on the trump administration's handling of the pandemic. in an online address to graduating students from historically black colleges and universities, mr obama said many officials didn't even pretend to be in charge. italy's prime minister has said coronavirus cases could rise as travel restrictions are set to ease from the beginning ofjune. giuseppe conte said italy must accept the risk, otherwise the country will never be able to start again. the uk government has defended its plan to reopen schools in england, and warned that the longer they're closed, the more children will miss out. teaching unions say they're not convinced that it's safe for more pupils to return byjune. the uk education secretary has insisted he's following the best scientific advice. coming up at 6 o'clock, breakfast with chris mason and rachel burden. but first on bbc news,

the week in parliament. hello again and welcome to the week in parliament. lifting england's lockdown, the prime minister promises to trust the people. the common sense of the british people got us through that first phase of this disease. i'm absolutely confident they will get us through the next as well. there's a new slogan — are you staying home or staying alert? or just confused? what the country needs at this time is clarity and reassurance. and at the moment, both are in pretty short supply. and as mps are told to get back to work, is the new high—tech virtual parliament about to switch off? stay at home, stay alert — to what? work from home, come to work, come in on monday, come

in on wednesday. it's like a comms hokey—cokey. but first, how was your monday? for the newspapers, it was to be happy monday, even magic monday — the day borisjohnson released england from lockdown. it didn't quite turn out like that, with the prime minister striking a more cautious tone than expected during his televised address, sketching out a road map for the way out of lockdown. you could run more than once a day, meet a friend in the park if you kept your distance, even go to a garden centre or play golf, and drive as far as you liked for that exercise within england. there was a new slogan — stay alert. but a rather put—out scotland, wales and northern ireland stuck to the old stay at home message, amid some confusion about what people could and couldn't do. our challenge now is to find a way forward that preserves our hard—won gains, while easing the burden of the lockdown.

and i will be candid with the house. this is a supremely difficult balance to strike. there could be no greater mistake than to jeopardise everything we've striven to achieve by proceeding too far and too fast. we will be driven not by hope or economic revival as an end in itself, but by data and science and public health. there was a new emphasis on getting people back to work. anyone who cannot work from home should be actively encouraged to go to work, and sectors that are allowed to be open should indeed be open, but subject to social distancing. these include food production, construction, manufacturing, logistics, distribution, scientific research. and to support this, to explain this again, we're publishing guidance for businesses on how to make these workplaces safe, covid—secure. the labour leader said the statement offered as many questions as answers. what the country needs at this time is clarity and reassurance.

and at the moment, both are in pretty short supply. and at the heart of the problem, it seems, is that the prime minister made a statement last night before the plan was written, or at least finalised, and that has caused considerable confusion. and he saw the beginning of the end of the four nations approach. the prime minister will know that there's not consensus, either on messaging now or on policy, between the uk government and those in wales, scotland and northern ireland — not something i know he wanted to see, but now we're in that position, raises serious concerns of a real danger of divergence. a theme picked up by nationalist parties. last night, the prime minister said — and i quote — "i have consulted across the political spectrum across all four nations of the united kingdom". can the prime minister therefore explain why his government didn't share his new slogan with the devolved administrations, leading them to learn of the change in the sunday newspapers? further to that, will

the prime minister commit not to deploy this new slogan in scotland and wales and northern ireland, unless the devolved governments decide otherwise? mr speaker, there is now a three nations approach. wales, scotland and northern ireland all agree on policy and message. and i mean this with no malice, but for the sake of clarity, can he confirm that in almost everything he has announced today, the prime minister is acting as the prime minister of england? prime minister. no, mr speaker, i reject that completely, and i think that most people looking at what we're saying will know that it carries — it is very good advice for the entire population of the united kingdom — though i perfectly respect the inflections and variations that may be necessary both locally, regionally and nationally to reflect differences in those areas. all in all, a less than comfortable hourfor borisjohnson,

who faced mps again on wednesday for prime minister's questions. this time, the focus was on the government's record in tackling the epidemic in care homes. mr speaker, in his speech on sunday, the prime minister said that we need to rapidly reverse the awful epidemic in our care homes. but earlier this year, and until the 12th of march, the government's own official advice was — and i'm quoting from it — "it remains very unlikely that people receiving care in a care home will become infected". yesterday's ons figures showed that at least 40% of all deaths from covid—i9 were in care homes. does the prime minister accept that the government was too slow to protect people in care homes? no, mrspeaker. prime minister.

and it wasn't true that the advice said that. and, actually, we brought the lockdown in care homes ahead of the general lockdown. and what we've seen is a concerted action plan to tackle what has unquestionably been an appalling epidemic in care homes, and a huge exercise in testing is going on — a further £600 million, i can announce today, for infection control in care homes. the two leaders later swapped letters, accusing each other of making inaccurate claims. back in the commons, sir keir starmer said the prime minister was asking the public to support decisions that would affect millions of lives. after the confusion of the last few days, gaining public confidence in them is crucial. crucial. the prime minister says his decisions were — and i quote — "driven by the science, the data and public health". so to give the public confidence in the decisions, can the prime minister commit to publishing the scientific advice that the decisions were based on?

borisjohnson said scientific advice would be published in due course. i think people can see exactly what we're trying to do as a country and they can see that everybody is still required to obey the social distancing laws, the social distancing rules, and the common sense of the british people got us through that first phase of this disease. i'm absolutely confident they will get us through the next as well. the prime minister. but borisjohnson‘s isn't the only government under pressure over deaths in care homes. in scotland, more than 20 residents at a lanarkshire care home have died of confirmed or suspected coronavirus in less than two months. highgate care home, in uddingston, has lost around a quarter of its residents since march. at holyrood, the deaths prompted questions to the first minister. presiding officer, fixing testing must become this government's overriding focus, and it's clear it hasn't been.

it's also clear that the government could have been more transparent about what it was doing for care homes in the early days of the outbreak. mistakes were made at the start and they have led to the excess deaths we see today. first minister, in light of the tragedy in uddingston and others, do you agree that when it comes to testing and care homes that, by any standard, this is a failure? first minister. no, i don't. let me say — i'm not even speaking as first minister here, i'm speaking as a human being. i deeply regret every single death from this virus and i think all of us are in that position. but i also know — and i said, ithink, the very first time i stood in this chamber and talked about what we were dealing with, i said that mistakes would be made. i said i would make mistakes, the government would make mistakes. we are dealing with an unprecedented situation, and i am sure that is the case. there is not a day, there's probably not an hour that goes right now where i don't question myself, i don't agonise over the decisions

we are taking to make sure we are learning as we go and we are getting these decisions as right as possible. and i suspect everybody — i hope everybody in a leadership position the world over right now is going over that same process. the latest figures produced yesterday by independent professional statisticians did show that the proportion of deaths from covid—19 in scottish care homes is nearly double that in england. to the scottish government, sir harry burns, said in his evidence to this parliament's covid—19 committee — and i quote him — "if one of the elderly residents is exposed to the virus, they are much more likely to get it. the nurses might then spread it unwittingly. " that is clearly what is happening. i'm really not interested — i've not been interested since the start of this in political comparisons or anything. it isjust not relevant to me right now. but i do want to challenge this —

that the death toll in care homes is double in scotland what it is elsewhere in the uk. i do not believe that is the case. nicola sturgeon. like scotland, wales has kept the stay at home" slogan, although some lockdown restrictions have been lifted. in wales, you can now exercise more than once a day, as long as you don't drive there. and you can have a meal outdoors — something the welsh health minister vaughan gething was photographed enjoying two days before the rules were relaxed. unsurprisingly, that was raised during a virtual session of the welsh parliament. it's very clear from the guidance that prevailed here in wales on saturday that going for a walk and having a picnic can not be considered to be exercise and is not intended to be a reasonable excuse. you changed the guidance on monday. many people will think that that might be because of the fact that the health minister was photographed sitting on a park bench, having a picnic

with his family over the weekend. now, it looks to the public that it's one rule for the health minister and another rule for them. so don't you agree with me that vaughan gething has had his chips? and when are you going to remove him from the park bench and put him on the subs bench, where he belongs? well, i've already said i'm not going to be drawn into that sort of distasteful personal attack on anybody. a brief stop to allow a child to eat is not a picnic in anybody's language. the first minister said the decision to change the rules was taken on the previous thursday. later, vaughan gething himself was challenged over the welsh government's plans for a new test, track and trace strategy to stop the spread of coronavirus. we all surely hope to be able to start moving towards significantly lifting restrictions in the not—too—distant future.

that's what we all hope for, but we can't start thinking of significantly lifting lockdown restrictions before we have a robust test and trace plan. at some point over the next week, we'll have health boards and some of their partner local authorities looking to trials, some of the contact tracing element of it, with a particular focus on the care home sector. and there will be lots of learning to take from that. vaughan gething. the northern ireland executive published a five step plan for exiting lockdown. step one will see changes to rules on exercise and churches opening for private prayer. unlike in england, there's no timetable for lifting restrictions, although the dup‘s first minister arlene foster said she hoped to reach the final stage by december. she and the sinn fein deputy first minister made a joint statement to mlas at stormont. as of today, we remain subject

to restrictions which no one wants to last a day longer than is absolutely necessary. these are measures we would not contemplate in normal times. we know that they are having a significant effect on people's ability to live their lives the way they and we want. so we wanted to set out for the assembly today for us and we today are thoughts on how to move forward when the time is right. but mlas were impatient for a timetable. the when is important and i think it would have been useful to include timescales in this document with the proviso that those could be changed or moved due to circumstances. this is not the worst document in the world, i think compared to other nations, i think this is something a community can look at, but this is something that people will say when will we go to stage one? i understand the desire to want a date. i want to have a date. i wish i could say on x date this is going to

happen. unfortunately because it is dependent on the science and disease spread we have to be very careful about that. the deputy first minister said the executive was appealing to people to be patient. the debate over the crisis in care homes continues at westminster. the government says 30,000 coronavirus tests a day will be available to staff and residents in england by earlyjune. the assurance came as the national care association said care homes felt "completely abandoned" as the infection swept across the uk. in the lords, labour's shadow health minister said that unless testing was significantly improved there could be a second peak in deaths. the government's on recovery strategy document now admits they cannot guarantee every care home will even be off offered testing until the 6th of june so another false and misleading promise. the government itself says thousands have been done and care homes. will the noble lord the minister explained to the house how he plans to get to grips with the total and tragic chaos that currently prevails?

care home testing is offered to all care homes, care home staff and patients who need it, we are prioritising those who ask for it first and we are working through the list, by earlyjune for any who needed. covid—19 affects people in care homes at different times and therefore a test is only valued on a specific day. does the government understand that one tests is not enough as repeat tests are often required? can my noble friend the minister say what steps have been taken to increase the number of tests and care homes in order to save lives? we are working through those homes that do have an infection, those are the ones we are prioritising, we are working through all of their residents and staff, offering second and regular testing until the infection is eradicated and that logical prioritisation

is exactly the right way to use the resources of both time and supplies that are necessary. several peers were concerned about how quickly results of the tests came back. why and in english care home where a close relative of mine lives, the staff and patients including astonishingly patients discharged from hospital still have to wait at the 21 days for the results of their covid—19 tests? there are undoubtedly cases where tests have taken longer and last weekend we had a laboratory let us down and we did have some delays last weekend but i would like to pay tribute to the team who turned around a very difficult situation. but by far the vast majority of the tests are turned around and the target time. lord bethell.

this was a week the scale of the economic cost of coronavirus became more apparent. the economy shrank by 2% in the first three months of the year, as the pandemic forced the uk into lockdown. the chancellor, rishi sunak, said it was "very likely" the uk was in a "significant recession". he came to the commons to announce that a scheme to pay the wages of workers on leave because of the virus will be extended to october. furloughed employees will continue to receive 80% of their monthly wages up to £2,500. but he told mps said the government will ask companies to "start sharing" the cost and the expensive scheme could not continue indefinitely. more than a quarter of all workers, seven and a half million jobs, are now covered by it. until the end ofjuly there will be no changes whatsoever. then from august to october the scheme will continue for all sectors and regions of the uk but with greater flexibility to support the transition back to work. employers currently using this scheme will be able to bring

furlough employees backed part—time. we will ask employers to start sharing with the government the cost of people's salaries. the people currently furloughed when taken aback by government spokespeople suggesting that people needed to be weaned off an addiction to the scheme. we must think knowledge that people did not want to be furloughed and edit craig tarry no choice of their own, following government advice on the closure of sectors so it is critically important they are not penalised by that choice. the use of the word addiction is not one i have ever used nor when i agree with. knowing who is on the furlough scheme wants to be on this scheme. people up and down the country believe in the dignity of their work, going to work, providing for their families, it is not their fault that their business have been asked to close, it is not their fault they were asked to stay at home

and that is why i establish this scheme to support these people and their livelihoods at this critical time. the extension of the scheme was given a broad welcome. the levels of the furlough scheme prematurely will risk a second peak. the scottish government have been clear that the stay—at—home advice has not changed so will he commit to ensuring that the job retention scheme will maintain and place in scotland, wales and northern ireland if there lockdown continues longer than england? just to clarify there will be no reduction in the level of support for those on the scheme. that is a commitment i made earlier so i am not entirely sure whether it

i understood the question right but it is crystal clear those on the scheme have that reassurance and the level of support they will receive will not be changed and they will be shared that the wages and supported by the government and employers. what we don't know yet is how big the share paid by employers will be. and the furlough scheme won't help everyone. cannot i urge him yet again tilted at those employees and self—employed who have not been helped at all and are in dire straits. who are not on their employers payroll, could he look at the starter scheme i propose in april and his refusal to help those self—employed people who operate through limited companies to having cut a draft. mr speaker, the self—employment scheme remains one of the most generous and comprehensive anywhere in the world and it is to provide support to those people who have a different pattern of working. the chancellor, rishi sunak.

before we go, time for a little bit of parliamentary history. mps held their first electronic vote after a lengthy debate on the covid—i9 crisis. but not before the speaker had given a little warning to any mp tempted to delegate their duty to a researcher, spouse or child. i ask all honourable members to pay careful attention to what the procedure committee say about the integrity of the system. as the committee states any member it not available to vote will be a serious breach of privilege. mps usually vote by filing through one of two corridors either side of the chamber so a chance to vote by computer or phone was a big change. to test the technology, the first vote was on a bland motion. the question is that this house consider is covid—i9. it will fall to remote division. the clerk will initiate the vote.

and with a click the members' hub was open. twenty minutes or so later came the result of that historic vote a landslide. the ayes 363, the notice... the ayes have it, the ayes have it. but perhaps mps shouldn't get too used to this brave new digital world. the commons leader, jacob rees mogg, told them the changes were only temporary. it is clear that soon parliament will set an example for how we move back gradually to a fully functioning country again. our constituents would expect nothing less. while we must move and step with public health guidance it is vital that when we are asking other people to work and go to their places of work if they cannot do so from home, we should not be the ones who are exempt from that. his comments didn't appear to go down well with mps or 2a hours later with the speaker.

nothing in the leader's announcement changes that position on social distancing and in and around the chamber, and throughout the parliamentary estate. the only changes from the guidance from public health england can actually do that. i think we are all agreed on that. and sir lindsay hoyle warned that if mps had to vote in person rather than online it could take up to an hour each time. thanks to social distancing. labour said jacob rees mogg was contradicting the government's own advice to work from home if possible. but the leader has done is to further confuse the message i am sorry to say, to stay at home and alert and to work from home, to come in on wednesday, it is like a commons hokey pokey. jacob rees mogg said the government's advice was if you need to go to work, you must go to work. and the virtual parliament was ineffective.

we have no flexibility to come into debate and note advance of arguments and simply a series of prepared statements made one after another. that is not the house of commons doing its proper duty or proper role of scrutiny of the government. but what about mps self isolating or shielding? should scotland, wales and northern ireland ignore their government's advice and return to work? without these questions answered is unbelievably reckless. jacob rees mogg was unpersuaded. and not everything with the new technology went according to plan when mps came to vote on food standards. i have been informed that there is a number of members, a small number of members, who have inadvertently cast their votes by electronic means in the opposite way to the way in which they had intended to vote. i am informed that their use

of technology was not quite as good as they felt that it ought to be. and that a few members have made a mistake. ayes, noes. noes, ayes. it's not as easy as it looks. no wonder the chancellor, rishi sunak, was among the accidental rebels who voted the wrong way. perhaps he had other things on his mind. that's it for the week in parliament. thank you for watching. i hope you canjoin alicia mccarthy on bbc parliament at eleven o'clock on monday evening for the latest from westminster. from me, david cornock, bye for now.

hello. temperatures are set to climb over the next few days, peaking around the middle of the week with highs of 26 or 27 degrees in the south. a lot of dry weather as well, but the further north and west you are across the uk, the greater the chance of seeing some outbreaks of rain. that's certainly the case on sunday — this frontal system passing across the northern half of the country, but that front running up against this area of high pressure, which will be keeping things dry down to the south, and the squeeze between that high pressure area and the frontal systems pushing in from the west will drive the air up from the south — an increasingly warm feel over the coming days. so, for sunday, we see some rain across the northern half of the uk. parts of north wales, northern england, just the odd spot of drizzle, which should tend to peter out during the day, and the rain across northern ireland and northern scotland will tend to fizzle around lunchtime but we expect more wet weather from the west into the late afternoon. further south, we'll see some spells of hazy sunshine, light winds here, more of a breeze further north

you are and those temperatures, well, 17 degrees in aberdeen, 20, maybe 21 towards the south—east of england. just nine degrees there in lerwick, but shetland will spend much of the day under sunny skies. now, as we head through sunday night, we'll see these outbreaks of rain once again pushing across northern areas. further south, it stays predominantly dry with some clear spells, and certainly not a cold night — actually quite a mild one, nine to 11 degrees as we begin monday morning. and monday's weather setup is a similar one. high pressure to the south, frontal systems to the north. notice, though, there is a bit of a gap between these two frontal systems, so even across northern areas, there will be a fair amount of dry weather. we see these outbreaks of rain drifting away from mainland scotland and up across the northern isles, then something a little bit drier, still with a fair amount of cloud. similar story for northern ireland, northern england — the odd spot of rain. further south, it's dry with some spells of sunshine and slightly warmer. again, 23 degrees in london. as we go into tuesday, it's another fine, dry, largely sunny day for much of england and wales,

but for northern ireland and scotland, again we see cloud, we see some splashes of rain at times but not all the time. temperatures here, well, between about 14 and 18 degrees, but the further south and east you are, highs of 25 or 26. and we could touch 27 in the south on wednesday. by thursday, the increasing chance that we'll see rain spreading from the west, and it will start to turn a bit cooler.

good morning, welcome to breakfast, with chris mason and rachel burden. our headlines today: borisjohnson acknowledges lockdown rules in england are now more complex and says he understand people's frustrations. the prime minister warns a vaccine for coronavirus may never come, but says the uk is leading global efforts to develop one. ba rack obama launches a scathing attack on donald trump's handling of the pandemic. you know all those adults who you used to think were in charge and knew what they were doing? turns out they don't have all the answers. a lot of them are not even asking