big wins for labour and the liberal democrats in by—elections in england but the conservatives hang on in borisjohnson�*s old constituency. we'll hear from the uk's top elections expert. messages from boris johnson's old phone are recovered — there we will get analysis from the by—election results. messages from boris johnson's old phone are recovered — the former prime minister agrees to hand them over the uk covid inquiry. outrage grows after video of two women being paraded naked through the streets in india. and the legendary singer tony bennet has died at the age of 96.

hello, i'm matthew amroliwala, welcome to verified live, three hours of breaking stories, and checking out the truth behind them. we start here in the uk, where rishi sunak and the conservative party have suffered two major set backs and pulled off a surprise narrow win in three by—elections in england. there were massive swings away from the tories in the two defeats — and the main political parties have been taking stock — of what the results mean. there were celebrations for labour in the north yorkshire seat of selby and ainsty — the party overturning a conservative majority of more than 20,000 votes. there was an even bigger percentage swing for the liberal democrats in the south west — taking somerton and froome — overturning a 19,000 majority. but the tories held on to borisjohnson�*s former constituency of uxbridge and south ruislip in west london — winning by just a95 votes.

let's go straight to westminister. samantha simmonds is there for us now. samantha. thank you very much. it's pretty quiet here westminster and has been most of the day. a lot of mps have headed off to their constituencies are on holidays, summer recess under way from today. let's make no mistake. forthe way from today. let's make no mistake. for the conservatives, this was a bad night but could have been worse. that narrow win in uxbridge and south rice lip has given them something positive to talk about, an opportunity for rishi sunak to go down and make sure you can talk to the press and present a positive spin on this but that last for labour in uxbridge has given them a more difficult day and are overshadowed the huge win for them in selby.

it was a night of spectacular results. mather, keiralexander, labour party, 16,166. dyke, sarahjoanne, liberal democrats, 21,187. but there was also a surprise — no clean sweep for the opposition parties. dyke, sarahjoanne, liberal democrats, 21,187. but there was also a surprise — no clean sweep for the opposition parties. steve tuckwell, the conservative party candidate, 13,965. in selby and ainsty, a labour candidate called keir defeated the conservatives. his older namesake hopes to do the same at the next general election. here in yorkshire, labour outperformed the sizeable opinion poll lead, winning a largely rural seat which is not its natural territory. and overturning a 20,000 tory majority, something it hadn't done before at a by—election. keir starmer said the result put his party on course

for victory nationally. we have shown what a change labour party can do. this should never have been a by—election. caused by the chaos, the division, the infighting in the tory party, and that's why so many people have said to us that they want change. labour party, 13,470. labour had hired hopes of taking borisjohnson�*s old seat of uxbridge and south ruislip in west london, but following a recount, the conservatives clung on. the winning candidate steve tuckwell suggested that a single issue had sunk labour's chances. the labour mayor of london sadiq khan is extending what is called the ultra low emissions zone to this area. it effectively translated as a tax on older, more polluting vehicles and proved unpopular on the doorstep. but rishi sunak wants to suggest that the voters�* appetite for a change of government was limited.

no one expected us to win here, but steve's victory demonstrates that when confronted with the actual reality of the labour party, when there is an actual choice on a matter of substance at stake, people vote conservative. there was a swing of support away from the conservatives and to labour in uxbridge, butjust not enough for them to take the seat. the symbolism of rishi sunak claiming victory will no doubt sticking sir keir starmer�*s throat and lead to an internal inquest. it also raises questions the strength and depth of labour's opinion poll lead if a campaign can be derailed on single issue. but make no mistake, looking at the by—elections overall, last night spelled bad news for the conservatives and the countdown to the next election. five, four, three, two, one! this is no laughing matterfor rishi sunak. the lib dems in somerton and frome overturned a tory majority of more than 19,000.

if they can take seats in parts of the country where labour can't win, than the conservatives could face a nasty pincer movement from the opposition parties come the next election. from the opposition parties come what we achieved here is nothing short of spectacular. the trend was clear even before last night, but now it is certain. the liberal democrats are back in the west country. big lib dem by—election victories have almost become commonplace these days. the sun is shining on us. the conservatives believe they still have a narrow path to victory at the next election, but these latest results could be the political equivalent of the hazard warning sign bearing the legend "road narrows". iain watson, bbc news. michael fabricant is conservative member of parliament for lichfield where hejoins me from now.

welcome. thank you for being with us. two huge losses for the conservative party. how bad is it do you think? conservative party. how bad is it do ou think? ~ , ., ., you think? well, is not good and i exected you think? well, is not good and i exnected it _ you think? well, is not good and i exnected it to _ you think? well, is not good and i expected it to be _ you think? well, is not good and i expected it to be worse, - you think? well, is not good and i expected it to be worse, i - expected it to be worse, i anticipated we would lose all three which wouldn't have been that surprising to be honest with you giving at the national opinion polls. and also bearing in mind that we are in government and by—elections are always a time to protest. at by-elections are always a time to rotest. �* ., ., , ., , , protest. a town to protest but certainly in — protest. a town to protest but certainly in selby _ protest. a town to protest but certainly in selby name - protest. a town to protest but certainly in selby name is - protest. a town to protest but | certainly in selby name is dee, protest. a town to protest but - certainly in selby name is dee, the first labour win for many, a huge swing to them. first labour win for many, a huge swing to them-— first labour win for many, a huge swin: to them. ,, . , swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased — swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased so _ swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased so i _ swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased so i can't _ swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased so i can't blame - swing to them. keir starmer seemed very pleased so i can't blame him. i l very pleased so i can't blame him. i think it would be unwise for him to be a little bit too smug and let me explain why. at the time of tony blair when he was leader, we saw

many conservative voters switching and voting labour, new labour for tony blair. that hasn't happened this time. what happened this time in all three constituencies is no switching but in fact people deciding who are conservative to stay home and not vote. that's not good because clearly it means is not good because clearly it means is not good for the conservatives and allows labour to win in the north and lib dems to win in the west and also i think there was a little bit of tactical voting and why not? why not amongst the opposition parties, lib dems voting for labour when they thought they could win and vice versa. �* ., �* , ., thought they could win and vice versa. �* ., �*, ., ., ., versa. but that's not what labour would say- _ versa. but that's not what labour would say- they _ versa. but that's not what labour would say. they would _ versa. but that's not what labour would say. they would say - versa. but that's not what labour would say. they would say we . versa. but that's not what labour - would say. they would say we turned a lot of conservative voters traditional conservative voters who turned out for us in selby density and the point for them is on a national scale, they need to show that they can get those votes in

traditional tory heartlands where they don't have much of a labour base and they did that. he. they don't have much of a labour base and they did that.— base and they did that. no, they didn't. base and they did that. no, they didn't- when _ base and they did that. no, they didn't. when you _ base and they did that. no, they didn't. when you look— base and they did that. no, they didn't. when you look at - base and they did that. no, they didn't. when you look at the - base and they did that. no, they l didn't. when you look at the total vote for labour, it wasn't any much higher and i don't really know how labour can say it didn't happen. but the had labour can say it didn't happen. but they had a swing of more than 24%. yes, because the conservatives stayed home. that's not good but this is not switching. this isn't like tony blair, far from this is not switching. this isn't like tony blair, farfrom it. all that has happened as labour voters went out and voted and conservative voters stayed home. it still means a win and if that were tabbing in the general election, they would get in with a landslide but it seems to think it will have. but it's worrying for labour and the conservatives to because what's very clear in these three by—elections is they are not at all typical of what could happen in a general election when there are larger turnouts. no room for complacency is by the

conservatives and they have to deliver on its primitives. less talk and more do. but if i was labour, i might a player to be complacent but i tell you what, behind the scenes i would be worried.— would be worried. you've got a 23,000 majority? _ would be worried. you've got a 23,000 majority? |f_ would be worried. you've got a 23,000 majority? if there - would be worried. you've got a 23,000 majority? if there was| would be worried. you've got a. 23,000 majority? if there was a lay-election _ 23,000 majority? if there was a lay-election in — 23,000 majority? if there was a by-election in lichfield, - 23,000 majority? if there was a by-election in lichfield, would l by—election in lichfield, would probably lose it and you know what? in 1990, there was a by—election in lichfield and it won labour. and the next general election 18 months later, it went back and people voted me in, a conservative. what happened that by—elections happened... what happened in lichfield happens a lot in by—election i'm not being complacent, i'mjust in by—election i'm not being complacent, i'm just saying flare bits complacent and it seems keir starmer things is in the bag, we'll

have to see because that will be up to the electorate and government as i said, to deliver. it to the electorate and government as i said, to deliver.— i said, to deliver. it will indeed. thank you _ i said, to deliver. it will indeed. thank you very _ i said, to deliver. it will indeed. thank you very much. _ i said, to deliver. it will indeed. thank you very much. some - i said, to deliver. it will indeed. i thank you very much. some time before we find out, possibly a year or up to 18 months away. that is it from me at the moment but i'll be back with more later. back to matthew in the studio. earlier i spoke to the political analyst and professor of politics at strathclyde university, professor sirjohn curtice. i began by asking him for his assessment of the by—election results. the principal headline from this is despite the fact the conservatives narrowly managed to hang on to the uxbridge constituency, boris johnson's former seat, the results more broadly confirm that the conservatives are in a supernatural hole as the opinion polls have been suggesting. if you take all three of the by—elections including the one in uxbridge, on average the conservatives show the vote is 25

points down on what they achieved in the seats back in 2019 and that is all with the national opinion polls showing support for the conservatives to be 18 points down on what it achieved in 2019. so the truth is therefore that these elections don't mean the conservatives position looks any worse than it did before yesterday morning but it certainly does not look any better despite that seemingly encouraging average. 50 obvious difficulties for rishi sunak. does it suggest that uxbridge is of any kind of fragility around the labour vote, the border point where keir starmer has an effect sealed with the deal? this where keir starmer has an effect sealed with the deal?— sealed with the deal? this is undoubtedly _ sealed with the deal? this is undoubtedly the _ sealed with the deal? this is undoubtedly the speculation | sealed with the deal? this is - undoubtedly the speculation that has emerged out of this results. it looks like labour were unhinged by a conservative campaign that focused

on the proposal from the labour london mayor sadiq khan, on the ultra low emission zone being extended into the constituency. and seemingly, though commitment of some voters to labour was not so strong that against the backdrop of that local campaign voters, some at least, didn't go back towards the conservatives. therefore, it raises the question as to whether or not labour, whose strategy seems to be primarily to say as little as possible in order to offenders few as possible and thereby maximise its support in that way, whether in practice it might be better advice to make voters somewhat more enthusiastic about labour after the

election and that seems the case and therefore might imply taking a few more risks in the hope that you then solidify the support of most of your supporters. solidify the support of most of your su orters. , ., . solidify the support of most of your supporters-— supporters. john curtice talking to me earlier- _ supporters. john curtice talking to me earlier. less _ supporters. john curtice talking to me earlier. less tandy _ supporters. john curtice talking to me earlier. less tandy india - supporters. john curtice talking to me earlier. less tandy india now. | a group of women have attacked the home of the main suspect in a high—profile sexual assault case that has triggered widespread protests. the suspect was identified in a video which has been widely shared on social media. it shows two abducted women being paraded naked and assaulted by a mob. the incident happened in may during an outbreak of ethnic violence. 0ur correspondent nitin srivastava is in manipur. he told us more about what's happened today. the police have opened a case of gang rape and they have arrested four men and they have claimed and they have said that they will be making more arrests soon. but the fact is that the question that is being asked widely, not just here in india, but everywhere else, is why did it take them so long? precisely 62 days since

the complaint was lodged by the family of the women who were stripped and paraded by a mob. and after video became viral on social media. that is when the police acted. that is the big question. but now there is more anger on the streets. yesterday evening, thousands of people from the kuki community, the kuki christian community from which the women belong to, they protested. they wanted more action, more assurance from the government. the matis have also protested beforehand against alleging violence against them. so it's all sort of boiling down to blame games, accusations and both the parties blaming each other for the continuing ethnic violence in this beautiful north indian state. around the world and across the uk. this is bbc news.

a look now at some other news from across the uk... members of a head teachers' union in england have accepted an offer of a 6.5% pay rise. four teaching unions have been considering strike action in the autumn term, but the association of school and college leaders has now called off its ballot of members. some nhs workers haven't received the extra payment awarded by the government as part of the latest pay deal in england. a lump sum of more than £1,600 went to nurses, paramedics and other staff, on top of a 5 percent rise. but those who work for the internal agency known as "the bank" haven't got it. a planned strike by london underground drivers next week has been called off, after progress was made in negotiations about pensions and jobs. members of the rmt, aslef and unite unions had been due to stage a string of walk—outs, starting on sunday which analysts had said would have brought most of the capital's tube network to a standstill.

you're live with bbc news. for the first time we can take you inside the barge due to house migrants which is moored off the southwest coast of england. this is the bibby stockholm which will house 500 single adult male asylum seekers by the autumn. it follows the government's asylum reforms becoming law on thursday. the controversial legislation, is intended to prevent people from claiming asylum in the uk if they arrive through unauthorised means. the bbc�*s danjohnson has been in dorset and explained to us what he's been seeing. this is normally as close as we can get to the bibby stockholm. but this morning we were given the chance to go on board before any asylum seekers actually move on there. they are due to move on next week, but or perhaps in the coming weeks, the home office is saying. but we've seen what the conditions are actually like since it underwent refit to increase its capacity from around 220 when it was used for construction

workers to more than 500. now, that it will house single men who are, we're told, getting towards the end of the asylum process near to having their claim determined. so we've seen how the cabins have been increased in capacity from single berth to double. there are bunk beds in each cabin now. the cabins felt quite spacious, i have to say. the whole thing had perhaps the vibe of a slightly outdated cross—channel ferry. there are long corridors, there are three floors, there are hundreds of cabins. we didn't see the cabins that are more like dormitories that will house four or six people. we weren't allowed to see that accommodation, but we did see some of the communal areas, the television room, where people will be able to spend some time the multi—faith prayer room, the dining room and the gym. and we were shown spaces in the courtyard in the middle of the boat where people will be able to spend some time outside. it'll also be possible for them to step onto the dockside in a secure area because they are not prisoners, they are not detained. but there is a big fence around that bit of the dock to keep everybody

safe and to protect the security of the port itself because they have other ships coming in here, cargo vessels, cruise ships, military vessels as well. so the port is secure and that means the asylum seekers will have to be escorted in and out. there'll be an hourly bus service which will take them either to portland, into weymouth, and there's also a discussion of other activities being laid on for them on board the barge in the classroom that is there and also activities in terms of a day out. so the accommodation is a good standard. i would say it doesn't feel cruel or inhumane. i think that's why the home office is showing us this. it wants people to see that these conditions are decent, but it had always described this as basic and functional. and the intention of this barge is to reduce the cost of housing asylum seekers in hotels, and to send a message that people coming here across the channel on those dangerous boats aren't going to live in luxury. but the government's treading a fine line here. it obviously wants us to see these conditions, but the risk is that this doesn't

please anybody because those who feel asylum seekers are living in too much luxury may think this looks too comfortable. those who are concerned about the rights of refugees, people who've come here fleeing war, endured trauma. they may feel that this is not the right thing because it's all right me spending an hour on there and finding it relatively comfortable. the men who actually move aboard in the next week or so are facing perhaps three, six, nine months on board while their asylum claim is determined. and once it actually fills up with 500 people, the conditions on board could feel very different. the legendary american singer tony bennett has died at the age of 96. he grew up in new york and released his first album in 1952 when he was in his mid—20s. bennett picked up his first grammy for his classic 1962 song, i left my heart in san francisco. hillary clinton called him a true

gentleman and a true friend. david sillito looks back at his colourful life. in the 50s he was a teen idol. it had been bob hope that had seen his act and helped him break into the big time. # well, i was terribly alone... in 1962, he released the song that became his trademark. # i'm going home to my city by the bay...# it was another song on the other side of the recording called once upon a time. # i left my heart...#

i really believe that was going to be the big hit song and i was really plugging away at it. the public liked san francisco. anthony dominic benedetto had come a long way from his far from glamorous childhood. he was one of five children from an italian family in new york. he dropped out of school to help support them. # without a song...# but singing made his fortune. he was also a talented painter and politically he was a liberal, supporting the civil rights movement. # don't deplore my fondness...# but as fashions changed, the work began to dry up. by the end of the �*70s, he was divorced, taking drugs, and without a recording contract. # with my top hat...# he turned it around not by changing style but by taking his music to a new generation.

# make it one for my baby, one more for the road...# he even performed at the glastonbury festival. the music and the image the same, but suddenly he was cool again. # the world has gone mad today. ..# i said i would love to do an album with you someday. she said definitely, let's do it. and this, for me was... is the most important album of my career. because i'm making music with a legend. # when i come home to you # san francisco. ..# his days as a teen idol may have been over but his music was timeless. # the sun will shine for me...#

throughout the course of the programme we will return to that and pay my tribute. i was talking to a saxophonist here in the uk whose family have known tony bennett for so many years and credited his father benny for his whole career here in the uk. a lovely tribute we had a little earlier. we will play you that in about an hour's time. more of those tributes coming in today after the news of tony bennett passing at the age of 96. age of 96. now let's finish this half an hour with some fabulous pictures. 350 sea horses have checked in to their new hotel — yes hotel. nested under the surface of sydney's harbour, the endangered species

now have a new home, made from biodegradable metal. it's been built by the sydney seahorse project — aiming to restore a wild population of sea horses in the area — after it halved between 2008 and 2015. more reaction from the americans trying to find out more about the soldier in north korea. secretary of state antony blinken said on friday that washington wants to know thewhereabouts of army private travis king, who dashed into northkorea onjuly 18, and has communicated with pyongyang seekingthat information. he said there are certainly concerns based on what we have seen in the past. he said they are trying to find more about the whereabouts of travis king. more of our headline stories injust a moment.

may have a part to play. not the most summery of weekends. it will be cool, windy with some outbreaks of rain. how much rain? this chart shows how much over the next couple of days. there will be some parts of northern england and wales that see well over 50 millimetres of rain. a real soaking for some as this weather system approaches from the west. already bringing some rain into northern ireland through the course of the afternoon. elsewhere, we will see, yes, some spells of sunshine but generally quite large areas of cloud and some showers and some of those will be on the heavy side. temperatures are struggling. 15—21, a bit below par for this point injuly. through this evening and tonight, outbreaks of rain push across northern ireland into southern scotland, northern england,

parts of wales and the midlands. staying mostly dry towards the south. a mild night for most but in northern scotland, just like last night, it could turn really quite chilly, holding on to clear skies. northern scotland seeing some of the driest and brightest of the weather on saturday. further south, frontal systems push in with some outbreaks of rain. in fact, some heavy and persistent rain across parts of northern ireland, southern scotland, northern england looking very wet indeed. rain moving through the midlands, parts of east anglia, wales and the south—west. here it will turn quite windy. around some coasts, gusts of 40—50 but quite windy even further inland. temperatures very disappointing. if you are stuck underneath the rain for a length of time, mainly only up to around 1a degrees. bad news for the cricket and the golf. there is a lot of rain in the outlook. it looks like a wash—out day.

sunday may be not much better. this stripe of cloud and rain affecting northern england and sinking south into the midlands and parts of wales. elsewhere, sunny spells with some showers and feeling a bit warmer in the sunniest spots, 16—22. next week? no big changes. some drier interludes but further rain at times. still quite cool for this time of year.

the headlines: a stunning set of by—election results in england —