this is bbc news with the latest headlines. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, warns it would be "absurd" and "completely outrageous" for the westminster government to block a second independence referendum. the people of scotland have voted for the snp on the strength of offering, when the time is right, an independence referendum. the labour leader sir keir starmer prepares to reshuffle his team after the party's disappointing performance in the elections — he's already removed his deputy, angela rayner, as campaigns chief. police are granted more time to question a man arrested in connection with the murder of community support officerjulia james. disruption continues on some of britain's busiest rail lines, after small cracks are found in some high—speed trains. and coming up at 2:30, we'll bring you the latest edition of hardtalk, with a former inmate

of the guantanamo detention centre. good afternoon. the cabinet office minister, michael gove, has said the snp cannot expect the government at westminster to approve a second scottish independence poll. speaking this morning, mr gove said the results from the holyrood election showed that a majority of people had voted in constituencies for parties opposed to a referendum. but the first minister, nicola sturgeon, has accused the westminster government of a "lack of respect" for scottish democracy. i've not been planning for a referendum over this past year. i have been focusing on covid. but anyone who knows anything about the legislative process in the scottish parliament knows that any government needs to consult its law officers before it brings forward legislation. that will all be part

and parcel of what we do. i don't want to lose this point, andrew. so, no, we haven't got to the stage of introducing a bill formally, but that will be part and parcel of the process. but can ijust be clear, because i think it's important we don't lose sight of this point, that all of this talk about legality and whether or not the uk government will challenge the scottish government in court misses a point. the people of scotland have voted for the snp on the strength of offering, when the time is right, an independence referendum. and as in 2011 leading up to 2014, any uk government that has any respect for scottish democracy would simply accept that and come to an agreement with the scottish government that put it beyond any legal doubt. however, michael gove has refused to be drawn on the question of holding a referendum issue. he said that the whole of the uk needed to focus for now on recovering from the coronavirus pandemic and the economic impact of the lockdowns. no, the first thing that i should say is congratulations to nicola.

she has secured, with 64 msps, a significant election victory. i want to congratulate her on that. and i also want to take opportunity to congratulate the new members of the scottish parliament that have been elected, a more diverse group than ever before, representing different traditions and communities in scotland, showing democracy in scotland is healthy. the other thing that is critically important, however, is an acknowledgement on the part of all of us as political leaders, whatever parties we come from, that the priority at the moment is not court cases, it is not independence legislation, it is recovery from the pandemic. and to be fair to the first minister, to be fair to nicola sturgeon, during the course of this election campaign, she said that was the single most important thing that we should all be concentrating on, and we should work together as team uk in order to deal with the pandemic. and in just a few moments,

we'll bejoining bbc one for the national bulletin on this and all of today's news.

good afternoon. the uk and scottish governments have clashed over whether there should be another referendum on scottish independence. the cabinet office minister, michael gove, says nicola sturgeon should focus on economic recovery from the panademic rather than another referendum. nicola sturgeon says while she will be focused on recovery, there is a clear mandate for another vote after pro—independence parties won a majority in the scottish parliament. from edinburgh here s our political correspondent nick eardley.

back in power, back to work. nicola sturgeon says her immediate priority will be the pandemic, but a battle is coming. the snp won the election by some distance, and even though they were short of a majority alone, with the greens there is a comfortable pro—independence majority and the first minister says that is a mandate. the people of scotland have voted for the snp on the strength of offering, when the time is right, an independence referendum. and as in 2011, leading up to 2014, any uk government that has any respect for scottish democracy would simply accept that and come to an agreement with the scottish government that put it beyond any legal doubt. holyrood will now pass a referendum bill and miss sturgeon warned of the consequences of trying to block it in the courts. i think it would be absurd and completely outrageous if it ever got to that point, if it ever got anywhere close to that point. but the uk government does want to stop another

referendum any time soon. ministers will not give political consent to one and they don't want to talk about legal battles for now. the priority at the moment is not court cases, it is not independence legislation, it is recovery from the pandemic. to be fair to the first minister, to be fair to nicola sturgeon, during the course of this election campaign she said that was the single most important thing that we should all be concentrating on and we should work together as team uk in order to deal with the pandemic. is scotland allowed to leave the uk? of course it is. it is, so how? through a legal referendum, which would allow people to make that choice. the question is if and how that could ever happen, a question that downing street is none too keen to answer. ministers in london will spend the next few months arguing another referendum would be a distraction and that working together would mean a speedy recovery. independence supporters here disagree, saying that

in a union based on consent, the election result means there is no legitimate argument for blocking a referendum. the prime minister has invited the leaders of scotland and wales to a summit on covid recovery. they all agree the pandemic is a priority for now, but over the next few months and years, the future of the uk is going to be a big issue. the snp are on course for 19 years in power now, and the pro—independence parties are delighted they have theirjoint, biggest ever majority in the scottish parliament. but when you delve into the numbers, nationalist votes versus unionist votes, and the polls, it is pretty clear scotland is still a country divided on its constitutional future. in truth, nicola sturgeon still wants to figure out the answer to some pretty big questions over the border after brexit, finances after the pandemic,

before holding another referendum. so do not expect one in the next couple of years, but the issue is going to be a big one in uk politics over the next few years and today the battle lines have been drawn. nick eardley, thank you very much. the labour leader, sir keir starmer, is in the process of reshuffling his shadow cabinet. last night he sacked angela rayner as the party chair and co—ordinator of campaigning in the wake of the party's defeat in the harlepool by—election and poor performance in english council elections. she remains deputy leader but the move has dismayed some in the party. helen catt has the latest. morning, mr starmer. a laid—back look for the labour leader, his task ahead anything but. is this the first of many changes, mr starmer? these elections have been bruising for labour. losing councils in places like durham which they held for nearly a century beforehand has been particularly painful. keir starmer said he would take

responsibility for the results, but his decision last night to sack the deputy leader angela rayner from her role running campaigns and as party chair has reignited fights over labour's feature and its leadership. when the leader of the party on friday says he takes full responsibility for the election result in hartlepool in particular and then scapegoats angela rayner, i think many of us feel that was unfair. what public relations genius thought this was a good move on the very day actually we were having successes? he means brighter spots like these. labour has won in several mayoral races, such as greater manchester, where andy burnham was re—elected, and london, where sadiq khan secured a second term. some in the current shadow cabinet have defended their leader. the responsibility as a leader is, of course, deciding what team you need around you for the next stage of what's a really difficult battle for us in labour to rebuild trust with the voters. taking tough decisions is what leaders do.

who keir starmer decides to keep in his reshuffle and who he sacks may give an indication of where he thinks the party needs to go. does he keep on trying to unify all the different bits? or does he in effect pick a side? and that might apply to the voters the party wants to reconnect with as well. is it about what he's currently got, which is young voters, graduates, social liberals, remainers? or is it still the party of the working class in britain which is what it would still like to be, but frankly at the moment isn't? with its leader in office forjust over a year now, labour's challenge to find a message that chimes with voters looks just as tough as it ever did. helen catt, bbc news, westminster. the government is set to announce we'll be able to hug each other as part of the next relaxation of lockdown rules in england on may 17th. our correspondent sangita myska is here. this is more important to many people than anything else.

look at us breaking out in smiles, this is going to be the whole country. but, you know the phrase thatis country. but, you know the phrase that is coming up, we have to be cautiously optimistic. michael gove this morning confirmed newspaper reports that what the government wants to see what it is calling intimate contact restored between friends and family. what does that mean? we don't know yet and we will not know until tomorrow when there is a big press conference, talking about the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions, and that will be triggered on may the 17th. but this is where the caution comes in. scientists are already saying people will need to ask themselves even when we can hug again is it sensible? we have got professor cath noakes who sits on sage, and she has given the bbc are very concrete example. if you are a grandparent and fully inoculated, you can have a hug from your grandchild. but if people like me and you go around hugging all of our friends and

family, that raises the risk. we better wait _ family, that raises the risk. we better wait a _ family, that raises the risk. we better wait a while. we better wait a while. rail disruption is continuing for a second day after services were cancelled across the uk due to cracks in some trains. 183 hitachi trains were taken out of service yesterday as a "precautionary measure" after the fault was found. great western railway and london north eastern railway have advised people not to travel today and distruption is due to continue into the coming week. dozens of palestinians have been injured in overnight clashes with israeli police injerusalem in a second night of violence. it broke out at damascus gate injerusalem's old city, after tens of thousands of worshippers had prayed at the al—aqsa mosque on the most holy night of ramadan. let's speak to our middle east correspondent yolande knell who's injerusalem for us. yolande, what's sparked this? first of all, i am at the mass escape right now, the scene of last night's trouble. you can see it is much quieter right now, but it remains to be seen what happens

after dark. it has been very tense throughout the islamic holy month of ramadan and that culminated on friday and some of the worst violence we have seen inside the mosque compound inside the old city in several years, with israeli police using stun grenades, using them close to the mosque. there were palestinian worshippers there who were throwing stones. in addition to that, there have been nightly clashes in another neighbourhood not far from clashes in another neighbourhood not farfrom here, shaikhjarrah, where palestinian families have been facing eviction from their homes, with jewish settlers are facing eviction from their homes, withjewish settlers are laying claim to the land, and an important development dislodged, it had been that the key hearing in this case was due to take place tomorrow and thatis was due to take place tomorrow and that is on the same day as jerusalem, day, already a flash point of tension here injerusalem. you can see more on all of today's stories on the bbc news channel. the next news on bbc one is at 5.30.

hello. you're watching the bbc news channel. let's return to what's happening in scotland and the verbal clashes this morning between westminster and holyrood over the potential for another referendum on scottish independence. our political correspondent nick eardley is at bute house in edinburgh. nicola sturgeon and michael gove have been exchanging blows, nick. yes, we got a sign, a sample of battle to come over the next few years with the first minister and the cabinet office minister and nicholl said in a saying we have to focus on the pandemic in the immediate term. but in two or three years time, she thinks she has mandated to hold another referendum,

whether it be anti—democratic for westminster to block it. michael gove said that now is not the time and we have to focus on the pandemic and we have to focus on the pandemic and the economic recovery. it was interesting that he was asked about this idea of the whole thing ending up this idea of the whole thing ending up in the courts and hejust did not want to go there this morning. the uk government's strategy is to talk about what it sees as the other priorities and the positives of the union. but there is no doubt that there is a big constitutional clash in the next few years over whether or not nicola sturgeon, who is based here at bute house in edinburgh, whether or not she can hold another referendum. whether or not she can hold another referendum-— referendum. there an argument as well that the _ referendum. there an argument as well that the recovery _ referendum. there an argument as well that the recovery is _ referendum. there an argument as well that the recovery is going - referendum. there an argument as well that the recovery is going to i well that the recovery is going to take a nationwide effort. we understand borisjohnson will want understand boris johnson will want to understand borisjohnson will want to have the scottish government and the welsh and northern irish assemblies also involved. so they have got to try to get along. yes. have got to try to get along. yes,

boris johnson _ have got to try to get along. yes, boris johnson has _ have got to try to get along. yes, boris johnson has invited - have got to try to get along. 1913 borisjohnson has invited nicola sturgeon and the welsh first minister mark drakeford to a summit to discuss the covid recovery. nicola sturgeon said she is up for it and will attend, and i suppose the difference between the two positions is that nicola sturgeon says, when it comes to the health emergency, she will focus on that until she thinks about another referendum. michael gove this morning was saying that we needed to think about the economic recovery process as well. we argument you will get from the scottish independence movement is that they need the tools of independence to start a recovery that helps scotland. but the uk government will say look at the vaccine roll—out and the fellow scheme, they have been done easier because of it being across the whole of the uk. the snp have been in powerfor nine years now and that is the longest term since devolution in scotland. the

pro—independence parties had their joint ever majority and that is a big deal because the last time they had 72 msps, david cameron said yesterday alex salmond for the first independence referendum. —— said yes to alex salmond. but when you add up the tally that all the pro—independence parties and the anti—independence parties got, they are pretty much the same, 50—50. if you look at the polls, in the last few weeks they have looked around 50-50 few weeks they have looked around 50—50 as well. if you look at the average of those polls anyway. although the independence movement is in a really good place and they are really happy with the election result, the country is still pretty split and that means we will spend at least another three years talking about the process before we get to potentially even then the point of another referendum. nicola sturgeon wants to work out the answers to some pretty big questions as well, some pretty big questions as well, so she will not be rushing into it.

nick, rank you very much. police investigating the death of community support officer julia james have been granted more time to question a man in his 20s. 53—year—old ms james was found dead on 27 april in woodland near dover. she'd suffered serious head injuries. police arrested a man from the canterbury area on friday. he remains in custody. simonjones is in aylesham. simon, tel was more about current investigation. —— tell us more. this investigation. -- tell us more. this is da 13. investigation. -- tell us more. this is day 13- the _ investigation. -- tell us more. this is day 13. the man _ investigation. —— tell us more. ti 3 is day 13. the man arrested was detained on friday evening at around 9:30pm and today officers have been granted more time to question him, and additional 36 hours. that means they can continue to question him until tomorrow evening. at that point, they will have to decide whether to release him, charge him, or they could apply for another 24 hours to question him. today there has been a large amount of activity

at this property close to the murder scene. we have seen forensics officers inside the house, coming and going, taking out objects from the property, carrying out a search of a skip, looking at the garden, they have been taking up paving slabs. we do not know whose house it is but the police have confirmed the searches are connected to the murder investigation. julia james was killed on tuesday of last week. she had been working from home that day. she took her dog for a walk when she was attacked. officers are continuing to appeal for information and want to hear from anybody who might have seen anything suspicious that day between 1pm and 4:30pm. police say particularly local people may have seen somebody strange or acting in an unusual manner, perhaps to the extent that they might have crossed the road to avoid that person or perhaps decided to take a different path. police want to hear from anyone who felt that way and there are hundreds of officers in

this investigation. kent police are getting support from other support we met police agencies too and the national crime agency and the family are saying theyjust hope there is progress in this case soon. thank ou, progress in this case soon. thank you. simon- _ the labour leader sir keir starmer is to carry out a reshuffle of his front bench team following the party's poor performance in english local elections. he is facing criticism following defeat in the hartlepool by—election and the loss of several councils. let's talk more about this with matthew doyle, former head of media for the labour party and former special adviser to tony blair. matthew, good to see you and thank you forjoining us. where is keir starmer going to have to look first to try and turn things around for labour? he has provoked a lot of anger by getting rid of angela rayner by saying deputy heads must roll. i rayner by saying deputy heads must roll. ~' . ., ., roll. i think the challenge for keir starmer now _ roll. i think the challenge for keir starmer now is _ roll. i think the challenge for keir starmer now is to _ roll. i think the challenge for keir starmer now is to try _ roll. i think the challenge for keir starmer now is to try and - starmer now is to try and communicate with the party and also

with the country about the scale of change that needs to happen for the labour party to get back in sync with the british public. it has been more than... since the party has beenin more than... since the party has been in sync with the public. and now he referred to it earlier this week as being like climbing a mountain. well, if people thought it was ben nevis, it has been clear from these results it is more like mount everest. but from these results it is more like mount everest.— from these results it is more like mount everest. but if we look away from the english _ mount everest. but if we look away from the english council _ mount everest. but if we look away from the english council elections l from the english council elections and hartlepool, which i know is a big thing to set aside, the mayo elections have been betterfor labour, and so has the success of the party in wales. how instructive have this results been about what the national party must do? i agree, there have been _ the national party must do? i agree, there have been high _ the national party must do? i agree, there have been high points- the national party must do? i agree, there have been high points for- the national party must do? i agree, there have been high points for the l there have been high points for the labour party over the last few days,

not just labour party over the last few days, notjust in scotland and wales, but also some of the mayoral races and there have been increases for other males. i do not think it is we are saying the position is grim, and bbc�*s own projection shows that the labour party is closing the gap on the tories from where it was in the 2019 general election. none of that offsets the question that the reality is that if we argument to be on a path for winning the next general election, there is much more work that needs to have to go not down some sort of philosophical rabbit hole, but to have a very clinical understanding and practical addressing of why people are voting conservatives in such large numbers. we have to be honest about the fact that too many voters do not think

the labour party cares about them, is not interested in them and their lives and does not have plans to make their lives better. how concerning. _ make their lives better. how concerning, though, - make their lives better. how concerning, though, is - make their lives better. how concerning, though, is the i make their lives better. how concerning, though, is the turnout? it is one thing for people to say they will not vote labour and vent elsewhere, but some do not even bother to turn up. —— and vote elsewhere. bother to turn up. -- and vote elsewhere-— bother to turn up. -- and vote elsewhere. . . ., , . , elsewhere. local elections always aet a elsewhere. local elections always get a lower— elsewhere. local elections always get a lower turnout _ elsewhere. local elections always get a lower turnout in _ elsewhere. local elections always get a lower turnout in general- get a lower turnout in general elections and that is part of the work we have to do, which is to inspire the public again, that the labour party does have answers to questions that they are asking. it is about ensuring that we are showing the type of interest in building a coalition in this country that made the labour party successful in the past, and that means, for example, saying an understanding that we believe in socialjustice but also know you need a dynamic economy to support that. ., ., , , .

need a dynamic economy to support that. ., .,, , . ., i. need a dynamic economy to support that. ., , . ., ., that. how optimistic are you that labour can _ that. how optimistic are you that labour can reconnect _ that. how optimistic are you that labour can reconnect with - that. how optimistic are you that labour can reconnect with this i labour can reconnect with this so—called red wall, which of course has turned blue in so many cases? will you have to look for a different constituency in future? well, there have been challenges with the seats in the so—called red wall, but let's be honest about it, the problem is the labour party faces are notjust limited to that area. the labour party needs to reconnect with communities right across the length and breath of the country. there is more work that must be done for people that live in towns rather than cities to see the labour party as being the party that is interested in them and their lives and wants to make it better. that is what i mean when i say that i think that we have to recognise that after the cataclysm of the december 2019 general election, the conservative party got a lead of 163

seats over the labour party in the uk parliament. what there cannot be now is any misunderstanding of the scale of the challenge that is required. if you look at the change that was made from the labour party from 1983 through to 1997, that is the sort of scale of change we are talking about. what we need to do is not take as long as we did then to do it. ~ ., , not take as long as we did then to doit.~ ., , not take as long as we did then to doit.~ . , ., ,, do it. what is your view of sir keir starmer's public _ do it. what is your view of sir keir starmer's public image? - do it. what is your view of sir keir starmer's public image? is - do it. what is your view of sir keir starmer's public image? is it - do it. what is your view of sir keir starmer's public image? is it the l starmer's public image? is it the right thing at the moment for the labour party? he is very different from jeremy corbyn, which is a turn—off for many people but attractive for others. i do turn-off for many people but attractive for others. i do believe keir starmer _ attractive for others. i do believe keir starmer should _ attractive for others. i do believe keir starmer should be _ attractive for others. i do believe keir starmer should be given - attractive for others. i do believe keir starmer should be given the j keir starmer should be given the space to get on with the job, but i think we have to recognise that the last year fundamentally has been incredibly difficult for the british public. that should be our number

one concern. secondly, in terms of how we have been able to conduct politics, keir starmer has not been able to go around the country and set out his stall in the way that any other leader would have wanted to do. he has not given a speech to a room of people at any point and all he has been able to do, like i am doing now, is talk down the lens of a computer, which is frankly deeply unsatisfactory. so i am sure we will see from june the 21st, as lockdown eases, that sir keir starmer will be out and about with the new shadow cabinet between now and the party conference having that robust, engagement with the public i'm sure he has wanted to do from day one. i'm sure he has wanted to do from da one. a i'm sure he has wanted to do from da one. ., ~ i'm sure he has wanted to do from da one. ., ,, i. , day one. matthew, thank you very much forjoining _ day one. matthew, thank you very much forjoining us _ day one. matthew, thank you very much forjoining us today. - eight people have been arrested after a man was stabbed in the leg in selfridges in london. police said a fight broke out in the store at about 7:30pm last night. a 20 year—old man was taken to hospital but was later arrested

on suspicion of affray. six other men and a woman were also arrested on suspicion of affray and gbh. the queen's cousin — prince michael of kent — has been secretly filmed talking about taking large sums of money for access to russian decision—makers. the footage was recorded by undercover reporters from the sunday times and channel four�*s dispatches programme, who were posing as business people seeking access to kremlin officials. his friend, the marquess of reading, later described him as "her majesty's unofficial ambassador to russia". the prince denies the claims. now it's time for a look at the weather with ben rich. hello. it's certainly not completely sunny out there. we've got some areas of cloud, we've got some showery rain in places, but it is warmer than it has been, with the highest temperatures through today across eastern parts of england. up to 20 or 21 degrees. now, through this evening and tonight, it is across this south—eastern corner where we will see some heavy thundery downpours drifting up from the near continent. some showers continuing

further west as well, some clear spells in between, and it is pretty much frost—free, with temperatures between 7 and 11, maybe 12 degrees across parts of eastern england. tomorrow we will see an area of heavy rain clipping in to the far north—east of scotland. elsewhere, it is a sunshine and showers day. some of those showers will be heavy and thundery and it will be quite windy as well. could well see wind gusts in excess of 40 mph for parts of england and wales. not as warm as today, but still getting up to between 14 and 17 degrees. for the week ahead, we will see some heavy downpours, but some drier interludes too, and the nights should stay frost free.

hello, this is bbc news. the headlines. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, warns it would be "absurd" and "completely outrageous" for the westminster government to block a second independence referendum. the labour leader sir keir starmer prepares

to reshuffle his team after the party's disappointing