here's rob watson again. an awful lot — think that. here's rob watson again.awful lot of politicaljournalist - an awful lot of politicaljournalist do think— an awful lot of politicaljournalist do think the kind of allegations made _ do think the kind of allegations made about mrjohnson's fitness for office _ made about mrjohnson's fitness for office and _ made about mrjohnson's fitness for office and the allegation that while he could _ office and the allegation that while he could forgive mrjohnson's performance of the start of the crisis _ performance of the start of the crisis -- — performance of the start of the crisis -- we _ performance of the start of the crisis —— we could forgive, where he was cuipabie, — crisis —— we could forgive, where he was culpable, according to the former— was culpable, according to the former adviser — and this is the difficult — former adviser — and this is the difficult bit _ former adviser — and this is the difficult bit — last september, mr johnson — difficult bit — last september, mr johnson didn't want a lockdown and ten

political correspondent, rob watson. talking all day, i know, about how these rults in england show the post-brexit political realignment. what is the thesis? rob: well, it goes something like this, and i should say first of all, good evening. number one, the success of the covid vaccine has played a huge part in the conservative success. absolutely, this is what i've referred to as the revolutionary post-brexit realignment in british politics. the thesis is essentially this -- that, for many years, basically people who were less well educated, less well-off tended to vote on the left. they voted for the main opposition labour party, but many of those people voted to leave the eu in 2016, and its many of those people who now seem to have transferred their allegiance to the center-right populist conservative party, a phenomenon that has been seen in the united states and seen in other western european countries. laura: but if we look at scotland, some rather different is happening there tonight. could there potentially be

before that, here is bbc political correspondent rob watson. >> it was an astonishing seven hours becausethe breadth of dominic cummings's critique and because this is the first account of deep inside the government of exactly how the covid crisis unfolded, in a way that is profoundly unflattering to the british system and several key politicians, including the prime minister. people question what kind of a witness mr. cummings is and what his motives were. but i think that is why it is so striking. it is the first account from deep inside the government. >> dominic cummings was answering questions on the government response to the pandemic. here he is with boris johnson in 2019. he was part of the prime minister's inner circle. he was also chief advisor to the prime minister when the pandemic hit in march of last year. in november, he quit. here he is leaving downing street. there is an awful lot to work through from this testimony. let's start with mr. cummings questioning the eligibility of many of those in charge of decisions last year, including himself. >> completely crackers that s

our political correspondent rob watson has more on why mr cummings' testimony was so significant.onishing seven hours, astonishing because of the breadth, if you like, of dominic cummings' critique. and because of course this is the first account of deep inside the government — i mean, you couldn't get much deeper than dominic cummings — of exactly how the covid crisis unfolded. of course, in a way that's profoundly unflattering to the british system and of course to several key politicians, including the prime minister. now, people will of course question just what kind of a witness mr cummings is and what his motives were, but i think that's why it's so striking. it is this first account from deep, deep inside the government. in the us, at least nine people have been killed in a shooting at a rail maintenance yard in sanjose, california. others are injured. the number of dead includes the gunman, who also worked at the rail facility. mark lobel reports. this light rail service yard south of san francisco is now a crime scene. a bomb squad was dispatched after an employee shot hi

our political correspondent rob watson has more on why today's testimony was so significant.an astonishing seven hours, astonishing because of the breadth, if you like, of dominic cummings' critique. and because of course this is the first account of deep inside the government — i mean, you couldn't get much deeper than dominic cummings — of exactly how the covid crisis unfolded. of course, in a way that's profoundly unflattering to the british system and of course to several key politicians, including the prime minister. now, people will of course question just what kind of a witness mr cummings is and what his motives were, but i think that's why it's so striking. it is this first account from deep, deep inside the government. environmental campaigners have welcomed a landmark ruling by a dutch court ordered which the oil giant shell to make big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. the court ruled that the oil giant has a legal duty to do more to tackle climate change. the decision is only binding in the netherlands, but it could influence judges elsewhere. anna holligan

rob watson, political correspondent. xplain to our viewers around the world what a moment this was. it around the world what a moment this was. . , around the world what a moment this was. ., , ., around the world what a moment this was. ., ., .,, ., , around the world what a moment this was. .,, ., .,, ., , ., , was. it was an astonishing hours. the breadth _ was. it was an astonishing hours. the breadth of _ was. it was an astonishing hours. the breadth of dominic— was. it was an astonishing hours. | the breadth of dominic cummings critique and this is the first account of deep inside the government, you cannot get much deeper that dominic cummings. wade this unfolded which is profoundly unflattering to the british system in key politicians, including the prime minister. people will question just what kind of a witness mr cummings is and what his motives were. but i think that is why it is so striking. it is the first account from deep inside the government. staying with us in helping us assess this testimony, let us re

with us to discuss, a man who's reported politics on both sides of the atlantic, our old friend rob watson can i also say. _ seats, rob? that's absolutely right. can i also say, warm _ seats, rob? that's absolutely right. can i also say, warm greetings - seats, rob? that's absolutely right. can i also say, warm greetings and| can i also say, warm greetings and let you _ can i also say, warm greetings and let you into— can i also say, warm greetings and let you into a secret. if i was to discuss — let you into a secret. if i was to discuss british politics in any other— discuss british politics in any other house, i would be greeted with. _ other house, i would be greeted with. shut — other house, i would be greeted with, shut up, rob. i other house, i would be greeted with, shut up, rob. lam rubbing my hands _ with, shut up, rob. lam rubbing my hands together. we can chat about politics. _ hands together. we can chat about politics. whisper quietly. keep an eye on— politics. whisper quietly. keep an eye on the — politics. whisper quietly. keep an eye on the door behind me. you are right. _

let's bring in our political correspondent rob watson.g to think of a politician whose — trying to think of a politician whose exposed himself to fly in the wall treatment and come out of it well _ wall treatment and come out of it well. there was one of his predecessors, jeremy corbyn, who allowed _ predecessors, jeremy corbyn, who allowed a — predecessors, jeremy corbyn, who allowed a supporter to make a movie about— allowed a supporter to make a movie about him _ allowed a supporter to make a movie about him. he came out as thin—skinned and being dumbed down by the _ thin—skinned and being dumbed down by the media. a bit further back, and opposition leader, william hague — and opposition leader, william hague. he seemed to come over as a perfectly— hague. he seemed to come over as a perfectly nice chap. you can imagine if you _ perfectly nice chap. you can imagine if you got— perfectly nice chap. you can imagine if you got one social media in them — if you got one social media in them a _ if you got one social media in them a lot— if y

let�*s now to rob watson, our political correspondent, who�*s in oxford.ere you could spend hours picking apart, but if you were to stand back from it, it�*s really the whole picture, isn�*t it? the whole picture looks wrong. yes. the whole picture, isn't it? the whole picture looks wrong. yes, it was seven — whole picture looks wrong. yes, it was seven hours _ whole picture looks wrong. yes, it was seven hours of— whole picture looks wrong. yes, it was seven hours of excruciating i was seven hours of excruciating critique — was seven hours of excruciating critique of— was seven hours of excruciating critique of the government, and i'd pick out _ critique of the government, and i'd pick out two — critique of the government, and i'd pick out two things, really. first of all. _ pick out two things, really. first of all, dominic cummings's critique of all, dominic cummings's critique of the _ of all, dominic cummings's critique of the government system in general. up of the government system in general. up until— of the government system in general. up until