tom symonds, following _ continues. thank you very much. tom symonds, following the _ continues.crat election campaign. we can just show you some pictures now of the labour leader sir keir starmer in hampshire, marking armed forces day with veterans and their families. we heard from our political correspondent harry farley earlier, who is also there, that they are at a lower league football ground. sir keir starmer, along with the shadow defence secretaryjohn healey in hampshire. a court has acquitted all 28 people charged with money—laundering in connection with the panama papers scandal. it concludes a trial that began in april. among those exonerated, the now deceased founders of the different law firm at the centre of the scandal. the panama papers were a trove of ii panama papers were a trove of 11 million documents leaked to documents in 2016, revealing offshore financial secrets of world leaders and other public figures. wildfires continue to burn in several parts of the us including this blaze, at boulder view in arizona. it only broke out on thursday, but has been burnin

tom symonds. new figures show the uk economy _ not. tom symonds.ie installs tooth gems, which have soared in popularity. businesses like hers aim to make this a year—round destination, but the weather can be an issue. the rain does put people off, but we do get the people who come out and they go, oh, you know, never mind. we'lljust find something to do. the train strikes for sure have been a bit of a problem for us because a lot of the town itself is reliant on tourism. things do seem to be brightening up as many people start feeling better off despite the wet weather putting a bit of a dampener on economic activity in april. however, we've got a lot of catching up to do. some say that we could be up to £11,000 worse off than we might be because growth over the last 15 years, because of things like the pandemic, the war in ukraine has been a fraction of what it was before. so have we turned a corner? in newcastle, experiences are mixed. i'm not complaining, because i know there's a lot of people worse off than me. ijust think it's getting worse fo

let's speak to our political correspondent tom symonds, who is with the liberal democrats on a farm in

our correspondent tom symonds is travelling on the lib dem's bus — and he told me what we can expecttoday a lot of mileage. this whole trip from john o'groats, the most northerly point on the british mainland to lands end, is 1300 miles. and they're not going in a straight line either. we're currently in the scottish highlands with amazing scenery, but we're going to be heading through some constituencies that sir ed davey, the party leader, wants to hit because he thinks he can take them predominantly from the conservatives. now that's in particular scotland, right up to the north east of scotland. we're heading for fife, another area where he feels he can make progress. and edinburgh, then there's quite a gap. the liberal democrats don't have many target seats in the north of england, though they say if they'd have had time on this tour, they'd have stopped in cumbria, say, as an example, in the lake district, for example, and also in yorkshire. but we're heading then to the west of england, the south coast, before back to london at the end of this five day trip. the hope is that t

a little earlier, the liberal democrats leader sat down with our correspondent tom symonds — take a listen our manifesto today for a fair deal for people. we've talked about the health and social care systems that are in crisis, and we put forward some detailed cost of programmes to tackle that crisis. we are taking the concerns of voters very, very seriously. but i think you can also not take yourself too seriously. and what i'm saying to people with this roller coaster analogy, if you like, is come on the ride with us, read our ideas back our local champions. there are so many parts of the country that if you want to get rid of the conservatives, you vote liberal democrat. and frankly, in scotland, if you want to get rid of the snp, you vote liberal democrat as well. this morning, you gave a very personal pitch to your opening statement about this manifesto. you talked about care — both in the nhs and social care. i think it's eight billion. is it? about nine billion you're putting forward as the cost of dealing with both of those problems. is that enough money? the health foundation ver

want to talk about, and that's what the liberal democrats are doing. 0ur political correspondent tom symondsst bring us up to date on what is happening.— tom, just bring us up to date on what is happening. well, it is the usual series _ what is happening. well, it is the usual series of _ what is happening. well, it is the usual series of events _ what is happening. well, it is the usual series of events that - what is happening. well, it is the usual series of events that ed - what is happening. well, it is the i usual series of events that ed davey is taking part in, usually quite active, he was playing, as you saw there, shinty, which is a game involving hard sticks, hard balls and smacking them as hard as you could. he turned out to be pretty good at it, he managed to knock a few shots on target. what are you saying today is that here in scotland, as you heard there, although the liberal democrats have four seats and stand a good chance of holding on to them, because the boundaries have changed, they do have to fight quite hard, so we are now visiting those seats pretty much in order, i

let's speak to our political correspondent tom symonds, who is with the liberal democrats on a farm inast sussex. we can see the leaderjust over your shoulders, what is he up to today? that is right. there is a big issue with the lib dems, there is often a disconnect between what they are saying, today about clearwater streams and sewage are being put into them, and what they are actually doing. what ed davey is doing today, another stop on his photo call roadshow, he is feeding chickens on a farm. i suppose you could say a few things, that for once he is a big hit with the ladies, but of course, none of these can vote. one wonders what effect this will have. the effect it has is that people start noticing the liberal democrats and ed davey as a leader, not because of course, it is extremely unlikely that he will become the next prime minister. but this is important to their campaign and they believe it is working, it has given them a few points in the polls. as this campaign gets under way and developed. but as you say, what they are talking about today is the risk of sewage ending up

here's ed davey speaking to our reporter tom symonds — explaining why he sees a need for water reformg allowed by the conservatives to keep pumping their filthy sewage into our rivers, our lakes and our beaches and seas. and it's got to end. so we keep coming back to them. i won't apologise for that. we've explained how serious the problem is to our environment, public health, and it affects leisure activities. so here we're having some fun. but making the point that millions of people like going in to water, like swimming, like paddleboarding, like doing other water sports. and if we don't clean the water up properly, they won't be able to enjoy that as well as it being damaging to the environment, public health. so we're saying today, let's have a tougher new regulator. we're calling it the clean water authority, and it backs up all the liberal democrat policies to end this sewage scandal. an independent scotland would focus on raising revenue rather than resorting to austerity. that was the message from the first minister — who was speaking on the bbc�*s panorama programme. john sw

our political correspondent tom symonds is with the liberal democrat campaign in east sussex.llowhammer tour and i don't know what it means, is grinding on through the campaign and concentrating on areas where the liberal democrats think they will win seats from the conservatives. we will talk about the chickens in a minute but with me is sir f daly, the leader of the liberal democrats. this is your environment day and you are talking about the policies the lib dems want to offer to the electorate that you specifically say you want rivers and streams to have blue flag status which beaches currently get so you can stop water companies putting sewage into those watercourses and rivers and streams. how will giving them a mark like that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, _ that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you _ that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you want - that stop that happening? you are absolutely right, you want to - absolutely right, you want to protect — absolutely right, you want to protect your precious rivers are far more _

let's speak to our correspondent tom symonds who has been travelling with the liberal democrats campaign very north of scotland. tom, the policies the liberal democrats today, lowering they cache vat on children's toothbrushes and toothpaste, trying to put health at the centre of the policies. yes. toothpaste, trying to put health at the centre of the policies. yes, we are at the — the centre of the policies. yes, we are at the most _ the centre of the policies. yes, we are at the most northerly - the centre of the policies. yes, we are at the most northerly point - the centre of the policies. yes, we are at the most northerly point in l are at the most northerly point in the mainland of the uk, just to give you a sign that land's the mainland of the uk, just to give you a sign that lands end is 800 is only four miles away from us and new york 3230 miles away from us. why are we here? well, ed davey is on his way here, he is half an hour away, we have managed to get here before him. he has come from another eventin before him. he has come from another event in cambridge where he talked a

let us see if our correspondence, tom symonds, can hear him. lib dems. this is a | particular typical event for the liberal democrats. they call these orange cards the diamonds. they often use at these events. sir ed daveyis often use at these events. sir ed davey is here because he wants to talk to the voters through the media. there are members of the public watching here but he's not talking to them. he not asking them what they should be doing for them. he is trying to broadcast to a wider audience. as we have seen over the weeks, ed davey has in many of these stunts, going down water slides and all sorts of things. he was set sligo in cheltenham and an aqua aerobics lesson to the sounds of abba. he is trying to get across the electorate that he is a human being with a sense of humour, but with serious policies. we'll been talking to ed this morning and he said a couple of interesting things about the chances of his party in this election. the liberal democrats have 15 seats in parliament at the moment. let us have a listen to him. we need

let's speak to tom symonds who is travelling on the lib dem campaign bus on the way to east sussex. hey are focusing on. m tom, tell us what they are focusing on. as you say, it is about water toda on on. as you say, it is about water today on the _ on. as you say, it is about water today on the continuing - on. as you say, it is about water today on the continuing ed i on. as you say, it is about water| today on the continuing ed davey photo op roadshow. we are in rural east to sussex, where he is going to be visiting an area where there are chalk streams, very good by diverse environments that are being damaged by sewage. the liberal democrats say that the amount of sewage, the number of hours of sewage pumped into streams and rivers in the uk in 2023 it was 49,000 hours, and that doubles compared to 2022, the year before. what they are going to do about that, or would do if they were in power, is to extend the blue flag scheme which currently applies to beaches, to streams and rivers. they say that would enable them to have more controls over when sewage companies or at water comp

let's start with our political correspondent tom symonds who is on the campaign bus for the conservativeis expected to include a pledge on stamp duty. tom, what do you know? what is their assessment of how the campaign last night went for them? i think the issue about d—day is still very much in the forefront of the storytelling of the conservative campaign in the last 2a hours was a really bad day for rishi sunak. there will be views at the top and the bottom of the party about what has happened and the damage that has done to the campaign. we heard from penny mordaunt there about what happened was completely wrong, she said. we went to a rally last night that rishi sunak did at a football club in which year —— in wiltshire. they had to be said that the atmosphere was a little flat. they wanted to show support from local activists and conservative supporters and i don't think he will have lost many votes there. he was heckled by a gp in the audience which i think added to his woes on a very difficult day. i think today we are going to see him move on and try to talk about policy. curren

let's hear a bit from tom symonds who is with the conservative campaign.s facing. that 2% inflation figure is obviously good news for the government. he has used it to say today that he is sticking to his plan, the government's plan to improve the economy and still offering to reduce taxes in the long run. we are heading to a location in the east of england, as usual we can't show you where for security reasons. interestingly rishi sunak are still in the studios of lbc answering the listeners of that radio station's questions. it isn't entirely clear to us how he will get to where we are supposed to be meeting him. but in those questions he has been answering he has been pushed on familiar territory, for those who have been watching this campaign closely. he has been asked for example whether borisjohnson should be entering the fray, currently on holiday, and rishi sunak said boris is supporting the conservative party and endorsing candidates from afar. he was asked whether he would welcome nigel farage into the conservative fold in the coming years and he

tom symonds, but i think we heard most of that answer.things - voters today? hello, neater, yes. a lot revolve around the things that i lot revolve around the things that affect people �*s everybody scratch me everyday lives. i'm joined by political reporter amy holmes from bbc radio 3. talk to me more about theissues bbc radio 3. talk to me more about the issues that have been cutting through four voters in this constituency. i through four voters in this constituency.— through four voters in this constituency. through four voters in this constituen . ~ ,, .~ constituency. i think if you speak to --eole constituency. i think if you speak to people in _ constituency. i think if you speak to people in watford, _ constituency. i think if you speak to people in watford, it - constituency. i think if you speak to people in watford, it is - constituency. i think if you speak to people in watford, it is a - constituency. i think if you speak to people in watford, it is a lot l constituency. i think if you speak| to people in watford, it is a lo

thank you very much, iain watson and tom symonds.rthern ireland's devolved government and on local councils for the first time. the party will be defending seven westminster seats — although their mps don't sit in the commons. let's go live to our ireland correspondent, chris page. could sinn fein end up with the biggest number of mps as well? albeit there are some very competitive constituencies matt clay? competitive constituencies matt cla 2 ., , , competitive constituencies matt cla ? . , , ., (w competitive constituencies matt cla? . clay? certainly, six of the 18 seats in northern _ clay? certainly, six of the 18 seats in northern ireland _ clay? certainly, six of the 18 seats in northern ireland are _ clay? certainly, six of the 18 seats in northern ireland are officially i in northern ireland are officially classed as marginal. sinn fein are unusual, in that they have already had an electoral contest this month. that was the local council elections in the republic of ireland. they had hoped they could end up as the largest pa

we're joined now by our correspondent tom symonds, who's travelling to a conservative party event, where had an apology from mrs announcing it was a mistake not to stay in france for longer, on reflection. that is open up longer, on reflection. that is open up a number of attack lines he will face later today, jonathan ashworth of the labour party at sing, choosing to prioritise his own vanity tv appearance of our veterans, rishi sunak has shown what is most important to him. you can be sure he will be asked questions about this throughout the day. he is expected to go to a nurse this morning to talk about the conservatives' offer on child benefit tax cuts, and a school later on to talk about education policy, but he will be talking about the day i think for the rest of the day. tom, thank you very much indeed. -- he will tom, thank you very much indeed. 9» he will be talking tom, thank you very much indeed. »» he will be talking about d—day for the rest of the day. we're joined now by sir craig oliver, former director of communications for david cameron. it is very obvious from the outs

susan hume in westminster. 0ur poltical correspondent tom symonds is travelling with the conservative —— election bus. he was also talking about the conservatives' chances in the election and was asked whether the party could win this election given how far behind it is in the polls, and said, we are supposed to be the underdogs and it is tough and we are up underdogs and it is tough and we are up against it, but he says it is possible and he said something else which i think is quite telling, you have to believe that in order to ensure you do the electorate a service. he said the conservatives have to be out there campaigning hard and questioning what labour will do when they are in power. he has also answered questions from me about levelling up, which is a policy that is very much part of this remix, and i said, why would voters not coming behind the conservatives if the levelling up process, the policy of putting money into more deprived parts of the country had been noticed by voters and was making a difference —— very much part of his remit. he said it be making differences in t

went to thorpe park — his message, that "british politics is a roller—coaster". 0ur correspondent tom symonds _ democrats as well. what have you sent to voters in this area - democrats as well. what have you sent to voters in this area and i democrats as well. what have you | sent to voters in this area and what have you taken away? abs, sent to voters in this area and what have you taken away?— have you taken away? a lot of conversations _ have you taken away? a lot of conversations were _ have you taken away? a lot of conversations were about i have you taken away? a lot of conversations were about the | have you taken away? a lot of i conversations were about the ride they had to go on. people seem to be really pleased. when i talk to young people, there�*s a whole set of issues they raise — nice crime, housing, mental health. 0nly they look at that manifesto, we cover those —— knife crime. let look at that manifesto, we cover those -- knife crime.— look at that manifesto, we cover those -- knife crime. let me ask you another question. _ those -- knife crime. let me ask you another questio