the sinn fein leader, there mary lou mcdonald.e live pictures from georgia amid those protests. we'll continue to keep you updated on that situation. you're watching beeb news. more at the top of the hour. hello. meteorologically speaking, saturday was the last day of autumn. it was bright enough across many eastern areas of the uk. in the west, though, we had thicker cloud and a bit of drizzle at times. wherever you were, though, it was very mild with temperatures six degrees above average in the highlands. achnagart seeing a high of 15 degrees. the average at this time of the year is nine. and these mild south—southwesterly winds continuing to blow a band of rain across from scotland and northern ireland, moving it into wales and western areas of england over the next few hours. these are the kind of temperatures you'll have to start your breezy sunday morning as our band of rain continues to push its way eastwards with time. now, behind that, actually, we should get some brighter weather, so sunny spells are in the forecast for

now, on the other hand, sinn fein also has had a successful weekend and the leader, mary lou mcdonaldgovernment. she'll also be courting those smaller parties and, indeed, the independents. however, the maths make it a much more difficult route to government for her than for fianna fail and fine gael. and the other point to note is there had been an expectation — perhaps there could have been a rise infar—right or anti—immigrant sentiment, but the candidates that ran on those platforms have had an unsuccessful time of things. now, the one thing all parties do agree on is that the next stage, the horse trading, the discussions to try and build a government — well, that's not going to happen any time soon, and it's unlikely that there will be a government in place this side of christmas. that was the latest on the irish general election. tomato puree, which is made using forced labour in china, is probably being sold by some of britain's biggest supermarkets without the knowledge of customers a bbc investigation has found. chains including tesco, waitrose, asda and morrisons are supplie

if mary lou mcdonald does lead a left—wing coalition into power in dublin, she'll push hard for a referendumthe last irish government have ruled out sharing power with sinn fein. the current prime minister, known as the taoiseach, is sounding hopeful of a return. i signed up to campaign in an election to put my party in government and to play a positive role in our country for the next number of years so, of course, we'll act responsibly in the days ahead. cheering and applause. the other main coalition party during the last five years is also raising the prospect of another term. there will be sufficient safe seats, it seems to me, that aligns with the core principles that i articulated at the outset of this campaign and throughout the campaign around the pro—enterprise economy, around a positively pro—european union position. the final results won't be known for at least a day yet. the counting staff are calculating winners and losers through a complex system of proportional representation. a very small number of votes could make a big difference as to who's the frontrunner to lead ireland

mary lou mcdonald, the leader of sinn fein, saying that she intends to try and put together a left leaning alliance for a coalition government as well. now the maths are a little more difficult. they're not impossible, but a little bit more difficult. but she says that's her intention at this moment. and, katrina, how long do you think it will take before we see a government take form there in ireland? well, that's the question that everybody is asking. the last election that was held here almost five years ago in february 2020. it took until the end ofjune before the dail was able to come into session. so many, many months. covid occurred in the middle of that, of course, so that caused some of that delay. the dail is due to sit for the first time after this election on the 18th of december. but all of the major parties are saying that they think it's unlikely that the government formation talks, the political horse trading that has to take place now, will have concluded by that point. nobody seems to think there'll be a government here before christmas. there is a hope one can be put tog

sinn fein leader mary lou mcdonald told us what she said she'd been hearing from voters the idea of fineomething that people who have voted for us wish to see. i don't think there is any appetite for a return of the same old same government. i think the message around change is something that we all heard, we all reflected on, we all reflected back in our contributions in debates and the question is now how do we actually... how do we make that real? and we need to talk to each other about what might be possible here. let's turn to some other news around the world. iceland is holding a snap election, largely triggered by disagreements within the governing three—way coalition over asylum seekers and immigration. however, voters have been more preoccupied with the state of the economy, housing, and the health service. opinion polls suggest major changes may be ahead, with the opposition gaining ground, and parties in the current coalition suffering big setbacks. a memorial service for the former first minister of scotland, alex salmond, has been held in edinburgh. the leader of the alba pa

the leader of that party, mary lou mcdonald, says she intends to try to build a coalition of the left to manage to do that. and another point to note. there have been some expectation that there might be a surge to a far right candidates, anti—immigrant candidates, anti—immigrant candidates, as indicated in other countries. that has not emerged here in ireland. but with a few seats still outstanding the focus now moves to building a government, and all of the parties are in agreement on one thing, that thatis agreement on one thing, that that is not as likely to happen for several weeks.— for several weeks. thank you very much. — for several weeks. thank you very much. 90 _ for several weeks. thank you very much, go and _ for several weeks. thank you very much, go and rest - for several weeks. thank you very much, go and rest your| very much, go and rest your voice. i think you need a touch of guinness may be. that will help the voice. stay with us here on bbc news. we have the voice. stay with us here on bbc news. we have headlines coming up news. we have headlines coming up next. hi

labour party leader has spoken about a left—leaning alliance which is something sinn fein leader mary lou mcdonaldkely to come back with— fail are likely to come back with the _ fail are likely to come back with the most seats and are keen— with the most seats and are keen to _ with the most seats and are keen to go back into government with a _ keen to go back into government with a fina — keen to go back into government with a fina gael but fianna fail— with a fina gael but fianna fail have _ with a fina gael but fianna fail have ruled out a coalition with— fail have ruled out a coalition with sinn— fail have ruled out a coalition with sinn fein and there is still— with sinn fein and there is still a _ with sinn fein and there is still a path to government for sinn — still a path to government for sinn fein— still a path to government for sinn fein but it would be smaller— sinn fein but it would be smaller and a rainbow coalition of smaller— smaller and a rainbow coalition of smaller left—leaning parties and independents. it looks further— and independents. it looks further away now than it did,

been a criticism laid out the door of mary— criticism laid out the door of mary lou _ criticism laid out the door of mary lou mcdonaldow that all the votes have been cast. vote is going — votes have been cast. vote is going to _ votes have been cast. vote is going to the polls last friday didn't— going to the polls last friday didn't really know who mary lou mcdonald would be choosing as a coalition— mcdonald would be choosing as a coalition partner, who her party— coalition partner, who her party would be willing to do a deal— party would be willing to do a deal with, and perhaps that was part of— deal with, and perhaps that was part of the reason why fine gaet— part of the reason why fine gael and _ part of the reason why fine gael and fianna fail have now had the — 1547 00:2

we spoke to the sinn fein leader mary lou l sinn fein leader mary lou mcdonald last night. at your door. what is your view of going into government with sinn fein? taste going into government with sinn fein? ~ . . going into government with sinn fein? ~ ., ., , fein? we have made it very clear, fein? we have made it very clear. our— fein? we have made it very clear, our first _ fein? we have made it very clear, our first priority - fein? we have made it very clear, our first priority is - fein? we have made it very clear, our first priority is a l clear, our first priority is a government of the left, government of the left, government of the left, government of change. i appreciate the numbers may not be there — appreciate the numbers may not be there the moment, but our priority— be there the moment, but our priority will always be to seek to improve ireland. the same two _ to improve ireland. the same two parties have had 100 years and you — two parties have had 100 years and you can see the consequences of it. walk down 0'connell_ consequences of it. walk down o'connell

hand sinn fein the other third biggest party that has been an opposition we spoke to the leader mary lou mcdonaldtion government together with the smaller, left—leaning parties. with her party of government at the moment the green party looks like being totally wiped out. it will be a long way before we have a government, while we might have all the seats by tomorrow morning the view is there will not be a government in place until christmas. a way to go yet. government in place until christmas. a way to 90 yet-— a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will — a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak— a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to _ a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to you _ a way to go yet. rest up your voice and we will speak to you later. - and there will be special coverage of the election results on bbc one northern ireland from 10am. the princess of wales will deliver a christmas message about the importance of �*love in the darkest of times' at her annual carol service at westminster abbey this week. among those invited are the