this is bbc news. the headlines at seven: ministers say they'll proceed with caution in deciding whether to end all covid restrictions in england next month. but there's confidence accelerating the vaccine roll out will keep government plans on track. we hope to be able to protect with two doses all the 1—9s, all the over 50s, before the 21st ofjune. israeli opposition parties are inching towards forming a government that would bring an end to benjamin netanyahu's 12 years in power. borisjohnson ties the knot in a secretly—planned wedding to carrie symonds, at westminster cathedral. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party accuses the eu of using northern ireland as a "plaything" to punish the uk for brexit.

very good evening, welcome to bbc news if you have just very good evening, welcome to bbc news if you havejustjoined us. the vaccines minister, nadhim zahawi, says the government will be cautious and look at all the data before deciding whether to end covid restrictions in england next month. it comes as the chief executive of nhs providers says "very, very few" coronavirus patients in hospital in england, have received two covid jabs, showing that a double dose of vaccine can provide "very high" levels of protection. however, he warned hospitals are dealing with a heavy backlog of patients because of delays caused by the pandemic. here's our health correspondent, catherine burns. a critical incident for the south western ambulance service — not because of coronavirus, though.

there are just 13 covid patients in hospital there but the system is dealing with a backlog in cases and a busy bank holiday weekend. so people are being told to only call 999 in an emergency. we are expecting to see around 3000 calls a day across the south—west, and that's a considerable amount for the resources we have available to us. some parts of the country, like bolton and blackburn, have had the biggest increase in cases linked to the variant first seen in india. even in those areas, though, hospitals aren't seeing a huge spike in covid patients. at the same time, though, health bosses are warning about universal pressure on the nhs across the country. we have got these big care backlogs that we are kind of trying to get through as quickly as possible. and we are tackling the most complex cases to start with, which means patients need overnight stays because they're difficult cases. hospital say those complex

cases are often simple problems that got worse over lockdown, so patients can need more complicated treatment and longer stays in hospital. this man was diagnosed with cataracts three years ago and is still on a waiting list. it is steadily getting worse, it's an insidious thing, - it has sort of crept on and i've had the surgery cancelled several- times and just don't - know what is happening, which is quite frustrating. but at the same time as the backlog, the nhs is still running that race, vaccine versus variant. we are six months in now and the government has a new, speedier ambition. we hope to be able to protect with two doses all i—9s, all the over 50s, before the 21st ofjune. we will make sure we vaccinate at scale but here's the important thing, we will share the evidence with the country on the 14th ofjune. those dates are key because june the 14th is when the government will tell us

whether the next date of opening up in england will happen on the 21st. at that point they will want to meet four tests before going ahead. the first test — is the vaccine roll—out going well? the second — are vaccines stopping people getting sick or dying with covid 7 the third test is about infection levels. are they getting so high they're putting too much pressure on the nhs? and the final test is about new variants of concern. are they changing the risk level? there are questions over the last two tests, case numbers and variants. the next few weeks will give us more information on how if at all, they could slow down the opening up later injune. earlier my colleaguejane hill spoke to peter 0penshaw, professor of experimental medicine at imperial college london about the level of caution the public need to employ before restrictions can be eased injune. i think we just need to be very cautious and need to keep an eye on the figures. we would all love to be able

to open up again but the last thing we want is to see another major surge because of the circulation of these new variants which appear to be more transmissible, and to be able to escape to some degree from the immune response induced by vaccines. you know, i think the good news is that vaccines are very good at preventing serious disease and death, but it's not so clear that they actually prevent transmission of these new variants. and we know that the indian variant is spiking in certain geographical areas at the moment. is there any merit in looking at local or regional measures, or is your view that we really have to be united on whatever restrictions or easing ultimately comes in? i think we have seen before that when these variants start to emerge in certain parts of the country, they spread quite quickly to other parts of the country.

i think there are also clear problems with local restrictions because people do tend to cross the border into areas that have fewer restrictions, even if that's not what's advised. so it is very difficult to succeed with local lockdowns. but i think we are alljust really hoping that we can get this under control, particularly if we can have a very effective local tracing of infection. absolutely, and one of the key elements of all of this for more than a year has been not to overwhelm the nhs, of course, and today we hear a call from the nhs saying, "look, we are finally trying to start getting through the backlog of all of those routine operations that were postponed," and making the point that if, then, those beds are suddenly needed for another covid wave, god forbid, yet again, the hip replacements and knee replacements all get postponed. is that a valid argument? is that something that policymakers really need to be paying attention to?

yes, the nhs is getting busier and busier with all of those other things that it was extremely busy doing before we had covid, and that's obviously good news for people who have been waiting to have operations and so on, and again, if we have to go back into some sort of lockdown or if the number of cases rises and we have to convert our acute care or long—term care into covid wards again, then everything will go backwards. ijust do so hope that we can keep this under control and do urge everyone to get vaccinated as soon as they are eligible to be vaccinated. let's look now at the government data figures, which show there were six deaths reported in the past 2a hours. that will be people who tested positive for covid in the previous 28 days.

and over the last day 3,240 new cases have been reported. in the vaccine roll out 39,259,168 people have now had their firstjab. and 25,332,851 have had their second dose, meaning 64,592,019 people are now fully vaccinated. we'll find out how the dilemma over whether or not to liberate measures further against covid is covered, it is at all, on the front pages of tomorrow morning's newspapers at 10:30pm and 11:30pm this evening. our guests joining me tonight are deputy political editor at the independent rob merrick, and the writer and broadcaster dawn foster. borisjohnson has married his partner carrie symonds at secret ceremony at westminster cathedral. a spokesman said that following yesterday's small ceremony, the couple would celebrate again with family and friends next summer. let's speak now to dave wooding, political editor

of the sun on sunday, who broke the story. it's a great exclusive to get. i won't ask you who, perhaps you could tell us a little bit about how? borisjohnson had just been married yesterday afternoon, this came as a bit of a shock because only less than a week earlier, our sister paper, the sun had carried another great exclusive saying that boris johnson and kerry had sent out save the date cards saying they were having a wedding celebration injuly next year. —— borisjohnson and carrie. so i spent some time this week chasing different areas to try to find out where that wedding would be, trying the undercroft at the house of commons, no, he hasn't booked this place, trying to find out whether checkers had been licensed for a wedding, all sorts of things like that. and then suddenly we get this call saying they've just got married at westminster

cathedral, you can't really mistake borisjohnson, can you, if he walks down the aisle? it’s boris johnson, can you, if he walks down the aisle?— down the aisle? it's the thought, also, that down the aisle? it's the thought, also. that you — down the aisle? it's the thought, also, that you can _ down the aisle? it's the thought, also, that you can have - down the aisle? it's the thought, also, that you can have a - down the aisle? it's the thought, also, that you can have a secret. also, that you can have a secret ceremony at the cathedral, slap bang in the centre of london!— in the centre of london! absolutely. it's onl a in the centre of london! absolutely. it's only a few _ in the centre of london! absolutely. it's only a few hundred _ in the centre of london! absolutely. it's only a few hundred yards - in the centre of london! absolutely. it's only a few hundred yards from i it's only a few hundred yards from victoria station, and the strange thing was, when i rang number ten, they said, no, i don't think so, it's not happening, it's next year, isn't it? and put some clothes into people who would know, they didn't know, they weren't misleadingly, theyjust know, they weren't misleadingly, they just didn't know, they weren't misleadingly, theyjust didn't know. so with a bit of old—fashioned journalism, we sent some reporters ran to westminster cathedral and one of our lads spoke to a big issue seller outside who said, yes, just so boris and his girlfriend come into church, all the cars pulled up outside, and we then went inside and spoke to the precincts who are much more likely to spell tell you the truth than politicians! and they confirmed it, and downing street were still in the da, no comment and then put out a

statement this morning. did da, no comment and then put out a statement this morning.— da, no comment and then put out a statement this morning. did they buy a bic statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? — statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? like _ statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? like no _ statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? like no idea! _ statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? like no idea! a - statement this morning. did they buy a big issue? like no idea! a week. a big issue? like no idea! a week aao, i a big issue? like no idea! a week ago. i was— a big issue? like no idea! a week ago. i was having _ a big issue? like no idea! a week ago, i was having a _ a big issue? like no idea! a week ago, i was having a interview - a big issue? like no idea! a week| ago, i was having a interview with liz truss, the international trade secretary, and i looked out the window and so a marquee being erected in number ten and assumed it was for some kind of trade talks or vip delegation or something, and of course, we now know it was probably for the wedding, to get 20 or 30 guests. at}! for the wedding, to get 20 or 30 auests. . ., , ., for the wedding, to get 20 or 30 auests. _, , ., , guests. of course he had been sub'ect guests. of course he had been subject to _ guests. of course he had been subject to covid _ guests. of course he had been subject to covid restrictions, i subject to covid restrictions, presumably the celebration, sensible to delay it till next summer, but i mean, it's interesting this, in the sense, for a number of reasons. 0bviously boris johnson sense, for a number of reasons. 0bviously borisjohnson and kerry symons have been together for 0bviously borisjohnson and kerry symons have been togetherfor some time now, they have a son together, —— and carrie syminds. they've been

a household together, one wonders what the pressure was in a sense, borisjohnson has come out of two marriages, perhaps surprising that he wants to get into third so quickly. i he wants to get into third so cuickl . ., ~' he wants to get into third so cuickl . ., ~ ., ., quickly. i do think that waiting until next year _ quickly. i do think that waiting until next year seemed - quickly. i do think that waiting until next year seemed a - quickly. i do think that waiting until next year seemed a long | quickly. i do think that waiting - until next year seemed a long time for somebody who got engaged quite a while ago now, and is ready to get married, but i didn't expect it to be such a cloak and dagger operation here. i know borisjohnson is infamously notorious for not wanting to talk about his private life, and itjust to talk about his private life, and it just sort of fits that character, caricature of boris, trying to do things quietly because he doesn't put a big fuss when it comes to his personal life, and that fits in with that. there is some more pictures tomorrow, some great pictures of the wedding now which have been released, because our daily paper has had more time to work on this one today, so look forward to reading that tomorrow. find one today, so look forward to reading that tomorrow. and what about, reading that tomorrow. and what about. you _ reading that tomorrow. and what about, you know, _ reading that tomorrow. and what about, you know, the _

reading that tomorrow. and what about, you know, the context - reading that tomorrow. and what about, you know, the context of| about, you know, the context of this? because a lot of people weren't even aware that boris johnson was a practising catholic, apparently because his wedding, his previous weddings were not catholic weddings they don't count in catholic low so he's not had to seek special permission to get married. still, not that long ago, a couple of hundred years, it would have barred him from being prime minister altogether. barred him from being prime minister altoaether. ~ , , �* altogether. absolutely. and incidentally, _ altogether. absolutely. and incidentally, the _ altogether. absolutely. and incidentally, the ceremonyl altogether. absolutely. and - incidentally, the ceremony took place in the lady chapel, which is one of the various parts of westminster cathedral to be built and the first ever mass was held in there in 1903, we've since found out. again, this causes a bit of panic yesterday, trying to find out, we didn't know borisjohnson was roman catholic because he was a church of england, we'd read in cuttings, so has he converted? 0r cuttings, so has he converted? or why has he been allowed to have a marriage in roman catholic church? and we started to go through all sorts of ecclesiastical laws to try and find out what the reason was! and i'm afraid if i start going down

that road here on bbc, a lot of people... bill! that road here on bbc, a lot of people- - -_ people... all we can say is he wouldn't _ people... all we can say is he wouldn't have _ people... all we can say is he wouldn't have required - people... all we can say is he wouldn't have required a - people... all we can say is he i wouldn't have required a special papal dispensation to get married! presumably he converted at some point because i think he was an anglican at school, but interesting story this day. great exclusive for you at the paper. good to speak to you at the paper. good to speak to you again. thanks very much. and i'm joined now by ellen tutton — who had her own secret wedding after the pandemic got in the way of her original wedding plans. thank you forjoining us. you must have more than a bit of sympathy for the johnson have more than a bit of sympathy for thejohnson is, as they now are, in trying to do this on the quiet? —— leejohnsons. i trying to do this on the quiet? -- lee johnsons-_ lee johnsons. i definitely have a siml lee johnsons. i definitely have a simply thread — lee johnsons. i definitely have a simply thread on _ lee johnsons. i definitely have a simply thread on who _ lee johnsons. i definitely have a simply thread on who is - lee johnsons. i definitely have a j simply thread on who is wedding lee johnsons. i definitely have a - simply thread on who is wedding like we have, _ simply thread on who is wedding like we have, or— simply thread on who is wedding like we have, or to change their plans very last — we have, or to change their plans very last minute, to accommodate for changes— very last minute, to accommodate for changes and _ very last minute, to accommodate for changes and road maps we had been given— changes and road maps we had been given over_ changes and road maps we had been given over the last few months, and

i don't _ given over the last few months, and i don't know— given over the last few months, and i don't know his back and with this, whether_ i don't know his back and with this, whether they were planning a big wedding — whether they were planning a big wedding before and decided at the last minute to narrow the numbers down _ last minute to narrow the numbers down and — last minute to narrow the numbers down and do it with the sector they were _ down and do it with the sector they were allowed, but definitely, if it was something he has had to adapt last minute and change the numbers for, last minute and change the numbers for. i_ last minute and change the numbers for. i do _ last minute and change the numbers for, i do have sympathy there. but if he _ for, i do have sympathy there. but if he has _ for, i do have sympathy there. but if he hasjust for, i do have sympathy there. but if he has just chosen to go down that route, _ if he has just chosen to go down that route, then, now, good on him for doing _ that route, then, now, good on him for doing it — that route, then, now, good on him for doing it but there's plenty of people — for doing it but there's plenty of people out there who had to postpone several _ people out there who had to postpone several times now. | people out there who had to postpone several times now.— severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fair to severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fairto him, — severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fair to him, maybe _ severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fair to him, maybe that's _ severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fair to him, maybe that's part - severaltimes now. i suppose, to be fair to him, maybe that's part of - fair to him, maybe that's part of the motivation, that he is very well aware that a lot of people have had their plans ruined as a result of covid over the last year for weddings or for other covid over the last year for weddings orfor other big covid over the last year for weddings or for other big family events. so tell us, what happened? because you and your fiance, i think nick, snuck off, not quite in the dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! _ dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! so _ dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! so we _ dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! so we were _ dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! so we were at - dead of night but almost? it almost felt like that! so we were at a - felt like that! so we were at a funny— felt like that! so we were at a funny stage where we were allowed 30 people. _ funny stage where we were allowed 30 people, and then we made a decision then that _ people, and then we made a decision then that we just couldn't cut our numbers— then that we just couldn't cut our numbers down to that, we couldn't pick our—

numbers down to that, we couldn't pick our favourite people, it was too difficult. thankfully a few days later, _ too difficult. thankfully a few days later, we — too difficult. thankfully a few days later, we found that we did make the film later, we found that we did make the right choice. — later, we found that we did make the right choice, but we decided last minute _ right choice, but we decided last minute that what really mattered was bein- minute that what really mattered was being married, so we booked in about 24 hours. _ being married, so we booked in about 24 hours, months before the wedding, to -o 24 hours, months before the wedding, to go to _ 24 hours, months before the wedding, to go to devon. we live in essex, so we made _ to go to devon. we live in essex, so we made the — to go to devon. we live in essex, so we made the to devon on our original day, just— we made the to devon on our original day, just us— we made the to devon on our original day, just us and the dog, we towed only a _ day, just us and the dog, we towed only a handful of people are close friends _ only a handful of people are close friends and family, we towed a couple — friends and family, we towed a couple of— friends and family, we towed a couple of more people on the day that it _ couple of more people on the day that it was — couple of more people on the day that it was happening, and then everyone — that it was happening, and then everyone else found that after we were _ everyone else found that after we were married. and it was really nice to have _ were married. and it was really nice to have that— were married. and it was really nice to have that personal feel to it, and it— to have that personal feel to it, and it was— to have that personal feel to it, and it was nothing we never dreamt of. ~ , ., ., a of. where did you get married? a lovely place. _ of. where did you get married? a lovely place, beach... _ of. where did you get married? a lovely place, beach... i— of. where did you get married? a lovely place, beach... i know- of. where did you get married? a lovely place, beach... i know it i lovely place, beach... i know it well, i lovely place, beach... i know it well. twent— lovely place, beach... i know it well, i went to _ lovely place, beach... i know it well, i went to school - lovely place, beach... i know it well, i went to school there, i lovely place, beach... i know it i well, i went to school there, and unusual, romantic spot. it well, i went to school there, and unusual, romantic spot.- well, i went to school there, and unusual, romantic spot. it was, and we had always _ unusual, romantic spot. it was, and we had always said, _ unusual, romantic spot. it was, and we had always said, we _ unusual, romantic spot. it was, and we had always said, we had - unusual, romantic spot. it was, and we had always said, we had the - unusual, romantic spot. it was, and| we had always said, we had the kind of coastal— we had always said, we had the kind of coastal setting around us now, we would _ of coastal setting around us now, we would have _ of coastal setting around us now, we would have got that would make love to got _

would have got that would make love to got married like that, but expect people _ to got married like that, but expect people to _ to got married like that, but expect people to go halfway across the country — people to go halfway across the country for us would have been, we wouldn't _ country for us would have been, we wouldn't have been able to do it. so in some _ wouldn't have been able to do it. so in some ways it was nice that we had that option _ in some ways it was nice that we had that option to have our dream venue even though we couldn't have are that would — even though we couldn't have are that would make our dream wedding. | that would make our dream wedding. i know that would make our dream wedding. know you that would make our dream wedding. i know you love your door, one of your witnesses was the dog groomer and the other was the make—up artist! taste the other was the make-up artist! we did the other was the make—up artist! we did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't _ did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't a _ did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't a witness. 0h, did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't a witness.— did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't a witness._ but - did have the dog groomer there, but wasn't a witness._ but it i wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it was a bit weird _ wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it was a bit weird not _ wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it was a bit weird not to _ wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it was a bit weird not to have - wasn't a witness. oh, sorry. but it was a bit weird not to have our - was a bit weird not to have our friends — was a bit weird not to have our friends and _ was a bit weird not to have our friends and family.— was a bit weird not to have our friends and family. how did theirs eat out after— friends and family. how did theirs eat out after the _ friends and family. how did theirs eat out after the event _ friends and family. how did theirs eat out after the event react? - eat out after the event react? 0bviously thrilled for you, but the you detect may be at a smidge of disappointment? —— those you told after the event. i’m disappointment? -- those you told after the event.— after the event. i'm one of three and the only _ after the event. i'm one of three and the only girl— after the event. i'm one of three and the only girl in _ after the event. i'm one of three and the only girl in my _ after the event. i'm one of three and the only girl in my family - after the event. i'm one of three and the only girl in my family so| after the event. i'm one of three i and the only girl in my family so of hisare— and the only girl in my family so of his are quite hard hitting for close family— his are quite hard hitting for close family do— his are quite hard hitting for close family do not share that they with us, but _ family do not share that they with us, but -- — family do not share that they with us, but -- it— family do not share that they with us, but —— it is obviously quite hard _ us, but —— it is obviously quite hard hitting. but we've got kind of

apart— hard hitting. but we've got kind of apart two— hard hitting. but we've got kind of apart two we've called it, next year~ — apart two we've called it, next ear. ~' apart two we've called it, next ear. ~ �* ., , apart two we've called it, next ear. ~ ., ., year. like boris johnson and carrie s monds, year. like boris johnson and carrie symonds. with _ year. like boris johnson and carrie symonds, with their _ year. like boris johnson and carrie symonds, with their celebration i year. like boris johnson and carrie i symonds, with their celebration next summer. , . , �* ,.,,._ summer. yes, except we've probably lost a lot more _ summer. yes, except we've probably lost a lot more money! _ summer. yes, except we've probably lost a lot more money! we _ summer. yes, except we've probably lost a lot more money! we meant. summer. yes, except we've probably lost a lot more money! we meant to| lost a lot more money! we meant to -et lost a lot more money! we meant to get married — lost a lot more money! we meant to get married nearly a year, have the party _ get married nearly a year, have the party this— get married nearly a year, have the party this coming october, but we are actually pregnant so we have postponed it again because the baby will he _ postponed it again because the baby will be about a month old by then, so its— will be about a month old by then, so it's been— will be about a month old by then, so it's been a really, really busy year— so it's been a really, really busy year for— so it's been a really, really busy year for us! _ so it's been a really, really busy year for us! to get married and to be expecting a baby during a pandemic has been a really incredible time, but we are so thick that we _ incredible time, but we are so thick that we did — incredible time, but we are so thick that we did it the way we have. they have been at — that we did it the way we have. they have been at the _ that we did it the way we have. they have been at the other _ that we did it the way we have. iie: have been at the other way that we did it the way we have. "iie: have been at the other way around, but the outcome hopefully will be the same because of —— rare but the outcome hopefully will be the same because of --_ but the outcome hopefully will be the same because of -- we are so thankful we _ the same because of -- we are so thankful we did _ the same because of -- we are so thankful we did it _ the same because of -- we are so thankful we did it the _ the same because of -- we are so thankful we did it the way - the same because of -- we are so thankful we did it the way we - the same because of -- we are so l thankful we did it the way we have. thanks— thankful we did it the way we have. thanks for— thankful we did it the way we have. thanks for telling us all about it. thanks for telling us all about it. thanks for telling us all about it. thanks for having me. it's 17 pm. —— 7:18pm.

the head of the group which represents nhs trusts in england has told the bbc that hospitals are still under pressure and there must be an open debate about plans for a further easing of restriction. opposition politicians in israel are moving closer to forming a new government and removing the prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, from power. and borisjohnson has married carrie symons in a secret ceremony at westminster cathedral, yesterday afternoon. the newly—elected leader of the democratic unionist party has accused the eu of playing "fast and loose" with the peace process in northern ireland. edwin poots said checks on goods entering northern ireland from great britain were having a "devastating impact" and leading to violence on the streets. the european commission says it rejects any suggestion that it no longer cares about the peace process. from belfast, louise cullen reports. the northern ireland protocol has caused political and practical problems since its inception. it creates a trade border in the irish sea, by keeping northern ireland in the eu single market for goods, enforcing eu

customs rules at the ports, to prevent a hardening of the land border. and unionists view it as a threat to their place in the united kingdom. that fear was blamed for trouble on the streets at easter. the uk has delayed introducing some food checks until october, a move the eu has gone to court over. technical talks continue. the new dup leader edwin poots claimed the northern ireland peace process was being damaged. i don't want to use a threat of violence in terms of this. 0ur arguments are very clear, they're very coherent. this is the european union seeking to punish the united kingdom, and, as a consequence, northern ireland is being used as a plaything for the european union. i can assure you, northern ireland should be nobody�*s plaything. the eu commission vice president rejected that. i think we are working absolutely flat out to make sure that the protocol operates as smoothly as possible. i think we have also to turn the table a little bit

in this discussion and look at what the protocol brings as an opportunity to northern ireland. talks continue that simple find the workings of the protocol. the uk —— talks continue about simplifying the workings of the protocol. a uk government spokesperson said solutions must be found rapidly to protect peace and minimise disruption in northern ireland. the uk's biggest seller of building supplies, travis perkins, is warning of "considerable" increases in the cost of raw materials, because of shortages. the company says surging demand as lockdown eases, as well as problems with the supply chain, mean bagged cement will rise by 15%, chipboard by 10% and paint by 5%. a retailer was telling me recently that kaaba prices have gone up 30% in the last year as a result of problems because, knock—on effect of pandemic delays in world trade. —— prices of hardboard. in israel, two opposition parties

have moved closer to forming a coalition government, which would end the era of benjamin netanyahu, the country's longest serving prime minister. speaking to jane a little earlier from jerusalem, our middle east correspondent yolande knell provided more detail on the negotiations. just now, we're getting comments in to us from one of the key players in all of this, the leader of the right—wing yamina party, naftali bennett, a former defence minister, and after israel's fourth election in just two years, he emerged as the kind of kingmaker and first mooted going into a coalition government with benjamin netanyahu. when he couldn't get the seats together, he became the person for yair lapid, the centrist, who now has to the end of wednesday to form a new coalition government, he became the person for yair lapid to get on board and we understand yair lapid has offered naftali bennett a rotating premiership. so that naftali bennett would serve for two years as prime minister,

followed by yair lapid. the comments naftali bennett has been making, he has been accusing benjamin netanyahu of sowing division to cover for failure, saying there will not be that kind of division on his watch. "we can stop this madness and take responsibility," he has been saying. "either we have a unity government or israel goes to a fifth election." but as you say, it will be a really, really unusual line—up if this new government does take place on the basis being talked about, because it will really bring together parties from across the political spectrum, from the far left to the far right, and you will have parties like naftali bennett's, which says that it has stood in the past for annexing most of the west bank to israel, and then you have parties like meretz, the far left party in israel, which has opposed, always, occupation of the palestinian territories. also, this new coalition government looks very likely to be

really looking to a small arab islamist party for support as well, if it's to be able to push legislation through. and what really unites all of these different political players is the fact that they are opposed to benjamin netanyahu, and they say after 12 years, consecutive years in office, now is the time for change. mr netanyahu, of course, is on trial for corruption charges, corruption that he denies, but still, the other political players say he has been putting his personal interests before those of the country. a new nationalflagship is to be commissioned by the government in a bid to boost british trade and industry overseas. the royal navy vessel — which will cost a reported £200 million and be in service for 30 years — would be used to host trade fairs and diplomatic meetings. it will be the successor to the royal yacht britannia, which was retired in 1997. lord ricketts is the former british ambassador to france

and was national security adviser. he's now a crossbench peer. he told us he believes it's not worth the cost. it's a colossal waste of money, because i don't think it's at all relevant to the way that modern business and modern contracts are negotiated. the government says it wants britain to be a science and technology superpower, which is great, but i don't think the corporate bosses of the world's great high—tech companies and financial companies are going to be all that impressed with an invitation to go to some distant port and have a cocktail on board a ship in the harbour. so, i think it harks back generations to the way export promotion was done many, many years ago. it isn't relevant to promoting modern high—tech britain in the modern world. the government will miss its deadline for completing applications for £5 billion worth of funding to remove flammable cladding in the wake of the grenfell tower fire. the bbc understands that managing

agents who administer most tower blocks with dangerous cladding have yet to sign any contracts with the government which would release funding. hundreds of thousands of people remain concerned they won't be able to get dangerous cladding removed from their homes. here's our consumer affairs correspondent sarah corker. i couldn't sleep, i couldn't eat, i couldn't concentrate. unless that agreement is signed, we're stuck and we're trapped. making a very difficult situation for leaseholders far, far worse. a chorus of concern about the government's building safety fund — £5 billion has been set aside to remove flammable cladding from buildings like this one in st albans. alison hills moved here in 2018. fire safety issues were discovered months later. now she's moved out. you're sat here in a flammable flat 24 hours a day, particularly during lockdown, knowing that your building could go up in flames any minute. i couldn't sleep, i couldn't eat, i couldn't concentrate. my mental health was in absolute bits. but alison's building, like hundreds of others, isn't being made safe.

managing agents who act for the building's freeholders are refusing to sign contracts with the government to release the funding. nigel glenn represents the agents. he says the contract, while paying for cladding problems, makes them liable for all other fire safety defects. we represent 325 managing agents — none of them have signed. we've talked to freeholders, we've talked to cladding action groups, and as far as i know, none of them have signed. it's a really difficult situation. we're talking here of hundreds of blocks, potentially hundreds of thousands of people, and we just can't sign it, because by doing so, you take on the liability which would render you technically insolvent. the ministry of housing says the managing agents' interpretation of the contract is fundamentally flawed and allows cladding removal without leaving them or leaseholders liable for other fire safety costs. leaseholders like stephen in manchester say they've been waiting long enough. you think you might be able to see a glimmer of light

at the end of the tunnel, and then now, unfortunately, they won't sign the agreement, so it's like it doesn't matter how much money the government make available for us, unless that agreement is signed, we're stuck and we're trapped. the longer this dispute between the managing agents and the government goes on, the longer people living in these buildings are having to pay out thousands of pounds a month on interim fire—safety measures. the ministry of housing has now said it will allow applications to be processed beyond the end ofjune deadline on a case—by—case basis. that is some comfort for stephen and alison and hundreds of thousands of others still caught up in this cladding crisis. but their wait to live in a safe home continues. sarah corker, bbc news. the grammy—winning american singer bj thomas — best remembered for the 1969 hit raindrops keep fallin on my head — has died at the age of 78. the song — written by burt bacharach and hal david for the film butch cassidy and the sundance kid —

won the oscar for best original song. billyjoe thomas died at his home in texas from lung cancer. now it's time for a look at the weather. fine evening out there across much of the uk. it's been a warm day, temperatures in the low 20s, and more of that to come tomorrow. monday will be another warm and sunny day. look at the forecast, then. there is a little cloud on the satellite picture, in fact, this is earlier on and some coastal areas around parts of aberdeenshire where overcast through most of the afternoon, and that cloud is returning to the night. in fact it will drift further inland across parts of yorkshire, may be as far west as leicestershire, east anglia and the south—east. but at toward the west, it will be a starry, starry night. tomorrow, bright from the word go, lots of sunshine apart from some eastern counties, and then

a sunny day. temperatures will probably peak at around 24, maybe 25, but where the cloud hugs the coast there around aberdeenshire, it could only 14. another great day on the way on tuesday, up to 25 or 26. enjoy if you like that. hello this is bbc news. the headlines.

vaccines minister, nadhim zahawi, says england