this is bbc news. i'm maryam moshiri — the headlines at seven: 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. that's what you do in leadership — you take responsibility, you don't scapegoat goat and blame others, you take it on the chin. they are hard calls, but it is for him to choose the team he wants and get people in the positions he wants us in. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, warns it would be "completely outrageous" for the westminster government to block a second independence referendum. the government is expected to end the advice against hugging each other, as part of the relaxation of lockdown rules in england. the government is calling on the rail industry to fix disruption on some of britain's busiest rail lines, after small cracks were found

in some high speed trains. and coming up: united beat aston villa to keep premier league title celebrations in the blue half of manchester on hold — more on that in sportsday at 7.45. good evening and welcome to bbc news. the labour leader sir keir starmer is in the process of making changes to his top leadership team in the wake of results from the english local elections — sacking angela rayner from her campaigning roles for the party. she remains its deputy leader. sir keir is expected to announce a reshuffle after a series of disappointing results from english councils — and the loss of the hartlepool constituency to the conservatives. but he's been accused of trying

to shift the blame for the results. our political editor laura kuenssberg has the latest. tense and tight—lipped. is removing angela rayner as party chair you taking responsibility? no rest this sunday. is this the first of many changes, mr starmer? after some awful election results, keir starmer has edged out his deputy angela rayner as party chair, sparking a messy dispute — was she sacked or offered a differentjob? — with no clarity from the leader's team. some labour mps around the country are baffled and angry. we need to know this is an individual that has a game plan for taking us forward. and at the moment, that isn't clear. so i think he needs to up his game. shadow ministers hanging by the phone to find out about their job. leaders do make those decisions, they're hard calls, but it's for keir to choose the team he wants and get people in positions he wants us to be in. others demanding much faster change.

we cannot saunter our way back into power, we have to show- the country that we get the message we were told and act _ absolutely decisively. labour took a hammering in many areas they used to treat as their own, losing durham council for the first time in 100 years. but there were good results in wales, some celebration, with progress in west sussex, even areas like oxfordshire. but there seems to be bitterness, not this affection, at the party's top level. instead of making tories miserable, labour today has been clouded by this spat, the opening move of a reshuffle that has gone wrong. what public relations genius thought this was a good move, on the very day, actually, we were having successes? instead of strengthening their grip and power, up in the leader's office, keir starmer�*s team has been holed up for hours, stuck over what to do, rather than making calls to announce a new and, they hope,

improved shadow team. these elections were the first for labour with keir starmer in charge and the first since the party received a drubbing in 2019. there were some pockets of progress, but overall the picture was still tough, so this shuffling and shifting of his top team was meant to be part of an effort to show he can change and he's decisive and determined that the party can punch their way out of this slump. but instead, it's been a day, for labour, of delay and dispute. when what voters see is political parties scrapping with each other, the temptation can be just to turn away and block out the noise. laura kuenssberg, bbc news. let's speak to our political correspondent damian grammaticas. still waiting to hear anything from the labour party this evening. yes. the labour party this evening. yes, we are, the labour party this evening. yes, we are. and — the labour party this evening. yes, we are. and all— the labour party this evening. yes, we are, and all they _ the labour party this evening. yes, we are, and all they have _ the labour party this evening. was we are, and all they have been

waiting, so this apparent shuffling of the topjobs, waiting, so this apparent shuffling of the top jobs, we just don't know what it's going to look like. we know from yesterday, about 2k hours ago now, that angela rayner we were told was being removed from those positions that circular starmer had given her, so overseeing elections, and that primarily the post that he is looking to move herfrom. now, we don't know what the outcome of that will be. of course, we've had the figures coming out saying circular starmer was looking to move her into a higher —— sir keir starmer. this could go on late into the evening, possibly tomorrow, before we get any clarity, and that gives you a sense perhaps of some of the difficulties

that the labour leader has, looking at these election results and trying to calibrate the response, both in terms of how to deal with what message the labour party should take from this, but also then how to balance that with his own management of his personnel within his party. damian, thank you very much indeed. nicola sturgeon has told borisjohnson its a matter of when, not if the scottish people get a chance to choose if they want independence. she made the comments in a phone call to the prime minister this afternoon. the cabinet office minister 7 michael gove 7 says we have had a response from a downing street spokesperson, and they say, this often, the prime minister spoke to the first minister of scotland to congratulate her on her party's success, having secured the largest number of seats. they both agreed there immediate focus should be and is working together to build back from the pandemic. the

prime minister stressed how recovery will be more effective if both governments work together, and reiterated his invitation for the first minister to join a summit meeting on overcoming the covid challenges. finally, it says the prime minister concluded by emphasising the importance of focusing on covid recovery. those are details of the phone call between nicola sturgeon and the prime minister, just out in the last few minutes. the cabinet office minister 7 michael gove 7 says the first minister nicola sturgeon should focus on economic recovery from the pandemic. she says she will do that — but there is a clear mandate for another vote with a majority in the scottish parliament for pro—independence parties. here s our scotland editor sarah smith. nicola sturgeon congratulating some of her brand—new msps who will bolster the pro—independence majority in the next scottish parliament. confident she has a strong

mandate for an independence referendum, she still might face the hurdle of a legal challenge from a uk government. will you see them in court if you have to? the snp won the election on a commitment for a referendum when we are through the crisis and even that selection overwhelmingly and in any normal democracy, that would be expected. —— we won that the election overwhelmingly and in any normal democracy that would be respected. for now she is clear, her priority is dealing with the pandemic and she is to meet the prime ministerfor a covid summit. nicola sturgeon doesn't intend to take any steps towards a referendum in the near future. although she does plan to pass legislation through the scottish parliament to authorise another vote on independence. if the uk want to stop that, they may have to challenge in court, whether the scottish parliament has

the legal authority to authorise that referendum. the uk minister, charged with keeping the kingdom united, is in scotland are swerving questions on a legal challenge to any referendum. 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, during the course of this election campaign she said it was the single most important thing that we should all be concentrating on. we should work together as a team uk in order to deal with the pandemic. is scotland allowed to leave the uk? it is. through a legal referendum which would allow people to make that choice. votes cast on thursday appeared to show voters in scotland are split roughly 50—50 on the question of independence. anyone eagerfor another referendum will have to be patient. this result makes it more likely, but not imminent. i would like it to happen soon, but i am prepared to wait a few more years. everything has changed since 2014, with us being taken out of the eu so i would

like to see another independence referendum. maybe it is a case of hanging on and getting ourselves - sorted and when we are in a good place, then yes. i but right now we are in a pandemic, no. l on that, there is widespread agreement, no referendum during a covid crisis. but in the months and years to come, a political and possibly legal battle over the future of the united kingdom is looming. sarah smith, bbc news. let's talk about the aftermath of the local elections. joining me is the chief political commentator in the last few minutes, it has been confirmed that tracey braden has won the race to become the first west yorkshire mayor. she has become the first west yorkshire mayor, elected on the second count, which basically

means there will now at some point need to be a by—election in the constituency of batley and spen. tracy braden, the labour mp, has been elected. joining me is the chief political commentator at the independent, john rentoul. what will this mean for the labour party, that they have a by—election headache coming up? party, that they have a by-election headache coming up?— headache coming up? another bur-election — headache coming up? another by-election headache! - headache coming up? another by-election headache! batleyl headache coming up? another i by-election headache! batley and by—election headache! batley and spen isn't the same as hartlepool, obviously, but it is another northern, largely working class seat that voted to leave the eu, and where the brexit party, or in the batley and spen case, the heavy woollen independentsth, a

eurosceptic party. the situation is similar to hartlepool.— similar to hartlepool. would you advise them _ similar to hartlepool. would you advise them to _ similar to hartlepool. would you advise them to hold _ similar to hartlepool. would you advise them to hold off - similar to hartlepool. would you advise them to hold off a - similar to hartlepool. would you advise them to hold off a while i similar to hartlepool. would you l advise them to hold off a while and delay it as much as possible? that looks cynical. _ delay it as much as possible? that looks cynical. as — delay it as much as possible? that looks cynical, as if— delay it as much as possible? that looks cynical, as if you _ delay it as much as possible? twat looks cynical, as if you are afraid of the voters. i suggest that they learn from the mistakes they made in hartlepool and choose a local person who lives in batley and spen and who voted to leave the eu. i think they need to show that they are listening to those voters that feel they were being lectured to from outside in hartlepool, and i think they can do that with the right candidate. thursday's elections were to all intents and purposes good for the conservative party. where does labour go from here?—

conservative party. where does labour go from here? well... that's what sir keir — labour go from here? well... that's what sir keir starmer _ labour go from here? well... that's what sir keir starmer is _ labour go from here? well... that's what sir keir starmer is in _ labour go from here? well... that's what sir keir starmer is in his - what sir keir starmer is in his office discussing right now. i'm afraid he has handled the local elections very badly, because actually labour did rather well in quite a lot of places that declared late, including west yorkshire, but in a lot of places in the south, which for some reason seemed to count the votes more slowly than in the north, labour were gaining seats and winning may all races, in cambridge and peterborough, another strange new political construction. labour has been doing quite well in some of those places. 0verall, labour has been doing quite well in some of those places. overall, the picture has not been great, but it has not been as bad as it seemed when hartlepool was dominating the news at the start, and of course, nobody knows about the labour success is because the row between sir keir starmer and angela rayner, the deputy leader, then broke out.

on that, he has been accused of passing the blame on to somebody else. i5 passing the blame on to somebody else. , ., ., ., �* 4' else. is that fair? i don't think it is, but itjust — else. is that fair? i don't think it is, but itjust looks _ else. is that fair? i don't think it is, but itjust looks terrible. - else. is that fair? i don't think it is, but it just looks terrible. to i is, but itjust looks terrible. to sack a northern, working—class woman, and apparently on the grounds that she ran the campaign and didn't do it very well, just looks absolutely terrible from every angle, and he didn't intend it to come out like that. as i understand it, he had a conversation with her which was one of the only conversations of the reshuffle, but instead of saying, you know, angela, you are wasted as party chair, we need you in a more prominent role, he obviously started by saying, i am going to remove you as party chair, and she took umbrage at that and everything deteriorated from then on. he has been trying to put everything back together ever since, but we haven't heard from him. it's

absolutely terrible communications from the labour party. we absolutely terrible communications from the labour party.— from the labour party. we are expeeting _ from the labour party. we are expecting something - from the labour party. we are i expecting something potentially from the labour party. we are - expecting something potentially this evening. what do you think you need to do to bring this back? weill. evening. what do you think you need to do to bring this back?— to do to bring this back? well, i don't know _ to do to bring this back? well, i don't know i — to do to bring this back? well, i don't know. i mean, _ to do to bring this back? well, i don't know. i mean, there - to do to bring this back? well, i don't know. i mean, there is - to do to bring this back? well, i don't know. i mean, there is a l to do to bring this back? well, i i don't know. i mean, there is a real question now over his temperament and his leadership qualities, because he seems to have needlessly caused this rift with angela rayner. 0bviously, caused this rift with angela rayner. obviously, if he thought she wasn't any good, then maybe he would have to get rid of her, but to do it then,in to get rid of her, but to do it then, in this way, was just absolutely terrible party management. i think sir keir starmer has done remarkable things in turning the labour party round over the past year, but in the past few days, he has shown a really onshore touch, and he needs to get some of his confidence back, because i feel that otherwise there will be a bunker mentality developing, an anxious, nervous temperament which

is going to come across and communicate to the electorate as a party that doesn't believe in itself. . ~' , ., , party that doesn't believe in itself. ., ~ , ., , . the favourite to become police and crime commissioner in wiltshire has been told he's unable to take up thejob, even if he wins monday's election count. the conservative candidate jonathon seed has an historical criminal conviction which makes him ineligible for thejob. bbc radio wiltshire's political reporter dan 0'brien has more. in wiltshire, it's an incredibly conservative county, so going into this election, the conservative is obviously the favourite to win. however, we have learnt this afternoon that the conservative candidate, jonathan seed, has been told by conservative party headquarters that he has been disbarred from taking up thisjob, relating to a driving offence that dates back 30 years, an offence he says he did declare to the party when he put

forward his candidacy for the job. he told us in a statement that the party considered this to be ok and not something that would bar him from taking up the post. however, that situation has now changed and he tells me he has withdrawn his candidacy. those votes are going to be countered tomorrow here in wiltshire. —— going to be counted. when we expect to find the result. quite what happens then is a little unprecedented. and we'll find out how the elections — and many others — are covered in tomorrow's front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers — our guestsjoining me tonight are parliamentaryjournalist tony grew and journalist & broadcaster caroline frost. the headlines on bbc news: 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. scotland's first minister, nicola sturgeon, warns it would be "completely outrageous" for the westminster

government to block a second independence referendum. the government is expected to end the advice against hugging each other, as part of the relaxation of lockdown rules in england. and the latest government figures show there were 1,770 new covid infections in the past 2a hours and two more deaths have been recorded. more than 35 million people have now had theirfirstjab. that's over two thirds of the uk's adult population. and more than 17.5 million people have had both jabs, meaning over a third of all adults are now fully vaccinated. hugging is likely to be officially allowed in england again when the government makes an announcement tomorrow on the next stage of lockdown easing, from may the 17th. the changes on household mixing will be most significant since the rules

were introduced last year. but we're being urged to use common sense and keep close contact limited. here's our science editor david shukman. remember this, the comfort of a hug? well, for more than a year, we've been warned against it because of the risk of transmitting the virus. but now, with fewer infections and many more people vaccinated, it seems to be the moment for a cautious return. we've seen an absolutely extraordinary success of both the vaccine programme and also the suppression of cases as a result of this very prolonged lockdown which we've had, and so i think it is time — based on the very careful modeling that's been done — to start relaxing some of those restrictions. so will people rush to hug again or might they hold back? in newcastle this afternoon, we found a range of views. it's brilliant. yeah, really looking forward to that. couldn't help but wanting to hug my friends here at the table. i've never been a big hugger myself. people know that about me,

so i think it won't change much. i will be cautious, but i really am looking forward to hugging - the parents and the in—laws and stuff that we haven't i done for a long time. they need it as well, so, yeah, it'll be really nice. _ the prime minister is reported as saying that we need to use our common sense when it comes to hugging, so what exactly does that mean? well, an infected person can release the virus through their breath, so here's the scientific advice. limit the number of people you hug — just those who mean most to you, not everyone you meet — keep it short — that'll reduce the chances of the virus being passed on — and try to avoid being directly face—to—face. in any event, scientists say a lot depends on exactly who it is you're hugging. if you're a grandparent hugging a grandchild, and the grandparents are fully vaccinated, that's probably quite a low—risk activity most of the time. but it would worry me if we were advocating we can hug all of our friends every time we meet again, because i think that's going to perpetuate an awful lot

of additional close contact that could still spread the virus. the pandemic has meant new ways of behaving — elbow bumps, for example. but while life in the uk is now set to become a bit more normal, it's far too early for that in much of the rest of the world. david shukman, bbc news. joining me now is honey langcaster—james, a chartered psychologist who is the director of services at on set welfare. thank of services at on set welfare. you forjoining us. h important thank you forjoining us. how important is hugging? do you think the importance of that contact has been really underlined over the past yearfor been really underlined over the past year for us?— year for us? absolutely. it is vitally important. _ year for us? absolutely. it is vitally important. as - year for us? absolutely. it is vitally important. as social. year for us? absolutely. it is - vitally important. as social beings, we are biologically hard—wired to require the sensation of physical touch and contact with other human beings. we know from some of the earliest studies in psychology, going right back to the 1950s, there

were classic studies by a researcher called harry harlow, which showed that infant monkeys preferred and needed good social contact and hugging more than they preferred going to something that gave them food. if they were deprived of a mother. this goes back many years. we know it has an impact on the brain. we know that, for example, if you've been deprived of physical touch in contact with other people for a long time, we can develop a condition called skin hunger, where it affect our mood, increases stress, and we know for example that you can do some things yourself to moderate some of that, so if you are desperately in need of some contact, massaging your own skin using lotions and things like that, even when we are allowed to, looking yourself in for a massage or a haircut and things like that can all help. of course, so many people out

there right now are just longing to hug their loved ones whom they've missed, because they also feel guilty, particularly for the elderly, i think, guilty, particularly for the elderly, ithink, in guilty, particularly for the elderly, i think, in ourfamilies, who have been so isolated for so long. we all want to get to a point where we can hug each other again. there will be people out there who are worried about going back to physical contact, feeling awkward, almost as if they have forgotten how to do it, how to be close to other people again. do you think we will get back to how we were quickly, or will it be difficult for some? it will it be difficult for some? ut will it be difficult for some? ut will be difficult for some, undoubtedly. 0f will be difficult for some, undoubtedly. of course, there are some people who actually responded to lockdown life quite well because perhaps they were very introverted and didn't like the hugging culture we have, so there will be some people who are saying, oh, don't come near me, i don't really want that, and i think that is where communication is going to come in. it is important for you notjust to launch straight up to people and stop hugging them and touching them, of course, not only from the

perspective of the government regulations and advice but also just because we are all going have our own needs, to come out of this at our own pace, and some people won't be ready for that right now, but there will be other people who are longing to give you a hug, and i guess it isjust longing to give you a hug, and i guess it is just about having that conversation and saying, look, don't know about you, but i would love to give you a hug right now, but are you ready for that yet? i give you a hug right now, but are you ready for that yet?— give you a hug right now, but are you ready for that yet? i might get -unched you ready for that yet? i might get punched in — you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the _ you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face _ you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face if _ you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face if i _ you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face if i do - you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face if i do that - you ready for that yet? i might get punched in the face if i do that in l punched in the face if i do that in the bbc newsroom, i tell you that right now, honey! there are some people who don't like hugging, never have, and may be quite enjoyed this last year. have, and may be quite en'oyed this last ear. ~ , , ,, . last year. absolutely. several eo - le last year. absolutely. several peeple have _ last year. absolutely. several people have said _ last year. absolutely. several people have said to _ last year. absolutely. several people have said to me - last year. absolutely. several people have said to me that l last year. absolutely. several i people have said to me that we last year. absolutely. several - people have said to me that we focus on the negatives of the pandemic but some people have actually quite enjoyed it. there is nothing more awkward than when you have that, is this a hugging scenario, a one cheek kiss or two was like a lot of people find that awkward, so they are happy

with the lack of physical contact, but then there are others who, particularly among the very isolated, people who have been living alone, the elderly, people who have been shielding, who i think are in need of some physical contact, and you canjust approach that and say, perhaps could i, would you like to hold hands, or shall we sit closer, next to each other? you can get gradually used to that. there are people who, let's be honest, this past year, there were times when people really felt they needed to hug someone, times of loss and grief, and they weren't allowed to do that, and some people have had a kind of moral injury about that. i've heard people saying, i wasn't able to hug my grandma when my grandfather died, and things like that, so for many people, this will be an important time, but it is about giving it our own pace and remembering if this pandemic has taught us anything, it is how much we do need contact with one another,

so i can't wait for us to start getting back to that again, and we will get there. we will adjust to the new new normal, just as we did last time. the new new normal, 'ust as we did last time. ., , the new new normal, 'ust as we did last time. .,, ., , ., ~ last time. positive thoughts. thank ou ve last time. positive thoughts. thank you very much- _ the israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu has defended the actions of police after a second night of violence in and around jerusalem's old city. tensions have been high with palestinians protesting against planned evictions from homes in eastjerusalem. last night's violence came after thousands had prayed at the al—aqsa mosque compound on the most holy night of ramadan. 0ur middle east correspondent yolande knell reports. 0n the most sacred night of ramadan, this is how prayers ended — with israeli police using stun grenades, palestinians throwing stones injerusalem's old city. today, israel's prime minister blamed extremists. translation: we will enforce law and orderl

decisively and responsibly. we will continue to ensure freedom of worship to all religions, but we will not allow violent unrest. it followed some of the worst violence in years on friday, with clashes right by the al—aqsa mosque bringing international condemnation. tensions have been running high for weeks, with nightly clashes in the eastjerusalem neighborhood of shaikh jarrah. palestinian families here are locked in a long—running legal battle to stop jewish settlers taking over their homes. it's become a rallying point for palestinians, with the militant group hamas warning israel it's ready to act. despite delays in that case, this week looks set to remain volatile. it's nowjerusalem day, when israel celebrates gaining control over the city. they have a flag march which comes through the damascus gate, waving israeli flags,

far—right nationalist israelis. that's always seen as a provocation, and there's fears that could lead to yet more violence. and what happens here matters. jerusalem is always at the heart of the israel—palestinian conflict. yolande knell, bbc news, jerusalem. the first funerals for the victims of a bomb attack at a school in the afghan capital kabul have been held. more than 60 people — mainly young girls — died in the explosions that went off as they were walking out of the school gates. the victims are mainly from the shia hazara community who have been targeted by miliant groups in recent years. earlier, i spoke to our south asia correspondent secunder kermani, who described how badly affected the region has been over recent times. so many places in afghanistan have endured so much pain, but this particular neighbourhood in the west of kabul has suffered repeated attacks

by the islamic state group because it is from members of the shia hazara minority. is have attacked mosques, cultural centres, sports hall, tuition centres in the past. as you say, funerals have been held today so far at a hilltop cemetery overlooking kabul, and the majority of the victims were teenage girls, students at the school, from poorer backgrounds who whose families would have worked hard to give their daughters a better chance at life, and instead they were killed when a car bomb exploded outside the gates yesterday afternoon, followed by two more blasts. the government has called on rail operators to "urgently set out a comprehensive plan" to resolve the ongoing disruption to services due to cracks found in some trains. rail disruption

is continuing for a second day after 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 say disruption is due to continue into the coming week. well, in the past few minutes, lner has issued a statement and says there will be some cancellations across the route from tomorrow and advising customers to check before they travel. 0ur correspondent, katy austin has more from outside king's cross station in london. well, there are still some cancellations on lner services this afternoon, and disruption is likely to spill over into tomorrow, but great western railway is worst affected with over 90 of these trains, and it could only run about a tenth of long distance services today. it is asking passengers not to travel tomorrow either, and we don't know how many days it will take before disruption comes to an end.

we still don't know how many of these trains