the aim is to vaccinate around 300 million people by the end ofjuly. two vaccines are being used, one of which was developed in the country and given emergency approval. india has the second highest number of covid—19 infections in the world. authorities in all 50 us states are bracing for more protests asjoe biden�*s inauguration moves closer. 25,000 members of the national guard will patrol the streets around the capitol building in washington with much of the city in lockdown. it follows the violence by supporters of president trump, earlier this month. ten climbers from nepal have completed one of the last remaining challenges in mountaineering — reaching the summit of the world's second highest peak in winter. k2, which is only 200 metres shorter than everest, has long been referred to as "the savage mountain". now on bbc news,

dateline london. hello, i'm shaun ley. welcome to a programme that brings together some of the uk's leading columnists, bbc specialists and foreign correspondents who file their stories for audiences back home from the dateline london. this week, a dickens of a programme with an election past, an election present and an election still to come — which may be sooner than we think. and we've a spirited panel, even though they're not a panel of spirits. polly toynbee�*s column appears every week in the guardian, a liberal newspaper in the uk. jonathan sacerdoti is a political commentator, explaining the uk and europe to audiences in the middle east. he also campaigns against anti—semitism. with me in the studio, hugh pym who, as the bbc�*s

health editor, has been guiding audiences through the pandemic, as well as all of us in bbc news who rely on the specialist knowledge of hugh and his team. welcome to you, hugh, as well as polly and jonathan. it's good to have you on dateline. during the four years following the referendum here in which the uk voted to leave the european union, we used to joke on dateline that we couldn't wait for the day when we could talk about something other than brexit. more fool us! coronavirus — or covid—19, a label which tags it with the year it first emerged — is a global health pandemic which has triggered an economic crisis and is a challenge to politicians that will enhance the reputation of some and destroy others. here in the uk, what are known as �*excess deaths�* are running at a rate not seen since the end of the second world war. some who survive the virus are stuck with life—changing effects on their body. as for people with other conditions, in england, the number of patients waiting for more than a year has gone from 1,600 just before

the pandemic began to 192,000 now. hugh, it is an extraordinarily complicated picture. broadly, though, given the terrible effects this has had in the uk and around the world, how is the uk system bearing up — both the health system and the people who are ultimately accountable for it, the government? if you go into hospitals — as i have been privileged to do, along with colleagues — you see the extraordinary dedication from frontline nhs staff working in really difficult conditions — as they are in hospitals and all health care systems — but with intensive care patients, the strain and stress on staff — they went through it all last march and april, then in the autumn and then now, and it is really, really admirable, seeing what is going on there and the nhs, we should all be proud

of the nhs for what it has been doing. the uk is at a very important phase in this pandemic because we have got to the stage were senior health officials are saying that the peak in terms of new cases may have passed in some parts of the south east of england and london. but you then have a delayed reaction, as always, in terms of new patients going into hospital and deaths. so we learned from health officials that probably the peak for the nhs is 7—10 days away — a lot more pressure there on hospitals. but with deaths, it could take even longer, and you have up to 87,000 deaths now in the uk, and it's a pretty sobering reminder that the death toll could continue to rise — the daily death toll continue going up. and the path out of this, in terms of living with covid which, we in the uk and people around the world, will have to adjust to doing perhaps for years to come at some level. how treacherous is that path out? well, the vaccine roll—out has

been widely, widely praised for where the uk has got to — more than 3 million actually vaccinated now with the first dose — 300,000 recorded in one day — and there is a target to get to the middle of february where vulnerable groups, the over 70s and care home residents and workers and health care workers will all be vaccinated — about 15 million people. the government will have to be held to account over that but beyond that, the roll—out of vaccine does offer hope but rhis virus will be around for a long time and people to get used to a new normal, i think. polly, you wrote this week about something people perhaps hadn't even thought about very much in the uk — that election yet to come, which you think might conceivably, at least, come sooner than it has to. you might not think this is much of a backdrop to even be thinking about for any politician who wants to keep theirjob. politicians always think

about elections all over the world — it is never farfrom their mind, making that calculation — that's the nature of democracy. there is a problem for our government which although he had a phenomenal success a year ago in the election with a very large majority, looking ahead to win the next election would be, if we stuck to our fixed terms in 2024, things will look very grim indeed. our economy think tanks are warning the government will have to want to splurge money on an election with one have to tighten everything up. it will be a very rough time. jobs may not have fully recovered. people's personal incomes will onlyjust about get back to where — they were then, and a lot of people may be feeling very sore~ — we will have had the next three years very tough indeed. so the one opportunity might be if boris johnson can really pull off the vaccinations

at the pace at which he says he will — and he has given some very firm dates — there will be such joy over the world, such a sigh of relief. the one thing everybody longs for that will set us free or, as hugh pym says, to some extent, not quite normal but virutally, and than the lockdown so it could be if vaccinations went well there could be a roaring '20s feeling — euphoria, everybody rushing to restaurants and pubs, almost dancing in the streets almost, and so in that mood, it may be a good time — at the beginning of next year perhaps — to cash in on that, have an election and then not have an election when things economically will be very dark. afterall, by then, people will be saying "how come we have had the worst economic hit in europe" — an 11% hit — "and the highest number

of deaths and the worse number of infections" so it could be a small window. i don't know if he will dare take it, be might take it. politicians often dare and certainly a risk jonathan. but he is a passionate supporter, borisjohnson — his idol is winston churchill — and that bit of history ought to remind him you can be standing on the balcony with the king and queen celebrating victory one day, and out of downing street a few months later. because the elections is great, you won the war but we want someone else to fight the piece. —— someone else to fight the peace. i think if i may be idea i of boris johnson planning a flash election is fanciful, - seems like a mixture of wishful thinking and conspiracy theory or perhaps just an article - complaining about - everything he got wrong. i don't know exactly. but i don't think he would not necessarily want to call - an unnecessary- election, i don't think the public would want it, and i realise we all have plenty of complaints - about the government.

like most people, i certainly do - and how they are - handling the pandemic. but i also think- as we live through these extraordinary times it is worth both taking into account - the enormous challenges - they are dealing with and also looking not only at the areas of bad performance but also| will be have donej well as a country. the economy contracted by 2.6% in november — i that's the first fall after six months of significant - increases, and it's less than l the 5.7% that many expected. the first lockdown last april saw an 18.8% contraction i in that month and our. economy is 8.5% smaller than it was before i that crisis so i think the government has a lot to deal with and i think. it has acted fast and done whatever was needed as iti could, has not always got it right, but no government has. and i think they spent £280| billion supporting businesses and workers, they protected 9.6 millionjobs, they had _ that the job retention scheme. i mean, think about a year back

— who would have imagined - a conservative government- paying 80% of the wages of huge numbers of people in this conutry? . and they argue it l is their responsible attitude to spending - in the best of times that has allowed them to cope - with these worst of times. now, i will reiterate, l i am not totally happy with every decision - the government is making, but i think most of the - broadcast media has scoffed. oh, i think you have lost me. polly, let's come back to you because we can hear him that we have lost the picture so do you want to briefly come back, and we will move on. people are cutting a lot of slack to the government and saying "this is a hard time — who would want to be running the country at this moment?" true all over the world, a hard time for governments but i think labour and the tories _ but i think labour and the tories are neck and neck in the polls — but labour has come up hugely from its disastrous last election a year ago underjeremy corbyn. even so, i think there is a lot of anger and distrust

at the government about the failure on testing and tracing, they kept promising moonshot and world beating this and that — we have been the worst — and not the most generous in terms of protecting jobs — other countries have been more generous — so how it all falls out at the end of this, i do think that a really successful vaccine operation could wipe out a lot of the painful memories of how badly the government has done. after all, it's had 64 changes to its rules about how far you should lock down, who and where in the country should lock down, left people very confused and angry about some of the own advisers like dominic cummings failing to keep to the rules themselves and not being punished for it. so there is a mixture of things here. my suggestion that might be an election is only that is certainly a window of hope if all goes well. and i don't think there will be a great deal of hope later after that. well let's see if something can

give borisjohnson temptation. the election present. the country in the lead in the global vaccination stakes is israel. the first recipient there was prime minister benjamin netanyahu. that was one month ago. on thursday, as the two millionth dose was injected, mr netanyahu was there again, congratulating the woman who received it. in fact, he's been a ubiquitous presence, welcoming deliveries at the airport, visiting vaccination centres across the country. with polling day in march — that �*election present�* — he�*s hoping israelis notice, which they probably will. except watch television. —— there�*s not much else to do at the moment, except watch television. israel is on its third national lockdown. jonathan, you are back with us. you heard benjamin netanyahu on thursday saying at that evevnt there is light at the end of the tunnel for israelis. do you think he sees light at the end of the tunnel for him as well after very difficult months for his premiership? i feel you and i have had

this conversation before | because every time we discuss an israeli election, _ and there have been quite - a few of them in recent years, to explain why benjamin netanyahu — or bibi, i as his supporters call him — might remain. in power, even though much of the western media - likes to demonise him i as a far—right bogeyman. he simply is not that and many israelis have been impressed l by his leadership — - of course, some are not. covid—19 has been an - interesting test as i suppose it has been all- around the world. israel started with impressive results at containing - the spread of the virus, - but lifted the lockdown far too quickly and it saw disastrous results and now, it is doing. impressively well again - with the vaccination programme. britain is doing veryl impressively as well. israel has vaccinated far more of its population than any- country in the world. sure, it has a relatively small population, but it has acted l swiftly and in a very organised way to achieve that and yes, i netanyahu will be - hoping voters remember that when they vote in march.

israel might not have wanted another election but perhaps| the timing of this one has - at least helped accelerate that vaccine programme and in this instance, that is a wonderful. and unexpected side—effect bu not of the vaccine — _ of the democratic process. he has been at the airport welcoming every batch - of vaccines for the cameras, i so he is definitely making hay while the sun shines in that regard. - but i remember that broadly. speaking in 2018 when he came to the uk, he gave one of these stump speeches that every- public— event and in the press pack that followed him, i remember one of the things he talked - about was the large amount - of investment israel was making under him into digitising i its health records through the system they have | there of social health, but — by different health organisations competing with each other. - so it has the benefits of a private system . with the point of delivery people need for a social health care system. - by digitising it, he made it possible to get all these . vaccines, because pfizerl and the other developers have —

been delighted to get the data in real time. we will talk about potentially the health lesson with you but what about palestinians because health care is delegated to the pa, palestinian authority as far as west bank and gaza but the oslo accord is very clear that any crisis health care is ultimately the responsibility of the israeli government? there has been a lot of this. in the press and it might have helped israel and the pr front they had given vaccines - to palestinians but the facts unfortunately don't always i bear out what certain media outlets want to write about. i think it is not - the responsibility of the israeli government under the oslo accord to look- after the health needs of the palestinians, i they have their own health organisations and health l ministry. in fact they did noti ask for the vaccines in the beginning. israel has provided - a small number to them

which i understand were| swallowed up by wealthy influential people and that is perhaps what underlines - the real problem here - which is there may be less take—up amongst palestinians, less organisation amongst - leaders trying - to get the vaccines. they said they would get them through the who and israel. like every country, wants . to prioritise its own citizens, it is vaccinating palestinian citizens of israel along with other citizens - of israel in order of priority for the health needs. - i will not get into a dispute over the oslo accord, i noticed the spectator magazine said, "it is required to step in as and when needed", and i guess a global pandemic might be regarded as an ultimate need and it is in all of our interests for everybody to be vaccinated but on the point about the impact for benjamin netanyahu, could it be a way out for him? this is not an election of his choosing, it was forced on him because of the politics

of the dispute over the budget, something under the coalition agreement he signed was supposed to be passed and he was resistant to it. there are some suggestions he may have wanted an election because he was about to have to hand over the prime ministership to the other party of the coalition and it is a good way of stopping that happening. he is also facing charges on three separate criminal trials. — he is in some trouble. i think the success of the vaccination may well see him home or much better than he would have done before. the interesting thing about covid is it has shone a light on the gross inequality in this country, in israel because the palestinians have not been offered the same level or any level of vaccination and i think everywhere we are seeing people who are poorest who have

least power and voice have done worst. people with the worst living conditions and in manualjobs in this country have died in the greatest number and those of ethnic minorities, so we can think of covid is been quite a cruel searchlight on the nature of the societies we live in. what might we learn from israel? it is a remarkable progress of vaccination, driven hard by the prime minister there. that is a relatively small country with a relatively small population but could it provide some sort of model and could scientists globally learn about covid because of this programme? i think the digitisation of health records has been very important allowing for instant communication in terms of getting the vaccine rolled out but also allowing data to drug companies

to do their research. israel is well ahead, then you have the uae and bahrain and then the uk so the uk has done relatively pretty well and that is partly down to our largely down to the regulatory system, the nhra moved swiftly to give approval to the pfizer vaccine ahead of other global regulators and the us and europe and the uk were criticised for moving too quickly but i think most people would say the nhra moved quickly and oxford astrazeneca as well so that has been this drive to get them into the system ahead of other european countries although the us and certainly germany have begun to move more quickly as well. we were hearing on friday that the us is expecting the uk variant as it is known to become the dominant strain there by march.

we are hearing about a brazil variant, your lockdown, beginning on monday in terms of travel access to the uk people having to have a test or isolating. how much confidence as they are that the vaccine so far developed can deal with that? scientists say as of now there is no evidence that any of these variants will be resistant to the vaccine but they have got to keep monitoring it. the situation is moving so quickly. with brazil, there are two variants, one is in the uk but thought not to be particularly problematic and then another one which is much more so which has appeared in japan. the uk variant, which is known as the kent variant from the south—east of england, was moving very fast in december but the figures for the uk suggest cases may be coming down off the peak since it has been tackled effectively

by lockdown measures. this issue of variants is a very big potential problem longer term but i think for vaccines not at the moment. donald trump began his four years in the white house by having his press secretary pick a fight with the media overjust how many people came to watch his inauguration. it wasn�*t the "largest ever", as claimed. this coming wednesday, though, he may derive some small satisfaction that his successor will probably have the smallest crowd to assemble in washington, dc in modern times. the fear of armed extremists disrupting the inauguration means the biggest group in attendance will be the military and the police. polly, i was in washington the last time there was a contested election. the election past had almost been forgotten by inauguration day, everyone was focused on george w bush, it was all rhinestone and stetsons

at the parties, very different this time. is that a sense this election passed is going to be much harder for america to move beyond? that's the great question. that is what we don't know, we know america is a deeply ddded — society, 70 million people voted for donald trump, are they going to regret their vote or still feel cheated? it depends how the republican party behaves. we are beginning to see some of the most extreme republicans who went on pretending this was a stolen election back off and realise possibly they were doing huge damage to their country but also their party. if the republican party returns to something resembling a democratic conservative model then i think things can be held together.

if there go on being significant numbers of people in congress who are willing to keep pretending this was a stolen election then i think that is dangerous. i am sure we will get through the inauguration itself, there are police who were not there before and the army, people being kept away but the atmosphere will be alarming and sad that it will not be celebrated a, that everybody will be trepidations about it. here we have a thoroughly decent democratic head of the most important country in the world, all democracies around the world would have heaved a sigh of relief once joe biden is sworn in and we hope we'll return to having a strong democratic leader of the world who can be a beacon of hope again instead of somebody who supported dictators everywhere and despise democracy. jonathan, you have written extensively about the threat

from domestic terrorism. it looks like the fbi thinks some on the fringes of politics have attached themselves to this cause of a stolen election and has unleashed some forces that the system is finding it hard to contain. how big a threat potentially do some of these armed individuals pose? what is interesting - is the discussion of violence, who incites it and carries it out and who should censor what to avoid it and i am j very concerned about big technologies company, apple, google, amazon and twitter. who have — all acted to censor trump and shut down competitive service parler because they l will not accept the promotion of violence but twitter has . long hosted violent hashtags, kill trump, assassinate trump. only a few weeks ago - the published a supremely

leader's threat to israel- and in 2018 described israel on twitter as a malignant - cancerous tumour that has to be removed and eradicatedj and he was not blocked. the are fine with over and specific threats . of violence like that _ and however much some people dislike donald trump - it is worth remembering that when censorious and - illegitimate actions are taken to counter bad people it sets a precedent for them to be l taken against good people . and we do not need to agree who is good and bad to accept| that is worrying for technology companies run by unelected wealthy people and - unchallengeable by ordinary citizens to make those - decisions about what type of legally expressed news and opinions we can read. it is dangerous and wrong. i don't like how donald trump has reacted to losing - the election and the violence in the us is deeply worrying, coming from those fringes and potential domestic- terrorists but i don't.

just mean the storming of the capitol building, - i mean the months of violence and rioting that america has i suffered recently and watching all of it unfold over so many months in a country i have i enormous amounts of respect and love| for as really unsettling. it is vital that any of usl who condemn politically motivated violence from people we disagree with should also i condemn from people who we agree with and if we only- condemn one side we are not truly idea logically opposed l to violence, we are just political opportunists. i and that's true on both sides, left and right. i i think increasingly both sides are guilty of this. i 0ne really has to be precise. when donald trump, when charlottesville, neo—nazis killed somebody and donald trump said it is both sides, very often the violence has been much greater and more frightening from the trump supporters who are neo—nazis with swastikas and confederate flags. but to simply say it is all equivalent with black lives matter, mostly peaceful demonstrations, sometimes a bit

of rioting about nothing on the scale of intentional violence of the nazis. i think that is actually dishonest and we have to call out the right things. i completely agree that iran should not be allowed to put out death threats to israel on social media, i agree we should have the same standards of threatening violence whenever it comes in the world but let's be careful about one kind of demonstration and another. the biggest challenge is covid, 100 million people vaccinated in 100 days which is an easy headline, held for the country to move forward for this. it is hard for all economies and nations to move forward together as a particularly high level of covid and as we have

discussed so much depends for all these political leaders on how quickly covid can be brought under control but the final thought is one health official said the virus will not go away, it could become like flu, that you have an annual vaccine but it will not go away and how health systems and governments respond in the next nine months will be crucial. that at least something no spirits past, present, orfuture could predict, it would be unwise to do so. thank you for being with us. that�*s it for dateline london for this week — we�*re back next week at the same time. goodbye.

welcome to bbc news — i�*m lewis vaughanjones. our top stories: washington dc in lockdown: the fbi warns police across the us that the threat from violence remains high. india�*s vast vaccine roll—out is underway. we meet the hospital cleaner who�*s the first person in the country to get the jab. with dozens of tennis players confined to their rooms, there�*s anger that so many tested positive on their way to the australian open. a team of climbers from nepal conquer one of the last remaining challenges in mountaineering. it is a fantastic day for mountaineering. you know, i�*m just so proud of the nepali team.