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tv   BBC News at Six  BBC News  April 12, 2022 6:00pm-6:30pm BST

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borisjohnson becomes the boris johnson becomes the first sitting prime borisjohnson becomes the first sitting prime minister to be found to have broken the law after he is fined over breaching lockdown rules. both borisjohnson and the chancellor, rishi sunak, are to be fined, along with mrjohnson�*s wife, carrie. the labour leader said they should resign, saying mrjohnson had misled the public. resign, saying mrjohnson had misled the ublic. , a, , a, a, the public. they have dishonoured their office. _ the public. they have dishonoured their office, and _ the public. they have dishonoured their office, and then _ the public. they have dishonoured their office, and then he _ the public. they have dishonoured their office, and then he lied - their office, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. britain deserves better. they have to go. voters had strong views. it'sjust made me so angry. it's like one rule for
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them and one for us. ukraine and russia continue to build up their forces in the east, ahead of a major escalation of the war. we're with ukrainian troops as they prepare for a fresh russian onslaught. and, ordinary lives transformed by an extraordinary war. we follow the fortunes of one suburban ukrainian family. and stay with us on bbc news for continuing coverage and analysis from our team of correspondents in the uk and around the world. good evening. for months, borisjohnson has
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maintained that all guidance on covid rules was followed in number 10. today, he was found to be the first ever sitting prime minister to have broken the law after it was confirmed that both he and the chancellor, rishi sunak, will be fined by the metropolitan police for breaching lockdown rules — along with mrjohnson�*s wife, carrie. the met, who are investigating alleged breaches at 12 gatherings in whitehall and downing street, said that mrjohnson was fined for being at an event on his birthday injune 2020. labour's leader, sir keir starmer, said that borisjohnson and rishi sunak had repeatedly lied to the british public, and that they should both resign. the liberal democrat leader, sir ed davey, called for parliament, which is on its easter break, to be recalled for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister. 0ur political correspondent nick eardley reports. who followed the rules during lockdown? the queen did, sitting alone at prince philip's funeral. at
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four months, accusations have plagued the government that parties in downing street broke the rules. now the police have decided that lockdown laws were broken by the most senior politicians in the country in the very buildings where they were being set. in a statement, number ten confirmed that the prime minister and chancellor of the exchequer have today received notification that the metropolitan police intend to issue them with fixed penalty notices. the prime minister's wife, carriejohnson, will also be fined. # happy birthday to you... white this wasjune 2020, a school visit outdoors on the prime minister's 56th birthday. that outdoors on the prime minister's 56th birthday-— outdoors on the prime minister's 56th birthday. that was within the rules. but later— 56th birthday. that was within the rules. but later there _ 56th birthday. that was within the rules. but later there was - 56th birthday. that was within the rules. but later there was another gathering in the cabinet room in downing street. at the time, gatherings of more than two people were banned indoors without a reasonable excuse. the chancellor and mrsjohnson were there, as were
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others. downing street confirmed this was the event the prime minister will be fined for. labour's leader says for the prime minister and chancellor the game is up and that both should now resign. this is the first time _ that both should now resign. this is the first time in _ that both should now resign. this is the first time in the _ that both should now resign. this is the first time in the history - that both should now resign. this is the first time in the history of - the first time in the history of our country that a prime minister has been found to be in breach of the law, and then he lied repeatedly to the public about it. britain deserves better. they have to go. the police have been looking into a dozen events in downing street and other government buildings. more than 50 fines have now been issued. the investigation is continuing and there could be more to come. a lot has changed since borisjohnson said this in december... i has changed since boris johnson said this in december...— this in december... i have been repeatedly _ this in december... i have been repeatedly assured _ this in december... i have been repeatedly assured since - this in december... i have been repeatedly assured since these | repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party, and that no covid rules were broken, and that is what i have been repeatedly assured. he is were broken, and that is what i have been repeatedly assured.— been repeatedly assured. he is now facin: the been repeatedly assured. he is now facing the charge _ been repeatedly assured. he is now facing the charge he _ been repeatedly assured. he is now facing the charge he misled - facing the charge he misled parliament and the public. if you
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mislead and _ parliament and the public. if you mislead and lie _ parliament and the public. if you mislead and lie to _ parliament and the public. if you mislead and lie to parliament, . parliament and the public. if you i mislead and lie to parliament, then you resign — mislead and lie to parliament, then you resign. no ifs, no buts. we know this prime _ you resign. no ifs, no buts. we know this prime minister has lied to parliament. you should be offering his resignation. | parliament. you should be offering his resignation.— his resignation. i am absolutely clear how. _ his resignation. i am absolutely clear now, they _ his resignation. i am absolutely clear now, they must _ his resignation. i am absolutely clear now, they must go, - his resignation. i am absolutely clear now, they must go, they l his resignation. i am absolutely - clear now, they must go, they must io clear now, they must go, they must 90 immediately— clear now, they must go, they must go immediately so _ clear now, they must go, they must go immediately so we _ clear now, they must go, they must go immediately so we can _ clear now, they must go, they must go immediately so we can get - clear now, they must go, they must go immediately so we can get fresh| go immediately so we can get fresh leadership — go immediately so we can get fresh leadership and _ go immediately so we can get fresh leadership. and if— go immediately so we can get fresh leadership. and if conservative - go immediately so we can get fresh| leadership. and if conservative mps won't _ leadership. and if conservative mps won't do _ leadership. and if conservative mps won't do that, — leadership. and if conservative mps won't do that, i_ leadership. and if conservative mps won't do that, i feel— leadership. and if conservative mps won't do that, i feel they— leadership. and if conservative mps won't do that, i feel they are - won't do that, i feel they are directly— won't do that, i feel they are directly associated _ won't do that, i feel they are directly associated with - won't do that, i feel they are directly associated with this i directly associated with this wrongdoing _ directly associated with this wrongdoing. fill— directly associated with this wrongdoing-— directly associated with this wrongdoing. directly associated with this wronaudoin. �* , ., ., wrongdoing. all eyes are now one conservative _ wrongdoing. all eyes are now one conservative backbenchers - wrongdoing. all eyes are now one conservative backbenchers and i wrongdoing. all eyes are now one i conservative backbenchers and what they think about the prime minister's future. it is hard to overstate the significance of this moment. despite the denials, the police think the lockdown laws were broken here, the very place where they were drawn up. but the mood in westminster has changed, too, in large part because of the war in ukraine. many conservative mps are reluctant to bring down the prime minister at the moment, and that may yet be what saves borisjohnson. haifa yet be what saves boris johnson. now is the time for — yet be what saves borisjohnson. firm is the time for people to continue their support in our effort to stop
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their support in our effort to stop the russians killing more innocent people in ukraine, which is why i think the prime minister should continue that leadership. malia; continue that leadership. many eo - le continue that leadership. many peeple may — continue that leadership. many peeple may be _ continue that leadership. many people may be moving - continue that leadership. many people may be moving on - continue that leadership. many people may be moving on from lockdown, but for the government, questions about what went on in downing street and how often the rules were broken are not going away. dozens of conservative mps were deeply unhappy when stories are parties in downing street first came out. many flirted with the idea of calling for a confidence vote in the prime minister. they are keeping quiet tonight. many of them are waiting to see what the public reaction is, but also what the prime minister says in response to receiving this fine. in the last few minutes, we have heard from boris johnson. let minutes, we have heard from boris johnson. _ minutes, we have heard from boris johnson. ., , ., johnson. let me say immediately that i have aid johnson. let me say immediately that i have paid the _ johnson. let me say immediately that i have paid the fine, _ johnson. let me say immediately that i have paid the fine, and _ johnson. let me say immediately that i have paid the fine, and i _ johnson. let me say immediately that i have paid the fine, and i once - i have paid the fine, and i once again offer a full apology. and, in again offer a full apology. and, in a spirit of openness and humility, i
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want to be completely clear about what happened on that date. my day began shortly after 7am, and i chaired eight meetings in number ten, including the cabinet committee deciding covid strategy. i visited a school in hemel hempstead, which took me out of downing street for overfour took me out of downing street for over four hours. took me out of downing street for overfour hours. and took me out of downing street for over four hours. and amongst all these engagements, on a day that happened to be my birthday, there was a brief gathering in the cabinet room shortly after 2pm, lasting for less than ten minutes. during which people i work with kindly passed on their good wishes. and i have to say, in all frankness, at that time, it did not occur to me that this might have been a breach of the rules. but of course, the police have found otherwise, and ifully respect the outcome of their investigation. i understand the anger that many will feel, that i myself fell short when it came to
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observing the very rules which the government i lead had introduced to protect the public, and i accept in all sincerity that people had the right to expect better. that all sincerity that people had the right to expect better.— right to expect better. that is boris johnson's _ right to expect better. that is boris johnson's response - right to expect better. that is boris johnson's response in l right to expect better. that is i boris johnson's response in the right to expect better. that is - boris johnson's response in the last borisjohnson�*s response in the last few minutes. you could see the prime minister there closely following a pre—prepared statement. minister there closely following a pre-prepared statement. i minister there closely following a pre—prepared statement. i have to say, this story still has some way to go, because the prime minister will have to appear before mps when parliament returns next week. there will still be another report from the senior civil servant sue grade, and there could be more fines to come. thank you very much, nick eardley. there was fury amongst voters when the claims first came out of staff parties in downing st and whitehall during lockdown — gatherings which allegedly took place while ministers were laying down rules stopping everyone else from socialising. so, how are today's revelations being viewed? 0ur correspondent danny savage has been to the town of mirfield in kirklees,
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west yorkshire to gauge the mood. mirfield in west yorkshire, a busy town between wakefield and huddersfield which fell silent during lockdown. an area of northern england where people we spoke to say they stop to the rules concerning coronavirus restrictions. thea;r coronavirus restrictions. they shouldn't _ coronavirus restrictions. they shouldn't have _ coronavirus restrictions. they shouldn't have broken - coronavirus restrictions. they shouldn't have broken the - coronavirus restrictions. tue shouldn't have broken the rules anyway. they made them. everybody else was adhering to those rules, and they didn't. t else was adhering to those rules, and they didn't.— and they didn't. i think he should resin, and they didn't. i think he should resign, personally, _ and they didn't. i think he should resign, personally, yeah. - and they didn't. i think he should resign, personally, yeah. he's i resign, personally, yeah. he's asking — resign, personally, yeah. he's asking us— resign, personally, yeah. he's asking us to obey one rule and then he is _ asking us to obey one rule and then he is doing — asking us to obey one rule and then he is doing something completely different, the opposite. it's not right, it's not fair, it's not british _ right, it's not fair, it's not british. ., , , ., british. no point resigning. get on with it. british. no point resigning. get on with it- and _ british. no point resigning. get on with it. and obviously _ british. no point resigning. get on with it. and obviously don't - british. no point resigning. get on with it. and obviously don't do i british. no point resigning. get on with it. and obviously don't do it l with it. and obviously don't do it again _ with it. and obviously don't do it aaain. ., , ., , with it. and obviously don't do it aaain. ., ., , , again. you stop to the rules, yet they didn't- _ again. you stop to the rules, yet they didn't. how— again. you stop to the rules, yet they didn't. how does _ again. you stop to the rules, yet they didn't. how does that i again. you stop to the rules, yet they didn't. how does that leave i again. you stop to the rules, yet i they didn't. how does that leave you feeling? t’m they didn't. how does that leave you feelina? �* ., ,~ , �* feeling? i'm actually angry. i've never been _ feeling? i'm actually angry. i've never been into _ feeling? i'm actually angry. i've never been into politics, - feeling? i'm actually angry. i've never been into politics, but i feeling? i'm actually angry. i've never been into politics, but it i never been into politics, but it just made me so angry. it's like one rule for them and one for us. but
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will today's _ rule for them and one for us. but will today's headlines damage the conservatives in a forthcoming general election? to be fair, the people we spoke to here today weren't sure, but some of their gains in 2019 had very slim majorities, like here, where they won byjust over 1500 votes. what is clear that party gate has cut through to people far from westminster. they are fully aware of it and have firm views. danny savage, bbc news, mirfield in west yorkshire. our home editor mark easton is at new scotland yard. we the fine, minister. he has paid the fine, expressed as humility, but this is put it ever have broken the law. put it into some
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on people's lives, on their livelihoods and their liberties. people couldn't hold the hands of the dying, they couldn't provide comfort and care to the vulnerable. and i think that, for many voters, there will be a sense that perhaps there will be a sense that perhaps the real crime here is prime a minister who has taken them for. mark, thank you. mark easton
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reporting. more on that story later in the programme. letsjoin lets join clive murray in kyiv. —— clive mhairi. ukraine and russia are building up theirforces in the east of the country, ahead of a major escalation in the war, with a new russian offensive. ukraine's president zelensky says tens of thousands of russian troops are preparing to attack, with satellite images showing troops massing on the border. it comes as britain and america investigate unconfirmed reports that chemical weapons may have been used by the russians, attacking the southern port city of mariupol. moscow says its war aim now is what it calls the "complete liberation" of the eastern donbas region. kremlin—backed separatists have held significant territory there, and the area has been marred by conflict for many years. 0ur defence correspondent, jonathan beale, is in the city of kramatorsk in the donbas, travelling with ukrainian forces, and he's sent us this report.
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this is where the war in ukraine will be won or lost. the wide open landscape of the east. we went with ukraine's army to see artillery already firing on russian forces. this, the only way to get there. nervously watching for signs of russian aircraft. at their position, american—made stinger anti—aircraft missiles were ready to fire. the continuing supply of western weapons will be crucial to their success. ukraine's military might be smaller, but they've been more mobile. here, they are always on the move. translation: if we stay in one l position for more than a couple of days, we usually become the target. if we stand still and shoot all day, we will most likely get an answer, but if we fire one or two shells, nothing will happen. these artillery pieces well hidden.
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they are also mobile, so they can clearly move to another location if they come under attack. just hearing some artillery in the distance there. but they are targeting russian military positions from here. unlike the russian artillery, which seems to be often targeting ukrainian towns and cities. but russia's advantage is still mass. columns of russian armour have already been spotted moving from the north. western officials believe russia is trying to double, even treble, the strength of its military forces here in the east. ukraine's also having to keep an eye on its own population. there is some pro—russian sentiment in this region. wejoined a police patrol looking for potential saboteurs, those who they fear may be passing
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on information to the russians. they search phones for any photos of defensive positions. this shows they are not just having to worry about russian armour, a russian offensive coming in this direction, but they are also having to worry about the enemy within. it's a job made all the more difficult by the regular threat of russian air strikes and artillery. siren wails. we have to head to a bunkerfor shelter. there, viktor tells me they are arresting people nearly every day. translation: we look for bad people who help the enemy. i we find them and then hand them over to the intelligence services. ukraine has already
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taken casualties. it has, for the past eight years, fighting russian—backed separatists. this battle will prove even more costly. among the most recent is tetiana's only child. alexander was just 3a years old. the last time tetiana heard from him, his unit was being hit by russian rockets. there will be many more grieving families in the days and weeks to come. this next phase of the war could prove decisive. but it will also be bloody. jonathan beale, bbc news, kramatorsk. as russia prepares for the new offensive, families back home are counting the cost of the war. thousands of russian soldiers have been sent to their deaths here in ukraine, and as the fighting ramps up in the east, many more are likely to lose their lives. vladimir putin said, in his first comments for some time on the war,
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that it would achieve russia's "noble aims," and a clash with ukraine had become inevitable. 0ur russia editor, steve rosenberg, reports now from the city of stavropol, in the south west of the country. russia is still claiming there is no war. it can't claim there are no casualties. at the cemetery in stavropol, there is a new line of graves, for elite soldiers killed in what they call here the special military operation, code for russia's offensive against ukraine. the kremlin has admitted significant losses. sergei was an officer in the paratroopers. his widow, lara, agreed to talk to me about losing him. translation: i didn't
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want to believe it. i i still don't completely believe it. i've lost the one who is dearer to me than anyone else in my life. i know that the whole world is against us now. they will accuse russia of anything. but i knew my husband. he would never harm anyone. dimitri, too, dismisses claims of russian war crimes as fake news. he used to serve under sergei. translation: ukrainian politicians often say thank you to russia i for helping to unite ukraine. i want to say thank you to all the countries who imposed sanctions on us. thank you for helping to unite russia behind our commander in chief and president, vladimir putin. the messaging is clear —
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support the z, the symbol of the military operation. and through its total control of the media, the kremlin has persuaded many here to back the offensive, and to treat reports of apparent russian atrocities as misinformation. ever since russia attacked ukraine, i've spoken to so many russians who have repeated almost word for word what they've been hearing on television. and what they've been hearing on tv is that, in ukraine, russia is battling nazis, neo—nazis, ultranationalists, liberating the country from fascism. basically creating a parallel reality. on a visit to russia's space centre today, president putin claimed his aims in ukraine were noble and would be achieved. that means his military offensive will continue. military losses are a tragedy, says the kremlin, but it's not ready yet for peace. steve rosenberg,
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bbc news, stavropol. the enormity of this conflict, the massed armies, the global ramifications, it can be overwhelming to comprehend. but what needs to be understood, is that it's mostly ordinary, individual families, that are ultimately affected. for instance, the people of the town of bucha, just north of the capital. full of families living everyday lives, they're not activists, or politicians, they're just minding their own business. so, along with cameraman david mcilveen, i wanted to explore the fortunes of one ordinary family, living in an ordinary street, in the middle of an extraordinary war. there are some distressing details in my report. an ordinary suburban home.
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it could be anywhere. but this is railway station street in bucha, number17. in the road, remnants of a column of russian armour that rolled into town on february the 27th, and mercilessly attacked by ukrainian forces. the firefight caused huge explosions, leaving nearby trees bearing strange fruit. i tell you what comes to my mind being here is what it must have sounded like, the noise of all these vehicles all along the street, just going up. the explosions, the fire, the inferno. it must have been horrible for people hiding in their basements on either side of the street. the area is in ukrainian hands now, but the russians who survived the attack back in february and fled returned a week later,
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their pride in pieces all around. this is number 31 railway station street, and on the fence is written the word "people," in the hope the soldiers would be kind. viktor, like most suburban dads, is into diy. except his roof repairs are the result of war damage. one day under russian occupation three soldiers came calling, ordering him, his son and the neighbour off the roof. "they fired shots into the ground to hurry us up," he tells me. "they said they were going to kill us. "then they ordered us to lie face down on the ground. "�*put your pig faces in the dirt,�* they said. "then they fired some shots close to my head. "i could feel the sand that the bullets kicked up touch my hair.
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"then i heard the soldiers say, �*we can get rid of the two older �*ones and spare the younger one.�* then a third soldier said, �*no, �*they were just fixing the roof.”' other times they cowered in the cramped vegetable cellar when they heard the russians in railway station street. the comfort of normality. it's a prize for civilians in war. just being able to feed the chickens. especially after what viktor�*s wife tanya went through when her menfolk were ordered off the roof. translation: my husband and son stood with their hands up _ saying, "don't shoot." "woman, stay," they commanded. "you go outside, i take you down." so i stood in the yard and i heard two shots.
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it was so hard, i thought they were dead. i don't know how i'm going to walk around the streets any more after everything that's happened. i'll remember the blasts and us hiding and the shrapnel and bullets flying. i can't explain everything i feel, i can't explain everything we went through here. and what of her son roman, just 15, subject of a mock execution? how will he cope with the horrors he's seen as he gets older?
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"the first corpses i saw were of russian soldiers," he said. "i went outside and i saw the burned body of a man. "he had no head. "i'll never forget. "this memory will stay with me forever." at the end of march, the russians retreated from railway station street, but they had parting gifts. "i heard several shots from the next street," he says. "and people were screaming. "it was clear a lot of people were being killed in the final "days of the occupation. "in yablunska street, in a school and a nearby apartment." this is yablunska — or apple tree — street today. and this is how the russians left it. how does a community, a nation,
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recover from collective trauma? perhaps the only solution for the residents of railway station street is time. the herinenko family there, so generous with their time, given everything they've been through. i should say that more of the horrors of russia's occupation of bucha are still coming to light. more bodies have been exhumed today from a mass grave near a church in the town. also, some of the residents who managed to escape are beginning to return, now the russians have gone. to check on their homes, to try to repair and restart their lives, in their corner of suburbia. that's it from me and the team here in kyiv. now back to reeta in the studio in london.
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ten people have been shot and 16 others injured in a shooting during morning rush hour at a new york subway station. 0fficials officials say the incident is not being investigated as an act of terror. the scottish green party has launched its manifesto for next month's local elections. the co—leader, lorna slater, said the greens would bring to local authorities the same focus on the climate and social justice that the party had delivered at holyrood, where they're in power with the scottish national party. well, back to our main story tonight and the news that the prime minister and chancellor are to be fined after breaking lockdown regulations. 0ur political correspondentjoins us from downing street and an extraordinary situation. can they survive it? . , extraordinary situation. can they survive it?— survive it? that is certainly what the prime _ survive it? that is certainly what the prime minister _ survive it? that is certainly what the prime minister is _ survive it? that is certainly what the prime minister is hoping i the prime minister is hoping tonight. borisjohnson hopes that
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that apology we heard earlier in the programme, that excuse we heard early in the programme that he was only there for a short period of time and did not think he was breaking the rules will be enough. in the interview tonight, the prime minister was asked about his future. will he resign? i of course have paid the fp n. t will he resign? i of course have paid the fp n-— will he resign? i of course have paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again — paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again that _ paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again that i _ paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again that i made - paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again that i made and i paid the fp n. i apologise for the mistake again that i made and as i've mistake again that i made and as we said — mistake again that i made and as i've said just now, i want to be able _ i've said just now, i want to be able to— i've said just now, i want to be able to get— i've said just now, i want to be able to get on and deliver the mandate _ able to get on and deliver the mandate that i have.- able to get on and deliver the mandate that i have. much of this and will be _ mandate that i have. much of this and will be down _ mandate that i have. much of this and will be down to _ mandate that i have. much of this and will be down to conservative l and will be down to conservative mps and will be down to conservative mps and whether they agree that boris johnson is the man to lead the country forward, and it's also worth pointing out that the chancellor who lives next door has not said anything about this story yet, no reaction from him or his team to him
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receiving the fine, but what we know for sure tonight is that in that building where borisjohnson was telling us all to follow the covid rules, the police havejudged that he broke them. rules, the police have 'udged that he broke themi time for a look at the weather. here's alina jenkins. the easter weekend is fast approaching and as we move closer to it things will be turning drier and also warmer and of course we have had rain around today for many of us and if you look at the early radar picture you can see the main band working north and arriving into northern ireland and scotland and a secondary area of showery rain pushing through southern england into the midlands and wales and will be fined over night is all of the rain will continue on its journey north and most of it becoming confined to the north—east of scotland and still a few showers pushing into south—west england and a lot of cloud for most of us but the clearest skies will be across eastern counties and for most of us a mild nightahead, eastern counties and for most of us a mild night ahead, between five and 10 celsius as the overnight low but it could go lower for counties of england and scotland. into tomorrow,
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the area of low pressure responsible for today's rain full slowly into the north sea which will keep more cloud across a large swathe of scotland and there will be outbreaks across the north—east the northern isles. a few showers elsewhere and most will be drive rather cloudy and the cloud will thin and break and break and we will see spells of sunshine but are more likely chance we will get showers across the southern half of the uk and they could be heavy and thundering a few catch one. warmer tomorrow, particular for the north—eastern coast of england which has been on the cool side and as we look ahead into thursday, the area of high pressure becomes a dominant feature and out to the west the frontal system trying to nudge its way in which will bring cloud and patchy rain into northern ireland and the western isles but for most after a cloudy and misty and foggy start we will see spells of sunshine developing particularfor will see spells of sunshine developing particular for east anglia and south—east england and in the sunshine temperatures up to 19 or 20 celsius but on the cool side across scotland and for good friday and into the easter weekend things looking mostly dry, may be some showers in western areas but also
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warm so

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