a new plan to reform the asylum system — a new plan to reform the asylum s stem. a, , system. the government says the s stem is system. the government says the system is being — system. the government says the system is being abused _ system. the government says the system is being abused by - system. the government says the system is being abused by illegal| system is being abused by illegal traffickers who make many by putting people on boats or into containers. access to uk's asylum system should be based on need, not the ability to pay people smugglers. the measures outlined today _ pay people smugglers. the measures outlined today will _ pay people smugglers. the measures outlined today will do _ pay people smugglers. the measures outlined today will do next _ pay people smugglers. the measures outlined today will do next to - outlined today will do next to nothing — outlined today will do next to nothing to stop people from making dangerous crossings. we nothing to stop people from making dangerous crossings.— dangerous crossings. we will be lookinu dangerous crossings. we will be lookin: at dangerous crossings. we will be looking at how _ dangerous crossings. we will be looking at how other _ dangerous crossings. we will be looking at how other european l looking at how other european countries deal with refugees. also tonight... with higher jab rates. is that aimed at us?

some parts of liverpool council will be run by government commissioners. it follows police investigations into accusations of corruption. john lewis says it will close eight more stores across the country. nearly 1,500 jobs are at risk. left a bit, right a bit... marine experts try to re—open the suez canal, after a massive containership got stuck. and coming up in sportsday later in the hour on bbc news: five years after wales's greatest triumph in a major tournament, they meet belgium again — this time, in world cup—qualifying.

good evening and welcome to the bbc�*s news at six. the home secretary, priti patel, has set out her plans to reform britain's asylum system — that's the process under which people seek refuge here, on the grounds that they are fleeing persecution in their home country. ms patel claims the process is being abused by illegal people smugglers, who make money by trafficking those who can pay, rather than those most in need of sanctuary here. so, what's her proposal? if people arrive here illegally — for example, taking boats across the channel — the new plan will make it much harderfor them to claim asylum and stay in the uk. but those who arrive here using what she calls "legal settlement routes", such as being transferred formally from a refugee camp, will find it easier to get permission to stay in the country. but there's been severe criticism of these proposals, which have yet to be put to parliament. the charity refugee action says the new scheme chooses people on the basis of how they get here, rather than the threat of persecution they face. here's our home affairs correspondent, june kelly.

dover correspondent, june kelly. today. the latest arriva heading dover today. the latest arrivals heading to shore after being picked up heading to shore after being picked up in theirflimsy heading to shore after being picked up in their flimsy inflatable. like so many, they have paid thousands to the people smugglers. over the past year, patrol boats have found families with day old babies and a pension of 97. during the last 12 months, 8,500 people crossed the channel in this way. the majority of them claimed asylum and this is what them claimed asylum and this is what the home secretary wants to stop. this couple arrived in britain from syria under an official resettlement scheme. they have made their home in preston with their two young sons. they will always be grateful for the support they received —— received right from the start. support they received -- received right from the start.— right from the start. they provide lots of help. _ right from the start. they provide lots of help, they _ right from the start. they provide lots of help, they show _ right from the start. they provide lots of help, they show us - right from the start. they provide lots of help, they show us the - right from the start. they provide i lots of help, they show us the local area, were doing lots of support in here. ., , , here. -- and help. during the pandemic. — here. -- and help. during the pandemic, jehad _

here. -- and help. during the pandemic, jehad used - here. -- and help. during the pandemic, jehad used his- here. -- and help. during the i pandemic, jehad used his skills here. -- and help. during the - pandemic, jehad used his skills as a pandemic, jehad used his skills as a tailor to make hospital garments. he is tailor to make hospital garments. he: is a hard worker, i was so proud of him. i is a hard worker, i was so proud of him. :, :, ., :, :, him. i have to return the favour for this country. _ him. i have to return the favour for this country, the _ him. i have to return the favour for this country, the british _ him. i have to return the favour for this country, the british people. i this country, the british people. the home — this country, the british people. the home office introduced us to this couple but stopped us asking them countries about —— questions about their fellow syrians who arrived here on boats. the sort of people the home secretary was focusing on in the commons today. our country is collapsing. the existence of parallel routes is deeply unfair. advancing those with the means to pay smugglers over those in desperate need. the reality is, the measures _ those in desperate need. the reality is, the measures outlined _ those in desperate need. the reality is, the measures outlined today - those in desperate need. the reality is, the measures outlined today will| is, the measures outlined today will do next _ is, the measures outlined today will do next to— is, the measures outlined today will do next to nothing to stop people making _ do next to nothing to stop people making dangerous crossings, and they risk withdrawing support from desperate people. so risk withdrawing support from desperate people.— risk withdrawing support from desperate people. risk withdrawing support from deserate --eole. :, :, , desperate people. so how does the uk com are desperate people. so how does the uk compare when — desperate people. so how does the uk compare when it _ desperate people. so how does the uk compare when it comes _ desperate people. so how does the uk compare when it comes to _ desperate people. so how does the uk compare when it comes to numbers i compare when it comes to numbers claiming asylum? well, in 2020, the figure he was just over 36,000. for the rest of europe, in germany, it

was nearly 122,000. in france, more than 90,000, italy, lowerthan was nearly 122,000. in france, more than 90,000, italy, lower than the uk at 26,000, with spain at more than 88,000. this man is now a british citizen, after claiming asylum when he arrived here on a lorry. he works and volunteers with the charity citizens uk. in his native eritrea, he was a judge. he fled after being imprisoned for refusing to compromise on his judicial independence. he doesn't believe he broke the law in the way he came to britain. i believe he broke the law in the way he came to britain.— he came to britain. i think we don't have a choice. _ he came to britain. i think we don't have a choice, an _ he came to britain. i think we don't have a choice, an option. _ he came to britain. i think we don't i have a choice, an option. sometimes, to save your life, you have to do something extraordinary. to stop people making money should not compromise the right of refugees to get sanctuary. 50 compromise the right of refugees to get sanctuary-— get sanctuary. so while many miurants get sanctuary. so while many migrants say _ get sanctuary. so while many migrants say this _ get sanctuary. so while many migrants say this is _ get sanctuary. so while many migrants say this is their - get sanctuary. so while manyj migrants say this is their only option, the message from ministers is that they will not be welcome if

they arrive in this way. june kelly, bbc news. our political correspondent damian grammaticasjoins me now from westminster. you probably heard, plenty of criticism of these plans, but they have yet to become law, it is worth remembering. have yet to become law, it is worth remembering-_ have yet to become law, it is worth remembering. that is right, george, these are proposals _ remembering. that is right, george, these are proposals and _ remembering. that is right, george, these are proposals and there - remembering. that is right, george, these are proposals and there are i these are proposals and there are serious questions being asked about them. one of those is that how would them. one of those is that how would the uk managed this idea of returning people who had come through illegal routes? the unhcr have said today is that refugees are able to continue on a journey, they don't have to claim refugee status in the first country they reach for example they are trying to reunite with the family, so the uk may have grounds to return people, but that depends on having agreements with the countries they are sent back to and priti patel said today those were under negotiation. she was also questioned about the possibility of safe routes and mp5 said they don't

exist at the moment, there have been a few small schemes for a few thousand syrians and she said those, too, would also have to be created. so many details to be worked out. damian, thank you very much. there are fears that new eu proposals on restricting vaccine exports to non eu countries could affect the roll—out of the jabs here in britain. under plans to be signed off by eu leaders tomorrow, exports of vaccines from factories inside the eu could depend on the vaccination rate in the importing country. in other words, a country with a high rate might have to wait longer. as our europe editor katya adler reports, these proposals come against a backdrop of eu countries struggling to meet their vaccination targets. a brutal third wave. desperate lockdown protests. a deadly failure so far to get vaccines into arms. eu covid woes are deepening by the day. today, angela merkel, normally seen as the european symbol of calm and control, seemed to crumble under

mounting political pressure. "germany has to stop the third wave of the pandemic", she said. but she changed her mind about an announced easter lockdown. a personal mistake, she said. across the eu, there's growing frustration at a vaccine roll—out far slower than the uk's. some blame their government, others the european commission. it's now on the defensive, accusing pharmaceutical company astrazeneca of not delivering vaccines promised and demanding extra controls on vaccine exports. we ordered 120 million doses. we got only 30 million in q1. if astrazeneca deliver exactly the number of doses which was planned, like they did in the uk, we will be today exactly at the same rate of vaccination as the uk. so, we have been heavily penalised, heavily. it seems, with the new proposals,

you're actually penalising countries that have been successful with their vaccine roll—out, unlike the eu? no, i really think that there is nothing against anybody, and especially not the uk. the eu says it's already exported over a0 millionjabs in the last two months, a quarter of those to the uk. existing controls, used only once so far, allow the eu to block the export of vaccines made by companies that owe deliveries to brussels. the new powers could target exports to wealthy countries that produce vaccines themselves, but are not exporting to the eu, or where the vaccine roll—out is significantly ahead of the eu. "we're not after an export ban", says the commission, "we just want to secure vaccine supply", but the world outside is accusing the eu of vaccine nationalism — and not even all eu leaders are convinced

about these new controls. some worry they'll disrupt the global supply chain for vaccines, and others that it will further damage already strained post—brexit relations with the uk. ahead of their summit, eu leaders promise vaccine supplies will soar from next month, one way or another, but rising death and infection rates means the short—term looks bleak. in the uk, the prime minister has been very careful not to get dragged into a public row with the eu over vaccines and in recent days, there have been high—level contacts between both sides. a few moments ago, we have seen a joint eu and uk statement on vaccines where they both recognise their interdependency and say they are trying to work on concrete steps in the short, medium and long term how they can better cooperate overjabs. kayta, thank you very much.

borisjohnson hasn't ruled out retaliation measures, if the eu does end up preventing the export of vaccines to the uk. the prime minister, answering mps' questions on covid this afternoon, also suggested pub landlords could demand that customers prove they've been vaccinated. here's our political editor, laura kuenssberg. not exactly your normal commute. are we being greedy with our vaccines, prime minister? the prime minister leaving the house notjust for questions from the opposition, but the regular pummelling from parliament's senior mps. and with the eu dangling the threat of tighter controls on exporting the all—important vaccine, how would boris johnson respond? if british lives were at risk, do you rule out. taking measured and proportionate l retaliation to discourage the eu l from impeding legally—binding contracts for our vaccines? - i think that the long—term damage done by blockades can be very considerable. are you not taking anything off |the table, in terms of a britishj response to decisions this week?

our priority is to continue the vaccine roll—out, to vaccinate the british people, we will do everything necessary that we can to ensure that that happens. with virus cases rising on the continent, mps wanted to know, why are border controls not being tightened further and faster now? are we are going in any other direction? technology made the exchanges more testing than normal, but the prime minister hinted tougher rules might come. why have you not introduced additional measures to put france in the red list? in terms of putting france on the red list, which is what you are talking about, and with the consequences that would have for uk supplies and across channel movements. but it is something that

we will have to look at. we will have to look at tougher measures. then what may rail his backbenchers, the prime minister seemed to approve the prime minister seemed to approve the idea that vaccines could in some circumstances become a compulsory part of it doesn't seem to me to be irresponsible at all, far from it, wholly responsible, for care home companies to think of requiring vaccination. what about a certificate for going to the pub? it may be up to individual publicans. it may be up to landlords. but ara- lint it may be up to landlords. but grappling with the pandemic is still a hugejob for the grappling with the pandemic is still a huge job for the government, grappling with the pandemic is still a hugejob for the government, even a hugejob for the government, even a year on, still big decisions to take. laura kuenssberg, bbc news. the latest government figures show there were 5,605 new coronavirus infections recorded in the latest 24—hour period — which means, on average, 5,476 new cases were reported per day in the last week.

the latest figures show 5,407 people were in hospital across the uk. 98 deaths were reported in the latest 24—hour period — that's people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test. 79 deaths were announced every day on average every day. the total number who have died is 120 6,000, 382. as for vaccinations, more than 325,000 people have had their first dose of a covid vaccine in the latest 24—hour period, bringing the total to more than 28.5 million people, more than half of the adult population. over 2.5 million people have had both doses of the vaccine. in a rare intervention, the government has decided to appoint commissioners to oversee some functions of liverpool city council for at least three years. local government secretary robert jenrick said a report had shown a "picture of mismanagement" at the

council, which put "public funds at risk". this latest move follows a police investigation into the way the council handled building and development contracts. those under investigation deny any wrongdoing. judith moritz is in liverpool for us this evening. the famous liver birds have long watched over liverpool. now, the city will also be overseen by the government, which will monitor parts of the council. the local government secretary, robertjenrick, said a damning inspector's report had found multiple failures. it paints a deeply concerning picture of mismanagement, the breakdown of scrutiny and accountability, a dysfunctional culture, putting the spending of public funds at risk and undermining the city's economic development. inspectors found an overall culture of intimidation, saying some whistle—blowers were too frightened to be publicly identified. they say the council needs a reset, and so independent commissioners will work with the current chief executive

to make improvements. how can you give the people of liverpool the confidence that this is going to be sorted out? we fully accept the recommendations, we're not hiding from that at all, and we are absolutely determined to put these issues right and re—earn the respect of the people of liverpool, and all of the partners and stakeholders that we work with. merseyside police are investigating building and development contracts. five men were arrested last year, including former mayorjoe anderson, who denies any wrongdoing and has not been charged. the current acting mayor says local politicians will still have a say. it's not a takeover of the city, as some of the media were proposing earlier in the week. a commissioner's coming in to oversee and observe the role of that department, at this point in time. i think the secretary of state was really clear, though, you know, if we were not cooperative with that, then further tougher measures would have been taken.

the liberal democrats say the post of city mayor should be abolished altogether. so, what do liverpudlians think about the government getting involved? are you bothered by who's ultimately in charge here? erm, as long as liverpool gets its funding, or however gets helped, then i don't mind either way. i wouldn't like the government - in london to take over and say, oh, you can't do this or you can't do i that, because they don't live here. i think they should at least come in and just sort it all out and then move back on, you know what i mean? because it's. .. it's gone on for years, this, in liverpool. there will be checks on the council's progress every six months. the government expects its intervention to last for a minimum of three years. judith moritz, bbc news, liverpool. the time is 6:17. our top story this evening: a new plan to reform the asylum system — ministers claim it's the biggest overhaul in decades. and we take a look at what it's like preparing for the delayed olympics

during the pandemic. coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes and bbc news: a champions league blow for manchester city's women. they'll have to overturn a 3—0 defeat in the first leg of their quarterfinal against barcelona. for the first time, nhs frontline doctors have been speaking about the huge numbers of covid patients that had to be moved around the country during the second wave of the pandemic. an unprecedented 2,300 intensive care patients were transferred between hospitals because of bed shortages — two were moved 300 miles. the nhs says the transfers helped prevent some regions being overwhelmed. our health correspondent sophie hutchinson has this exclusive report. the all too familiar images from this winter as the second wave took hold, but these pictures captured

a little—known operation that saw hundreds of desperately sick covid—19 patients move between hospitals because of intensive care bed shortages. ashley harvey, a chauffeur, was one of them. the week injanuary when he was admitted to the royal stoke hospital with breathing difficulties was the peak of the pandemic for the nhs. days later, despite being in an induced coma and on a ventilator, he was transferred to hospital in salford, one hour away, to make room for a surge of patients coming up from the south. i'm aware that they had nine patients come from london. they were having displacement, patients coming into the hospitals up and down the country. and so you needed to be moved on because of that? yeah, somebody would have made a difficult decision. the fact that they were saying that he was well enough to do that journey and make space for someone that's worse and it's insane to think that someone could be worse because he was very poorly, sort of gave us a bit of hope

and it was sort of a positive thing. the latest figures show during the second surge, more than 2300 critically ill patients were moved around the uk because icus were so full. one in eight patients had to be moved from hotspots in london and the midlands. more than a quarter of patients went on longerjourneys. the bbc has learned among the furthest were west midlands to devon, 160 miles. birmingham to newcastle, 200 miles. and surrey to tyne and wear, 300 miles. moving critically ill patients and on this unprecedented scale required exceptional expertise because it's so high—risk. back last summer, medical staff, who saw bed shortages coming, raced to train specialist transfer teams, source ambulances and medical equipment. this doctor was instrumental in setting up the operation in london. no one wants their patients to be taken away from them, to complete theirjourney of care at another centre.

but they also were very acutely aware that was the only option to preserve access to life support. when we were taking patients across from hospitals that were close to their critical levels of oxygen supply or the last ventilated bed, to hospitals that were under somewhat less pressure was absolutely life—saving. a little bit over 100% capacity... in birmingham, doctors told me at its worst, a staggering 40% of intensive care patients in some hospitals had to be moved and that without the transfers, more would have died. we would have seen scenes like northern italy, where at one point, hospitals were overwhelmed and they were talking about triaging by age. scenes like new york, where some hospitals had mortality

rates that were five times higher than others because they were working on a 7:1 staffing ratio. i think the transfer service, it was one of the winners during this pandemic. this has been the most gruelling winter staff and patients have known and the scale of patient transfers is a measure ofjust how close the nhs came to being overwhelmed. sophie hutchinson, bbc news. alex salmond has made his first public comments since the publication of two inquiries, one looking at the scottish government's handling of complaints against him and another on whether nicola sturgeon broke the ministerial code. our scotland editor sarah smith is in edinburgh for us. no sign alex salmond is giving up? no, he is angry that no one has taken responsibility for what he described as catastrophic failures in the scottish government's investigation of sexual harassment

complaint against him. he is planning to take legal action against those who he thinks are to blame. he says he does accept the findings of the independent inquiry that ruled nicola sturgeon had not breached any ministerial rules and holyrood committee which found serious flaws in the scottish government does �*s processes that he won't leave it there. he is going to launch a court action over concerns about the permanent secretary, leslie evans, the most senior civil servant in the scottish government and will make a formal complaint to the police about a leak to a newspaper because he wants the police to try and uncover who within the scottish government has details of the complaints against him to the press. but after that, of the complaints against him to the press. but afterthat, he of the complaints against him to the press. but after that, he says he will make no further public comment because it is time to move on and look forward to scottish elections in just six weeks' time.— in just six weeks' time. sarah, thank very _ in just six weeks' time. sarah, thank very much. _ john lewis has said it will not reopen a further eight stores after the lockdown. the retail giant, which recently reported big losses, says certain locations cannot sustain a large store.

the move puts nearly 1,500 jobs at risk. this report does contain some flashing images. three, two, one... it wasn't that long ago john lewis were still doing this... opening new department stores. good morning, john lewis exeter! nearly doubling in size in a decade. they are reining back rapidly now. today, another eight to close, from ashford in kent, one of four smallerjohn lewis shops, to aberdeen, one of four city centre stores. john lewis has been in sheffield for 80 years. really disappointed for the city. really disappointed for all the people who are going to lose theirjobs. john lewis has been something that's been so important to us. i remember my mum taking me intojohn lewis. it's a destination store for the city. i am gutted because i love perusing and smelling all the perfumes and trying the make—up.

not many people in there now, like there used to be, - so it didn't surprise me. john lewis was so important to sheffield that the council paid it more than £3 million to effectively keep it here. it signed a new 20 year lease just last summer, as part of a wider regeneration plan. but it's now done a handbrake turn. the shift online has been unprecedented. there are some areas of the country which, you know, sad as it is, we can't any longer profitably sustain the size of store we've got today. but have they been too hasty? i think we'd question their strategy as we are just literally days away from stores reopening and john lewis now remain the only department store standing, really, in a lot of cities up and down the uk. and there's a lot of money to be spent. people haven't been spending money in lockdown and it may be that they're making these decisions to close stores a little bit too

early before people get back in and start spending. sheffield centre is already being redeveloped. they've got another piece of work on their hands now. the changes accelarating the changes that were already reshaping so many of our town and city centres. emma simpson, bbc news, sheffield. it's the length of four football pitches and is causing a trafficjam — in one the world's busiest shipping lanes. our global trade correspondent dharshini david takes a look at what's going on... there are bottlenecks on the daily commute and then there's this, a ship the size of the empire state building, blocking one of the busiest shipping channels, blown adrift by a gust of wind. behind the giant ever given, a mounting queue of marine traffic, carrying cargo from oil to clothes and food, where ever they hailfrom — china, the middle east or south asia, they are going nowhere. seen from above, the problem is clear.

ships have grown to match our appetite to consume more but they are ill suited to a waterway that's just 205 metres wide. this canal, connecting the red sea and the mediterranean, is 150 years old but crucial from modern global trade. the ever given ran aground at 5:40 on tuesday morning. it is one of 52 ships a day that travel through this passage of water. they carry 12% of global trade worth over £2 billion. so, will there be a price to pay? we think about exports from china, they will take about 10% longer, in terms of shipping time, to arrive at their destination. and when we think about the importance of chinese products for the production of goods all over the world, we have to be worried that this still have major consequences. they are hoping tug boats, diggers and the tide will refloat this ship but it could take weeks to deal with the consequences.

however mighty the forces of globalisation, we are all vulnerable to the whims of nature. dharshini david, bbc news. preparing for the olympics requires stamina and determination at the best of times. so imagine doing it in the year of the pandemic. katarina johnson—thompson started on the athletics track as a child in liverpool, and now, the reigning world heptathlon champion is counting down to her third olympics in japan this summer. sally nugent reports. katarina johnson—thompson of liverpoot _ she's the world champion! years of work and preparation. reaching the peak of her capabilities atjust the right time, katarina johnson—thompson had to put the brakes on when last year's olympics was postponed. it's literally got halted. there's going to be so many people who would have been olympic champion who isn't going to be an olympic champion because of this pandemic and i find that fascinating. i think the olympics will be won and lost on whoever�*s handled the pandemic the best.

over the last 12 months, johnson—thompson has wanted to give something back and has now set up her own academy. she wants to help young athletes who she feels are at risk of dropping out. they have to be from a diverse ethnic background. they have to be, you know, state schooled and at that county level competition. so i feel like they're the groups who need most help. you think there's a lot of people and young athletes out there who could be in the olympic team, could be winning olympic medals butjust haven't had the right support along the way. the world champion has worked hard to protect herself from the mental pressures of a year in lockdown. i think social media with its pressures as well, just...it is self—care sometimes tojust to log off, or mute or, you know, unfollow. this could be a gold i medal winning jump... even with the delay and the difficulties of last year, what's it like going into an olympic games as world champion in your event? for me, knowing that for a number

years, i didn't think i could ever win on that sort of global world championship stage. ijust know that it's possible now, so i'm happy that if it's happened before, it can happen again and that's what... you know, that's my sort of beliefs, you know? i know that it's a strong chance that i could be outperformed but as long as i do my best, and knowing i have no regrets. the olympics will look different this year — no overseas fans or families in the crowd, but katarina johnson—thompson will be ready. sally nugent, bbc news. time for a look at the weather, here's sarah keith—lucas. hello. hello, george. we had a bit of the blue sky in spring sunshine today. this was the picture in nottingham a bit earlier on. over the next few days, a bit more sunshine to come but also a scattering of showers and we will all notice things turning colder briefly by the time we get to friday. forthe briefly by the time we get to friday. for the here and now, a weather front has pushed across south—east england and east anglia,

bringing some cloud, that should push away. clearing