direct funding for water, sanitation and hygiene projects, right in the middle of a global pandemic. according to the devex development website, there's going to be an even greater cut, 95%, to britain's funding for polio eradication. and at a recent united nations conference, the uk said it would reduce aid for the humanitarian crisis in yemen by more than 50%. now the foreign office says these cuts are "tough but necessary decisions" because of the impact of the pandemic on the economy. and ministers think many voters will agree. they also emphasise that, despite the cuts, britain's still one of the biggest aid donors, with £10 billion remaining in the budget to spend on things like girls�* education and climate change. but charities, mps and peers lined up today to criticise the cuts, accusing ministers of balancing the books on the backs of the world's poorest — while also damaging britain's reputation, prompting fresh talk of a possible legal challenge. so, the political battle continues,

while the impact of the cuts begins to be felt on the ground. huw. many thanks, our diplomatic correspondent, james landale. the wales football manager, ryan giggs, has pleaded not guilty to assaulting two women in salford last november. the former manchester united player also denied accusations of coercive or controlling behaviour towards his ex—girlfriend. he was released on bail ahead of a trial at manchester crown court next month. it's been an excellent night for manchester city in the champions league. they won their semifinal first leg against paris saint—germain 2—1. it leaves them strong favourites to progress to next month's final in istanbul, as our sports correspondent natalie pirks reports. both have middle eastern owners, both have billions in the bank, both have never won the champions league. to join europe's elite, city would need to stop these two, the unplayable pair. and neymar�*s first warning came early.

here's neymar with a chance! but mere moments later, city's defenders were caught too busy worrying about the wrong brazilian. marquinhos has scored! psg were looking right at home, but with little threat up front, city simply had to take their chances. frustrated much? time for a change, and in the second half city dug deep and put their trust in de bruyne. it's a goal for manchester city! city had their premier league swagger back, now outfoxing paris at every turn. it is mahrez! mind the gap at the back. frustration and petulance sank in for psg. things went from bad to worse. with two away goals, city are in the driving seat. the match dubbed "el gasico" lived up to its billing. natalie pirks, bbc news. that's it. now on bbc one, time for the news where you are. have a very good night.

hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are george eaton, the senior online editor at the new statesman and the daily telegraph's assistant comment editor, olivia utley. back to see both of you. thank you for being with us. —— nice to see both of you. tomorrow's front page starting with... interior resign—that's the headline on the front page of the metro. labour leader sir keir starmer claims borisjohnson�*sjob is on the line if he is found to have misled parliament over downing street flat renovations. the i has the story that the electoral commission will investigate the downing street flat renovations. the prime minister's fiance carrie symonds could be asked to give evidence. on the front page of

the financial times, arlene foster has announced her resignation as leader of the democratic unionist party and as northern ireland first minister. glaciers are melting twice as fast as 20 years ago. that's one of the stories on the front page of the guardian. it's claimed this is contributing more to sea—level rises than either the greenland or antarctic ice sheets. the duke and duchess of cambridge are on the front page of the daily mail. the royal couple were married ten years ago at westminster abbey. let's deal with that later but let's begin. let's start with the metro. a neat headline. they managed to put borisjohnson looking down at keir starmer. i don't know if there is any political significance in the way they did that. what about this story do you make of it? yes. way they did that. what about this story do you make of it?— way they did that. what about this story do you make of it? yes, as you sa , a lot story do you make of it? yes, as you say. a lot of— story do you make of it? yes, as you say, a lot of interior _ story do you make of it? yes, as you say, a lot of interior design - story do you make of it? yes, as you say, a lot of interior design puns - say, a lot of interior design puns on the papers tonight, and it has

been obviously a remarkable day of political news even by recent standards and this is the story that i think almost all the papers are leading on which is the news that the electoral commission is to investigate whether an offence was committed if as alleged conservative donor initial lease and put a loan to cover the cost of borisjohnson�*s refurbishments. you see the pictures from pm cues there. i think there were two telling things about the encounter. borisjohnson encounter. boris johnson consistently encounter. borisjohnson consistently emphasised he had paid the cost of the refurbishment but he didn't categorically deny that there had been a donation to cover the cost upfront. secondly, the real anger and rage that he displayed, which i think was evidence that he

is in a uncomfortable position, borisjohnson is used to being able to wriggle out of crisis such as this, and keir starmer, former director of public prosecutions was taking a very, forensic approach and borisjohnson clearly decided that i tackle is the best form of defence. but i think it will be frustrating because we are a week away from a pivotal set up, elections in every part of the country, the hartlepool by election, the scottish elections, and of course until relatively recently it was likely good news for the government, the vaccine while i have gone incredibly well and the conservatives were ahead of labour in the polls by 11 points. now remains to be seen whether all of this has an effect on polling day, but is certainly not the build—up that boris johnson but is certainly not the build—up that borisjohnson and his

conservative colleagues would've wanted to. i conservative colleagues would've wanted to. , , ., , conservative colleagues would've wantedto. , ., , wanted to. i suppose in many ways the significance _ wanted to. i suppose in many ways the significance about _ wanted to. i suppose in many ways the significance about the - wanted to. i suppose in many ways the significance about the election| the significance about the election commission has done is guaranteed that the story will continue to have legs in a way that downing street probably would've went and george was saying there were not talking about the things they want us to talk about the week before imported set of elections. scotland, wales and england. he used a great phrase downing street is not in control of this particular narrative. absolutely. the point you make about a dragon _ absolutely. the point you make about a dragon got a long time is a very important — a dragon got a long time is a very important one because the electoral commission got it wrong with vote leave _ commission got it wrong with vote leave and — commission got it wrong with vote leave and got heavily criticised about — leave and got heavily criticised about that. they don't want to make that mistake again. it will take this very— that mistake again. it will take this very slowly which is very bad news _ this very slowly which is very bad news indeed for borisjohnson, who 'ust news indeed for borisjohnson, who just wants _ news indeed for borisjohnson, who just wants the story to go away. which _ just wants the story to go away. which witi— just wants the story to go away. which will not happen. how this plays— which will not happen. how this plays out— which will not happen. how this plays out in the local elections will be — plays out in the local elections will be very telling. there is a school — will be very telling. there is a

school of _ will be very telling. there is a school of thought that turnout is normally — school of thought that turnout is normally low in local elections, it is elderly— normally low in local elections, it is elderly people who turn out. most of them _ is elderly people who turn out. most of them will have got the jab. there is a chance — of them will have got the jab. there is a chance they are very grateful to boris— is a chance they are very grateful to borisjohnson into his government for organising the vaccine brought up for organising the vaccine brought up so _ for organising the vaccine brought up so successfully and might overtook— up so successfully and might overlook the sleazy allegations hitting — overlook the sleazy allegations hitting borisjohnson overlook the sleazy allegations hitting boris johnson at the moment. and of— hitting boris johnson at the moment. and of course that remains to be seen _ and of course that remains to be seen i_ and of course that remains to be seen. i think part of the reason, nobody— seen. i think part of the reason, nobody likes the stench of sleaze around _ nobody likes the stench of sleaze around government but another reason why this _ around government but another reason why this whole story is very unattractive to voters is the snobbish _ unattractive to voters is the snobbish element which doesn't play well at _ snobbish element which doesn't play well at ait~ _ snobbish element which doesn't play well at all. this idea that we don't know— well at all. this idea that we don't know if— well at all. this idea that we don't know if he — well at all. this idea that we don't know if he said or not but this idea that carrie — know if he said or not but this idea that carrie borisjohnson didn't like the — that carrie borisjohnson didn't like the john lewis nightmare of downing — like the john lewis nightmare of downing street. john lewis is quite an aspiration. that kind of snobbery that the _ an aspiration. that kind of snobbery that the stick well with the public and it— that the stick well with the public and it makes it seem like a nasty ntan— and it makes it seem like a nasty

man tony— and it makes it seem like a nasty man tony and type and that is not the reputation he has been building up the reputation he has been building up over— the reputation he has been building up over the years. now this has happened~ _ up over the years. now this has happened. it could sit very badly but as— happened. it could sit very badly but as i— happened. it could sit very badly but as i say, there's a chance that i but as i say, there's a chance that i want _ but as i say, there's a chance that i want it— but as i say, there's a chance that i want it badly at all and it won't realty— i want it badly at all and it won't really be — i want it badly at all and it won't really be reflected in local elections next week and he just remains — elections next week and he just remains to be seen. the elections next week and he 'ust remains to be seemi elections next week and he 'ust remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence. remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence- we _ remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence. we hope _ remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence. we hope for _ remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence. we hope for the - remains to be seen. the pm will get evidence. we hope for the electoral| evidence. we hope for the electoral commission, they have been talking to downing street for several weeks before that before this decision. next we heard that the electoral commission. they have been talking about can you please explain this to us. the fact they are going for an inquiry now suggest that the explanations over the period of time have been answered all the questions they have. have been answered all the questions the have. , ., , ., , have been answered all the questions the have. , . , they have. yes. that is a very good oint. they have. yes. that is a very good point- they — they have. yes. that is a very good point- they are _ they have. yes. that is a very good point. they are saying _ they have. yes. that is a very good point. they are saying now- they have. yes. that is a very good point. they are saying now they - they have. yes. that is a very good i point. they are saying now they have reason to believe in offence may have could be committed. it is not simply that they are starting from scratch and that they are gathering

evidence for the first time. but what the inquiry does is it gives very wide—ranging powers to question borisjohnson, carrie simmons, his fiancee, dominic cummings, a senior adviser who we know has many and asked to grind will borisjohnson last week he said he believed the prime minister had behaved unethically or illegally over this. —— an axe to grind with. and the power to seize private messages, text messages, e—mails, if it believes a potential criminal offence has been committed to bring the police in. no prime minister has never been questioned under caution. we have a course at many donation scandals in the past during the so—called cash for hunter scandal, tony blair was interviewed by the police not under caution. this is an entirely unprecedented but certainly

we can see why borisjohnson may be having the odd sleepless night over this. —— this is not entirely that that. this. -- this is not entirely that that. ~ ~ ., this. -- this is not entirely that that. . ~' . . . . , . that. we think are the chances that he will give — that. we think are the chances that he will give evidence _ that. we think are the chances that he will give evidence to _ that. we think are the chances that he will give evidence to the - he will give evidence to the electoral commission? —— what do you think are questioning given it is about the electoral commission, it is about the political party in the conservative party. a good chance he won't actually involve the prime minister directly. i’m won't actually involve the prime minister directly.— minister directly. i'm not sure about that — minister directly. i'm not sure about that. yes, _ minister directly. i'm not sure about that. yes, it _ minister directly. i'm not sure about that. yes, it is - minister directly. i'm not sure about that. yes, it is the - minister directly. i'm not sure - about that. yes, it is the electoral commission— about that. yes, it is the electoral commission challenging the conservative party but as one of a law professor pointed out in the financial— law professor pointed out in the financial times, law professor pointed out in the financialtimes, borisjohnson law professor pointed out in the financial times, borisjohnson is financial times, boris johnson is the financial times, borisjohnson is the head — financial times, borisjohnson is the head of— financial times, borisjohnson is the head of the conservative party, he is _ the head of the conservative party, he is legally the head of the party, and i_ he is legally the head of the party, and i think— he is legally the head of the party, and i think very much will impel boris _ and i think very much will impel borisjohnson and even boris is going _ borisjohnson and even boris is going to — borisjohnson and even boris is going to be able to wriggle out of getting _ going to be able to wriggle out of getting involved. —— is not going to be able _ getting involved. —— is not going to be able to— getting involved. —— is not going to be able to wriggle out. you

getting involved. -- is not going to be able to wriggle out.— be able to wriggle out. you have done me a _ be able to wriggle out. you have done me a big — be able to wriggle out. you have done me a big favour. _ be able to wriggle out. you have done me a big favour. you - be able to wriggle out. you have done me a big favour. you have | be able to wriggle out. you have - done me a big favour. you have given me 30 seconds to read the quote. it is david how if, cambridge university law professor. he says the prime minister as the officeholder and on the electoral commission database as the person responsible for the conservative party. you are right. the buck stops with them. am i right? funny. i have the right person. 6 degrees of separation come even fewer than that. let's talk a bit about this in terms of the wider politics because as you say we are in the middle of an extraordinary period and politics. where you both sit and looking at how the papers are reporting the other politics this week and in the coming days, how important are these local elections.

there's always a debate about whether local elections matter in terms of the national political scheme. and whether all those politicians are interested in their share of the vote and whether it is “p share of the vote and whether it is up and down or whatever, actually the way people vote in these elections come it has so many causes that it elections come it has so many causes thatitis elections come it has so many causes that it is a bit unwise to read too much into them.— that it is a bit unwise to read too much into them. yeah, i think that is very true- _ much into them. yeah, i think that is very true. really _ much into them. yeah, i think that is very true. really hard _ much into them. yeah, i think that is very true. really hard to - much into them. yeah, i think that is very true. really hard to know. is very true. really hard to know what _ is very true. really hard to know what they— is very true. really hard to know what they are about particularly. the electoral at the elections tends to be _ the electoral at the elections tends to be older. so you have mostly got people. _ to be older. so you have mostly got people, older people voting for all sorts— people, older people voting for all sorts of— people, older people voting for all sorts of reasons, just from it can be from — sorts of reasons, just from it can be from anything, been collections to confidence in the prime minister, and you _ to confidence in the prime minister, and you don't have a whole other generation— and you don't have a whole other generation getting involved so it is hard to— generation getting involved so it is hard to see where things are moving, and also _ hard to see where things are moving, and also so _ hard to see where things are moving, and also so far away from the

general— and also so far away from the general election. it will get punished like is very excited of course — punished like is very excited of course but we will be there. you can't _ course but we will be there. you can't sit — course but we will be there. you can't sit too _ course but we will be there. you can't sit too much by us with that -- it— can't sit too much by us with that -- it will— can't sit too much by us with that -- it will get— can't sit too much by us with that —— it will get pendants like us. you -- it will get pendants like us. you can see a — -- it will get pendants like us. you can see a very _ -- it will get pendants like us. you can see a very real _ —— it will get pendants like us. gm. can see a very real direct route across in arlene foster decision. she almost faced with no choice on this one. on the top of the financial times, foster caves in. this all seems to have come very quickly. it was only yesterday afternoon we even got a inkling there was any move against her. absolutely. although there it has been _ absolutely. although there it has been brewing slowly, they spend set dissatisfaction in northern ireland with the _ dissatisfaction in northern ireland with the protocol. there's been such that satisfaction on both sides, you guinness _ that satisfaction on both sides, you guinness furious and feel like the government in the dup betrayed them in the _ government in the dup betrayed them in the end _ government in the dup betrayed them in the end by going will boris johnson _ in the end by going will boris johnson. —— unionists are furious. a

lot of— johnson. —— unionists are furious. a lot of hours— johnson. —— unionists are furious. a lot of hours were probably are happy with the _ lot of hours were probably are happy with the eu. that's a lot of the irish~ — with the eu. that's a lot of the irish~ no — with the eu. that's a lot of the irish. no more business people in northern— irish. no more business people in northern ireland are doing that make these _ northern ireland are doing that make these tensions have been boiling over~ _ these tensions have been boiling over the — these tensions have been boiling over. the buck did stop with olly foster. _ over. the buck did stop with olly foster, that is a big part of it. —— arlene _ foster, that is a big part of it. —— arlene foster. it will be quite a problem — arlene foster. it will be quite a problem for the government. she excepts _ problem for the government. she excepts the northern isla protocol as awareness and there is no guarantee that the next excess exit will do _ guarantee that the next excess exit will do the — guarantee that the next excess exit will do the same. —— northern ireland — will do the same. —— northern ireland protocol. that will be very important — ireland protocol. that will be very important for the government and it could _ important for the government and it could mean— important for the government and it could mean that a change again. it is damaging across the uk as a whole — is damaging across the uk as a whole. ., . is damaging across the uk as a whole. . . ,., , is damaging across the uk as a whole. . . , ., ., whole. the article points out that she initially _ whole. the article points out that she initially brushed _ whole. the article points out that she initially brushed aside - whole. the article points out that

she initially brushed aside calls i she initially brushed aside calls for a leadership contest and said she had bigger things to deal with.