applause —— that is the snp plan. snp mps will also backed their tax.arners. that is the right approach at a time when rising inflation is making it harderfor many families to make ends meet. we have also opted not to cut tax for higher rate taxpayers. a tax cut for the top 10% of earners when up expending is under pressure is the wrong priority. we choose investment in our public services instead. applause snp mps will also is bought an increase in the additional rate of income taxes. for those earning more than £150,000, 45p to 50p. the difference between the smp and the tories is this will stop the tory plans will give tax cuts to the wealthiest while pushing more hard—working people wealthiest while pushing more ha rd—working people and wealthiest while pushing more hard—working people and families into poverty. our plans are fair to all and will lift people out of poverty. not just all and will lift people out of poverty. notjust because it‘s the right thing to do, but because group —— we know that it is good for the economy too. the scandal has be

that is the snp plan. [applause] we have frozen the basic rate of income tax to help more middle errant. -- middle earners. that is the right approach at a time when rising inflation is making it harder for many families to make ends meet. we have also opted not to cut tax for higher rate taxpayers. the tax cuts for the top 10% of income earners at a time when public spending is under pressure is a wrong priority. we choose investment in our public services instead. [applause] snp mps will report an increase of across the u.k. and the additional rate of income tax for those earning more than 150,000 pounds. the difference between the s&p -- the snp and the tories is this, the tories plans will give tax cuts to the wealthiest while pushing more hard-working people and families into poverty. our plans are fair to all and will lift people out of poverty. not just because it is the right thing to do but because we know that greater equality helps our economy. one of the biggest scandals in recent years, it is

on one side of the debate you have nicola sturgeon‘s snp views taking pa rt nicola sturgeon‘s snp viewsn the debate tonight, they are trying to build support to win a second independence referendum, which possibly might come towards the end of next year. on the other side you've got ruth davidson for the conservatives whose party has become the main voice of the union in scotland, because they've had some degree of success and are now the official opposition. in many ways those two issues have polarised politics in scotland. then in the middle you've got labour, which used to dominate politics in scotland for many years but have had a pretty torrid time recently. their success has come at the expense, the rise of the snp, still the most popular party in scotland. the liberal democrats have also struggled to regain a major foothold democrats have also struggled to regain a majorfoothold in democrats have also struggled to regain a major foothold in scottish politics in recent years. it's also worth pointing out that no politician taking part in tonight's debate is going to be a candidate

perhaps more worrying for the snp, murray, the seat which belongs to the leader of the snp at westminsterrobertson, again the conservatives we re robertson, again the conservatives were ahead there in the elections this week and will be a very fierce fight between the tories and the snp there and probably about a dozen seats in total across scotland were both parties will want to claim victory and will say that the victories they do get, whoever wins, are significant. in terms of how people feel about issues like votes for the independence referendum, which is one of the things the tories will be talking about on the doorstep, they will argue vote for us doorstep, they will argue vote for us and you can avoid a second independence referendum. all this morning we'll be talking to the political parties about what they've learned from the local election results. we will be speaking to the leader of the snp in westminster. we will be speaking to the leader of the snp in westminster. the campaign team of the french presidentialfrontrunner, emmanuel macron, say they've been the victim of a mass

a vote for the snp will back our plan to end the snp will back our plan to end the tory cuts that areding our economy back, is damaging our public services and pushing more people into poverty. a vote for the snp will strengthen scotland's and againstan will strengthen scotland's and against an extreme brexit and will protect scotland's right to make our own decisions. now, more than ever, it is vital to have strong snp voices standing up for scotland. nicola sturgeon, thank you very much for that. applause next we have kezia dugdale, leader of the scottish labour party. i voted to remain in the european union and against independence. like hundreds of thousands of you. but what we have this had brexit and the snp hell— bent on what we have this had brexit and the snp hell—bent on a second independence referendum. you are worried about yourjob, about your family's finances, their future and the rising cost of living. i want a labour government. the tories will be back and there will be more destructive than ever before. so who do you want to stand up to the tories? labour mps who unde

strong challenge from the snp. in wales they've lost bridgend and merthyr tydfil, keeping hold of cardiff, swa nsea tydfil, keeping hold of cardiff, swansea and newport. in england they've lost more than 100 councillors, many to the tories. they've won the male role contest in the liverpool city region. —— lost the liverpool city region. —— lost the mayoral contest. and it has been a terrible night for ukip, overnight they lost every seat they were defending. and the party has been wiped out on councils like lincolnshire, hampshire and essex. their vote share is down dramatically, most of it going straight to the conservatives. in scotland — the snp have managed to deprive labour of an overall majority in glasgow but we are not yet sure if they have won overall control of scotland's biggest city for themselves. we're still waiting for most of the results in scotland. we'll keep a close eye on birmingham this afternoon. not least for the metro mayor race in the west midlands, set to be a very tight contest between l

nicola sturgeon launched the snp ma nifesto nicola sturgeon launched the snp manifesto calling for a second scottish independence referendum at the end of the brexit process. the sdlp in northern ireland launched their manifesto with a focus on fighting hard brexit and hard border. its leader said their party would stand up against borders, division and cruel and crippling cuts. as we face new challenges we must be mindful of protections but europe as gifted us and remind others of a situation that is unique and more challenging and deeply deserving of special status. to do that we need strong voices taking a stand against the tories at the heart of the action. welcome to the programme. laura hughes and jason are here. jeremy corbyn a failure of memory, a bit like diane abbott earlier in the campaign? it is not great, you would have thought he would have had a briefing before going to interview on the date that you're launching a manifesto policy, you're launching a manifesto policy, you should know your numbers. you cannotjudge a policy on whether or not the leaders remember the num

cancotland, only the snp keep the tories in check.applause] >> in this election, it is vital that we strengthen scotland's hand. otherwise, so much of what we cherish and value will be under threat. the dismantling of the welfare state already underway. it will pick up pace. already predicting the biggest rise in inequality since the 1980's. the age of the working age household will fall by 10% over the next four years. the policy will drive one million more children across the u.k. into poverty. just think about that. one million more children. that means that by 2021, there could be more than 5 million children across the u.k.. that is shameful. that is shameful. it puts it at the very heart of this election. jobs will be lost. as they threatened to turn their you butot just on the on the single markets as well. that is why more than ever before, we need strong s&p voices at westminster to stand up to the you but on the single markets as well. tories and to stand up for scotland. [applause] country, we face big challenges, we have m

then drowned out by the snp. able to stand up to the tories, you have 56, what material difference did any of them make to the lives of any scottish voters in two years? this prime minister is not so much the iron lady, and she is the queen of the u turn. therefore the stronger the snp and scotland's voice is, the more we can effect change to tory positions that are damaging so many people. the snp's biggest challenge is holding onto those mps. it will be difficult to hold onto 56 seats and nobody expects them to do so. but i would be surprised if they lose more than half a dozen. even if they lose two 01’ half a dozen. even if they lose two or three, it will be said their vote is going backwards and they have lost momentum towards another independence referendum. lost momentum towards another independence referendumm lost momentum towards another independence referendum. it will be spun that way by the other parties. so it is all aboard the campaign bus and there is not a moment to lose. the singer ariana grande

he says the snp wa nt to question in five.aping? fife. no, we had a situation in the past where we had an initiative where people who studied in scotland could work for a number of years after they graduated which worked well. i think there are other models in canada where provinces can control immigration to a limited extent. it works perfectly well to manage your own migration. their sensible indeed. we are lucky in scotland, the population has began to rise again to 5.5 million or so. we are not fill up. we want to put to bring skills and talents that the economy needs. there is no reason whatsoever why scotland, an attractive destination, cannot be able to manage its own migration policy. you say after brexit, there needs to be as part of the deal a regional look at migration so that scotland benefits, as far as you are concerned? the brexit argument is very strong. we don't want to see an end to the free movement of people, as there are millions of uk citizens working and living happily in the eu. we want the free movemen

how would the snp pay for its manifesto proposals?ss the uk. because they run the scottish government, the snp could increase income tax in scotland alone if they chose to do so. so far though nicola sturgeon has refused to do that for fear of driving high wage—earners south of the border. but the snp makes clear that it believes the biggest danger to the health of the scottish economy is the threat of a hard brexit. it says, quoting research from the university of strathclyde, that leaving the eu single market could cost 80,000 jobs in scotland over ten years. now in last year's referendum scotland voted to stay in the eu, bucking the uk trend, and this manifesto calls for scotland to be given a place at the brexit negotiating table, so the party can work to try to keep it in the single market. if the conservatives are returned to power in westminster, there's absolutely no sign that that would happen. but a brexit that is unpopular in scotland? well, the snp believes that would give fresh fuel to its campaign for the other referendu

then drowned out by the snp.o the tories, you have just about every mp in scotland with 56 of them. what real material difference did any of them make to the lives of any scottish voters in two years in westminster? we're seeing, almost with every week that passes right now that this prime minister is not so much the iron lady than she is the queen of the u turn. therefore, the stronger the snp and scotland's voice is, then the more we can effect change to tory positions that are damaging so many people. the snp's biggest challenge is holding onto all those mps. it'll be difficult to hold onto 56 seats, nobody seriously expects them to do so. but i'd be surprised if they lose more than half a dozen. but if they lose even jsut two or three seats, it'll be said their vote is going backwards and that they've lost momentum towards another independence referendum. it will certainly be spun that way by the other parties. so it's all aboard the campaign bus. with so many seats to defend, there's not a moment to lose. sa

so if the snp wins this election, it strengthens our hand. and the danger in my view that the whole of the uk faces right now, is notjust brexit, but the extreme brexit that is being pursued by the tories that threatens tens of thousands of jobs in scotland. so on this, as on so many other things, if you want scotland's voice to be heard, if you want scotland's interest to the fore, rather than just tory mps who will rubber—stamp whatever theresa may wants, the only way to secure that is to vote snp. you complain that powers being sent back to london from brussels might not be passed on to edinburgh, but under your plan, any return of powers to edinburgh, you will then send back to brussels. it's a nonsensical grievance. these are issues that the people of scotland will scrutinise and debate if we are in another independence referendum. i believe scotland as an independent member state of the eu would have a much greater voice than we've had as a part of the uk over the years. theresa may is the one who wants to pursue brexit and wants to pur

then drowned out by the snp.d up to the tories, you have just about every mp in scotland with 56 of them. what real material difference did any of them make to the lives of any scottish voters in two years in westminster? we're seeing, almost with every week that passes right now that this prime minister is not so much the iron lady than she is the queen of the u turn. therefore, the stronger the snp and scotland's voice is, then the more we can effect change to tory positions that are damaging so many people. the snp's biggest challenge is holding onto all those mps. it'll be difficult to hold onto 56 seats, nobody seriously expects them to do so. but i'd be surprised if they lose more than half a dozen. but if they lose even jsut two or three seats, it'll be said their vote is going backwards and that they've lost momentum towards another independence referendum. it will certainly be spun that way by the other parties. so it's all aboard the campaign bus. with so many seats to defend, there's not a moment to lo

snp gains are expected. a second referendum, knowing that theresa may would say no. if that has translated into a search for the scottish conservatives, that may be a worry for some inside the snp. it was a finely balanced decision. there were people on different sides, playing different ways. it reminds us that the constitution has been an issue. the dominant political issue in scotla nd the dominant political issue in scotland is the constitution. john, can we have a final word at this point from you? we dealt with pa rt this point from you? we dealt with part of the picture in scotland. just a broad view of where we are with the other party across england, scotla nd with the other party across england, scotland and wales? we started the morning saying the conservatives had done well. getting further results from england and a variety of other councils. that impression has been reinforced. it looks as if conservatives are doing that little bit better than they were doing on average overnight. the broad pat

glasgow a labour stronghold for decades, falling to the snp.nationalists won the most seats overall. but failed to gain majorities. doing well but not as well as some expected. in an election where my party has emerged with the most votes, most six, in the driving seat of most councils, no matter how hard anybody tries to spin that into something else, it's a great win for the snp, one i'm absolutely delighted with. there we re absolutely delighted with. there were big gains for the conservatives, their campaign message — vote tory to protect the union— bearing fruit. sheffield and in the east end of glasgow isn't natural tory territory but the fact they gained a seat here and in other wards previously considered no—go areas for conservatives demonstrates how important the constitutional question has become. it seems that evenin question has become. it seems that even in local elections now some voters loyalties are being influenced by one question above all others. independence or the union. people across scotland now who are looking for the s

then drowned out by the snp.ories, you have 56, what material difference did any of them make to the lives of any scottish voters in two years? this prime minister is not so much the iron lady, and she is the queen of the u turn. therefore the stronger the snp and scotland's voice is, the more we can effect change to tory positions that are damaging so many people. the snp's biggest challenge is holding onto those mps. it will be difficult to hold onto 56 seats and nobody expects them to do so. but i would be surprised if they lose more than half a dozen. even if they lose two or three, it will be said their vote is going backwards and they have lost momentum towards another independence referendum. it will be spun that way by the other parties. so it is all aboard the campaign bus and there is not a moment to lose. now to wales. neither welsh conservative leader andrew rt davies nor welsh secretary alun cairns are taking part in this evening's bbc wales leaders' debate. the tories will be represented by their we

many labour and snp mps are saying that they wa nt to and snp mps are saying that they want to frustratehead. i can't be alive. having a clear mandate for theresa may to deliver for brexit is what will ensure that happens. thank you very much. good to talk to you. this lincolnshire market town has been right ukip turf. boston has seen a surge in migration from eastern europe. more people here backed brexit than anywhere in britain, but last night voters abandoned ukip. they were there for a purpose, they got us a referendum. they were getting us out. i think they did what they set out to do. they are a spent force. i don't think they will do much now. most of ukip's support here and almost all of its county council seats went to the tories. it is not a local issue, but some say they are the party to deliver brexit. i don't think ukip had any idea how to do it. who do you think can do it? we have to rely on the conservative party. at the moment the conservatives are the only viable party. theresa may is the right person to lead the country. she is strong enough. in recent years, ukip were

between the snp and the conservatives.nd most people do not want to see a return of the conservatives. that's why we're going to be working very hard the length and breadth of the country to make sure that the snp returns victorious in those seats, because we need to protect scotland at westminster. we see that the tories are running rampant south of the border. there is not a snowball‘s chance in hell of the labour party winning the general election. so if we're wanting the strongest voices to stand up for scottish interests and against the ever more rightward drift of the conservative party and its europhobia, people are going to have to vote snp in scotland. i am confident that, given it will be that two—horse race, it's the snp that will win. 0ur correspondentjames shaw is in glasgow. what is the sense in the snp about their performance yesterday? were they hoping for something better? they did not win control of councils. they did not win control of any of the 32 councils in scotland, including glasgow, although you h

labour are now the fight to the snp.ewhere. the scottish executive committee of the labour party met today, and we have agreed not to do any deals or coalitions with parties that appeared to pass an austerity to the poorest people. we will carry on investing and opposing a second independence referendum. former lib dem leader lord campbell had a chance meeting with labour‘s lord falconer. the lib dems were encouraged with how they did in westminster target seats. we will probably win more seats because we have a great chance of stopping the snp and the divisive independence referendum, of standing up against the conservative hard brexit. in glasgow, labour can wave goodbye to the council, but in many places it isn‘t clear who will be in charge of local services, and deals could be tricky this side of the general election. and we‘ll find out how this story, and many others, are covered in tomorrow‘s front pages at 10:30 and 11:30 this evening in the papers. 0ur guestsjoining me tonight are katy balls, who‘s a political co

the snp already prioritises this. destruction that we don't need any more, or are your priorities tuition fees, so that your ability to go to university or college is based on the ability to learn, not the ability to pay? and for pensions and pension fairness, and also tackling the challenges faced by some of the poorest in society. the snp has already committed £300 million in terms of tackling the bedroom tax and some of the council tax changes to help the poorest in society, but we can't always be there clearing up the tory mass. and just this final question for you now from twitter. if northern ireland gets a special relationship to stay in the eu, with regards to the border with the republic of ireland, what would the snp do? would seek the same? would there be a realistic chance of that, he asks? just before christmas, the first minister put together a group of experts from across the political spectrum and produced a weighty paperin spectrum and produced a weighty paper in of what could happen next, respecting

they don't pretend they can overtake the snp.ould come from behind to take second place. i think the conservatives will be quite strong in this area. why is that? well, i think a lot of people are getting sick of the snp, to be quite honest. going for independence is going to be a disaster. even snp supporters worry there's too much focus on independence, ever since nicola sturgeon demanded another referendum. she keeps banging on about independence, it's putting a lot of folk off. but you'll vote for her nevertheless? i'll still vote for her, oh, aye. i wouldn't vote for the tories. back at the track the jockey wearing the saltire shirt was first past the post. poor old maggie blue came in last. this constituency in the scottish borders is where the tories have the best chance of taking a seat from the snp. they're hoping to elect up to a dozen conservative mps. they gotjust one the last time. across scotland the political argument has been completely redrawn, so that the main divide is no longer left versus right. it's now nati

ido not vote for anyone else except snp.cotland should either. dumfries and galloway, make some noise. thank you very much. would you like one? oh! noise. thank you very much. would you like one? 0h! nicola sturgeon is just hell—bent on independence. you like one? 0h! nicola sturgeon is just hell-bent on independence. you wa nt to just hell-bent on independence. you want to bow to make sure she cannot have that? yes. what is the most important issue in this election? have that? yes. what is the most important issue in this election7m would be brexit. scottish independence is not a burning issue? definitely not. what is? helping the working class. i think this must be the first in our history, i verified dead heat in the mood box. thank you, dumfries and galloway and thank you, dumfries and galloway and thank you robbie burns. ellie and her balls. there are several other different kinds of chocolate bars that you can get from all kinds of confectioners. a little bit of a health warning. anyway... this is a crucial issue for t

people talk about ukip and the snp.k it will be. you have had figures within and without the main parties making those claims. but i think that will be something that will have to happen without cooperation of party leaderships which means it might not have that impact. no prospect of a coalition? not with the present labour leadership, no. maybe a last thought. some have said it could turn ugly, not least because the contrast of characters between theresa may and jeremy corbyn. contrast of characters between theresa may and jeremy corbynm already has turned ugly to an extent. the way mr corbyn has been characterised in the media has been vicious. i do not see any reason why lynton crosby, driving the conservative campaign, will not continue and it will be personal and will be evidence to show it is working. we saw the tories being careful yesterday not to look too jubilant. because expectations management is key and if they are to boost the turnout and potentially get a bigger margin at the general election, they need

this is a clear and emphatic victory for the snp.we've got councillors and council groups across the country able to protect local services, but it's also a great launchpad for the general election. in wales, labour lost more than 100 seats, but held cardiff, and held back some of the worst. but the tories and plaid nibbling away some of their support. defending wales is what plaid cymru is all about. labourare in no position to do that. they've had a majority of mps in wales for decades, and they've failed to put wales on the map. but it was ukip that had the worst crash from their heights. their scorecard nearly zero. brexit seeming to challenge their very reason for being. we've won the war, but we haven't yet won the peace. and i would say this: that we need ukip to be there, we need ukip to be strong. ukip is the insurance policy in case brexit doesn't get delivered. and yes, this is sometimes how seats are decided. a vote so close candidates draw straws. here, a lib dem had a lucky choice. in what, overall, that party described

roost‘s tories defy the snp. conservative the fixer to roost‘s tories does and snp.to the forefront in the debate. in scotland, the tories have had such an impossible time of it until it started to be turning round. is it down to her? they are the second largest party in scotland now. how did that happen? imagine saying that four years ago. the tide of the snp appears to be stagnating, certainly they are down seven. it's about labour's much as the tories. that is about the unionist vote going to the tories. it is about her. she is the plausible face of the junior and labour aunt. she is plain speaking isn't she. you know where you are with ruth davidson. the assertion of the scottish daily mail that the snp have plummeted is, ithink, something they would argue with. they have not managed to take glasgow as they hope to. that is quite a thing. the tories have taken glasgow? if you had said this to me two we e ks glasgow? if you had said this to me two weeks ago i'd have told you to have a nice lie down. clearly, minds have a nice lie down. clearly, minds have shifted

ijust, personally, like the snp.bour can offer you a similar kind of thing? well, labour only mentioned their plan for scotland in 115 words out of 124 pages of their manifesto. so, not really. in fairness to labour, it has now published a separate manifesto for scotland. as for this region, there has been new investment. the train line to edinburgh has reopened. but, at a drop—in centre for unemployed young people, there's a definite sense of being forgotten by the parties. the british elections, the general elections, it's like they don't want to hear our words, want to hear what we have to say. i don't think they are dealing with any of the sort of issues that we have. you know, like lack ofjobs, or anything like that. they're just focused on the big issues, like coming out of the eu, and all that. it's been overshadowed a lot, and that's not so great. brooding piano music the snp totally dominates scottish politics at the moment, holding 56 of the 59 seats. but in this part of the country, the southern part of sc

no, and that is why the snp will keep pushing it. sides trying to exploit the independent idea. they say they are obsessed with the constitution and exception of bread—and—butter economies and the oil economy. when you have the snp pushing hard saying we are against a hard brexit. for the voters, where you stand on brexit or not, may not be the determining factor in this election. there may be other issues and they might take offe nce be other issues and they might take offence at both parties trying to ram this down their throats. the oil economy in aberdeen, in the tory manifesto yesterday, was this idea that britain's north sea will be decommissioned in future years. all these oil rigs could be a world ce ntre these oil rigs could be a world centre the decommissioning oil rigs. it isa centre the decommissioning oil rigs. it is a brand—new idea from the conservatives. you have these voters in scotland who don't want to leave, but they don't want to vote tory. what happens to them? they are facing a difficult choice. it will be inte

the snp we re people will come back to us.e the biggest winners in the scottish council elections, replacing labour as the largest party in glasgow and aberdeen. we w011 party in glasgow and aberdeen. we won the election yesterday emphatically. we were the largest party, not just emphatically. we were the largest party, notjust compared to five yea rs party, notjust compared to five years ago but compared to every other party in scotland. this strange, unexpected election has yet to set passions alight. it is in battle grounds like this the next government will be decided. ian watson has been following the campaign trail is in the midlands and has this analysis. throughout this election campaign, the message from theresa may has been there no no go areas for the conservatives. she has been campaigning in what was once labour territory first and she was doing that today in wolverhampton in the west midlands. the conservatives managed to win the metro mayor on thursday and deliver a shock to labour. the message is familiar. stro

it is the first snp ma nifesto striking.endence is not running right through it. it is tucked away almost in the margins, on page ten, page ten out of ten pledges. i think there are a number of things going on. one is a desire not to frighten away those voters who are supporters of the union but mike be tempted to vote snp but are reluctant to do so, fearing they're going to be catapulted into another independence referendum. secondly, they have been beaten about the head in recent months for focusing remorselessly on independence, and critics are saying, hang on, standards in schools are slipping, hospitals are under pressure, why don't you get on with the dayjob? and that has also knocked them back a bit. and it was striking, although nicola sturgeon sought to push back when sarah mentioned that she seemed to have opened up the possibility that the timetable for any second independence referendum could actually go back further still beyond her previous deadline of spring 2019, now, we are in quite the country, she's now sa

, or if the snp win a majority of seats in scotla nd snp win a majority of seats in scotland at the electiondemonstrate public consent? and she would not define exactly how she would not define exactly how she would decide if there was public consent for another vote, and said she would rather we were not talking about independence at all because she thinks this debate could weaken her hand in brexit negotiations, and accused the snp of being obsessed with independence. although it is the tories in scotland who are making another referendum central to their election campaign. they are handing out leaflets with "independence" in block capital letters. they think by saying they are the only ones who can stop another referendum, they can attract unionist voters, while nicola sturgeon says that a vote for the snp is about to make scotland's voice heard. theresa may absolutely ruled out the idea of giving her a seat at the brexit negotiating table, saying that she, theresa may, will negotiate for the whole of the uk. the former television star rolf harris has been released from prison, after serv

nicola sturgeon launches the snp manifesto , calling for a second scottish independence referendum "at end of the brexit process". scotla nd scotland must have a choice about oui’ scotland must have a choice about our future. scotland must have a choice about ourfuture. a choice between following the uk down the brexit pass, or becoming an independent country. the mother of zookeeper rosa king — killed by a tiger — says she loved herjob and wouldn't have done anything else. manchester victoria station reopens — a week after the concert attack which killed 22 people. and injured dozens of others. and back in the top flight after 45 years — huddersfield town will celebrate promotion to the premier league — with an open—top bus parade later. good afternoon and welcome to bbc news. with just over a week to go to the general election, campaigning has resumed in earnest, after a pause because of the manchester attack. the labour leaderjeremy corbyn, focusing today on the issue of childcare, found himself in a bbc interview unable to provide the cost of a key pledge — extending free childcare

what you expect to happen tomorrow for the snp?p? i take nothing for granted but this is my own constituency, the south side of glasgow that for years was represented by labour and now has an snp memberof the represented by labour and now has an snp member of the scottish and westminster parliament. so we will be out tomorrow urging people to vote snp for a stronger local services right across the country. in glasgow it is about getting rid of generations of labour mismanagement but about —— it is about childcare, more affordable housing, supporting businesses and devolving power down to local communities across the country. that is our agenda and i hope people will vote for it tomorrow. you will have heard the speech made by theresa may this afternoon launching the formal start of this general election campaign. what is your reaction to her saying that european politicians have been making threats against the uk to try to influence the general election in the uk? i think your comments are deeply irresponsible and reckless. the uk

and angus robertson, the deputy leader of the snp.pplause our audience was selected by a leading opinion polling company to ensure they are representative of the country as whole. they support different parties, some are undecided voters, and they are also equally split along the lines of last year's eu referendum — half voted to leave the eu and half to remain. and if you'd like to join in the debate at home, you can do so on twitter using the hashtag #bbcdebate. we start with opening statements from all seven politicians, the order of which was decided by the drawing of lots. first, the leader of plaid cymru, leanne wood. theresa may called this election because she's taking you for granted. she won't turn up to these debates, because her campaign of soundbites is falling apart. unlike theresa may, i am not afraid to defend my policies, my principles, my values. plaid cymru exists to defend and build up our country. in wales, it is plaid cymru that stands for fairness and equality for everyone who chooses to call wales home. for a h

if it doesn't, i think that is a severe blow for the snp.nd, the snp's aim was to turn votes into power at local level. lanarkshire was identified as an early indicator of success. it was elected as the largest party, but without a majority. the only way people know to stop that conservative arise, whether in these elections or in future elections, is to vote for the snp as emma the labour party has collapsed. in a contest which on the face of it is about who delivers local services, the conservatives will put opposition to a second referendum front and centre. early results show seats gained in surprising places. one of the lessons we are learning today is that parties with mixed messages on the constitution, and i mean especially the scottish labour party, are doing really badly. and in edinburgh, the liberal democrats saw signs of recovery in a city where their vote collapsed five yea rs where their vote collapsed five years ago. we have had two results in so far, both of them in my constituency in edinburgh, which i woi'i constituency in

this is an emphatic victory for the snp.s we have councillors and council groups across the country able to protect local services. it is also a great launch pad for the general election. in wales, labour lost over 100 seats but held cardiff, and held back some of the worst, with the tories and plaid cymru nibbling away some of their support. defending wales is what plaid cymru are about. labour are in no position to do that. they have had a majority of mps in wales the decades and they failed to put wales on the map. but it was ukip that had the worst crash from their heights, their scorecard nearly zero, brexit seeming to challenge their very reason for being. we have won the war but we have not won the peace. i would say we need ukip to be there, to be strong. ukip is the insurance policy in case brexit doesn't get delivered. yes, this is sometimes how seats are decided. the vote so close that candidates draw straws. here, a lib dem had the lucky choice in what that party described overall as a patchy performance. politic

|j one way for the snp full to go, right at theresa may.yment away from pensioners who have worked hard and paid in all their lives isjust have worked hard and paid in all their lives is just wrong. have worked hard and paid in all their lives isjust wrong. the winter fuel payment is not a king 's ransom. not all tories south of scotla nd ransom. not all tories south of scotland agree with mrs may and policies like social care. 0ne former minuteman minister said they would oppose her except there is an election. that is one reason it is happening. she wants more backing for potentially unpopular decisions if public money gets tight after brexit, as you can bet she would hesitate to make risky promises if she wasn't so confident of winning. tories look upbeat about this campaign whether or not they always agree. life could get tougherfor them, for a lot of people afterwards, whoever wins. while she was in scotland today, theresa may refused to give more details about a manifesto pledge that a second scottish independence referendum would not

as per the snp, the dominant party in scotland, that —— as for the snp, he said they had an obsessionax raising powers scotland as the holyrood parliament to try to relieve the late back to relieve some of the poverty and inequality in scotland. he said too many children in scotland were in poverty and the snp should use those powers to ensure children across the country have the same life chances. he said directly to those in the past may have voted tory or snp, he said, look at the manifesto and compared it to record of the other two parties. john, thank you very much, at that labour rally in glasgow. more than 150 people are now known to have died in sri lanka in flooding and landslides caused by heavy monsoon rains. officials say aid is now reaching remote areas in the worst affected areas in the south and west of the island. 95 people are in hospital and more than 100 are still missing. while many of us are enjoying the warm weather, in belarus the tractors are celebrating the arrival of summer with a dance display. this is the annual festival held by the minsk tractor works — wh

this seat is held by the snp deputy leader angus robertson. to revive here and they are hoping to revive here and they are talking about this as a main target seat. i have been trying to look at the battle for moray and cooking a dish. this is the home of the famous colleen skink soup. the locals who catch this stuff are mixed with a large agricultural sector, service sector and staff here at the hotel. ian watson voted remain. if anything is happening, we've just got to make sure it's the best that can be. angus robson has been mp here since 2001. one of the yea r‘s been mp here since 2001. one of the year's most vocal supporters at westminster. it's going to be me or a tory who is going to give a blank cheque to theresa may which i don't think is going to be a good idea given how important the single market is for the economy of moray. the snp had a 9000 majority in 2015. top tories think their message to voters is getting through. they are concerned that the scottish nationalists will take as out of westminster and go straight back into eur

that isa the snp. they‘ve pulled ahead. angus robertson, the s&p's constituency of angus robertson, the s&p‘s leader at westminster, and thatis s&p‘s leader at westminster, and that is one that both parties will fight very, very hard to hold onto. -- snp's. the campaign team of the french presidentialfrontrunner, emmanuel macron, says they‘ve been the victim of a massive hacking attack, after thousands of documents were released online. they say genuine emails were mixed up with fake ones ahead of voters going to the polls tomorrow, where mr macron will face his far—right opponent, marine le pen. syrian activists say shelling and gunfire has been heard in rebel—held areas, shortly after an agreement to set up safe zones in parts of the country came into force. the deal on four safe zones was reached at thursday‘s talks between russia and iran. turkey, agreed to act as a guarantor but the main syrian opposition grouping says it has little faith in the deal. three men are due in court this morning, charged with the murder of

it's a bit unusual to said labour were mirroring snp policy.id labour were mirroring snp policy. it's a bit unusual to have a manifesto leaked in its entirety days before it is due to be published. but one of the striking things from what i have seen of it is how many of the policies labour are putting forward is our policy is that the snp scottish government has already introduced. tuition fees being free for students, getting rid of hospital car parking charges, some of their ambitions around climate change and renewable energy. these are things the snp government is already doing, which says to me that scotland is leading the way and that scotland is leading the way and thatis that scotland is leading the way and that is why it is important to make sure people keep strong snp representation in the house of commons. i asked what she thought of a couple of the other highlighted areas in the leak, the idea of renationalising some industries. she said perhaps more state intervention in certain areas might potentially bea in certain areas might p

so, what have the snp been up to today?aunch tomorrow. nicola sturgeon was getting in the mood today, meeting out a few tasters as to what we can expect, and giving the voters in scotland some food for thought. well, a peanut butter cupcake for breakfast is perhaps not the healthiest option, but it was absolutely delicious. and this is a fantastic facility, and the cakes were definitely a highlight. now, on a serious note, you're here campaigning in the constituency this morning, jobs mainly the focus today. jobs and fairness are, i think, at the heart of this election. and when the snp outlines our manifesto tomorrow we will put the protection ofjobs, through standing against an extreme brexit, at the heart of our manifesto. we will also put the issue of fairness at its heart as well. we see in equality rising across the uk, and more and more people being plunged into poverty because of tory policies. bid leaders debate in scotland yesterday, are the snp feeling confident they will be able to pull out all the stops? no, i

in the 2015 election they lost every seat in the city to the snp.them back in this election. labour are fighting to keep the single mp they have in scotland, and maybe add a couple more to keep him company. at a vintage fair in the east end of glasgow, i spoke to voters who switched between labour and the snp in the past. i really like corbyn's manifesto, his attitude and his beliefs and what he stands for. could labour tempt you back? not with jeremy corbyn. the more i listen tojeremy corbyn, the more i believe he speaks from the heart. would you vote for him? now, i'm seriously thinking about voting for him, yes. tonight, the snp leader said she would consider a coalition with labour. if there was a hung parliament, of course we would look to be part of a progressive alliance that pursued progressive policies. but let's get back to the reality of this election. the reality of this election, even with narrowing polls, is we will face a tory government perhaps with a bigger majority so my priority is to say to people in scotland, if you want scotlan

ukip down that 2%, lib dems on 7%, the snp are strong in scotland but are in dangerof losing the snpat they can capture the imaginations of voters. they are all squeezed by the big two. they will not be tonight. we will keep an eye on that. it's notjust the conservatives who have launched their manifesto today. the yorkshire party have been launching theirs — in wakefield. the party is calling for greater powers for yorkshire. and a halt to the high—speed rail line, hs2 and their leader, stewart arnold thinks they could be the local alternative to the main political parties. there is obviously something going on here. i like to think that we are pa rt on here. i like to think that we are part of the process of putting pressure on them. let's see. i'm hopeful that we can make a breakthrough. up to the north west of england now and there is one issue which has dominated the agenda for the last couple of years — fracking. annabel tiffin has spent the afternoon in lytham st annes finding out if fracking is a big election issue. fracking, is that a big one for you? it does not matter to y

how does the snp plan to address that divide? believe the way to do that is to reject conservative austerity agenda and invest in public services and people. let's hear from ukip in public services and people. let's hearfrom ukip now, because david kirton, you have a different view. what problem exists between the generations? i wouldn't use the word divide but there is different needs between the older generation and the younger generation, what i think is the main issue we need to address is everyone is talking about the skills gap, we certainly haven't been training young people with the skills they need, particularly technical skills.

just one last question, what does the snp offer to those who scotla nd what does the snp offer to those a referendum happening now, but we do think that the end of the brexit process, when everybody else is going to have a say on scotland's future, some people aren't aware of this, the other 27 member states of the european union are going to have to say, have a say on our future. we think that the people of scotland should have a say too and what's important to remember about this, because some people do remember the fa ct because some people do remember the fact that this was actually an election issue in scotland last year and the party that went to the country and won the election with a ma nifesto country and won the election with a manifesto commitment of the people having a choice in a referendum actually won that election so, we support the scottish parliament and the scottish government which has taken a the scottish government which has ta ken a vote the scottish government which has taken a vote on the issue that people in scotland should have a say and whether one is in favo

for her to keep the snp outm encouraging labour voters to vote for her to keep the snp out.in, right and centre. it shows the mess labour are in, particularly here in scotland. but we continue to be popular even after ten years in government, and we will continue to make the message and take it to the people of scotland that only by voting snp can you get a strong opposition. tory mps will give that three and two theresa may which even those who voted for brexit don't wa nt those who voted for brexit don't want her to have, they want a strong opposition and they will only get that from the snp. you mentioned the mess that you perceive labour to be in but kezia dugdale, according to one of the polls i have read, is enjoying a boost to her rating. you are snorting at that... come on! look at what has happened to scottish labour! they have been replaced by the conservative party in the scottish parliament that they themselves created when last in government, they are in a woeful mess, they have come badly across scotla nd mess, they have come badly across scotland in the recent

let me bring in the snp.s position is that the triple lock will stay, and also, there will be no means tested fuel allowance, and in scotland you also do not have tuition fees, and the economy is not doing as well as in the other parts of the united kingdom, so a situation where there is not endless pots of money. why can you say, actually, a proportion of these people in here over 60 can afford to pay fuel allowance and do not need as much in their pension as an 8% increase, why not even it out? in the long term, these guys will not be able to pay for it. there certainly is not an endless pot of money and anyone who suggested that would be wrong but what you can have is different priorities. in scotland, the scottish government is investing in education from the point of preschool years, we have 16 hours free childcare for three and four—year—olds every week. plus the most vulnerable two—year—olds. we have free school meals. we are investing £120 million in a pupil equity fund to close the attainment gap, an