to discuss the latest in the election, i am joined by our correspondent rob watson.ople talking tonight about the fact that one of the best known members of parliament, michael gove, is hanging up his hat in a few weeks from now. >> absolutely. if you were to think of modern british politics, politics of the last 20 years as one of those tv series, which people binge watch, michael gove would be one of the st principled and colorful characters in the conservative party from 2005 onward. he's been very close to all of its leaders, then falling out with them, buddies with david cameron, boris johnson, buddies, fell back in, one of the architects of leave. someone who was a neocon when it came to foreign policy, loved bashing leftists, experts when it came to policy, and led the league campaign, one of the architects with it alongside boris johnson. extraordinarily colorful character. he is going and many will see that as a sign, along with all the other mps as you mentioned, a sign that maybe it is a sinking ship. >> not just about 17 conservative mps but about 20 or s

bbc political commentator rob watson shared your thoughts on this matter.hink the reason why he came out with that statement, we're getting hints from sources close to mr. sunak, is that he decided it couldn't get any better. and the idea that people will start to feel better economically in the coming months, even if that happens. they are unlikely to thank the conservatives, and he was also afraid of accusations from the opposition that he was allegedly clinging to power, so despite the fact that the conservatives are far behind by an average of 21% in the ratings, he decided that here in action, 14 years of political gravity against us, 14 years in power, seems like the best, or should i say the least bad, thing that could be done, but it's also true that... that the main opposition labor party needs, so to speak, a jump in support of over 12%. this is even more than tony blair managed to achieve in 1997. when labor beat the conservatives after the conservatives had been in power for a long time, it's a tall order for the conservatives to break that line

let's go to rob watson who is standing by in london. great to see you.ems to come as a big surprise. why did rishi sunak call this snap election? reporter: absolutely a big surprise to many politicians and political journalists here in westminster and to many i think in his own party. i think the brutal answer to your question is he just decided it was probably as good as it is going to get because although the conservative party are massively behind in opinion polls, i think he probably calculated that after 14 years in office, things could actually get worse and i think the timing is connected to other things, which is better news on inflation and the economy with the u.k. economy going back into growth but i think that is it. he looked ahead and thought, maybe this is as good as it will get for us. >> give us an idea what happens in the coming weeks. reporter: having covered as many u.s. elections as i have u.k. elections, i can tell you the big difference is campaigns here are much shorter and in many ways more brutal. it the campaign -- but the camp

rajini: we can speak to the bbc political correspondent rob watson.orting that the prime minister is enjoying himself, i hope you are, as well, as we enter the early stages of this election campaign. we have lots to discuss. let's kick off with what we were talking about at the start of the program which is all about diane abbott, a long serving mp. lots of questions about whether or not she is going to be able to stand for the labour party or when she will choose to stand as an independent. just to remind our viewers, why was she suspended from the labour party? >> i should say first of all, i am enjoying it. chris mason was enjoying it. best part about the election is getting out on the road. she was suspended because she said that the jewish people with red hair and travelers didn't really experience racism in the same way, they experienced a prejudice, but did not experience racism all the time. she had written that in an article in a newspaper in the u.k. disciplinary procedure followed. that brought us to where we are now. rajini: where dyou thi

rob watson with the very latest, thank you very much.riminal trial have begun deliberations and a development that we are hearing from the court is that the judge has said, that they have received a notes because a juror, one of them i should say, has a question. what we know is that that note contains four requests. we have more information on that on the bbc news life page that you can see there. where my colleague is inside the court sending us updates so that we know what is going on. it is typical when a jury is deliberating for them to send notes to clarify and ask questions. it is unclear what those four requests are, but we can confirm that as both deliberations in new york have begun on the criminal trialfor in new york have begun on the criminal trial for donald trump around hush money allegations, that around hush money allegations, that a notes has been received by the judge containing four requests. we will have more information on that when we get it. around the world and across the uk, this is bbc news. we promised we woul

campaign or at least most nights, we might give you one or two off will be our political correspondent rob watsone with us tonight to tell is what will happen in the final week of the parliament, hannah way to from the institute for government. we should say to kick it off some important news tonight from parliament. they have rushed through one of the crucial bills. tell us about it. >> we have seen some of the bills the government wanted to get onto the statute book past already. they got the victims and prisoners bill. the post office horizon bill both nearly there if not already passed. and so there has been high degree of party consensus behind the passage of those bills. >> what happens in the final week of a parliament before it is dissolved? what does it feel like around westminster? >> for those involved in the process of getting the last few bits of legislation through, it is extremely hectic. there is a lot of horsetrading. the opposition deciding which bits of government legislation they want to about to get onto the statute books. lots of it for different political reasons they might

let's speak to our political correspondent rob watson.—known members of parliament, michael gove, is hanging up his hat a few weeks from now. ~ , ,., , is hanging up his hat a few weeks from now. ~ ,,., , ,, is hanging up his hat a few weeks from now. ~ ,,., , i. ., from now. absolutely. if you were to think of modern _ from now. absolutely. if you were to think of modern british _ from now. absolutely. if you were to think of modern british politics, - think of modern british politics, the politics of the last 20 years as one of those tv series, the ones that people binge watch, michael gove would be one of the principal and most colourful characters in the conservative party from 2005. he's been very close to all of the leaders, then fallen out with them. he was friends with david cameron, borisjohnson, fell he was friends with david cameron, boris johnson, fell out he was friends with david cameron, borisjohnson, fell out and he was friends with david cameron, boris johnson, fell out and fell back borisjohnson, fell out and fell back i

campaign, or at leas most nights, we might give him one of two off will be our political correspondent rob watson. and also with us tonight, to tell us what will happen in this final week of the parliament, hannah white, from the institue for government — we should just say to kick it off, some important news tonight, they rushed through one of the crucial bills. tell us about it.— rushed through one of the crucial bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen _ bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen some _ bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen some of _ bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen some of the _ bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen some of the bills - bills. tell us about it. yes, so we have seen some of the bills the l have seen some of the bills the government would have wanted to get onto the statute book pass already they've got the victims and prisoners bill and the post office horizon bill both nearly bare if not already passed. we have been talking about it quite a lot in recent weeks, so there has been a high degree of cross party consensus behind

i asked our political correspondent rob watson what he made of the fact that michael gove was hanging5 onwards. he was one of the architects of leave, he was a sort of person who was a neo—con when it came to foreign policy, loved bashing lefties, bureaucrats, and experts. but he's going — and i think many will see that as a sign, along with all the other mps that you mentioned, who are going from the conservatives as a sign that they think maybe it's a sinking ship. jane and kurt, back with us. six weeks until the election. quite staggering because after the 4th of july, parliament is going to look quite different?— july, parliament is going to look quite different? yeah it's going to be absolutely _ quite different? yeah it's going to be absolutely a _ quite different? yeah it's going to be absolutely a change. _ quite different? yeah it's going to be absolutely a change. i - quite different? yeah it's going to be absolutely a change. i think i be absolutely a change. i think michael gove mentioned it in his resignation letter, the new generation we will see. you know, this is one s

oh, watson, those know, doing the was doing the rob, but the last thought more. those kind of throw soonest available on your side off includes us set up like gummed up fluid to see the so much or was it just me a favor not lose? can you every 3 with me as a one? yes. and that problem, at least, i mean, kept or do i do so, which is 2. i'm in the nose up on. i ok. the should prove us for me to do it. those are both pro, stop by the see what the 5th of so we're to us so much at the silver to the, the body of those children use the textbook book 14 to teach the history of ukraine in almost every chapter. the entries about the need to confront russia list just to call you to explore. do agree with whichever near because of just the class but got to go to a specific new board corner, a piece of some incidents that cause i'm still providing at stoughton, who will be now can we switch coverage reminder for you for your car? um, without providing a provision of we pick ups and as the one the uh over is i see metal wanted to show up as well the physician at the more i did

we must carly watson, those know, doing the i was doing the rob, but the last thought more. those kind of not throw soonest a deal on your side off. go to i set up. i gummed up fluid to see the so much or was it just me? i'd say me not whose key every 33 was a one. yes. and that problem at least i mean trapped or blood us so we can see you . i'm in the nose up on the night. ok. ship this for me to do it. those are blue portals pop by the waters of so where do i so was at the silver or the are about equal post children use the textbook book 14 to teach the history of ukraine in almost every chapter. the entries about the need to confront russia. dish difficult to explore. do agree with whichever near because of just the class. but what to tell you what your specific name, board warner a piece of superintendents that cause i'm still providing our store will well the now can we switch over to dream uh, february and for the vehicle um without providing a provision that we pick up soon as the one the uh over is actually not i wanted to show up as a little bit physician and from w