iain watson, thank ou, iain campaign roles. iain watson, thank you, iain watson _ campaign roles.on with _ campaign roles. iain watson, thank you, iain watson with the _ campaign roles. iain watson, thank you, iain watson with the latest - you, iain watson with the latest from westminster. we have the latest count coming in which is the liberal democrats who have taken control of st albans council after gaining more seats on wednesday —— sunday morning. the council was previously under no overall control. it has been a battleground for quite some time. as of this morning the liberal democrats have taken control. they already have the local mp, she is daisy cooper and she has tweeted not surprisingly saying she thinks this is an amazing result. she says she's super proud of the st albans liberal democrats because they have taken control of the district council. it's been a patchy couple of days for the liberal democrats, but there we are, a gain for them. tomorrow the prime minister will announce a relaxation in social distancing measures — which will permit intimate contact betwee

iain watson at westminster, _ of adults. iain watson at westminster, thank - of adults.watson at westminster, thank you | of adults. iain watson at - westminster, thank you very of adults. iain watson at _ westminster, thank you very much. we can find out is what the labour position is asjonathan ashworth joints meet now. thank you for talking to us on bbc news. do you rule out lock downs that this is not at all appropriate any longer? i join you tonight for my kitchen in leicester— join you tonight for my kitchen in leicester where we never left lockdown for over a year so i know how difficult local lockdown tsar. i would _ how difficult local lockdown tsar. i would strongly recommend that local lockdowns should be the last thing we need _ lockdowns should be the last thing we need to do. what we have to do now is_ we need to do. what we have to do now is quickly get up off of this variant— now is quickly get up off of this variant with speed and total resolve _ variant with speed and total resolve. many people tonight will be deeply— resolve. many people tonight will b

iain watson, our olitical more of an impact.rrespondent _ more of an impact. iain watson, our political correspondent in _ political correspondent in westminster with all the latest from the labour party, thank you very much indeed. the cabinet office minister, michael gove, has refused to be drawn on whether the government at westminster would challenge a second scottish independence referendum in the courts. he said the focus of the devolved administration in edinburgh should be the recovery from the pandemic. but the first minister of scotland, nicola sturgeon, warned number ten against using legal arguments. it comes as the prime minister invites the leaders of the devolved nations to a summit on how to recoverfrom the pandemic. i asked our political correspondent at holyrood — nick eardley — how quickly nicola sturgeon might try to go for another independence referendum. probably not for a while. i think you will see nicola sturgeon make a very public play in the next couple of days about going back to work and focusing on

here's our political correspondent iain watson. so long now the message has been tuesday apart, but today the prime minister was sounding optimistic that we would be able to move closer, next month. it looks to me as though 21st ofjune, we will be able to say that social distancing as we currently have to do it, the one metre plus, i think we have got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with one metre plus. being able to dispense with one metre nus-— metre plus. that would make entertainment _ metre plus. that would make entertainment venues - metre plus. that would make entertainment venues more | metre plus. that would make - entertainment venues more viable, but the government's review on social distancing in england is yet to report and it is possible we might still be advised to wear masks in cinemas and theatres and on public transport. but the enticing prospect of spring and summer sunshine seems to be moving closer. later this week the government is expected to confirm the ban on going holiday abroad fro

here's our political correspondent, iain watson. for so long now, the message has been tuesday apart, but today the prime minister was sounding optimistic that we would be able to move closer, next month. it looks to me as though 21st ofjune, we will be able to say that social distancing as we currently have to do it, the one metre plus, i think we have got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with one metre plus. that would make entertainment venues more viable, but the government's review on social distancing in england has yet to report and it is possible we might still be advised to wear masks in cinemas and theatres and on public transport. but the enticing prospect of spring and summer sunshine seems to be moving closer. later this week the government is expected to confirm the ban on going holiday abroad from england will be lifted on 17th may. and the eu has raised the prospect today of allowing non—essential travel from countries with good vaccination rates, such as the uk. but the government is set to in

let's speak to our political correspondent iain watson — who's in westminster.has been under pressure from bereaved families and from the lib dems and from labour to announce this full independent public inquiry, but it did announce it would not begin until the spring of next year. now, he also acknowledged in the house of commons this probably was not going to be soon enough for the bereaved families, but he said he could notjustify moving medical staff and advisors away from the front line fighting this pandemic into giving evidence under oath to a public inquiry. there is also a question of notjust does it start, but when does it end? he said he wanted to have the report for the conclusions within a reasonable timescale, but he also said there had been months of preparation so it is perfectly possible should he call an early election for example in 2023 that it will not have reached its conclusion by then. keir starmer is calling for the widest possible consultation on terms of reference in conjunction with the bereaved families. thank ou ve with the bereaved

iain watson with the latest from westminster., michael gove, has refused to be drawn on whether the government at westminster would challenge a second scottish independence referendum in the courts. he said the focus of the devolved administration in edinburgh should be the recovery from the pandemic. but the first minister of scotland, nicola sturgeon, warned number ten against using legal arguments. it comes as the prime minister invites the leaders of the devolved nations to a summit on how to recoverfrom the pandemic. it follows another triumphant victory for the snp. let's take a look at the results in scotland. snp are on 64 — up one seat — conservatives in second with 31 seats, labour down two seats on 22, and the greens on eight seats — up two, and lib dems on four — down one seat. which means that there is a majority for independence supporting parties at holyrood. let's speak now to nick eardley in edinburgh. 0f let's speak now to nick eardley in edinburgh. of course there is a mandate in the sense the majority of msps

here's our political correspondent, iain watson.or so long now the message has been to stay apart, but today the prime minister was sounding optimistic that we could be able to move closer next month. it looks to me as thouthune 21st we'll be able to say social distancing as we currently have to do it, the one metre plus, i think we have got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with the one metre plus. that would make entertainment venues more viable, but the government's review on social distancing in england has yet to report and it's possible we might still be advised to wear masks in cinemas and theatres and on public transport. but the prospect of spring and summer sun seems to be moving closer. later this week, the government is expected to confirm it is lifting the ban on holidays abroad from england on may 17th. and today the eu raised the prospect of allowing nonessential travel from countries with good rates of vaccination, such as the uk. but the government will impose a range of restrictions on travell

iain watson reports.e has been to stay apart, but today, the prime minister was sounding optimistic that we could be able to move closer next month. it looks to me as thouthune the 21st we'll be able to say social distancing as we currently have to do it, the one metre plus, i think we've got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with the one metre plus. that would make entertainment venues more viable, but the government's review on social distancing in england has yet to report and it's possible we might still be advised to wear masks in cinemas and theatres and on public transport. but the prospect of spring and summer sun seems to be moving closer. later this week, the government is expected to confirm it is lifting the ban on holidays abroad from england on may 17th. and today, the eu raised the prospect of allowing nonessential travel from countries with good rates of vaccination, such as the uk. but the government will impose a range of restrictions on travellers when they return

here's our political correspondent iain watson.often been a feature of its history, and now the current leader and his deputy have had a serious stand—off. when keir starmer stripped angela rayner of her responsibility for campaigning, she and her supporters put up a fight. the mayor of greater manchester had criticised keir starmer but is now calling for the infighting to stop. labour's got to stop this sort of internal focus, the civil war between those on the left and right of the party. from my point of view, that's absolutely pointless and destructive. those close to the top of the party can't agree on what happened here during tense negotiations this weekend. allies of angela rayner said she turned down the shadow health secretary's job. those close to keir starmer said he openly explored a range of options, but she did emerge with more influence over the party's policies and direction. at the moment, it feels like there's a very uneasy truce at the top of the labour party. allies of angela rayner are claiming she has been st

and, as our political correspondent iain watson reports, tensions in the party remain.f its history, and now the current leader and his deputy have had a serious stand—off. first manor —— when keir starmer stripped angela rayner of her campaigning role, she and her supporters put up a fight. the mayor of greater manchester had criticised keir starmer but is now calling for the infighting to stop. labour has got to stop this sort of internal focus, labour has got to stop this sort of internalfocus, the labour has got to stop this sort of internal focus, the civil war between those on the left and right of the party. from my point of view, that's absolutely pointless and destructive.— that's absolutely pointless and destructive. . ., destructive. those close to the top ofthe destructive. those close to the top of the party _ destructive. those close to the top of the party can't _ destructive. those close to the top of the party can't agree _ destructive. those close to the top of the party can't agree on - destructive. those close to the top of the party can't agree on w

iain watson, bbc news, westminster.cal correspondent adam fleming. we are expected to get some detail but you can tell me about social care. i but you can tell me about social care. . ., , but you can tell me about social care. ., ., , , but you can tell me about social care. . ., , , .,, care. i am not sure i will be able to tell you _ care. i am not sure i will be able to tell you much _ care. i am not sure i will be able to tell you much because - care. i am not sure i will be able to tell you much because it - care. i am not sure i will be able| to tell you much because it looks like it is something missing from this speech because the government departments involved in the funding of adult social care in england have not agreed amongst themselves on a new proposal to sort out the system, let alone get agreement with other political parties and let alone get that agreed with local authorities who have to deliver it, care homes, the charities and families in the system. that will be something we will be talking about

it follows a weekend of intense criticism and infighting after labour's election losses as iain watsonn the party remains. tensions at the top of the labour party have often been a feature of its history and now the current leader and his deputy have had a serious stand—off. when keir starmer stripped angela rayner of her responsibility of campaigning, she put up a fight. the mayor of greater manchester had criticised keir starmer buckled the infighting to stop. starmer buckled the infighting to sto . _ ., , ., starmer buckled the infighting to sto, starmer buckled the infighting to sto. ., starmer buckled the infighting to sto. . ., , , stop. labour has to stop this internal focus, _ stop. labour has to stop this internal focus, the _ stop. labour has to stop this internal focus, the civil - stop. labour has to stop this internal focus, the civil war i internal focus, the civil war between those on the left of the party and right of the party. that is absolutely pointless and destructive.— is absolutely pointless and destructive. . ., destructive. those close to the top ofthe destruct

let's speak to our political correspondent iain watson — who's in westminster.y not until next ear? , , ., lots of people saying, why not until next ear? , , . ., , next year? yes, bereaved families eseciall next year? yes, bereaved families especially have — next year? yes, bereaved families especially have been _ next year? yes, bereaved families especially have been pushing - next year? yes, bereaved families especially have been pushing for l next year? yes, bereaved familiesl especially have been pushing for an enquiry, borisjohnson said it would be candid in its conclusions. lib dems initially pushed for an enquiry, finally labour pushed for it, it was inevitable it would be announced at some point, but what wasn't inevitable is the timescale, spring next year for the enquiry to get under way. bereaved families, a group representing some of them, have put out a statement in the past hour and they do not think that the prime minister should be waiting until next year and have called for preparations to begin immediately. he has a couple of reasons for doing

questions that will have to be answered. ., ,, , ., ., ., let's speak to our political correspondent iain watsonoris johnson would be [oath to do that? you're absolutely right, ben, he will be loads to do that for a number of reasons. he wants to get the economy moving again but also he is under huge political pressure from people in his own party. the conservative leader of bolton council for example was saying there should be no lockdown in bolton. his logic is that in a densely popular to back such as greater manchester, if there was a local lockdown there, people would simply move to another of greater manchester's burras, for example if they wanted to go and have a drink indoors, and there for you might end up spreading this indian variant more widely than otherwise would be the case. equally, though, the labour mayor of greater manchester as well, andy burnham, is against local lockdown is, as we were hearing, he favours a vaccination surge. but it is really down to thejoint committe on vaccination and immunisation is, to advise on the best way forward. certainly you would expect them to r

our political correspondent, iain watson, is in westminster. we have already had one of the candidates, somebody on the left, saying that labour at the moment is no longer talking to workers, it needs more socialism, more policies, and it also needs to step up its attack on the government. but others attack on the government. but others at this stage, many of them beneath the surface, suggesting that the party has to move even further away from the corbin era. that keir starmer has to take sides, that he should not be pursuing unity, he should not be pursuing unity, he should be making it very clear that labour has changed. pieters mandelson said much the same thing on the record yesterday as well. he pointed out that tony blair was the only person he was able to have three successive labour victories. we would suspect a better result for labour later on today, in greater manchester for example. nonetheless, in terms of where they need to be, they are a long way off and the results were even worse than they were predicting, worse than their int

earlier, we spoke to our political correspondent iain watson.n results. interestingly, party sources are saying she is going to be offered another role but some of her allies have been in contact with me and said we are not sure if she will take it. this is a dangerous moment for keir starmer. another thing is interestingly enough, some on the left, some close tojeremy corbyn felt enough, some on the left, some close to jeremy corbyn felt angela rayner had moved away from then by backing the current leadership of the labour party but now her credibility amongst that group seems to have been reignited by the fact that the party leadership has removed her from those crucial roles. the debate is going on as to why labour performed so poorly and there is no consensus on the party as to the reasons for the ploy defeat all the solutions. ., . ., , reasons for the ploy defeat all the solutions. ., , , ., . solutions. that could be problematic because if we _ solutions. that could be problematic because if we have _ solutions. that could be problematic