live from london. this is bbc news. the french president urges his chinese counterpart to help stop the war in ukraine and �*bring russia to its senses�*. saudi arabia and iran have held their first high—level meeting in more than seven years — brokered by china. dozens of officers at the uk's biggest police force are diverted from tackling terrorism and serious crimes — to investigate wrongdoing within the metropolitan police. buckingham palace says it's co—operating with an independent study into the british monarchy�*s links to the slave trade.

bring russia to its senses". that's the message the french president emmanuel macron has delivered on thursday to the man who can, maybe, influence vladimir putin, the chinese leader xi jinping. applying pressure on ukraine isn't an an easy sell after years of worsening relations between the west and china, and president xi's recent visit to moscow. here's some of what president macron had to say. decades of peace in europe. i know i can count on you to bring russia to its senses and everyone to the negotiating table. but we need to find a lasting peace. that is to say, a peace that respects internationally recognised borders and avoids any form of escalation.

what i meant to say was applying russia, not on ukraine. the president of the european commission — is also in bejing with emmanuel macron — in what's being framed by some as a good cop — bad cop scenario. with ursula von der leyen taking the tough stance. we also count on china not to provide any military equipment directly or indirectly to russia, because we all know arming the aggressor would be against international law and it would significantly harm our relationship. well the former us ambassador to china, max baucus, told me he doesn't expect china to do much in this peace effort. frankly there are two dynamics here. one is the french and european commission, clearly we would like to see china help end the war in ukraine. but china and myjudgment is not going to do very much to push

russia to end the war because china very much needs russia. china does not want to see russia get beat. but on the other hand, china also wants to be seen as more of a role player, as it has been in saudi arabia only recently. so it's going to be a lot of european pressure, macron and the european commissioner, but the bottom line is i don't think china is going to do much different than it's been doing in the past with respect to ukraine. in it's been doing in the past with respect to ukraine. in what way does it shoot china to _ respect to ukraine. in what way does it shoot china to have _ respect to ukraine. in what way does it shoot china to have a _ it shoot china to have a prolonged war in that region? it it shoot china to have a prolonged war in that region?— it shoot china to have a prolonged war in that region? it does not suit china to have a _ war in that region? it does not suit china to have a prolonged work -

war in that region? it does not suit china to have a prolonged work on | china to have a prolonged work on a china to have a prolonged work on a china would like to see the war end. but china does not want to see russia lose. so china is an bit of a box. china i think will do what it can to try to help russia, help wind down the war, and china will not, i think, send additional material down where it's already sending to the russians because china does not want to incur western sanctions. china also very much wants russian oil. russia is very helpful to china. so i think it's going to be of bit of a status quo for a while, but china is going to do what it can, gingerly, lightly, behind the scenes, to try to get some sort of resolution but i don't see china undertaken a major don't see china undertaken a ma'or effort. ~ . . , effort. what about president mcconnell— effort. what about president mcconnell and _ effort. what about president mcconnell and his _ effort. what about president mcconnell and his role - effort. what about president mcconnell and his role in - effort. what about president l mcconnell and his role in this? effort. what about president - mcconnell and his role in this? his words were quite direct to china, bring russia to its senses. it seals isn't it what with the phone calls with president putin and moving across to china to try and have influence they are, that mr micron very much sees himself as an international peacemaker, if you like. , ., , ., like. yes, he does. he tried to broker peace _ like. yes, he does. he tried to broker peace early _ like. yes, he does. he tried to broker peace early with - like. yes, he does. he tried to l broker peace early with ukraine. that didn't go very well. he is trying to do the same in ukraine. but micron basicallyjust said, don't do more, don't send more

material, to ukraine. they didn't —— he didn't really push as strongly as he didn't really push as strongly as he could. he sang the right things. he's not going to go too far because don't forget there's a whole another mission with president micron. that is market access. european business, french business, german business, very much want more market access to china. this is a business trip. there are 50 french businessmen alone on the trip with president micron. in china try to do $1 billion of trade a day and a lot of this is business, and you're going to see some announcements between china and france or china and the european union, opening up more access. that is very much but both sides one. , access. that is very much but both sides one-— access. that is very much but both sides one. , . , , .,, sides one. they wanted. many people watchin: sides one. they wanted. many people watching this from _ sides one. they wanted. many people watching this from the _ sides one. they wanted. many people watching this from the outside - watching this from the outside describe the relationship between china and the west, at least in recent years, is getting a bit colder. do you agree with that? it

is a bit colder, no question about it. it's frigid between the united states and china. maybe it's not quite us frigid, the temperature is not quite as low between europe and china. europeans don't see national security as much of a risk for them as national security seems to be a risk in the united states. the most difficult, most upfront tension is us and china. the us wants europe to join in. your is a bit reluctant to do so, but also, europe understands some of the points the artist enters making. but europe is europe. it's going to take care of itself and the best way but it thinks more sensible, and that is going to be helping a little bit with the us, but also trying to do own arrangements, economic arrangements with china. you arrangements, economic arrangements with china. ., ., ., ,, with china. you are former us ambassador— with china. you are former us ambassador to _ with china. you are former us ambassador to china. - with china. you are former us ambassador to china. what i with china. you are former us i ambassador to china. what was with china. you are former us - ambassador to china. what was the most difficult thematic issue you had to deal with in your time there? well, i can enter that in two ways.

number one, it's difficult dealing with the chinese because the government, it'sjust so with the chinese because the government, it's just so opaque. there is no transparency whatsoever. it is very difficult to get straight answers from the chinese government. theyjust hide behind it. so, that was in itself a procedural matter, quite frustrating. more specifically, the south china sea, when china started to dump sand on those submerged atolls and started building up islands and put military bases on them and we american said no, you can do that, that's against national law. the philippines took them to the hay. but china theyjust basically said, might makes right, we are going to do it, and you can't do anything about it, and so they did. that was very frustrating. that was the former _ did. that was very frustrating. that was the former us _ did. that was very frustrating. that was the former us ambassador to china talking to me a little bit earlier about president microns trip to china and how important it is for the region. if you want to know more about that you can go on website. as

always, all the analysis and context that you need, if you don't have time to be watching it on television, although i suppose if you're watching me know you have time, don't you? so how much responsibility do individuals and indeed nations bearfor the slave trade of past centuries and should they pay reparations? it's a debate that's grown in recent times. and now, perhaps inevitably, the british royal family are now being drawn in. buckingham palace says it will cooperate with an independent study — into the links between the british monarchy and the slave trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. the research is being carried out by the university of manchester with historic royal palaces. the palace said, king charles takes the issues "profoundly seriously" and the royal household, will grant access to its archives, with the study due to be completed in 2026. let's cross live and speak to the professor of public history at the university of manchester and joins

me now. david, it's very good to have you on the programme and i thank you for taking the time to speak to us. what is your reaction to what we have been hearing today from king charles, and indeed their study that we are going to be getting the results of, i think in 2026? ~ 4' getting the results of, i think in 2026? . ~ ., getting the results of, i think in 2026? ~ ~ ., ., 2026? well i think what we are heafina 2026? well i think what we are hearing from — 2026? well i think what we are hearing from the _ 2026? well i think what we are hearing from the palace - 2026? well i think what we are hearing from the palace is - 2026? well i think what we are hearing from the palace is in i hearing from the palace is in keeping with soundings and indications we've had over the past couple of years from the prince and now king charles that there was a serious commitment to recognise that this history is live, that this history is significant, and of interest, and demands for it to be examined isn't going to go away. the other thing to say is, this isn't in some ways at all surprising. the monarchy is and another british institution, like many thousands of british institutions that are connected to slavery and the slave trade, and by making these announcements, by opening up the archives, they are following a very well trod path.— well trod path. this debate really is becoming _ well trod path. this debate really is becoming more _ well trod path. this debate really is becoming more and _ well trod path. this debate really is becoming more and more - is becoming more and more widespread, isn't it? why is that

important right now, david? i think a number of— important right now, david? i think a number of things _ important right now, david? i think a number of things are _ important right now, david? i think a number of things are happening. | a number of things are happening. really over the past 50 years or so, historians have began to look at the whole story of empire of which the slave trade and slavery are one part through a different lens, the stories have become much more interesting and trying to not explain merely the economics behind the empire but to try to get to the heart of what the imperial experience meant for people who are on the other end of it, people who were in colonised countries and in this case people who were the subjects of the slave system. so i think history is changed but there has also been a generational shift, a shift in attitudes notjust about history but what history is therefor. there seems to be a younger generation notjust in younger generation not just in britain younger generation notjust in britain but all over the world, who regard history of something which contains painful truths. that history is of something which is sometimes uncomfortable. it's about confronting difficult parts of the past, and that it's not all about glory and glamour. it's not all about heroes and victories. in that shift in attitude to what history is

for, what history is about, i think that underpins all of this. i have to say again this is a global phenomenon. this is not something only happening in the britain of the netherlands. similar discussions are taking place in the united states. tell me about reparations, because there is one of the big issues now that many countries who have course were affected by the slave trade in years gone by are talking about now. how important is it that reparations are paid, and what you say to those who argue, well look here, this is history. how far back do we have to go in terms of wrongs done to people within history and historical context? i within history and historical context? ~ ., , ., , , , context? i think that binary set up ofthe context? i think that binary set up of the discussion _ context? i think that binary set up of the discussion of _ context? i think that binary set up of the discussion of reparations i context? i think that binary set up of the discussion of reparations is| of the discussion of reparations is inadequate. first of all, what is happening and west announced today as the research into the history, there's a deficit of understanding, a deficit of scholarship. we don't know this history well enough. we

don't understand the connections which in british institutions, the british monarchy, and the story of slavery on the slave trade. the fact that new documents are being revealed today to show links edward colston and the reign of king william iii shows that we are in the process of historical recovery and reclamation. but that's just as important. there's also the story of acknowledgement, of recognising and confronting that this history is true, there's history is fundamental, and it's valuable. but the other frame in which fundamental, and it's valuable. but the otherframe in which i think is inadequate is the idea that reparations is always at the state level. there are two things about reparations. first of all restoring normal. it's involvement in slavery or its direct involvement in slavery, by paying reparations to the 47,000 slavery, by paying reparations to the 117,000 slave owners. so reparation is entirely normal. but they are not also only something which takes place at the state level. there are reparations taking place right now in this country across the world, where organisations, indeed families, individuals are taking part in forms of restorative justice to try to

make amends, or at least try to hand over some of the gains from these systems of slavery in the slave trade. you take britain injust 2023, still in the first half of the year, the church of england announced research into its history and a fund of restorative justice. the trevelyan family who are major slave photos on the island of grenada did likewise. research, acknowledgement, and restorative justice. and just last week the guardian newspaper revealed its history, its connections to sugar slavery in the united states and direct involvement in slavery in the caribbean in the case of one of its investors. and again announced a programme of restorative justice. so this kind of simple binary debate of should we do it or shouldn't isn't government or is it not? i think that framing doesn't work. it's inadequate. that framing doesn't work. it's inadequate-— that framing doesn't work. it's inadeauate. , inadequate. david, stay right there, because i inadequate. david, stay right there, because i want _ inadequate. david, stay right there, because i want to _ inadequate. david, stay right there, because i want to bring _ inadequate. david, stay right there, because i want to bring in, - inadequate. david, stay right there, because i want to bring in, you i because i want to bring in, you talked about history and the historians aspects. let's bring in the author of the queen silence, the hidden history of the british

monarchy and slave book. it's really good to have it on the programme. i wanted to explain to viewers at home what your role is been in all of thi ., ~ , ., what your role is been in all of thi ., ~ �*, ., what your role is been in all of this thank you it's good to break here- the _ this thank you it's good to break here. the guardian _ this thank you it's good to break here. the guardian contacted i this thank you it's good to break| here. the guardian contacted me this thank you it's good to break i here. the guardian contacted me to serve _ here. the guardian contacted me to serve as— here. the guardian contacted me to serve as a _ here. the guardian contacted me to serve as a historical consultant on their_ serve as a historical consultant on their estimation into the links between _ their estimation into the links between the crown and the slave trade _ between the crown and the slave trade in — between the crown and the slave trade in the expansion and defence of coloniai— trade in the expansion and defence of colonial slavery, because they heard _ of colonial slavery, because they heard about the book that i've been working _ heard about the book that i've been working on— heard about the book that i've been working on for a number of years and the archivai— working on for a number of years and the archival research that i've conducted. this is a painstaking process — conducted. this is a painstaking process. the records of slavery are scattered _ process. the records of slavery are scattered throughout a number of archives — scattered throughout a number of archives. and frankly, are not really— archives. and frankly, are not really in — archives. and frankly, are not really in the royal archives themselves in windsor castle. most of the _ themselves in windsor castle. most of the information that we have about _ of the information that we have about the — of the information that we have about the links between the royal family— about the links between the royal family and the slave trade and also the expansion of slavery in the attantic— the expansion of slavery in the atlantic world is in places like the nationat— atlantic world is in places like the national archives, the british librarv — national archives, the british library. it's in the record of slave trading. — library. it's in the record of slave trading, joint stock companies such as the _ trading, joint stock companies such as the royal african company and the south _ as the royal african company and the south sea _ as the royal african company and the

south sea company. these are the crucial _ south sea company. these are the crucial slave trading companies that the royal— crucial slave trading companies that the royal family invested in, that they helped to govern, that they helped _ they helped to govern, that they helped to expand and attract shareholders by attracting and placing — shareholders by attracting and placing their own brand on these companies. saying essentially, these are worthy— companies. saying essentially, these are worthy and valuable investments. we are _ are worthy and valuable investments. we are going to support the expansion of the slave trade and we think other— expansion of the slave trade and we think other people should as well. and we _ think other people should as well. and we heard from david there a second ago about the deficit in terms of knowledge and historical knowledge in terms of what actually happened around the slave trade. do you agree with that assessment from david because not to think there is a deficit they are, and that needs to be addressed are smart people need to basically educate themselves, if you likewise mark among scholars and historians, this is not _ among scholars and historians, this is not entirely new. there has been a number— is not entirely new. there has been a number of— is not entirely new. there has been a number of studies done on the royal— a number of studies done on the royal african company, on the south sea company, on the british empire, but as— sea company, on the british empire, but as he _ sea company, on the british empire, but as he said earlier, the public is not _ but as he said earlier, the public is not aware of much of this research. this is been very much the

purview— research. this is been very much the purview of— research. this is been very much the purview of academics. and i think that is— purview of academics. and i think that is what really needs to change. in that is what really needs to change. in order— that is what really needs to change. in order for— that is what really needs to change. in order for the royal family to take _ in order for the royal family to take this — in order for the royal family to take this research seriously, in order— take this research seriously, in order for— take this research seriously, in order for the public to demand action, — order for the public to demand action, and in an order for the descendent communities to have a case to— descendent communities to have a case to articulate to be able to point _ case to articulate to be able to point to— case to articulate to be able to point to the evidence in the archives— point to the evidence in the archives and say, there is a paper trail here — archives and say, there is a paper trail here. there is a case to be made _ trail here. there is a case to be made for— trail here. there is a case to be made for not only royal involvements, but discussions around restorative _ involvements, but discussions around restorative justice and the prospect of potential reparations. i think this is— of potential reparations. i think this is why— of potential reparations. i think this is why public discussions and public— this is why public discussions and public awareness is so crucial, especially— public awareness is so crucial, especially now as we are moving into the coronation, a new rain, a new time _ the coronation, a new rain, a new time period. — the coronation, a new rain, a new time period, and really thinking about— time period, and really thinking about what does charles iii, what his reign— about what does charles iii, what his reign want to look like in an area— his reign want to look like in an area where— his reign want to look like in an area where a number of commonwealth realms _ area where a number of commonwealth realms are _ area where a number of commonwealth realms are wanting to sever ties. david, _ realms are wanting to sever ties. david, let— realms are wanting to sever ties. david, let me bring you and one more time. people have said the way that

king charles is addressing this, everything that he is bringing the cross, putting across, is very different to how his mother, the late queen elizabeth ii face this issue. do you agree with that? are you hopeful? i issue. do you agree with that? are you hopeful?— you hopeful? i think the signs are ositive. i you hopeful? i think the signs are positive. ithink— you hopeful? i think the signs are positive. i think the _ you hopeful? i think the signs are positive. i think the new - you hopeful? i think the signs are positive. i think the new king i you hopeful? i think the signs are positive. i think the new king is l you hopeful? i think the signs are | positive. i think the new king is of a different generation to his mother. but i think it's also these are very different times. when his mother came to the throne there was still the remnants of a british empire. the current can come to the throne at the moment when there is this wave of rediscovery, of acknowledgement, these demands for recognition all over the world, in the caribbean. i'm talking to you today from barbados, a country —— i think if the king does want to acknowledge this history, if he wants to walk along this pathway of acknowledgement and maybe towards restorative justice, acknowledgement and maybe towards restorativejustice, it acknowledgement and maybe towards restorative justice, it would acknowledgement and maybe towards restorativejustice, it would be very in keeping with the times in which he will be king.— which he will be king. david, in barbados. _ which he will be king. david, in barbados, and _ which he will be king. david, in barbados, and brooks, - which he will be king. david, in barbados, and brooks, i- which he will be king. david, in barbados, and brooks, i thinkl which he will be king. david, in i barbados, and brooks, i think you barbados, and brooks, ithink you are in south carolina, aren't you's

thank you to both of you forjoining us on bbc news. thank you to both of you for “oining us on bbc news.i thank you to both of you for 'oining| us on bbc news.iaround us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and _ us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and across _ us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and across the _ us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and across the uk, - us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this i us on bbc news. thank you. around the world and across the uk, this is| the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. it isa it is a fantasticjob. it is journalism in real time. these stories are happening in front of you, and you are trying to interview the key players, you're navigating through life pictures, you are in a sense guiding the audience through trying to make sense of what you are seeing. and we are living and an extraordinary time for news in terms of the magnitude of stories. but it's notjust the heavy lifting. there is science, there is technology, there's trends, there's culture, their support, and what you're trying to do constantly is blend all of that, the interesting stuff that people are talking about, the fun stuff, you are trying to blend that into your shows. and i love news. i am a real newsjunkie.

when i think back as a kid at school, i was the one that was watching the budget programme live on my own, obviously. but now you get to be actually doing it. i love thisjob. it is perfect for me. you're live with bbc news. london's metropolitan police says, it has moved officers from tackling serious crime and terrorism — to boost efforts to clean up its own workforce. last month, a major review branded the force institutionally sexist, racist and homophobic. the head of the met, sir mark rowley, said he expected hundreds of officers to be removed — but during a bbc radio phone in show he asked for more powers to sack officers who are found guilty of wrongdoing. actually, in a lot of cases, well, in all cases, i don't have the final say on who's in the metropolitan police. i know that sounds mad. i'm the commissioner. you're holding me to account with this question because you want

me to run a good police service. yet there are independent legal tribunals who can decide that we have to keep somebody, even though we want to sack them. and that's one of the powers i've asked to be changed for the home secretary. and she's doing a review which will publish at the end of this month that i think if you expect me to sort out the cultural issues in the mayor and get rid of the people, then give me the powers to do it. so what are the rules around sacking uk police officers? officers employment rights are laid out in special police regulations — not under the direct control of the force that employs them. if they want to appeal their dismissal from a force, officers in england and wales can go through a special police appeals tribunal. if the tribunal rules in favour of the dismissed officer, they can be reinstated. live now to dal babu, he's a former chief superintendent in the metropolitan police. thank you so much forjoining us on bbc news. let me ask you first of

all. it doesn't really make sense to many people watching this that the police commissioner himself can't, if he wants to, get rid of officers who he deems unsuitable to continue in thejob. who he deems unsuitable to continue in the 'ob. ., , in the job. yeah, it is quite bizarre- — in the job. yeah, it is quite bizarre. but _ in the job. yeah, it is quite bizarre. but that's - in the job. yeah, it is quite bizarre. but that's the i in the job. yeah, it is quite l bizarre. but that's the reality in the job. yeah, it is quite i bizarre. but that's the reality of the situation and it has been for some time. police officers who are guilty of offences, who have done the heaney us, most tenuous things, can actually play the system. and the ultimate decision is made by an independent person, layperson, who then makes a decision about whether somebody should keep theirjob. some of the decisions have that have been made to sound quite bizarre. we had a police officer who used his card to talk to a woman who was out jogging to talk to a woman who was out jogging and then try to form a relationship with her. that individual was disciplined in the decision was made for him to keep hisjob. so there is decision was made for him to keep his job. so there is some quite bizarre situations happening at the moment. and he is absolutely right. he needs to disrupt the powers in

order to root out individuals. trust in the police have never been lower, it's a lower sin is ever been in the history of policing. we have to remember that the metropolitan police is one of the earliest police forces, formed in 1829, a time when people around the world use to admire the trust. and the fact that officers are unarmed and deal with the one of the most complex capitals of the world. d0 the one of the most complex capitals of the world-— of the world. do you think this is a roblem of the world. do you think this is a problem that is _ of the world. do you think this is a problem that is seen _ of the world. do you think this is a problem that is seen across i of the world. do you think this is a problem that is seen across the i of the world. do you think this is a i problem that is seen across the uk, notjust in the london police or just the metropolitan police? yeah, absolutel . just the metropolitan police? yeah, absolutely- we _ just the metropolitan police? yeah, absolutely. we have _ just the metropolitan police? yeah, absolutely. we have 43 _ just the metropolitan police? yeah, absolutely. we have 43 forces i just the metropolitan police? yeah, l absolutely. we have 43 forces across england and wales, and six of them were in special measures. i think if you look at the issues in the metropolitan police, it replicates it across the country. many of the chief officers in these forces would have been special metropolitan police officers. so it's a cultural issue in policing across the country. and what we need is a police or first that is fixed on the 2ist police or first that is fixed on the 21st surgery, a service agency, that

replicates the communities we serve. so it is more diverse, often the organisations in charge of naprosyn, often have very different standards to what we would expect. our offices are almost entirely white men and women. there is very little diversity in these units that make the decisions. some of the decisions they are making are quite bizarre. certainly, i am quite surprised at some of the decisions that have been made, and i know when i was a superintendent and the met there were times when i was quite surprised at the decisions that were made, individuals that i'd felt should have been sacked. we had an individual, one example is a detective sergeant who used a racial slur and then subsequently went on to go on and make comments that were quite abusive. they kept theirjob. how to keep theirjob? what was the process, or the lack of process? i think part of it is that people are

protected. the borrowers that far too low. the one individual am talking about who used a racial slur against an asian colleague then subsequent he went on to sexually assault and harass a woman police officer. the only reason the police were able to get whatever him was because he got committed for drink—drive and then got sacked. but i know it was a very arduous process to try to get rid of him, because he was protected by other people, other individuals. so there is something about the culture in the organisation as well as the general rules and regulations that he is talking about. notjust the rules and regulations, it's what some of the police officers, managers are prepared to accept.— prepared to accept. let's look at what marcus _ prepared to accept. let's look at what marcus said. _ prepared to accept. let's look at what marcus said. he _ prepared to accept. let's look at what marcus said. he wants i prepared to accept. let's look at what marcus said. he wants to l prepared to accept. let's look at i what marcus said. he wants to deploy officers from tackling serious crime to investigating other officers. it smacked a little bit of some people to —— how effective is going to be, do you think westmark telemark well

i think we have had significant austerity in british policing and as austerity in british policing and as a result of that we have lost 20,000 police officers and 18,000 police data. there is but a massive recoupment dry but a lot of those individuals were coming without experience. you need experienced officers and it does sound == i officers and it does sound -- i think of the — officers and it does sound -- i think of the short-term i officers and it does sound -- i think of the short-term we i officers and it does sound -- i think of the short—term we need to be doing something different. i think there is something that sums up think there is something that sums up where the police walk. that's the problem with trust is its long gone. it has been really good to have your thoughts. thank you so much, once again forjoining us. former chief superintendent of the met police. now of course, as always, you can read more about that story on our website. it is in fact one of the most popular stories on the website this evening. and we have plenty of context and analysis from our home

affairs correspondence on the ground. stay with us on the bbc. more to come injust ground. stay with us on the bbc. more to come in just a few minutes. hello there. we saw the sunshine developing more widely today. and as the showers fade away and skies clear and winds drop, the easter weekend could start cold with a widespread slight frost. the cloud that brought the earlier rain followed by the showers are moving away out into the north sea. and following on from that, we've got pressure rising, this ridge of high pressure tending to build in, and that will kill off any remaining showers, they may hang around for a while across some eastern parts of england and eastern scotland. but even here, we'll see skies clearing later and the winds will be falling light. so temperatures will drop sharply. these are the numbers

in towns and cities. so in rural areas, knock off a couple of degrees and we could be as low as minus two or minus three in northern ireland, wales and western scotland. good friday starts cold but sunny and the winds will be light as well. so, it will feel pleasant in the sunshine as temperatures rise. so, the cloud will build up a little and spread out a bit, especially across eastern parts of england. there's also more cloud coming in from the north sea and it could be thick enough to give it one or two spots of light rain in north east england. otherwise a dry day. and if anything, those temperatures may be a degree or so higher than today. and with the light winds, it'll feel pleasant in the sunshine. there'll be some more sunshine around as we head into the weekend because that high pressure is still in charge. eventually these weather fronts will make progress from the atlantic, but not just yet. again, a lot of dry weather around on saturday. more cloud across some eastern parts of england and scotland. and the cloud will develop a bit more further west as the southerly wind picks up as well. temperatures continuing to rise just a little, 14 degrees in the central belt of scotland and 15 in the south east of england. for easter sunday, we may have more sunshine

around actually on sunday. and ahead of this rain that comes into northern ireland later in the afternoon, towards the evening, the winds will be stronger, but it's the southerly wind that's giving us more warmth. the warmest day of the next few on easter sunday, could make 16 degrees around the murray firth merseyside and 17 to the north of london. but then we see that rain coming in to northern ireland. those weather fronts take that rain eastwards overnight into easter monday. so it's a much wetter day on easter monday. we've got that rain moving away from most areas, but it will be followed by some sunshine, some showers, a blustery wind, perhaps, and temperatures will be a little lower.

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