there are presumably risks on both sides of the democrats and republicans. presumably risks on both sides of the democrats and republicansm presumably risks on both sides of the democrats and republicans. it is very high stakes, and if you look at the polling, america‘s very split on whether there should even be a impeachment enquiry, never never mind whether he should be impeached. lucy has been reluctant to go down this path, and there is a lot of information about donald trump that does not make him look particularly good. if this is an impeachment offence, i think many would still acknowledge that this behaviour is problematic, using us foreign power for his political gain. what you make of the fact that donald trump says he is too busy to watch the hearing and has dismissed it as a

witchhunt? this is typical trump language, that he dismisses any criticism. i‘m not too surprised, i‘m sure he will be very active on his twitter account soon if he isn‘t already kind of launching criticisms of the democrats, and the process, particularly, about how it is unfolding. took us through the process , unfolding. took us through the process, because we will hear more witness testimony on friday and next week, and then what happens? witness testimony on friday and next week, and then what happens7m witness testimony on friday and next week, and then what happens? it will go to the housejudiciary committee, who will take a vote on whether the house of representatives will decide whether they want to vote for impeachment. if those go through, ultimately will go to the senate, in which case, that essentially acts as the trial for the president. which case, that essentially acts as the trialfor the president. if which case, that essentially acts as the trial for the president. if he is impeached in the process, he will be removed from office, but that is unlikely, because republicans have a majority, and very few are likely to

betray the president. if he isn't removed, what impact could this have on the real action in 2020?|j removed, what impact could this have on the real action in 2020? i think thatis on the real action in 2020? i think that is really the big?, and, to be honest, i don‘t think it is going to have a whole lot of impact either way, simply because americans are so divided on donald trump, and have strongly held opinions. i don‘t think even viewing this product us and we will move them one way or the other. donald trump, as we know, as such a staunch base, a very loyal base, and they have stuck with him to this point, i think they will stick with him to the end, so we will see how this unfolds. thank you. and you can continue watching those donald trump impeachment hearings live on bbc parliament a jury has heard that a teenage girl

escaped from an alleged serial rapist by jumping naked from a bedroom window. joseph mccann is accused of 37 offences. 0ur correspondent danny shaw has been at court. the old bailey has been hearing about the escape of a 17—year—old girl who the prosecution alleges with rates and held captive along with rates and held captive along with her mother and brother at their home in lancashire. now, according to the prosecution, she managed to get away by jumping to the prosecution, she managed to get away byjumping naked from a first—floor bedroom window. cctv footage shows her then clambering over a low garden wall and running away, limping, as she then went to a relative‘s house where she raised the alarm by dialling 999, and i call this place of the jury today. you can hear the girl, who is sounding hysterical, sobbing and screaming down the phone, and she says, at one point, he has got a knife, he has held us hostage. the

court was also shown cctv footage of the first alleged victim ofjoseph mccann. she was in a car which had parked at a petrol station. the prosecution say that mr mccann had parked the car with the woman, the 21—year—old woman, in the passenger seat. you cannot see herface because it has been deliberately blurred so as not to identify her, but mr mccann is then shown going into the petrol station to try and use a cashpoint machine. it said that all this took place after he had abducted the woman at knife—point of the street after she had been to a nightclub in watford, then take on her back to her house and raped her. we have also been hearing about howjoseph mccann was eventually caught. it follows a dramatic chase along the streets of cheshire in which it is alleged that he went round a roundabout the wrong way being pursued by police,

collided with a car. he then got lost, somehow, the police lost him ina lost, somehow, the police lost him in a maze of residential streets, and he took a bike, then hired a taxi, then he was stopped at a roadblock and was eventually tracked down to a field where he climbed up a tree before there was a stand—off with police. eventually he was arrested. he said nothing with police at interview, but he did tell a police officer, if you had caught me with the first two, the rest of this would never happen. the trial continues tomorrow. now it‘s time for a look at the weather with mel coles. blue skies have offered some respite from their wet weather we have seen recently, but not for all. down towards south—west england and wales, you can see quite clearly this big bank of rain bearing clouds, and it has already produced some snow over the high grounds of

south wales and south—west england. it will work a little further north and west with the night progresses. elsewhere, clear skies, and west with the night progresses. elsewhere, clearskies, ice on thursday morning as temperatures drop below freezing. shouldn‘t be quite so cold the further south you come but here is the troublemaker, this band of rain. it will pivot as it goes on through thursday. bristol and gloucestershire could see some rain, and it will edge its way into areas that have seen recent flooding. to the south, sharp showers, to the north, some sunshine, but a blustery north—easterly wind which certainly won‘t help the temperatures. they are disappointing, single figures are disappointing, single figures are best.

labour pledges to outspend the tories with an extra cash boost for the health service. it would amount to an additional £6 billion a year for the nhs in england by 2023—24. labour will end austerity to bring waiting lists down, stabilise our accident and emergency services and deliver the quality cancer care patients deserve. we‘ll be looking at the figures and seeing whether they add up. also tonight: as the army arrives to bolster flood defences, the prime minister visits some of the worst affected areas. since the government came in in 2010, there‘s been a huge amount allocated to flood defences, but it‘s plain we‘re going to have to do more. after weeks of secret testimony, the impeachment hearings