hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. a major government u—turn in england — as the exams regulator says all a—level and gcse students in england will be given the grades assessed by their teachers — or their moderated grade — if that was higher. it will make would like to say sorry for that and we are now making steps to correct that. the opposition says the government should have sorted this out weeks ago, while the education secretary has apologised — saying students had been affected by "significa nt inconsistencies". where there is quite obviously injustices and we have seen that in the system, we have to act.

this problem has been there for months and the government has not sorted it out. it made the wrong decision last week, refused to change its mind until today and now there's a huge amount of unraveling that has to be done. the wales and northern ireland governments announce they will do the same for their students. anger on the streets of belarus — with a new wave of strikes to try to force president alexander lukashenko to step down. millions of self—employed workers in the uk can apply for a second coronavirus support grant — but for many it's too late. a break with convention for the democrats — no razamatazz asjoe biden and kamala harris launch their golden ticket in the midst of a pandemic in a huge policy reversal, affecting hundreds of thousands of pupils, a level and gsce results across the uk will now be based

on teacher assessments — rather than grades generated by computer analysis. the education secretary gavin williamson apologised this afternoon for the distress caused, and the chairman of the exams regulator quual acknowledged "the real anguish" and the damage to public confidence. our education editor branwenjeffreys has more. i was predicted a star and two as and i was given a star and b, b. stef has lost a place at cambridge. we have to work extra hard for where we we are and we haven't got anything from it. my grades are still very good, but i missed an opportunity. out of anyone, we should be trusting the teachers. they won't send us to courses that they know we can't do orjobs. it is such a small time frame that we have, it is just too

late for so many people. you got an a. it has been five days since results, now when confidence already lost, with uni places gone for some, a u—turn from the regulator and an apology. i would like to say sorry, we have recognised the difficulty that young people have faced coping with the receipt of grades that they were unable to understand the basis on which they had been awarded and... i would like to say sorry for that and we are now taking steps to put that right. universities had closed some courses. they had told not to offer to too many. now, the limit on places in england is lifted. very sorry for all those students

who have been through this. we are removing those caps, so that they have the ability to expand the expand the number of places. this problem has been there for months and the government has not sorted it out. it came to the wrong decision last week. refused to change its mind into it today. now there is a huge amount of unravelling. but don't underestimate the distress and anger it has caused to young people. in birkenhead, the college principal is not impressed. for some students it came too late. they're going to unleash a different set of problems now. this won't be the silver bullet to cure the ills that have been developed. we will have a different set of problems and anxiety. this thing is a mess that didn't have to be. stef and other students

downgraded face a dilemma — live with the decision they have made or renew the battle for theirfirst choice. joining me now is georgia vickers, an a—level student who was studying biology as a private candidate and whose result was downgraded from a b to an e. presumably that is changed by talk us presumably that is changed by talk us through the difficulties of getting this that it has. as a private candidate rather than coming from school. it is brought an entirely new set of problems, it is difficult for anyone to get the grades they deserve but i had to fightjust to grades they deserve but i had to fight just to get grades they deserve but i had to fightjust to get any grade, let alone the one that was then downgraded. yet taken to other eight levels you have decided to change because you want to read law, so,

where did you do that now complicated was that to get it assessed? it was incredibly difficult. i contacted a local exam centre last year october and they took me on and said i could go there, take my exams in the summer that would be perfectly fine. i didn't attend the school and i've never been there in person, and i was going to be that. but, with the advice released in march, they did not include private care on how we're going to get grades in a month later, when they release the information for private candidates, they essentially left a loophole that set exam centres could choose not to help private candidates that they didn't feel they could. which. that is another setback for you but thatis that is another setback for you but that is being resolved now, does that is being resolved now, does that mean you get to frustr struts university which i think was nottingham or had you done for your second choice or another university?

i have not applied for any university because i was not able to. none of the universities i want to. none of the universities i want to go to were going to accept any eve. and b means i can do that but my first choice of university, the university of nottingham have not been able to give me an answer because they've not got to review my new set of grades. how long have they given you for that? because it is looming and you have an accommodation and you have to sort out with faculty or joint. accommodation and you have to sort out with faculty orjoint. i want to be given you on that? they have not given me anything on that i spoke to the university of nottingham today and they said as soon as they know, they will contact everyone, but they know nothing yet. so, what can they do? in must've been pretty stressful. i was devastated. this entire process from months has felt like it or distract on and on and

every time there is light at the end of the top, it was taken away. it is beyond stressful and i'm definitely not calm. if nottingham said that we cannot take you this year but we will take you next year, is that something that you could contemplate because you've already had a year off, retaking in a level. because you've already had a year off, retaking in a levellj because you've already had a year off, retaking in a level. i cannot afford to take another year, been quite lucky with taking these a—levels is a private candidate, i've never worked and save up money for unity, but i can't afford to do that again. i need to go to uni this year if i'm not accepted by nottingham, i need to go somewhere else. keep us posted and best of luck with everything. we can now get more reaction. let's get more reaction now from the former education secretary — and now tory grandee — lord baker.

thank you forjoining us. apologising to parents, students and schools, a u turn. is that enough and why not sooner? i am very happy, i'm happy for all those students who we re i'm happy for all those students who were threatened with huge d scaling ce nty were threatened with huge d scaling centy gratings and humiliations. that anxiety and stress and mental trouble has been lifted and hopefully tonight is a happier place. were talking of their involvement. extraordinary state m e nts involvement. extraordinary statements and phrases in the statements and phrases in the statement today for that number ten had worked with them and it may not be the policy for the algorithm and they said 72 72 hours ago, there'd been no change and there was rampant grade inflation. is that not the case could shill about the apology three orfour case could shill about the apology three or four days case could shill about the apology three orfour days ago case could shill about the apology three or four days ago but thank heavensit three or four days ago but thank heavens it has been abandoned. i think it was so disastrous that they

appear to me that if you were to dig appear to me that if you were to dig a hole like the some of the government was in a hole in the government was in a hole in the government elastomer going to have an attempted governing with algorithm. because the algorithm thatis algorithm. because the algorithm that is going to create such failure is going to create such a political row, a huge political row of people being downgraded and couldn't understand why you could not explain to them the reasons. they were hurt, they were humiliated and that has to end. the point is that the government knew that there are problems of this algorithmic could have resolved this a few weeks ago after the scottish service and they checked precisely how this algorithm was going to work. some of the details of the algorithm are incredible. private pupils and classes of five or under ten would

get automatically marked up. classes of five or under ten would get automatically marked uplj couldn't agree with you more. and it was extraordinary the humiliation of suffering that people dealt with and it was discernible. the government realises this and they should've realised more quickly. what should've happened goes much further than that. when schools were in march, andi than that. when schools were in march, and i would not of the schools,, when they were closed in march, the secretary of state then said, now going to rely on teacher assessments. off quota of the experts keeping written exams absolutely honest and straight. they are not in the prediction business. and this put them in the prediction business and gave them a row and they should not of had that role in they should not of had that role in the political state decision of who should determine grades when it should determine grades when it should be left in the hands of the

department for education and clearly it was not. it was given to them, which was a mistake and they would devised a very inadequate algorithm. and algorithms do not have political antenna. because if you produce a result of such failure and reduction, you are going to have a hell of a political row in a personal row. should they be sacked? they never say that of their predecessors but i would say, the sole policy of algorithm was not really his policy. used as a spokesman for others. and therefore, thatis spokesman for others. and therefore, that is very embarrassing position to be in. that have been lots of embarrassing positions and concerns of schools been given to open and this just of schools been given to open and thisjust adds to of schools been given to open and this just adds to the chaos. let us look ahead. for those students we can begin the universities, there

are 30,000 pupils who missed their grades and are now summed up to their second choice. many more will be going to clearing. what are they going to do? with the universities going to do? with the universities going to do for me to contract with stu d e nts to going to do for me to contract with students to give them places now. hang onjust students to give them places now. hang on just a students to give them places now. hang onjust a moment, i think the universities are going to be very welcoming to students this year because they're not going to have any european students this year. i think the chinese student seem to be turning up in roughly the same quantity. but there's a big gap. million pounds gap for many universities and there will be looking for more students that suspect there will only be all too glad to take in the students, seeing that the first round did not get in. summer committed to providing accommodation for their first year students. that would take quite a lot of organisation if they've got any more? they've got lots of accommodation but accommodation used by european students in the past,

they have fallen right away because they have fallen right away because they were on to a very good deal they're going to get a big loan and probably never paid back, but they're not going to be there any longer. i just they're not going to be there any longer. ijust wanted a few thoughts, the results are coming up this thursday, do you think there is public confidence in the system with this government? i think there is confidence in the way that schools are run. at the big challenge is to get them open. and i'm very glad the teachers now will not have the whole problem of having to appeal to get their schools open. i think we've had such a disruption in education this year, which is quite unique, for five months of been left out and that means there are many youngsters lost the habit of going to school and a big loss was if you do not go to school regularly, math suffers. had she been

teeth and the government is being badly advised of drawn this issue? it was made by a lot of ministers together and this was the beginning of the great wave of covid—i9. but i would've kept the schools open because once you close the schools, you deserve a whole layer of society working parents and children in care and that sort of thing and i would've kept them going, particularly when youngsters have not really been of great risk to the viruses of the risk is been with the teachers and the staff and they should certainly should and will be protected. and that is backwards because it did not happen, but if it did happen, i believe a different message would be adopted. and the prime minister boris johnson message would be adopted. and the prime minister borisjohnson said that the system was working out the grades are a level student was robust and can be better, he was

wrong, wasn't the? he was badly advised, to call it robust and fair was clearly wrong, so i do not know who advised mounted i would advise teddy make of it, he and his advisers did not understand the implications of how this algorithm worked. and it was only experimental. it is absolutely wonderful that they are now back on track and that is going to be very encouraging to lots of students. and celebrations in many households tonight. scotland announced last week that teacher assessment grades would stand for all students there. and in wales, the government has now said that a—level, as level and gcse grades will also be awarded on that basis. in a moment we'll hear from our northern ireland correspondent chris page in belfast, but first, our wales correspondent tomos morgan at the welsh government building in cardiff.

we heard rumours all morning that a change may become again following protests a nd change may become again following protests and petitions, criticism by opposition parties in northern ireland decision. a few hours after this, the welsh education minister made the u—turn that all students and wells, a level and g csc stu d e nts and wells, a level and g csc students will be created by the created by them from now on. there was huge criticism by opposition parties and 42% lowered the welsh education, the minister said they made a pledge that no student would get a grade lower than what they received last year at a s level. that was a robust and credible decision that was made by other devolved governments across the uk.

when they found that the uk government was going to follow in the footsteps of scotland and northern ireland, well set to follow suit and independent review has been promised after what is transpired here. this morning, the education minister in the devolved government said that he decided that the gcse results will be provided by schools and colleges and would he do the same for a level. all of the issue was that a fifth of a—level papers he was unable to make a decision. and of the same time as the westminster government was making its decision, the news conference at that in northern ireland, teachers estimate and predict the grades would be awarded to pupils where they are higher than the grades

which were awarded last week whenever a—level results were issued by the exam authority. teachers, pa rents by the exam authority. teachers, parents and students are very much welcome this author the question as to whether the stress of the last few days could be avoided in last week, about a third of the results we re week, about a third of the results were downgraded from the estimated grades given by teachers and so it is clear that it will make a significant difference to many peoples. the question is it will continue tomorrow and a measure of political significance in the storm assemblies being recalled for the summer recess to assemblies being recalled for the summer recess to discuss the issue. some students are still waiting for the results of their vocational qualifications 4 days after they were due. the association of colleges says most students have received their qualifications but pearson — the exam board in charge of btec‘s — admits there has been a delay for some. while ocr — the awarding body for cambridge technicals — said they would confirm results as soon as possible.

and we'll find out how this story — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers — our guests joining me tonight are madeline grant, deputy comment editor at the daily telegraph and the political commentator and former director of communications for the labour party, lance price. the latest government figures show there were 713 new confirmed coronavirus cases across the uk, in the latest 2a hour period. that means the average number of new cases per day in the last week is 1,000 and eighty. the deaths of 3 people were also reported in the last 2a hour period — that's those who've died, within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. that takes the total number reported across the uk to 41,369. across the world the number of new coronavirus infections continues to soar.

across the world the number of new coronavirus infections continues to soar. the worst affected countries, including the united states and india, have registered many tens of thousands of deaths. in europe, a rise in infections in some countries has raised concerns that more holiday destinations could be added to the quarantine list imposed by the uk. with a look at the global picture, here's our medical editor fergus walsh. there are now more than 21 million confirmed coronavirus cases around the world, and that figure is rising by more than a quarter of a million new cases every day. the global death toll now exceeds three—quarters of a million. in the past 2a hours, the world health organisation recorded nearly 6,000 deaths linked to covid—19, a grim statistic and, yet, it is less than a quarter of the daily deaths globally from cancer. worldwide, nearly 10 million people

a year die from cancer. the number of new covid infections in the four worst affected countries, the us, brazil, mexico and india, is trending upwards and the death toll is rising, too. more than 170,000 in the us and more than 50,000 in india. there are vast numbers of new covid—19 cases per day, but death rates are not going up at quite the same rate. we do now have several months of clinical knowledge to fall back on, we do have some treatments that we know will work, and that is useful for patient management. as we head towards the winter, we do have the threat of large—scale influenza outbreaks, so a health service trying to cope with flu and covid—19 at the same time, that could be devastating. in the southern hemisphere, well into its winter, there have been spikes in cases in new zealand and australia. new zealand's general election has been postponed by a month and its largest city, auckland, remains in lockdown. while australia, where a second wave

began in melbourne injune, has witnessed its deadliest day yet, with 25 deaths. so what about europe and the quarantine measures imposed by the uk? well, if you are coming to britain from any of the countries highlighted in red, you must self—isolate for 1h days. france, the netherlands and malta were added to a list at the weekend that already included spain and belgium. there are concerns that other holiday destinations may be added to the quarantine list. croatia, greece and turkey have all seen a recent spike in cases. downing street said protecting public health remained the main priority. the quarantine list will be updated later this week. a ao—year—old woman has appeared in court in west london charged with murdering her disabled son. the body of ten year old dylan freeman,

whose father is a celebrity photographer, was found at home yesterday after his mother — olga freeman — walked into her local police station. self—employed workers, who are eligible for government support during the covid crisis, can now apply for a second — and final — grant. the first scheme, launched in may, saw nearly 8 billion pounds claimed by 2.7 million people. but many self—employed people are concerned that they are again being left out. emma simpson reports. meet amy storey, a self—employed actor and entertainer, who has fallen between the gaps of the government's support schemes. it was a life—saver for our family, he kept us a in kept us fed and it just meant the world to us. but things are farfrom just meant the world to us. but things are far from normal. it is very important to catch up with old

lost fi na nces very important to catch up with old lost finances that we've had and to keep us afloat and me running my business. now banking a more self—employed support from the government, more than 3 million people qualify for the second crescent. this payment up for a maximum of £16,570. it will cover three months it has to be claimed by mid—october. not everyone will get it. from the cricket world cup to the festivals, the performers all have to be booked. that is for business but the work is straight up. before covid—19 business but the work is straight up. before covid-19 ijust had the best year ever. sue is not entitled to those in government support because she has a limited company director and paid mainly in dividends. rigging the small matter for low income. how long can you go on like this? we are literally on

the knife edge year, i do not know how we will be able to keep going and it is frightening and it is also distressing to feel that we have been abandoned. these schemes may not help everyone and there are other areas of support. but come the autumn, the pressure may be on to do more to keep people in theirjobs. the assessment grades will stand rather than back now to our story, and thousands of a—level students around the country have been absorbing the news that their teachers‘ assessment grades will stand, rather than the grades calculated by exam bodies. jon kay has been getting some reaction in bristol.

all the students would now have their situation upgraded. have their situation upgradedm have their situation upgraded. it is like they're trying to save face or something. they have given us all that stress for no reason. it means they'll get the a grade that he was predicting instead of the b he was given last week. i should be happy that i got boosted up, but it's like they toured with their emotions too much to be happy. so, yeah. i'm not sure what to feel. she felt she missed out on unity after getting three grades lower than predicted. now with the upgrade, she said she should be ok. but it has been a horrible few days. i was really upset on thursday. inconsolable upset on thursday. inconsolable upset but then, i have been stressed ibeen upset but then, i have been stressed i been trying to keep my head on, and all this time i been planning to go to union that means i may have to reta ke go to union that means i may have to retake the year have a forest gap year. are you relieved? mostly. just

a bit of shambles, really. who do you rely on? her place is already guaranteed to, but she is still fed up guaranteed to, but she is still fed up of the exams have been handled. the government decided we have been dealing with a pandemic, we have never had to deal with anything like this before, we have listened and we have acted. they made it really confusing and may people even more stressed at a time of the already stressed. dylan is stuck confused of where it leaves her. she is calling for protests calling for the whole system be overhauled. the fact that they did a u—turn now, i'm really glad, which that they're listening to us but i wonder if that's more because they want a good reputation and want to be reelected whether they actually care about us and our futures and everything else. just four stories from for students who have had four days they would rather forget. now, it's time for a look at the weather with susan powell

once again, thunderstorms prep flash flooding the parts of england and wales and produced dramatic skies like these in these images being sentin like these in these images being sent in for a weather watchers. things will get quieter and after the evening and overnight in terms of the thunderstorms that will slowly start to fade away, but we will see a band of persistent rain i do northern ireland and then tucking into wells in the northwest at the end of the night. noticing some showers will close them from the southwest of england by the end of the night. these showers will push their way north to the course of tuesdayit their way north to the course of tuesday it will be a similar story for some in terms of pretty intense thunder downpours to cope cope with. amounts of thunder and rain the flash flooding, wanted to show as possible here for northern ireland but some sunny spells and some warmth out there, highs of 22 or 23.

this is bbc news. the democrats kick off their big election year party. it was meant to be milwaukee — now it's in cyberspace. not quite the same buzz. tonight's star speaker is michelle obama — how many democrats wish she was on the ticket? there will be four live stages in delaware, wisconsin, la, and new york as democrats try to bring the party and the country together in a virtual convention. also in the programme... no new elections in belarus, not unless you kill me, says alexander lu kashenko.