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tv   Breakfast  BBC News  April 30, 2024 6:00am-9:01am BST

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following humza yousaf�*s decision to resign. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today, in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis. the pollution in our rivers and waterways has been one of the big talking points in recent months. good morning from rowing club in manchester where a number of water based sports are coming together to push for real change so they can continue to enjoy the sport they love safely on the water. iamata i am at a building site in west london, looking at how a lack of bricklayers is hampering government plans to build enough houses but how young female apprentices are helping to fill those holes in the wall. from riverdance
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to lord of the dance. michael flatley on 30 years since that life—changing eurovision moment. good morning. today in the west it will be fairly cloudy, wet and windy. further east we are looking at drier and brighter conditions with some sunshine but sao is coming to the south—east later. all of the detail throughout the programme. it's tuesday the 30th of april. the scottish national party has officially started the process to find a new leader, after humza yousaf announced his resignation as scotland's first minister. he quit ahead of two no—confidence votes at holyrood which were due to be held in the wake of his decision to eject to scottish greens from his power—sharing government. nominations to replace him opened just before midnight. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon reports. politically, there was nowhere left for humza yousaf to go.
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his leadership fatally wounded, not by his party or by the voters, but by himself. and so this admission that his time as first minister had come to an end. i am not willing to trade my values and principles or deals with whomever simply for retaining power. therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country i lead, i've concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. msps will have 28 days to find his replacement or an election is called, and the names of possible contenders are already emerging. i'm giving very careful consideration to standing to be the leader of the snp. i've been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made of me to do that.
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scottish national party leader... kate forbes narrowly lost out to humza yousaf in the contest, which saw him become leader. she is said to be considering another bid. itjust hasn't gone well. and when things go badly, it's time for a change. and the time for kate has now come. there are some who now argue that this political implosion could be an opportunity for scotland's party of government for over 15 years to get back on the front foot. it has the potential to bounce back. this could turn the fortunes of the snp if, and only if, they can come together really quickly, put an end to the bickering and the sniping that's taken place for the last 12 months. and who could ask for a better country to lead than scotland? humza yousaf�*s successor will face significant challenges, leading a minority government and trying to unite a party bruised by political own goals and soon to face the verdict of voters in a general election.
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lorna gordon, bbc news, edinburgh. jon is here with more news including back to work for the king. indeed, his majesty. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis with the disease in february. he'll be accompanied by queen camilla and is said to be "greatly encouraged" to be resuming some of his duties. here's our royal correspondent sean coughlan. the news about king charles�*s cancer treatment has been much more positive, enough for the king to begin a return to public events today. with the queen at his side, they'll be at a symbolic location, a hospital with a specialist centre for cancer. the king's visit will try to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and by going public about his own health problems, the king had hoped to encourage others to get health checks. apart from an appearance on easter sunday, the king has mostly stayed away from public
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events and the crowds. so today marks a gradual return to normal. but this is still only cautious optimism. the king is continuing to receive cancer treatment, and they still don't know if he'll be able to attend many of the big summer events. this includes major engagements such as garden parties and the d—day celebrations and trooping the colour, where last year he was on horseback. it's been a tough year for the royals. the princess of wales has also had a cancer diagnosis and catherine and prince william put out a photograph yesterday to mark their 13th wedding anniversary. after a long winter, the whole family will be hoping for a glimpse of summer. sean coughlan, bbc news. sophie, the duchess of edinburgh, has become the first member of the royal family to visit ukraine since the russian invasion. she met president zelensky and the first lady during the visit, which was described by palace officials as a demonstration of solidarity with the women,
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men and children impacted by the war. four law enforcement officers have been shot dead and another four were wounded in the us state of north carolina. they were trying to arrest a wanted fugitive in a house in the city of charlotte when they came under fire. the suspect was shot dead at the scene. the french actor gerard depardieu is to face a trial accused of sexually assaulting two women in 2021. the 75—year—old, who has starred in more than 200 films, is also being investigated over allegations made by another woman in 2018. the actor has denied any wrongdoing. the home office has admitted it's unable to immediately locate thousands of migrants who were initially earmarked for deportation to rwanda, although a government source denied they are missing. 0ur chief political correspondent henry zeffman is in westminster.
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henry, the home office very keen to reassure people? jam. henry, the home office very keen to reassure maple?— reassure people? jon, this is about the a-rou reassure people? jon, this is about the group of _ reassure people? jon, this is about the group of peeple _ reassure people? jon, this is about the group of people who _ reassure people? jon, this is about the group of people who the - the group of people who the government wanted to send to rwanda, that policy they have been talking about and we have been talking about for more than two years now. according to home office documents released to minimal fanfare over the last few days, they have identified 5700 asylum seekers who would be in that initial cohort sent to rwanda if the flights take off as rishi sunak says, all people who arrived in the uk betweenjanuary 2022 and june last year. but of those 5700, only 2115, less than half, report to the home office regularly, and therefore are easily located if the home office wanted to detain them, according to home office documents. that doesn't mean, the home office insists, that the remaining 3557 are
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missing or have had absconded or anything like that but they are under much less strict reporting requirements. they are not in home office operated accommodation, they 0ffice operated accommodation, they don't necessarily have appointments to see government officials the whole time, they might be staying with family and friends. the concern in government is that that means that when they realise they might be sent to rwanda, they may very easily and readily abscond. we expect detention to begin this week so we will learn pretty fast whether they do abscond or whether they are easily detained, and it is a reminder that we have been talking for so long about this policy in terms of what politicians think about it, how parliament is voting on it, now the question is, does it work? , . ~' , ., the uk covid inquiry is heading to northern ireland today, after previous hearings in england, scotland and wales. senior politicians and health officials who guided northern ireland through the pandemic will appear but it will begin by hearing from relatives of some of those who died.
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the government is proposing that transgender women should not be put on single—sex female nhs wards in england. the measure is part of a raft of changes to the patients' charter of rights. health secretary victoria atkins said it was about making it clear that "sex matters" but trans rights campaigners said robust measures are already in place. the online marketplace vinted has made a profit for the first time. the platform which is used mainly for selling second hand clothes has turned a £17 million loss in 2022 into a £15 million surplus, with its chief executive saying the industry had huge potential. it's time to add a new item to the list of things that the romans did for us. along with roads, sanitation, irrigation, and wine, we can add "mystery dodecahedrons". honestly!
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one of them was dug up in a field in lincolnshire last summer and it's going on display for the first time. experts are baffled what it was used for. have a look at this and see if you can work it out. we know it's not a tool. we know it's not a practical item, because ours shows no sign of wear whatsoever. it's been under an electron microscope. there's nothing to indicate that it's been used in any way like that. it's not a measuring device, because dodecahedra don't come in standard sizes. they all vary enormously, so you can't measure things with it because of that. what's more likely to have been the case is that we think there's some religious connection with our site. we know back in 1989, there was a small roman rider god found in norton disney, very close to where our find was, which is only found on temple sites, generally. and ours was found in a big pit and it looks like the dodecahedron was placed there deliberately as some sort of offering, possibly. so it's quite likely that it's some
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sort of religious or ritual device. the romans were a very superstitious lot. they liked to have something tell them what to do, and the good thing about the dodecahedron is, it has 12 sides — you get 12 choices with it. like rolling the dice, maybe? talking of which, let's roll the weather dice! behind me you are looking at the most stunning weather watchers picture, taken in northamptonshire, a lovely sunrise. the weather forecast for the west is cloudy, wet and windy, east is dry until later but it will feel that bit warmer. this is the cloud, rain and windy conditions in the west, gusty winds particularly through the irish sea, and areas adjacent to it.
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brightening up a touch in northern ireland but still some rain coming through into the afternoon. a fair bit of dry weather, quite a lot of sunshine, and other weatherfront sunshine, and other weather front coming sunshine, and other weatherfront coming in through the south—east later introducing some thick cloud and the odd shower. a breezy day generally, temperatures varying from 11 in the north to 18 in the south. we could see 19 around the vale of york and lincolnshire this afternoon. this evening and overnight we have a weather front pushing north, it will tend to weaken, the rain turning lighter and more patchy in nature. we will draw in low cloud, mist and murky conditions, fog in from the north sea. clear skies as well, no problems with frost tonight. 7—10 overnight. tomorrow we have the remnants of the weather front in the west, producing cloud, the odd shower. the low cloud, mist and fog in the east will tend to burn back
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towards the coast, we will see the odd shower coming out of that. through the day another system coming up from the near continent is going to bring us some rain. these are the temperatures, 17 in glasgow, 19 in london, and getting a bit warmer as we go through the week. thank you very much indeed. bbc news has discovered that staff who abused children in seclusion rooms at a special school were not sacked. the abuse recorded on cctv between 2014 and 2017 included children being hit, kicked and locked up alone for hours. the north london school says it acted in the best interests of pupils and handed the footage over to the police as soon as it was discovered. the bbc�*s investigative correspondent noel titheradge met one of the families affected. we found out dave was autistic when he was three years old. me and my husband, wejust completely lost our worlds. like, what are we going to do now?
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what's going to happen to him? david's parents were delighted when whitefield offered him a place. so that was the school we chose because it was their reputation to be the best one in europe for autistic children. i trust in the school to look after my son. to begin with, david enjoyed his time there before he started regularly being placed in the school's so—called calming rooms. he was always happy, bubbly. dave was never sad. but he started coming home really upset, he lost his sleep. he used to sleep, he used to enjoy his sleeps. but then he couldn't sleep. he'd like roll in the bed to 12:00 and say, "mum, i'm really upset, i'm worried they're going to put me in the calming room tomorrow." ricardo, who's a police officer, says david became increasingly distressed over a number of months. so the following day i attend the school, i attend the school and ask a member of staff to show me the calming room because i was expecting to see
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a sensory room or a room with sofas, with a nice tv, with, you know, music, books. and it was a cell. even worse than a cell. small, no water, no food, no light and no fresh air. ricardo noticed a camera in the room and asked to see records of his son's time there. in this report, staff observed david there for three hours. calming room report, david gloria, 11:17 staff recording david saying "i don't understand. " 11:57 slapping his head. 12:59 hitting head with his hands. 13:13 urinating on the floor, crying. ricardo was so appalled, he demanded to see footage. i feel, i feel this is disgusting. i feel so bad. my son was by himself in that room in a panicked state, crying,
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self—harm, begged them for water, begged them to go out, begged them for food. and theyjust ignore him. it's not human what they've done with my son. when i saw the footage, i couldn't believe. it's torture. david, how did that make you feel inside, being placed in the rooms? i was sweaty, i was angry, i was upset. and they don't listen to me, they was ignoring me. they left me to wee—wee in the floor. so in the beginning, how many days per week you used to go there, in the beginning? 0ne, one day per week. and then in the end? five days per week. and what did they use to tell you, why they placed you there? because i'm not sensible, that's why. that's what they used to say to you, you weren't being sensible? yeah. david doesn't appear in any of the 500 hours of cctv footage handed to the police, highlighting the scale of the use
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of seclusion at the school. david was a happy boy, a normal boy, socialising with family, friends and going everywhere. and it's not the case now. his family say his time spent in the rooms has had a huge impact on david. what's happened in that whitefield school destroyed my son's future. i feel like powerless, you know? how me as a parent allow a school do this to my son for so many years? and i wish i could go back in time and remove my son from the school. the government says what happened at whitefield is abhorrent. ricardo says he wouldn't have expected prisoners to face the same treatment. calming room, it was a cell. but the only crime david has is special needs. noel titheradge, bbc news.
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you can hear more about that investigation on bbc sounds. just search for "file on four — caught on camera" the construction industry is warning that it needs more bricklayers to meet the government's home building target. nina's on a building site to tell us more. i wonder if she is going to be learning yet another skill? it would be nice to have _ learning yet another skill? it would be nice to have one _ learning yet another skill? it would be nice to have one skill _ learning yet another skill? it would be nice to have one skill that - learning yet another skill? it would be nice to have one skill that i'm . be nice to have one skill that i'm good at! good morning from brentford in west london, the sun is coming up, it is set to be a corker. we are on a site of one, two and three—bedroom flats being built. part of the regeneration of this area, and the business overseeing the site has a 600 bricklayers across the uk, but it is not enough. and a shortage of bricklayers is not just causing a problem for the industry and a headache for the
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government, because if they are going to hit their target of building 300,000 new homes, 75,000 new homes need to be built this year. to get to that target, anywhere near it, is estimated that 33,000 new bricklayers have to be trained. there are a fourfold increase in female bricklayers going into construction, but they still only represent 15% of the industry. we will be talking with morgan, millie and amelia a little bit later. but first my colleague has been at a training site in cambridge that has received a royal seal of approval. meeting the house builders of tomorrow, the princess royal at the hub developing the next generation of construction workers. here they're training up to 80 apprentices to go some way to tackle the skills shortage with people like tiwona, 29, who chose
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construction over university, tegan, who decided a job on the building site was for her, and toby, a former ipswich town trainee who was let go from the club. i did find myself not really knowing where to look going forward. yeah, it was a very brutal industry, yeah. and what's been so special about this? i finally sort of found a path where i could see myself progressing, and it's nice to be able to do something and stand back and feel proud of what you've done. it's definitely a male—dominated job, but it's very good. it's a lot of support, it's not what people think it would be like, you know, all of those stereotypes. it's really nice, everyone's been so supportive and lovely. getting new blood into the industry is vital if we're going to keep pace with demands. across the country, we need to build 300,000 new homes and that will take 75,000 bricklayers.
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the builders that we work with are very keen to deliver quality homes and if we haven't got the people there to build those quality homes, the volumes willjust be less. what can you earn in the building industry? on average, a bricklayer from our data can comfortably earn £50,000 a year. and we're trying to, along with the house builders, dispel the myth that it is a hard and dirty and low paid role. bricklayers make quite good money, so i thought i'd get into that. i was also in the building industry a little bit myself labouring, and obviously i wanted to get qualified. so i've done the training hub and it's a quick way to actually get qualified. it's hoped the royal seal of approval might go some way to attract more into the industry. emma baugh, bbc news. iam i am watching with interest because i am watching with interest because i am watching with interest because i am going to be trying my hand a little bit later. morgan is
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extremely busy but i will bring her over, hello. why did you choose bricklaying? 0ut over, hello. why did you choose bricklaying? out of all the things in the world? i bricklaying? out of all the things in the world?— bricklaying? out of all the things in the world? . . , ., in the world? i have always wanted to no into in the world? i have always wanted to go into a — in the world? i have always wanted to go into a trade _ in the world? i have always wanted to go into a trade but _ in the world? i have always wanted to go into a trade but i _ in the world? i have always wanted to go into a trade but i wasn't - to go into a trade but i wasn't really sure which one, so it is kind ofjust like a random pic but i ended up really enjoying it. so i have stuck with it. i ended up really en'oying it. so i have stuck with it.— have stuck with it. i want to ask ou have stuck with it. i want to ask you because — have stuck with it. i want to ask you because we _ have stuck with it. i want to ask you because we are _ have stuck with it. i want to ask you because we are as - have stuck with it. i want to ask you because we are as a - have stuck with it. i want to ask. you because we are as a minority have stuck with it. i want to ask - you because we are as a minority as women on this building site, does that put you off? it women on this building site, does that put you off?— that put you off? it doesn't at all, i have had — that put you off? it doesn't at all, i have had a _ that put you off? it doesn't at all, i have had a lot _ that put you off? it doesn't at all, i have had a lot of _ that put you off? it doesn't at all, i have had a lot of equal- i have had a lot of equal opportunities to my male counterparts. not only that, they have _ counterparts. not only that, they have offered me loads of opportunities to grow, to as a person— opportunities to grow, to as a person not asjust opportunities to grow, to as a person not as just as an apprentice but also _ person not as just as an apprentice but also as— person not as just as an apprentice but also as a — person not as just as an apprentice but also as a person. i person not asjust as an apprentice but also as a person.— but also as a person. i see you are confident because _ but also as a person. i see you are confident because you _ but also as a person. i see you are confident because you have - but also as a person. i see you are confident because you have taken | but also as a person. i see you are i confident because you have taken my microphone! what would you say to women who are taking up bricklaying because it looks hard? it is women who are taking up bricklaying because it looks hard?— because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than _ because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it _ because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it looks _ because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it looks but _
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because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it looks but go - because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it looks but go for - because it looks hard? it is hard, easier than it looks but go for it, | easier than it looks but go for it, it's a _ easier than it looks but go for it, it's a great— easier than it looks but go for it, it's a great opportunity- easier than it looks but go for it, it's a great opportunity working i easier than it looks but go for it, . it's a great opportunity working for this compauy— it's a great opportunity working for this company who _ it's a great opportunity working for this company who support - it's a great opportunity working for this company who support us - it's a great opportunity working for this company who support us a - it's a great opportunity working for| this company who support us a lot. thank— this company who support us a lot. thank you — this company who support us a lot. thank you for— this company who support us a lot. thank you for sharing _ this company who support us a lot. thank you for sharing your- this company who support us a lot. thank you for sharing your skills i thank you for sharing your skills this morning. you oversee all of these projects, what is it about bricklaying which is leading to this? in bricklaying which is leading to this? ,., , bricklaying which is leading to this? ,. , ., ., bricklaying which is leading to this? ., ., this? in the past it had a bad reputation — this? in the past it had a bad reputation in _ this? in the past it had a bad reputation in the _ this? in the past it had a bad| reputation in the construction industry, but this company is trying to change that perception and show it is open to everyone that wants to have a go and learn and try it. people say it is dirty and low paid and you will end up with a bad back, but he said that? if and you will end up with a bad back, but he said that?— but he said that? if you look after ourself but he said that? if you look after yourself and _ but he said that? if you look after yourself and keep _ but he said that? if you look after yourself and keep fit, _ but he said that? if you look after yourself and keep fit, it _ but he said that? if you look after yourself and keep fit, it helps - but he said that? if you look after yourself and keep fit, it helps you keep it and you can earn a lot of money. around £50,000 per yearfor a bricklayer. with the high quality training these girls, with the trade for life and a career with us, they can stay with us because we are training the next generation. find training the next generation. and the can training the next generation. and they can move — training the next generation. and they can move in _ training the next generation. and they can move in different areas on construction sites. the government say they are doing what they can to
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funnel talent in to fill these gaps, what would you say to that? schools, ve earl what would you say to that? schools, very early on. — what would you say to that? schools, very early on. getting _ what would you say to that? schools, very early on, getting in _ what would you say to that? schools, very early on, getting in there, - what would you say to that? schools, very early on, getting in there, we i very early on, getting in there, we speak to schools but career people in schools need to show it is an opportunity as well as the academic reach, there is a vocational route with a very good outcome at the end of it. �* .., , , with a very good outcome at the end of it. because these perceptions beain of it. because these perceptions begin from _ of it. because these perceptions begin from when _ of it. because these perceptions begin from when you _ of it. because these perceptions begin from when you are - of it. because these perceptions begin from when you are very i of it. because these perceptions i begin from when you are very small. do you see are different in your mane of female apprentices? thea;r do you see are different in your mane of female apprentices? they are the same, mane of female apprentices? they are the same. we — mane of female apprentices? they are the same. we give _ mane of female apprentices? they are the same, we give the _ mane of female apprentices? they are the same, we give the -- _ mane of female apprentices? they are the same, we give the -- male - mane of female apprentices? they are the same, we give the -- male and i the same, we give the —— male and female apprentices? they are the same, we give them the same training and they work to a very high standard, the girls are very diligent and precise.- standard, the girls are very diligent and precise. they look like the are diligent and precise. they look like they are real— diligent and precise. they look like they are real grafter _ diligent and precise. they look like they are real grafter playback. i diligent and precise. they look like they are real grafter playback. the | they are real grafter playback. the government told us that they are investing 2.7 billion by next year investing 2.7 billion by next year in apprenticeship schemes, they also say they are on track to build 1 million new homes by the end of this parliament. we will be heading upstairs a bit later and i think we are going to get a panoramic view of the city of london. and looking
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forward to getting my hands dirty as ever. . , ., , ., y ., ever. the main question is, do you have your — ever. the main question is, do you have your wellies _ ever. the main question is, do you have your wellies on? _ ever. the main question is, do you have your wellies on? no! - ever. the main question is, do you have your wellies on? no! it i ever. the main question is, do you have your wellies on? no! it isn't l have your wellies on? no! it isn't too deep. for now. aha, have your wellies on? no! it isn't too deep. for now.— have your wellies on? no! it isn't too deep. for now. a complete sock fail. good luck, _ too deep. for now. a complete sock fail. good luck, see _ too deep. for now. a complete sock fail. good luck, see you _ too deep. for now. a complete sock fail. good luck, see you later- too deep. for now. a complete sock fail. good luck, see you later on. i fail. good luck, see you later on. there is something _ fail. good luck, see you later on. there is something mesmerising| there is something mesmerising watching brick walls built, i can watching brick walls built, i can watch videos online for hours. i like that christian said that you can earn a lot of money. that like that christian said that you can earn a lot of money. that is the draw. still to come on breakfast. we'll be hearing memories of the late, great raymond briggs — creator of unforgettable you characters from the snowman to fungus the bogeyman — as a new exhibition opens in his honour. love the snowman. people will be
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sa in: , love the snowman. people will be sa inc, it love the snowman. people will be saying. it is _ love the snowman. people will be saying. it is too — love the snowman. people will be saying, it is too early for - saying, it is too early for christmas! time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. hello, and a very good morning. this is your london news with me, frankie mccamley. the father of a pregnant woman, who was killed when a nail bomb went off inside a gay bar in soho 25 years ago, says he will never forgive her killer. the explosion at the admiral duncan pub killed andrea dykes alongside more than 80 others. it was the third bomb planted in less than a month by david copeland andrea's father says the bomber�*s actions hurt so many. i don't hate him. ifeel sorry for him. to go through life thinking like that, it's got to be so sad. at the same time, he's harmed an awful lot of other people for the sake of his hatred, which is inexcusable. average rents have hit a new high in the capital but there are signs that the pace
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of the rise is slowing, according to the property website rightmove. the average rent in london is £2600, 5% higher than the same period last year. there are signs that landlords are having to reduce prices to meet what tenants can afford. the railway sector has long been seen as one of the least diverse employers — with the average train driver — 46 years old, male and white. data compiled for the bbc by the national skills academy for rail show that fewer than one in ten drivers are women and more than nine in ten are white. but some networks are trying change that by introducing new diverse recrument policies. —— new diverse recruitment policies. it was my experience, like, growing up using the railway. all the drivers were predominantly older, 50—plus age white man men. but, lately, i'm seeing a lot more diversity. i'm seeing a lot more younger people — black people, women. i'm seeing a lot more diversity, and i'm here for it.
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i love it. let's take a look at the tubes now. severe delays on the circle line so far this morning, due to train cancellations. now, on to the weather with kate kinsella. good morning. it's a bright start this morning. plenty of sunshine. we start the day with temperatures in mid single figures. now, we'll start to see more cloud edging in from the near continent. with that, the chance of a shower in the east later on this afternoon. most places staying dry further west with some sunshine and temperatures warm, 18 celsius, the wind less strong than yesterday. so feeling the benefit of that temperature rise. now, overnight, some clear spells, mist and murk developing where we get those clear spells, some low cloud, the minimum temperature, 7 celsius. now, for wednesday, we'll start to see that cloud becoming more widespread as we head through tomorrow morning. the mist and murk should lift, but the cloud moving west.
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with that, some rain. now, we could get some heavier bursts. you mightjust hear a rumble of thunder, but it's clearing away westwards, an easterly breeze. the temperature tomorrow, again, warm at 19 celsius, especially through the afternoon in that sunshine. now, it is going to stay unsettled this week. further spells of rain at times and temperatures a little less warm for the bank holiday weekend. that's it. see you in half an hour. goodbye. hello, this is breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent. scotland's searching for a new leader. a year after he was elected, humza yousaf has stepped down as scotland's first minister and leader of the scottish national party yesterday. his future as leader had been uncertain since last thursday, when he ended the snp's power—sharing agreement with the scottish greens. he said he'd underestimated
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the impact of his decision, which left him facing votes of no confidence from opposition parties. so, who could replace him as leader of the snp? two early contenders for thejob are former deputy first ministerjohn swinney and former treasury secretary kate forbes. john swinney led the snp in opposition in the early 2000s and some big names are encouraging him to step up again. he's considered an experienced safe pair of hands and says he's thinking about it. kate forbes narrowly lost to humza yousaf in the last snp leadership contest. she has rebelled on a number of issues while she's been on the backbenches, and is widely seen as representing a more socially conservative wing of the party. not running, though, is the snp's westminster leader, stephen flynn. despite representing the party in westminster. he's ruled himself of this contest and is instead backing john swinney to become the next party leader.
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so what happens next? well, candidate nominations opened at midnight and will close on monday the 6th of may. here's how some people in scotland reacted to humza yousaf�*s decision to stand down. i don't think he was the man for thejob, to be honest. full of promises, which never transpired. but then that comes with quite a lot of the ministers that take office. i'm sorry to see him resign. i thought he had a lot still in him to give. in his time in office, i've met him in the hustings and he came across — he'd been really good, he's had a very, very hard time since he come into thejob and i think it's made it a very difficult move for the snp full stop. i wasn't really all that surprised. i think the wheels have been coming off for a while, so i think it's probably his time to go. but i don't know about the chaos that ensues — who's going to take over, so... sad to see humza go, - but there'll be somebody else
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in the background that's coming up. now, whether it's going - to be someone from westminster or whether it's going to be someone from within the party or someone i that's unknown yet. i'm sure that they'll get back on track fairly soon. - he just wasn't the right person for thejob. he's basically taken scotland from up here to down here. i thought he was actually fairly competent. never been a fan of the snp, mind you. but i don't know quite who will take over. personally, for him, it's quite a sad event, but it couldn't have gone on the way it was going with indecision all over the place. it's not satisfactory. we're joined now by meghan gallacher, deputy leader of scottish conservatives. we will hear from snp and scottish labour later on in the programme. the scottish conservatives originally tabled this vote of no confidence in the first minister. you have got what you want. what is
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your priority now? the you have got what you want. what is your priority now?— your priority now? the scottish conservatives _ your priority now? the scottish conservatives did _ your priority now? the scottish conservatives did table - your priority now? the scottish conservatives did table the i your priority now? the scottish | conservatives did table the date your priority now? the scottish i conservatives did table the date of no confidence resulting in the resignation of humza yousaf. we still have the vote of no confidence on the table at present. although it has achieved its main purpose of that first minister resigning, we do not know the process it will follow and how long he will be imposed for and how long he will be imposed for and how long it will take to appoint and how long it will take to appoint a new first minister. still a lot of questions needing to be answered. we are focused on holding this government to account. we have been a strong opposition, that was the promise we made to voters. we are fulfilling that promise we are holding this government to account. we are prioritising what matters to the people of scotland, the economy, jobs and public services and not obsessing over another divisive referendum. obsessing over another divisive referendum-— obsessing over another divisive referendum. ~ ., ., ., _ obsessing over another divisive referendum. ., ., ., _ ., referendum. what do you mean by a vote of no confidence _
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referendum. what do you mean by a vote of no confidence is _ referendum. what do you mean by a vote of no confidence is still- referendum. what do you mean by a vote of no confidence is still on i vote of no confidence is still on the table?— vote of no confidence is still on the table? ., ., ., , ., ., the table? there are two votes of no confidence in — the table? there are two votes of no confidence in the _ the table? there are two votes of no confidence in the government i the table? there are two votes of no confidence in the government and i confidence in the government and first minister tabled for this week. once submitted by douglas ross, the 0nce submitted by douglas ross, the party leader, and won by scottish labour. there are two boats being held at the moment in parliament by focusing on humza yousaf and the snp government respectively. whether they will both go ahead will be decided over the course of the next day or so. those debates and votes will need to take place and a focus on whether or not we feel humza yousaf is competent, which we do not believe to be the case and if we believe to be the case and if we believe in the snp government, which the scottish conservatives do not go so we will be supporting the vote of no confidence from labour. what no confidence from labour. what action will— no confidence from labour. what action will you — no confidence from labour. what action will you be _ no confidence from labour. what action will you be taking - no confidence from labour. what action will you be taking to i no confidence from labour. what action will you be taking to make a difference quest well what will
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people see?— difference quest well what will --eole see? ~ . , people see? what will people here? we have been _ people see? what will people here? we have been a _ people see? what will people here? we have been a strong _ people see? what will people here? we have been a strong opposition i people see? what will people here? j we have been a strong opposition to the scottish government since 2021 and also back in 2017, when we became the official opposition. we have stood against reckless policies put forward by the snp. when snp and the green party were in coalition, such as the reckless gender reform bill, the hate crime legislation, to name a few. we have stood up against those reckless policies and stood with the people of scotland, who have opposed those policies coming forward and we will continue to do so until such time as there is an election when we convert our message out to voters that we can continue to be that strong voice for the people of scotland, not focusing on independence, the only goal of this snp government and focusing on what matters to the people of scotland.
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who do you think should be first minister? i who do you think should be first minister? . , .,, minister? i will always say douglas ross. certainly _ minister? i will always say douglas ross. certainly not _ minister? i will always say douglas ross. certainly not an _ minister? i will always say douglas ross. certainly not an snp - ross. certainly not an snp candidate. what we do know is no matter who it is, they will focus on independence, page one, line one of the snp manifesto when we get to the general election of the next scottish parliamentary election. i will not be supporting an snp candidate. when douglas ross puts his name forward, i will gladly vote for him. . ~ his name forward, i will gladly vote for him. ., ,, ,., the issue of pollution in our rivers and seas is something we have covered extensively on breakfast — including its impact on surfers, swimmers and rowers. now, the governing bodies of seven water—based sports are uniting to demand action from the government. john's at a rowing
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club to tell us more. it looks glorious that. what is it like for people who want to use the morning on this glorious day to have exercise on the water. goad morning on this glorious day to have exercise on the water. good morning, both. it is something _ exercise on the water. good morning, both. it is something we _ exercise on the water. good morning, both. it is something we have - exercise on the water. good morning, both. it is something we have been i both. it is something we have been talking a lot about. if you have ever enjoyed some open water swimming, perhaps taking part in a triathlon which has taken you to open water or maybe you have enjoyed rowing in a boat like this. for people who take part in this water based sports day in and day out, they are having to ask themselves they are having to ask themselves the question, is it safe to go in or on the water at the moment? when you consider the levels of pollution and water quality up and down the country. as you gestad, seven water—based sporting associations have come together to say, enough is enough. we need to see a real and
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lasting change to improve water quality and ensure it is safe for those taking part in the sport to go out on the water. pupils at greenbank primary in rochdale, enjoying their weekly session on the water. the school offers sailing courses at a local reservoir and, for the kids, it's one of their favourite lessons of the week. how does it feel out on the water? well, sometimes when it's windy it goes really fast, so you get a bit scared. but other than that, it's quite fun. it's very cool. is it a good thing to do? definitely. yeah, because it's still a sport, so you still get exercise. the water quality here at hollingworth lake is good but the same cannot be said elsewhere. amid mounting concern over the threat of illness due to pollution, seven national governing bodies of water—based sports, including sailing, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, rowing and angling have now formed an alliance to demand clean, open water across the uk on behalf of a combined 450,000 members.
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they're worried about if their children are going to get sick, if they're going to get sick. 0ur athletes are concerned when they go out training, are they going to get poorly doing the thing that they love? so yeah, we're hearing it every day now. there's a lot of rivers that are under real threat from sewage discharge, and that puts our members and our community under direct health threat. we're calling for the ability for regulators to monitor, the ability for regulators to hold polluters to account. there needs to set a precedent, so that it's not ok for our waters to become polluted and remain so because these are precious places for all people to enjoy. a government spokesperson said sewage pollution in our waters is unacceptable, which is why we have taken action to ban water bosses�* bonuses when criminal breaches have occurred, quadrupled company inspections next year, provided more funding to our water regulators and fast—tracked investment to cut spills. 100% of overflows are now being monitored, and if water companies are found to breach their permits, action will be taken.
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meanwhile, industry group water uk said sewage spill levels remained unacceptable, but water companies in england had proposed £10 billion to reduce them by nearly 40% by 2030. many will hope that this unprecedented coming together by water—based sports helps to ensure that places like this are protected for generations to come. but it's notjust here at the grassroots of sport that there are concerns about water pollution. last month's boat race was overshadowed by concerns over sewage levels in the thames with high levels of e.coli detected. and, at this summer's paris 0lympics, organisers may have to postpone or even cancel the swimming leg of the triathlon if pollution levels in the river seine don't improve. a host of sports now adding their voices to those calling for change. dan roan, bbc news. let's speak now to jane dean from
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trafford rowing club on the bridgwater canal and kate from the royal yachting association. it is a lovely morning. when you are travelling up and down the country for competitions, you are having to consider water quality, aren't you? in trafford, our body of water is controlled — in trafford, our body of water is controlled on a canal. we feel it is fairly— controlled on a canal. we feel it is fairly safe — controlled on a canal. we feel it is fairly safe. in rivers like the thames— fairly safe. in rivers like the thames it _ fairly safe. in rivers like the thames it is a really big issue for us. ., , . ., . , us. you experience that recently, didn't you? _ us. you experience that recently, didn't you? sadly, _ us. you experience that recently, didn't you? sadly, yes. _ us. you experience that recently, didn't you? sadly, yes. i- us. you experience that recently, didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxedl us. you experience that recently, | didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxed a crew a week— didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxed a crew a week before _ didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxed a crew a week before the _ didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxed a crew a week before the boat i didn't you? sadly, yes. i coaxed a i crew a week before the boat race's course _ crew a week before the boat race's course we — crew a week before the boat race's course. we rode that in a reverse way to— course. we rode that in a reverse way to the — course. we rode that in a reverse way to the oxford and cambridge crews _ way to the oxford and cambridge crews. two weeks later i had lots of blood _ crews. two weeks later i had lots of blood tests — crews. two weeks later i had lots of blood tests in hospital when a really — blood tests in hospital when a really nasty stomach bug which has sent my _ really nasty stomach bug which has sent my liver haywire. |
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really nasty stomach bug which has sent my liver haywire.— sent my liver haywire. i guess that illustrates the _ sent my liver haywire. i guess that illustrates the worry _ sent my liver haywire. i guess that illustrates the worry and _ sent my liver haywire. i guess that illustrates the worry and dangers. | illustrates the worry and dangers. you look at the water, it seems fine _ you look at the water, it seems fine you — you look at the water, it seems fine. you wash your hands. you do not know— fine. you wash your hands. you do not know what is in there. with the e. not know what is in there. with the e coli _ not know what is in there. with the e. coli warnings a week after for the oxford — e. coli warnings a week after for the oxford and cambridge teams. we had about— the oxford and cambridge teams. we had about their races being scuppered due to illness. not what you want— scuppered due to illness. not what you want when you are trying to do some _ you want when you are trying to do some support. we are a community club and — some support. we are a community club and we _ some support. we are a community club and we want to encourage more people _ club and we want to encourage more people from the community to get involved _ people from the community to get involved in rowing and something like this— involved in rowing and something like this does not help. we are lucky— like this does not help. we are lucky here _ like this does not help. we are lucky here in trafford. when we compete, — lucky here in trafford. when we compete, and we did compete nationally, we need to know the water— nationally, we need to know the water we — nationally, we need to know the water we are travelling on is safe. 0ver— water we are travelling on is safe. over the _ water we are travelling on is safe. over the years we have more and more increased _ over the years we have more and more increased members _ over the years we have more and more increased members coming _ over the years we have more and more increased members coming to- over the years we have more and more increased members coming to us- over the years we have more and more increased members coming to us with. increased members coming to us with concerns— increased members coming to us with concerns about — increased members coming to us with concerns about water— increased members coming to us with concerns about water quality - increased members coming to us with concerns about water quality and i concerns about water quality and whether — concerns about water quality and whether they _ concerns about water quality and whether they should _ concerns about water quality and whether they should get - concerns about water quality and whether they should get in - concerns about water quality and whether they should get in the i whether they should get in the water, — whether they should get in the water, during— whether they should get in the water, during their— whether they should get in the water, during their boating. i whether they should get in the water, during their boating. ai whether they should get in the i water, during their boating. a lot of members _ water, during their boating. a lot of members do _ water, during their boating. a lot of members do not _ water, during their boating. a lot of members do notjust- water, during their boating. a lot of members do notjust sale, i water, during their boating. a lotl of members do notjust sale, they water, during their boating. a lot i of members do notjust sale, they do activities _ of members do notjust sale, they do activities like — of members do notjust sale, they do activities like rowing, _ of members do notjust sale, they do activities like rowing, also— activities like rowing, also swimming _
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activities like rowing, also swimming. we— activities like rowing, also swimming. we have i activities like rowing, also swimming. we have had i activities like rowing, also- swimming. we have had events activities like rowing, also— swimming. we have had events where we have _ swimming. we have had events where we have not— swimming. we have had events where we have not been— swimming. we have had events where we have not been sure _ swimming. we have had events where we have not been sure if— swimming. we have had events where we have not been sure if we _ swimming. we have had events where we have not been sure if we can- swimming. we have had events where we have not been sure if we can go. we have not been sure if we can go in we have not been sure if we can go ihand— we have not been sure if we can go inand run— we have not been sure if we can go inand runthem— we have not been sure if we can go in and run them because _ we have not been sure if we can go in and run them because of- we have not been sure if we can go in and run them because of the i in and run them because of the risks _ in and run them because of the risks. uncertainty— in and run them because of the risks. uncertainty on _ in and run them because of the risks. uncertainty on the - in and run them because of thej risks. uncertainty on the house in and run them because of the i risks. uncertainty on the house as well is _ risks. uncertainty on the house as well is a _ risks. uncertainty on the house as well is a concern. _ risks. uncertainty on the house as well is a concern.— well is a concern. linking up with these other— well is a concern. linking up with these other sporting _ well is a concern. linking up with | these other sporting associations, do you think you have the impact? absolutely. forseveral do you think you have the impact? absolutely. for several months we have been— absolutely. for several months we have been talking to the other seven water _ have been talking to the other seven water sports bodies. also concern across _ water sports bodies. also concern across lots — water sports bodies. also concern across lots of different activities taking _ across lots of different activities taking part on the water. coming together, — taking part on the water. coming together, we hope that one, we can -et together, we hope that one, we can get water— together, we hope that one, we can get water quality improved by 2030. we are _ get water quality improved by 2030. we are trying to get more water quality— we are trying to get more water quality testing done. if we can do that and — quality testing done. if we can do that and get it more accurate, it will better— that and get it more accurate, it will better inform members. the wider— will better inform members. the wider community needs to get back on the water— wider community needs to get back on the water and two educated decisions on whether— the water and two educated decisions on whether they should go on the water~ _ on whether they should go on the water. finally, really, we want all
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watersports to be involved in the policy _ watersports to be involved in the policy making, notjust watersports to be involved in the policy making, not just the watersports to be involved in the policy making, notjust the bathing side of— policy making, notjust the bathing side of it — policy making, notjust the bathing side of it. we really hope we can achieve — side of it. we really hope we can achieve and get that. fascinating to hear our achieve and get that. fascinating to hear your insight _ achieve and get that. fascinating to hear your insight on _ achieve and get that. fascinating to hear your insight on the _ achieve and get that. fascinating to hear your insight on the challenges| hear your insight on the challenges facing people in sporting clubs at the moment. when it comes to sport, so many others are eager to take part and get involved. you want to get out there. many involved in a water baseboard, reality is not that simple. you are having to stop and think about what is water quality like? that is something for many involved the sports they love, not a decision they would probably have expected they would have to make. thank you. are you ready to remember a moment of magic? here he is. eurovision has launched some huge
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acts over the years — julio iglesias, celine dion, abba — but one eurovision performer, who went onto global fame, wasn't even there to compete. he is looking particularly huge behind us. michael flatley was the half—time entertainment when he stole the show in 1994, with his fresh take on irish dancing. idid not i did not realise how controversial it was. 30 years later, he's come back to dublin to share memories of that life—changing moment, with our culture correspondent, charlotte gallagher. eurovision, 1994 in dublin. and this was the interval act — riverdance with michael flatley. my goodness, that brings up a lot of memories. it was a very unique evening. it was very, very special. i'll tell you a story. i don't think i've ever mentioned it before. right before i went on stage, they came to me beside the stage. a couple of them said, "please, we're getting calls from all the dance teachers. please don't wave your arms around. you're going to make us look
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ridiculous in front of the world and we'll be very embarrassed. so can we just ask you this time, whatever happens, keep your arms down." and i said, "no." irish dancing quickly became a global sensation and fans filled arenas. and that impact going right across the world. how cool is that? so we nailed it. my dream. for 35 years, i was working in construction sites and digging foundations in chicago in those freezing cold winters. but i was creating those steps in my dance style, in my mind that whole time. and that's what got me through the hard laborious work was that — bring this dance form to the world. and did you tell your friends at the time or was did you just keep it inside your head?
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—— did you just keep it inside your head? would they just. .. you'd think, "no, i'm not going to rent him out on a building site." you know, these big muscle guys at the bar better not mention i'm dreaming about dancing — and probably not the right thing to do. you know. michael set up his own show, lord of the dance. but growing up and wanting to be an irish dancer in the late—19605 wasn't easy. dancing. i got bullied at school terribly. so i know what young lads go through and it's trying. it's mentally difficult. it's stressful to have to walk into school and hope somebody doesn't say something negative toward you. but, if you look at our dancers now and in lord of the dance, the men are so powerfully masculine and they are just so buffed, cut, ripped. and they've taken it to a whole new level. and it's fair to say that irish dancing has changed a lot over the decades.
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# don't stop till you get enough.# so what about the new generation of irish dancers? we took michael to meet a group of students in castleknock county, dublin. hiya. one, two, three. four, five, six. point and up. point toes. good job! allunder nine. beautiful. my god! ready. slowjump. good job. so. . . how was today? it was amazing. amazing. it's incredible to have, like, i michael flatley in our studio. yeah. it's just an insane - experience for all of us. for him to be here is mad, like. because we all look up
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to him like so much. and would you like to dance professionally? would you like to be in lord of the dance? definitely. that's what we all look up to do in the future. exactly. and i couldn't leave without getting a little lesson. so penguin feet, yeah. and then you get your right foot. and then you bring the heel in front — heel to toe. first position. and then point your toe and you can start dancing. i think i'm ready for the lord of the dance. and did you ever think, 30 years later, you'd be talking still about that moment? but did you know at that time it would carry on? to be honest with you, i'm delighted i'm even here, 30 years later. at the pace i was going, i never thought i would be. and still, on the night, when riverdance finished, on that last stamp of the feet when it stopped, even i was blown away with the response. and it was one of those moments in time, you know. we were so blessed.
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charlotte gallagher, bbc news, dublin. good grief. that brought the folk memories out. what a moment! that was a moment in time. john is going to have a go on the boat this morning. shall we give it a go? lots more we had to do. voters across england and wales will go to the polls in local elections on thursday, with more than 2,500 council seats up for grabs. we are speaking to all of the major parties in the run up to the elections, and this morning we can say hello to ellie chowns, the green party's spokesperson on housing and communities. thank you forjoining us. shall we start with housing? the green party is saying you want to invest £250 billion on insulating homes across
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the country. that is a huge amount of money. it come from? the the country. that is a huge amount of money. it come from?— of money. it come from? the first thin that of money. it come from? the first thing that is _ of money. it come from? the first thing that is really _ of money. it come from? the first thing that is really important i of money. it come from? the first thing that is really important to i thing that is really important to say is that investment will save money for homeowners and renters over the long term. it is completely normal to invest up front in order to recoup money later. if we look at what has happened in the uk in the last ten, 15 years, we had an absolute slashing of the budget in budget in investment in home insulation. then we had a fuel crisis. the government had to find £42 crisis. the government had to find £112 billion injust one crisis. the government had to find £112 billion in just one year to subsidise fuel bills. imagine if that had been spent upfront to make sure the heat was not leaking out of roofs, windows and lining the pockets of energy companies, which made very nice profits in that time. where would the money come from? a
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combination of borrowing to invest and a fairer tax system. we need to make sure the tax system ensures those with the broader shoulders pay a little more to make sure everybody can have the basic right of living in an affordable, warm, healthy and comfortable home.— comfortable home. another of your olicies on comfortable home. another of your policies on housing, _ comfortable home. another of your policies on housing, you _ comfortable home. another of your policies on housing, you want - comfortable home. another of your policies on housing, you want to i comfortable home. another of your. policies on housing, you want to end the right to buy scheme, where people get right to buy a council property. people watching this morning will say that right to buy scheme change lives of their families. what would you say to them about your plan to scrap it? why? i can see for individual families, it has changed their lives and they have benefited from it. as a society and the community has not been beneficial at all, it has been problematic. that council housing stock has gone down and down because individual families stock has gone down and down because
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individualfamilies have been able to buy and benefit. it has not been replaced. i speak to people on the doorstep all the time, from all sorts of political backgrounds and affiliations and had never met a single person who thinks the right to buy is a good idea because they are worried about the effect it has had on the availability of council housing stock. we need hundreds of thousands more council houses. we need to really change our housing system at the moment. essentially, what has happened, the private sector has grown and grown and that means private profits have grown and grown. the socially owned housing for any money made from rent is reinvested into providing more affordable housing. the green party would end the right to buy and instead focus on building the stock of council housing. we can do that through making it easierfor councils to borrow money to invest,
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to build more council housing. some councils are doing that at the moment. within the current financial framework, it is quite tricky. we need to ensure our focus is on making sure housing is available for everybody. you making sure housing is available for eve bod . ., ., ., ~ ., ., everybody. you have talked about a community right — everybody. you have talked about a community right to _ everybody. you have talked about a community right to buy _ everybody. you have talked about a community right to buy scheme, i community right to buy scheme, haven't you? that is something the labour party has talked about as well. how did your plan compare with what they are offering?— what they are offering? essentially, what they are offering? essentially, what we are — what they are offering? essentially, what we are suggesting _ what they are offering? essentially, what we are suggesting is _ what they are offering? essentially, what we are suggesting is that - what they are offering? essentially, | what we are suggesting is that there would be a right to buy back houses that previously went into right to buy. there would be a community right to buy those back into the public sector, essentially to have first jobs. public sector, essentially to have firstjobs. the overarching focus for our sales has got to be to make sure there is more social housing available. we are in a situation where people are really struggling in terms of affording housing. landlords have more power within the
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housing market than communities do and families do. we want to make it easierfor people to and families do. we want to make it easier for people to be able to afford housing. that is why we are also proposing policies, such as enabling local authorities to introduce a locally set rent controls to ensure rents remain affordable within 35% of average local rents. affordable within 35% of average local rente— affordable within 35% of average local rents. �* ., , . local rents. another eye-catching oli ou local rents. another eye-catching policy you are _ local rents. another eye-catching policy you are offering _ local rents. another eye-catching policy you are offering in - local rents. another eye-catching policy you are offering in the - local rents. another eye-catching | policy you are offering in the local elections is childcare, potentially 35 hours of free childcare for all children from the age of nine months. we had covered him on the programme quite a lot over the last few weeks that nurseries are struggling to recruit staff they need for the existing amount of child care. how would you find enough staff to get 35 hours of free childcare for every child in the country? childcare for every child in the count ? ~ ., ., childcare for every child in the count? ., ., ,., , country? we are not promising in this local election _ country? we are not promising in this local election to _ country? we are not promising in this local election to create - country? we are not promising in this local election to create that l this local election to create that amount of childcare immediately.
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that policy is framed at national level and requires long—term investment. we talk about what we want to achieve, the world we want to move towards. when we talk about people casting their votes this thursday in the local election, we are standing a record number of candidates, looking to consolidate on previous games and having record results. people are not talking about national child care policies and things like that, people vote because they have the opportunity to get a good green local councillor. they worked their socks off to work on issues affecting people locally. green councillors also campaign to defend local services. we have seen a terrible squeezing of funding for local services, including nurseries, childcare and those sorts of things as well, if they are run by councils. ultimately we have a problem because central government is not putting enough funding into
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the local government. we need councillors to work their socks off at local level and campaign for funding we need and campaign for policy change by making it easy for councils to do theirjob, which is essentially to be a front—line full supporting people. we essentially to be a front-line full sopporting people-— essentially to be a front-line full supporting people. we have to leave it there. thank _ supporting people. we have to leave it there. thank you. _ you can access more information regarding local elections and where they will be taking place by going on to the bbc news website. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. hello, and a very good morning, this is your london news with me, frankie mccamley. the father of a pregnant woman killed in a gay bar in soho 25 years ago says "the pain is still as raw as ever". the nail bomb explosion at the admiral duncan pub killed andrea dykes alongside more than 80 others. it was the third bomb planted in less than a month by david copeland. andrea's father says the bomber�*s hatred hurt so many. i don't hate him.
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ifeel sorry for him. to go through life thinking like that, it's got to be so sad. at the same time, he's harmed an awful lot of other people for the sake of his hatred, which is inexcusable. the army says the horses that were injured when seven of them bolted through central london last week are continuing to recover. it says of the two that needed surgery one, called quaker, is showing "significant improvement" and should make a full recovery. while the other, called vida, continues to make progess under observation. the railway sector has long been seen as one of the least diverse employers with the average train driver 46 years old, male and white. data compiled for the bbc by the national skills academy for rail show that fewer than one in ten drivers are women and more than nine in ten are white. but some networks are trying change that by introducing new diverse recrument policies.
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it was my experience, like, growing up using the railway. all the drivers were predominantly older, 50—plus age white man men. but, lately, i'm seeing a lot more diversity. i'm seeing a lot more younger people — black people, women. i'm seeing a lot more diversity, and i'm here for it. i love it. let's take a look at the tubes now. minor delays on the circle and northern line. now onto the weather with kate kinsella. good morning. it's a bright start this morning. plenty of sunshine. we start the day with temperatures in mid single figures. now, we'll start to see more cloud edging in from the near continent. with that, the chance of a shower in the east later on this afternoon. most places staying dry further west with some sunshine and temperatures warm, 18 celsius, the wind less strong than yesterday. so feeling the benefit of that temperature rise. now, overnight, some clear spells,
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mist and murk developing where we get those clear spells, some low cloud, the minimum temperature, 7 celsius. now, for wednesday, we'll start to see that cloud becoming more widespread as we head through tomorrow morning. the mist and murk should lift, but the cloud moving west. with that, some rain. now, we could get some heavier bursts. you mightjust hear a rumble of thunder, but it's clearing away westwards, an easterly breeze. the temperature tomorrow, again, warm at 19 celsius, especially through the afternoon in that sunshine. now, it is going to stay unsettled this week. further spells of rain at times and temperatures a little less warm for the bank holiday weekend. don't forget you can follow us on x and instagram, just search bbc london. have a lovely morning. good morning, welcome to breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent.
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our headlines today. the search begins for a new first minister of scotland following humza yousaf�*s decision to resign. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today, in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis. senior politicians and health officials in northern ireland will face questions today over their handling of the pandemic as the covid inquiry begins in belfast. celebrating the life and work of raymond briggs. a new exhibition will showcase never before seen art from the illustrator behind the snowman. good the snowman. morning. cloud, wind and rain good morning. cloud, wind and rain in the west moving north through the course of the day and, further east it is drier and brighter with some sunshine but a few showers developing in the south—east in the afternoon. all of the details later. it's tuesday the 30th of april. the scottish national party has officially started the process to find a new leader, after humza yousaf announced his resignation
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as scotland's first minister. he quit ahead of two no—confidence votes at holyrood which were due to be held in the wake of his decision to eject the scottish greens from his power—sharing government. nominations to replace him opened just before midnight. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon reports. politically, there was nowhere left for humza yousaf to go. his leadership fatally wounded, not by his party or by the voters, but by himself. and so this admission that his time as first minister had come to an end. i am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power. therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country i lead, i've concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm.
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msps will have 28 days to find his replacement or an election is called, and the names of possible contenders are already emerging. i'm giving very careful consideration to standing to be the leader of the snp. i've been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made of me to do that. scottish national party leader... kate forbes narrowly lost out to humza yousaf in the contest, which saw him become leader. she is said to be considering another bid. itjust hasn't gone well. and when things go badly, it's time for a change. and the time for kate has now come. there are some who now argue that this political implosion could be an opportunity for scotland's party of government for over 15 years to get back on the front foot. it has the potential to bounce back. this could turn the fortunes of the snp if, and only if,
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they can come together really quickly, put an end to the bickering and the sniping that's taken place for the last 12 months. and who could ask for a better country to lead than scotland? humza yousaf�*s successor will face significant challenges, leading a minority government and trying to unite a party bruised by political own goals and soon to face the verdict of voters in a general election. lorna gordon, bbc news, edinburgh. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon is outside holyrood for us this morning. morning, lorna. what does this resignation now mean in the future for the scottish national party? morning, sally. the snp is a party that has united people from the left of the political spectrum, from the right of the political spectrum, all united under the common cause of
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independence. it has been a broad church. but over the last year, cracks have begun to show over economic policy, over independence strategy, over social issues such as transgender policy. and it has all exploded in dramatic fashion last week when humza yousaf sacked the pro—independence scottish greens from his cabinet, and they turned on him. they left him ultimately with no choice rather than to resign because he did not have the backing in a vote of no confidence. so it would be a difficult challenge for anyone to inherit. but at this point in time, it looks like there are two possible contenders, neither have yet declared that they will go forth for the candidacy. they arejohn swinney, and kate forbes. john swinney, and kate forbes. john swinney is a veteran of snp cabinets, he is seen as a safe pair of hands. kate forbes, much younger, she says continuity will not cut it.
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they will be thinking hard about the effect on their family, whether they want to put their names forward now, when the party is facing such a challenge but nominations have now opened and will close next monday. thank you very much, lorna. we will be speaking to the westminster leader of the snp in half an hour. now more of the day's news withjon. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis with the disease in february. he'll be accompanied by queen camilla and is said to be "greatly encouraged" to be resuming some of his duties. here's our royal correspondent sean coughlan. the news about king charles�*s cancer treatment has been much more positive, enough for the king to begin a return to public events today. with the queen at his side, they'll be at a symbolic location, a hospital with a specialist centre for cancer. the king's visit will try to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and by going public about his own health problems, the king had hoped to encourage
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others to get health checks. apart from an appearance on easter sunday, the king has mostly stayed away from public events and the crowds. so today marks a gradual return to normal. but this is still only cautious optimism. the king is continuing to receive cancer treatment, and we still don't know if he'll be able to attend many of the big summer events. this includes major engagements such as garden parties and the d—day celebrations and trooping the colour, where last year he was on horseback. it's been a tough year for the royals. the princess of wales has also had a cancer diagnosis and catherine and prince william put out a photograph yesterday to mark their 13th wedding anniversary. after a long winter, the whole family will be hoping for a glimpse of summer. sean coughlan, bbc news. the duchess of edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit ukraine since the russian invasion. buckingham palace said sophie's trip was to "demonstrate
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solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war". our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse joins us now. hi,james. hi, james. just how significant was this visit deemed to be in ukraine? i think this is significant, when you look at the royal dimensions of this. this really is a sizeable endorsement of ukraine's because as it continues to try and resist russia's full—scale invasion. the duchess of edinburgh travelled to bucha first, this is a town where russian forces invaded in the early days of the nation, there were overwhelming evidence of war crimes, is often a place where high profile
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visitors go. then there was the meat in the sandwich, meeting president zelensky and the first lady in kyiv, he had first —— big grin on his face compared to when he meets other niches. she presented them with a personal message from king charles. the royal family has personal message from king charles. the royalfamily has been personal message from king charles. the royal family has been very outspoken about russia's aggression towards ukraine. it was after then that the duchess greeted children who had been forcibly separated from their families who had been forcibly separated from theirfamilies by who had been forcibly separated from their families by russian forces, they had been returned to ukraine. she campaigns frequently about preventing sexual violence in conflicts, by the way. and it was a big moment for ukraine. will this visit follow with military pledges worth tens of millions or billions of pounds? no, but it does ukraine's cause no harm when other charities and governments see visits like this and governments see visits like this and president zelensky knows that.
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thank you for that. four law enforcement officers have been shot dead and another four wounded in the us state of north carolina. the officers were attempting to arrest a wanted fugitive at a house in the city of charlotte when they came under fire. the suspect was shot dead at the scene. the home office has admitted it is unable to immediately locate thousands of migrants who were initially earmarked for deportation to rwanda although a government source has denied they are missing. our chief political correspondent henry zeffman is in westminster. morning, henry. what more do we know? ~ ., g ., , morning, henry. what more do we know? a, g ., , , morning, henry. what more do we know? g ., , , ., know? morning, jon. this is about the 5700 asylum _ know? morning, jon. this is about the 5700 asylum seekers - know? morning, jon. this is about the 5700 asylum seekers who, - the 5700 asylum seekers who, according to government documents which were quietly released over the last few days, the government has earmarked to be sent to rwanda when that plane finally takes off. rishi sunak hopes that will be within ten to 12 weeks. that is all people who arrived in the uk in small boats
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between january 2022 and june last year. but all that 5700 cohort, only 2143 year. but all that 5700 cohort, only 21113 according to this government document continued to report to the home office and can be located for detention. those are people who might live in home office organised accommodation or have regular appointments. but the rest of them, the remaining 3557 also, don't have regular appointments, they might live with family or friends, they are not necessarily required to report to the government as frequently. and the fear is that that group, not necessarily missing now but once they realise they could be deported to rwanda, could abscond very fast. this is a reminder, we have talked about this policy for so long, more than two years in terms of what the government takes about it, what is happening in rwanda and what is happening in parliament here, what is happening with legal challenges. now it is in law and rishi sunak has said himself that ten to 12 week timetable for a
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flight to take off in earlyjuly, the question is, does it work? henry, thank you. some uk imports from the eu will begin being checked at the border from today. under the uk's brexit agreement, meat and dairy products, plants and seeds will be assessed by border staff before being allowed into britain, in a move which the government says will improve biosecurity. businesses have criticised the additional costs involved in the process. the government is proposing that transgender women should not be put on single—sex female nhs wards in england. the measure is part of changes to the patients' charter of rights. health secretary victoria atkins said it was about making it clear that "sex matters." trans rights campaigners said robust measures are already in place. two military horses that sustained injuries after colliding with vehicles in london are continuing their recovery. army officials say quaker, a cavalry black seen on the left, is expected to make a full recovery, whilst the other, vida, a grey, remains under close observation.
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a hamas delegation is considering a ceasefire proposalfrom israel. both the uk and the us have described the offer as "generous" and urged hamas, designated a terror organisation by the uk, — to accept. our middle east correspondent yolande knelljoins us now. yolande, is there any indication that hamas might accept this offer? certainly the unofficial sources from within hamas have been created in recent days have been sounding more positive about this offer and about the ongoing negotiations than we have had for several weeks. this hamas delegation will now consult the top leadership in hamas, it has
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left cairo, about the latest deal. we understand from egyptian security sources that they are supposed to get back to them within a couple of days with their full response. there has been so much international pressure evident in the past few days, pushing towards some new kind of deal. we have president biden calling the egyptian and qatari leaders are acting as mediators here just last night, he said the us would work to fulfil the full implementation of the terms of any new agreement. this is a big topic of conversation on the sidelines of the lord —— world economic forum in riyadh, lord cameron saying there that this new deal would include a 40 that this new deal would include a a0 day ceasefire in exchange for the potential release of thousands of palestinians from israeli jails and the release of the israeli hostages. he said that has been very generous, that was echoed by the us secretary of state antony blinken who is still
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in the region working behind the scenes is expected injordan and israel. for the past few years we've followed the story of the three dads, andy, mike and tim, who've been fundraising in memory of their daughters, who all took their own lives. the trio are currently taking part in their third hiking challenge walking 500 miles from scotland to norwich. yesterday they reached headingley in leeds where they met up with another famous fundraiser, kevin sinfield. the rugby league star and mnd campaignerjoined them for part of theirjourney. they have 12 days left before they reach the finish line. kevin sinfield knows a thing or two about endurance events. and keeping the sirits about endurance events. and keeping the spirits uo- — about endurance events. and keeping the spirits up. we _ about endurance events. and keeping the spirits up. we will _ about endurance events. and keeping the spirits up. we will cover— about endurance events. and keeping the spirits up. we will cover their - the spirits up. we will cover their journey here on breakfast in the days ahead. journey here on breakfast in the days ahead-— journey here on breakfast in the da s ahead. , ., days ahead. yes, we are with them every step —
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days ahead. yes, we are with them every step of _ days ahead. yes, we are with them every step of the — days ahead. yes, we are with them every step of the way. _ days ahead. yes, we are with them every step of the way. let's - days ahead. yes, we are with them every step of the way. let's get - days ahead. yes, we are with them| every step of the way. let's get the weather now with carol. good morning. these are the tree pollen levels today if you have an allergy, this is oak tree pollen which is at a peak, but there is some birch and plane tree mixed in as well and we are starting to see some early grass pollen. if you are stepping out, not a particularly cold start to the day. seven to 10 degrees at the moment, a wet start in the west, and the rain is moving north and it will continue to do so through the rest of the morning. we start off on a dry and bright note in the north, not long before the rain moves in as it moves out of northern ireland, further showers following on. it might drift a bit further east away from cornwall through the afternoon. in the middle and it will be sunny, in the south—east and other weather front comes in introducing cloud and the odd shower. the rain continues across the irish sea, western
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england and western scotland. here it is going to be windy, gusty winds through the irish sea and areas adjacent, blustery inland and temperature is 11 to 19 degrees, 19 in lincolnshire and the vale of york. this evening and overnight, the weather front is with us but it is weakening, patchy rain, some clear skies, then we start importing low cloud, mist and fog coming in across eastern areas. we could see one or two showers but we are not anticipating any issues with frost. that pushes back towards the coast, the front in the west decays, they will be dry weather for a time, the cloud building and more rain coming in from the south. it is all happening with the weather. the uk covid inquiry opens in northern ireland today, after previous hearings in england, scotland and wales. the aim is to establish what lessons can be learned, not to assign guilt or innocence.
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let's have a look at what's been examined so far. it started in england. those giving evidence included the former health secretary matt hancock, and other individuals at the heart of the decision—making which affected millions including the days leading up the first lockdown in march 2020. the inquiry then moved to scotland, where former first minister nicola sturgeon and former deputy first minister john swinney were among those giving evidence. discussions by advisers and ministers on whatsapp was one of the key issues. next, it was the turn of wales, where the former first minister mark drakeford gave evidence on how devolved nations worked with the westminster government during the pandemic. now, the spotlight is on northern ireland. senior politicians, health officials and key decision—makers will appear but it will begin by hearing from families of those who died during the pandemic. our ireland correspondent sarah girvin has been speaking to some of them. well, we were told that a nurse was holding her hand. and i have to believe that. um...but it wasn't us.
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for him to die in the way that he did, it was just completely... it was traumatic for him most harrowingly, but also traumatic for us as a family. i ended up having to wash my mummy's body myself. - more than a,000 people in northern ireland died with covid during the pandemic. their loved ones want to know if those deaths could have been prevented. my uncle's name was raymond mcalees. he was 52 years old, and he was down�*s syndrome. but he was just the mostjoyful soul. i mean, he brought so much life into all of ourfamily. raymond was taken to hospital after contracting covid. his condition quickly deteriorated. mum got down to maria at 6:31 am, but he had died at 6:29. so that was... that was just cruel because the biggest thing about my uncle was that he had no
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rights in life and he also had no rights in death. what do you hope to get out of the inquiry? well, if we can really try and make sure that his life means that there's legislative change, particularly in northern ireland, but even better across the uk, then hopefully other families in our position or other families will now have to be in our position. ruth brook was the fourth person in northern ireland to die with covid—19. her daughter says she was much more than a statistic. i don't want my mother to be defined by the death she had. i want people to know the life that she had. the same way i don't want to be defined by my grief, but the love that i have for my mummy because my mummy was our world. brenda's mum died in hospital. restrictions meant her family couldn't be with her. i walked away and my last words to my mum were, "don't be getting upset. i'll see you tomorrow. you know we all love you."
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i blew her a kiss and i waved. brenda believes vulnerable people were failed. by being part of the inquiry, it's a way of using my grief and the energy that it brings because it does bring a level of energy, not always positive, to work our way through what went wrong. when the pandemic hit, martina spent nine months trying to visit her mother, ursula, who had dementia in her care home. but, due to restrictions, she had to stay outside. i personally feel it's been the biggest, you know, human rights crisis. my mummy's human rights, i feel it was violated. my human rights, everybody in our brave group feel that their rights were violated and it didn't need to be like this. in 2021, ursula died in hospital with covid. martina was by her side. it was explained to me
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that my mummy would be, you know, wrapped in a sheet and put into a body bag. and... and i had to challenge that. you know, i said, "i want my mummy washed." so a nurse came in and she helped me, and i spent a couple of hours, you know, washing my mummy's body. so that kind of thing... that experience... ..is an experience i will never, everforget. but, you know, i got to dress my mummy. i know it's heartbreaking for martina to have to have dressed her mummy. but i almost wish i could have. yeah...
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i never got to. anyway, but, i think my mummy being in a body bag... just... you know. like she was toxic waste, and she wasn't. she was a human being! many families will share their pandemic stories today, stories of grief and loss, stories they hope will never be repeated. sarah girvin, bbc news. coverage of the inquiry will continue today on bbc news. two men who helped to detain an armed terrorist in central london five years ago have teamed up again, this time to tackle the problem of homelessness among former prisoners. darryn frost and steve gallant set up a social enterprise named after one of those who died in the attack, at fishmongers hall, and it's helping newly released prisoners to find suitable accommodation, as
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charlotte rose reports. keeping clean. this hostel for former prisoners provides stability so they can start to rebuild their lives on a better path. ben was serving time for drug offences at hmp five wells in northamptonshire. i didn't actually know i was going home until the day before. i was so stressed about the whole situation, if i'm honest, i was pulling my hair out. i mean, did you actually think you might be leaving with nowhere to stay? so the ultimatum was obviously, if i couldn't go back to family, which was probably a no—no, and they couldn't find me like a hostel to stay at for a short amount of time, i would have been released, ironically, on christmas day with nowhere to go. the scheme is the brainchild of two heroes of the london bridge terror attack in 2019, darryn frost and steve gallant, who at the time was on day release serving a life sentence. own merritt is named afterjack merritt, a cambridge graduate and rehabilitation advocate who was killed on that day.
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the home has cctv but is otherwise unstaffed. the men have to resolve problems at a weekly house meeting. you've been in prison for many years. you've been told what to do, you've been managed, you've been controlled. and that's what it feels like. and some of that's understandable because people go to prison for serious offences and we all get that. but giving people some autonomy over their life, it's just so important because you can then take ownership of that, you can take responsibility and there are all sorts of positive benefits that can come from having that choice. it's funded entirely by the universal credit that residents are entitled to anyway, which darryn says is a huge saving to taxpayers. if someone is going into prison for ten years at £50,000, we are spending half a million pounds to keep that person in prison and then we're not doing anything with them while they're in prison. so they come out and do the same thing again. it just doesn't make any sense. we need to change, a reset, and so that's what we're
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trying to do here. data for prisons show homelessness amongst former inmates is a real problem. the inspector's report found that 333 men had been released from the jail with no accommodation in the past year. that's almost a third of all those who left. it also found that large numbers of prisoners were excluded from getting any help with the regular housing adviser not having been seen on site for almost a year. a spokesperson for intervention�*s alliance who are contracted to provide this service said... unfortunately, our service at hmp peterborough at the time of this inspection was impacted by local recruitment challenges and securing timely vetting. i'd love to work with peterborough. i think that we could solve their prison leaver homelessness issue within five years if theyjust listened to the model that we've got and it wouldn't cost them a penny, but it would need them to engage
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and be committed, as long as we put politics and egos at the door and just focus on helping the men. but peterborough is far from alone. almost 30% of prisoners at bedford and chelmsford prisons were discharged homeless. at high point in suffolk, the mount in hertfordshire and wayland in norfolk, between 15 and 20% of those released had nowhere to sleep on their first night. ben says the stability own merit has given him means the bridges he burned with friends and family are finally starting to be repaired. he hopes this model could be used elsewhere to give other former inmates a fresh start. charlotte rose, bbc news. what a great scheme, fantastic. we have been talking about homes and housing allots this moaning. —— a lot this morning. nina is on a building site in west london this morning, in search of brickies.
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we need a lot of them, nina. and the have we need a lot of them, nina. and they have found _ we need a lot of them, nina. and they have found one. we are basking in the glorious london sunshine in west london this morning. you cannot see behind the building site but brentford fc are right there, we are on a building site because not enough brickies are hampering the plans for the government to build 300,000 new homes every year. millie, morgan and amelia have been teaching me how to become a bricklayer and i have learned so far, not quite perfect, thank you, amelia, she is really tough! is about the right amount? and then come and have a lot, you put it in the middle, squash it down creating two devil horns as we call them in industry, and then squash down the side, is that all right? better than when we started. i have got the amelia seal of approval for the first time. the aim is to complete this building by 9am! before we come
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back later on, we will be talking about the pressure on the industry, have a look over there to kew gardens, richmond park, and enjoy the root —— news, travel and weather where you are this morning. hello, and a very good morning. welcome to bbc london with me, frankie mccamley. the father of a pregnant woman, killed in a gay bar in soho 25 years ago, says "the pain is still as raw as ever". the nail bomb explosion at the admiral duncan pub killed andrea dykes — alongside more than 80 others. it was the third bomb planted in less than a month by a self—confessed racist and homophobe. andrea's father says the bomber�*s hatred hurt so many. i don't hate him. ifeel sorry for him. to go through life thinking like that, it's got to be so sad. at the same time, he's harmed an awful lot of other people
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for the sake of his hatred, which is inexcusable. a bit of possible good news for renters. although average rents have hit a new high in the capital there are signs that the pace of the rise is slowing. that's according to the property website, rightmove. it's partly down to landlords being forced to reduce prices — simply because renters cant afford them. the railway sector has long been seen as one of the least diverse employers — with the average train driver — mid a0s — white and male. data compiled for the bbc by the national skills academy for rail show that fewer than one in ten drivers are women and more than nine in ten are white. but some networks are trying change that by introducing new diverse recrument policies. it was my experience, like, growing up using the railway. all the drivers were predominantly older, 50—plus age white man men.
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but, lately, i'm seeing a lot more diversity. i'm seeing a lot more younger people — black people, women. i'm seeing a lot more diversity, and i'm here for it. i love it. let's take a look at the tubes now. now, on to the weather with kate kinsella. good morning. it's a bright start this morning. plenty of sunshine. we start the day with temperatures in mid single figures. now, we'll start to see more cloud edging in from the near continent. with that, the chance of a shower in the east later on this afternoon. most places staying dry further west with some sunshine and temperatures warm, 18 celsius, the wind less strong than yesterday. so feeling the benefit of that temperature rise. now, overnight, some clear spells, mist and murk developing where we get those clear spells, some low cloud, the minimum temperature, 7 celsius. now, for wednesday, we'll start to see that cloud becoming more widespread as we head through tomorrow morning.
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the mist and murk should lift, but the cloud moving west. with that, some rain. now, we could get some heavier bursts. you mightjust hear a rumble of thunder, but it's clearing away westwards, an easterly breeze. the temperature tomorrow, again, warm at 19 celsius, especially through the afternoon in that sunshine. now, it is going to stay unsettled this week. further spells of rain at times and temperatures a little less warm for the bank holiday weekend. lots more on our website and social media channels. i am back in half an hour. goodbye. hello, this is breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent. we've been talking this morning about the search for scotland's new first minister following humza yousaf�*s decision to resign as leader of the snp. he announced yesterday that he would be stepping down, following the breakdown of his coalition government. bbc scotland's kirsten campbell has been looking back
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at his political career. humza yousaf made history when he became scotland's youngest first minister and the first scots asian to hold the role. but he's had a turbulent time in office. he'd only been in post a few days when police searched the home of his predecessor, nicola sturgeon, as part of their inquiry into the snp�*s finances. he's had to ditch controversial policies like the bottle deposit return scheme and he's lost a court battle with the uk government over gender recognition reform. humza yousaf�*s supporters say he's shown great resilience and carrying on for so long in the face of so many challenges. his critics say he simply wasn't up to the job. during the leadership election, even his colleagues questioned his record in government. when you were transport minister, the trains were never on time. when you werejustice minister, the police were strained to breaking point. and now as health minister,
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we've got record high waiting times. he was victorious then, but he's been on the back foot ever since. as the continuity candidate, what essentially has done is continue with the same failures that his predecessor had in not really getting to grips with the state of the economy in scotland, with the health service, with drug deaths, with the housing crisis. he didn't have his own agenda, he didn't have his own vision, and he didn't seem to want to change tack. and that was a major problem for him. it was the iraq war that inspired humza yousaf tojoin the snp as a student. he'd concluded that only independence would stop scotland being dragged into an illegal conflict. and during the current conflict in gaza, he's won praise for highlighting the suffering of the palestinian people and for showing solidarity with thejewish community. his friends say he retains a passion to help those in need, here assisting syrian refugees ashore in greece when he was international development minister.
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a career politician, who's had his ups and downs — his decision to sack the greens looks like a misjudgment that's cost him dear. he seemed to be a conciliator, a mediator, a different kind of leader to nicola sturgeon. and i think that's an extra reason that this is a really disappointing end because first on the council tax, when that was suddenly plucked out of a hat without consultation, and now with the sudden agreement, end of the bute house agreement, those have been non—mediated, not really very conciliatory, "look, i'm pretty tough really" stances and i have to say, i wonder who's been advising him. humza yousaf represented the country at the king's coronation. now, he will submit his resignation to the monarch. # goodbye, first minister, goodbye, first minister...# his career as first minister over, humza yousaf will follow in the path of many politicians before him and spend more time
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with his growing family. kirsten campbell, bbc news, holyrood. we'rejoined now by stephen flynn, the leader of the scottish national party in westminster. morning. just reflect for a moment, if you could, on what we have just been hearing and the year that has gone by and how damaging it has been for the snp. this gone by and how damaging it has been for the snp. , , ., ., for the snp. this is a tough time for the snp. this is a tough time for those of _ for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us _ for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us in _ for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us in the _ for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us in the snp. - for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us in the snp. i - for the snp. this is a tough time for those of us in the snp. i was| for those of us in the snp. i was very close to humza yousaf, as have many people. he has acted with integrity and passion throughout his time in office. reducing the number of children in poverty by close to 100,000 people. leading the charge in relation to a ceasefire in gaza, he has been at the forefront of some of the biggest issues in politics. it is testament to him so many of us are feeling sad with the ultimate
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outcome we have had over the course of the last couple of days. find outcome we have had over the course of the last couple of days.— of the last couple of days. and the -a of the last couple of days. and the party divided? _ of the last couple of days. and the party divided? l — of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do _ of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do not _ of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do not know - of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do not know it - of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do not know it is l of the last couple of days. and the party divided? i do not know it is a -a but party divided? i do not know it is a party but it — party divided? i do not know it is a party but it divided _ party divided? i do not know it is a party but it divided needs - party divided? i do not know it is a party but it divided needs to - party divided? i do not know it is a party but it divided needs to look i party but it divided needs to look to the future. deciding what that feature looks like, these are serious times. in serious times when you need serious politicians. for me, the only politician who can take on the role of party leader and first minister isjohn swinney, so we can focus on the biggest issues facing scotland and doing what we can to help with the cost of living crisis. i hopejohn swinney will put himself forward. i am sure we will hear more from him in the next couple of days. share hear more from him in the next copple of days-— couple of days. are you not disappointed _ couple of days. are you not disappointed you _ couple of days. are you not disappointed you are - couple of days. are you not| disappointed you are having couple of days. are you not i disappointed you are having to go back to someone who did the job 20 years ago as a continuity candidate to hold it together? i years ago as a continuity candidate to hold it together?— years ago as a continuity candidate to hold it together? i would look at it throu . h to hold it together? i would look at it through what _ to hold it together? i would look at it through what comes _ to hold it together? i would look at
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it through what comes next. i to hold it together? i would look at it through what comes next. what l it through what comes next. what comes next is dealing with the biggest challenges in society back home in scotland. what we needed someone with a calm head and a vision for what we do next. john is obviously part of the experience. he has held most of the single most important roles in the scottish government. i have no doubt under his leadership our party would be and are better off place. more importantly, the country would be in a better off place. that is the most important thing. the public is looking for stability and leadership and wants to have confidence in their government. i am surejohn can provide that. i their government. i am sure john can provide that-— provide that. i want to share some words from _ provide that. i want to share some words from lorna _ provide that. i want to share some words from lorna slater, - provide that. i want to share some words from lorna slater, who i provide that. i want to share some i words from lorna slater, who said... the smp has a big decision to make me notjust about the smp has a big decision to make me not just about the the smp has a big decision to make me notjust about the leader the smp has a big decision to make me not just about the leader they choose but about what kind of party they want to be. suggesting there are huge divisions, splits in the snp everfocusing on policies like climate change and the gender recognition bill. i
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climate change and the gender recognition bill.— recognition bill. i am tired of other politician _ recognition bill. i am tired of other politician speculating i recognition bill. i am tired of- other politician speculating about what the snp is or is not. the snp is a proud centre—left party and has been throughout my time in it. we have promoted getting children out of poverty and have the best performing nhs on these isles. we are seeking to grow our economy through investment in net zero. only a week ago we announced funding for the largest wind project in the world just off the coast of aberdeen. ourambitions world just off the coast of aberdeen. our ambitions are there. the public know our ambitions and they know how good our record is. we will continue to stand on that. it is for others to speculate on what they think will happen. ultimately, it will be full snp members to decide what will happen. the public matter in this. the public is suffering the consequences of a westminster made cost of living crisis and we need a scottish
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government to provide them with reinsurance for these challenging times. ., ., ' reinsurance for these challenging times. ., , reinsurance for these challenging times. ., ., times. you offer your support to john swinney- — times. you offer your support to john swinney. over _ times. you offer your support to john swinney. over a _ times. you offer your support to john swinney. over a year i times. you offer your support to john swinney. over a year ago l times. you offer your support to | john swinney. over a year ago he said he was not going to stand because a fresh perspective was needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone — needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone needs _ needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone needs me _ needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone needs me to _ needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone needs me to go - needed. what has changed? i do not think anyone needs me to go over i think anyone needs me to go over what has happened in the course of the last year. john has not been in the last year. john has not been in the front line in scottish politics for a year now. he has a vast amount of experience at the highest level. you need to steady the ship. we need someone to — you need to steady the ship. we need someone to lead _ you need to steady the ship. we need someone to lead us _ you need to steady the ship. we need someone to lead us into _ you need to steady the ship. we need someone to lead us into the _ you need to steady the ship. we need someone to lead us into the future i someone to lead us into the future with positive ambition. he has huge experience and knows how to get the job done. when he is doing thatjob, particularly in a minority government, he can bring people together from across political divides. ultimately, it is incumbent on all politicians in holyrood not to act with petulant petty politics, as perhaps we have seen over the
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last week or so back to get around the table decide what proposals they can bring forward to ensure the lives of people in scotland are better. that is what everyone in scottish parliament has to do. it is incumbent on opposition parties to rise to that challenge. i have no doubtjohn swinney puts himself forward and that he will be able to deliver on that agenda. home forward and that he will be able to deliver on that agenda.— deliver on that agenda. have you soken to deliver on that agenda. have you spoken to him? _ deliver on that agenda. have you spoken to him? have _ deliver on that agenda. have you spoken to him? have you - deliver on that agenda. have you spoken to him? have you asked l deliver on that agenda. have you i spoken to him? have you asked him? yesterday was a bit of a well went for us all. i will be reaching out to him in due course and hopefully it will be a positive discussion. he will heed the strong advice myself and others will give. he is best place to meet the challenges the people of scotland face. we are now no longer in coalition with the greens, we can go back and look at the biggest issues like the economy,
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investing in the health service, growing the economy and dealing with the difficulties of the cost of living crisis from the confines of devolution. john is best placed to deal with these challenges and i hope he will take it forward. thank ou. we all love a family trip to the pictures. one member of the pack usually has to stay at home. not any more! a cinema in norwich has started dog—friendly screenings, complete with seat covers, bowls of water and extra cleaning staff. i wonder why! to wipe down the surfaces. our reporter, robby west, went along to find out more. some were desperate to find their seats. others sat patiently through the credits. and one or two, well, they were more interested in the snacks than what was on the screen. but whatever the dogs made of it,
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all of the owners that came along to this pet friendly cinema said the idea was brilliant. i loved it and she really likes telly, so she really enjoyed it. i could tell she was watching the whole movie. we take her everywhere, so it's just another place that we can take her. we take her to the pub, we take her on any walk we do, like, our life revolves around dolly, so it's like nice to have another sort of thing that we can do with her. so it's been really fun. because he's a rescue, we don't like to leave him at home, so he goes to work with us. he goes everywhere, he goes on holiday with us. to see him interact with other dogs and how well behaved he is considering the start in life he had filled me with such great, immense joy. it'sjust amazing having the opportunities. i living on my own with lenny it's quite difficult for me to sort i of go out and do things, - so being able to bring them along is just absolutely amazing. and he is a welfare dog. he works at the ambulance service, seeing staff. - so getting to bring him in new environments i and new experiences is a really good practice for that. _ and with him being a rescue, - he didn't really get the opportunity to socialise in his younger years. so anything that gives him - a new chance and new experience
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is all good in my book. a cover for the seats, water bowls scattered around the screens and the volume was turned down slightly, so as not to scare the smaller dogs. cinema city in norwich also allowed more time after the show for a deep clean in case there was any accidents or if anyone with an allergy turned up to the next screening. the film they showed — no, not lassie, nor marley and me or 101 dalmatians, but the amy winehouse biopic back to black. it's to give accessibility to the owners to come and see the latest films and feel comfortable being able to bring their dogs with them, rather than, and i know the fear of worrying, you know, being at home and worrying for two and a half, three hours while you're away from home. i've worked in cinema for over 20 years and i love making the cinema accessible for all, whether it be through the technology
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we use orjust by opening it to dogs and dog owners. here, they plan to have dog—friendly screenings every month. so at this cinema, expect to see more pooches when you're purchasing your popcorn. robbie west, bbc news. it could be noisy. could be too noisy for the dogs, that is what i would worry about! we'd love to know your thoughts on that story. would you want to take your dog to the cinema? perhaps to see citizen cane—nine — or could you think of nothing worse? they dog father. bach to the future. if he had taken your dog to the cinema, we would love to see a picture. —— if you have.
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you can send us a message on whatsapp. just send us a picture. here's carol with the weather. you have had some beautiful photos. the weather looking a little bit warmer? it the weather looking a little bit warmer? , ., ., warmer? it is looking warmer. for the bank holiday, _ warmer? it is looking warmer. for the bank holiday, temperatures i warmer? it is looking warmer. for. the bank holiday, temperatures look like they will return closer to average. when in the west, windy here as well. you can see the rain we have had in the morning moving up the long western areas with showers and of it. it shows that track the rain is taking, moving north. after a dry and bright start in scotland, the rain will eventually move then. the strongest winds in the irish sea and areas adjacent to it. further east, a lot of dry weather with sunshine around, as we have seen
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this morning. also a weather front coming in to the south—east through the day. that will introduce more cloud and the odd shower, especially in the afternoon. a blustery day with temperatures ranging from 11 in the north to 19 in the south. we will also seen 19 in the vale of york and lincolnshire, check in those areas. as we head on the ceiling and overnight with a weather front is still with us. it is starting to weaken. the rain will be lighter and more patchy in nature. also starting to pull in low cloud, mist and fog from the north sea. we are not anticipating any issues with the frost was that these are the overnight lows, seven to 11 degrees. tomorrow we start with low cloud, mist and fog. we could catch the odd shower. we still have the dregs of the weather front to the west continuing to decay. then, another front from the near continent,
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introducing more rain. tomorrow the temperatures will range from 11 in the north to 19, maybe 20 as we push further south. i5 the north to 19, maybe 20 as we push further south. is it the north to 19, maybe 20 as we push further south-— further south. is it too early to ask about _ further south. is it too early to ask about a — further south. is it too early to ask about a white _ further south. is it too early to ask about a white christmas? | further south. is it too early to i ask about a white christmas? yes. there will be _ ask about a white christmas? yes. there will be a _ ask about a white christmas? yes. there will be a white _ ask about a white christmas? jazz there will be a white christmas somewhere. let there will be a white christmas somewhere-— raymond briggs was the creative genius behind unforgettable characters like fungus the bogeyman, a rather grumpy father christmas and, of course, the snowman. raymond died two years ago but his art — and his life — is being celebrated in a new exhibition in ditchling, east sussex, where he lived for many years. peppyjefferey has the story. # we're walking in the air...# for more than a0 years, families have sat down together at christmas and heard this music. # the people far below are sleeping as we fly.# they say a picture is worth a thousand words.
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and raymond briggs was no stranger to that idea. the snowman book contained no words — his illustrations instead telling the story. i don't think about what children want. you get an idea and you just do it. you don't think, "oh, children of ten won't want this?" or... you don't think like that at all. you don't think about the audience — couldn't possibly. you just got this idea in your head and you could do it how you want it. as a children's author, raymond briggs didn't shy away from the darker side of storytelling. the bogeymen are stirring in their beds. like the tale of fungus, the bogeyman about a mythical creature having an existential crisis. now, some of his original illustrations have gone on show in east sussex for the first time in a museum a mile away from his home in ditchling. briggs was relatively unusual in that he would produce the entire book himself single—handed, so he would write the words, do the pictures, fit it
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all together, design the format. he was completely in control of what the final thing was. it's a chance to view some never—before—seen illustrations and personal items from his long career. through his work, he taught children about the complexities of life, including tricky topics, like dealing with grief. shortly before he died, i said, "which of all your books is your favourite, raymond?" and he said, "ethel and ernest." straightaway, there was no hesitation. and it's about his mother and father. it goes through agonising illnesses and deaths. i mean, it's quite chilling, the whole book. thought i'd introduce myself. you've waved that blooming duster at me enough times. well, no, i didn't mean to. it was just... that name's ernest. oh, i'm ethel. raymond briggs passed
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away two years ago. his lessons in love and loss playing a key part in his enduring legacy. i know there will be a last time i walk this path. before the hospital, before the home, before something. and the irony is, you never know at the time that it is to be the last time. peppyjefferey, bbc news. we can go to the exhibition now. one of the curators of that exhibition is nicolettejones, who has also written a book about raymond briggs. she joins us now from ditchling, along with the cartoonist steve bell. good morning to both of you. lovely to see you. nicola, you knew raymond really well. he came across as being quite a serious chap, surprisingly serious maybe. what was he like in real life? he serious maybe. what was he like in real life? , . ., serious maybe. what was he like in real life? ., ., real life? he said, i have a reputation _ real life? he said, i have a reputation as _ real life? he said, i have a reputation as a _ real life? he said, i have a reputation as a grumpy i real life? he said, i have a| reputation as a grumpy old real life? he said, i have a i reputation as a grumpy old git to maintain and sometimes it was quite
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hard work. to some extent, it was a bit of a persona. behind that he was generous and hospitable and gentle. i think are quite a shy man. the grumpy exterior was away, something he could hide behind. he was always very kind to me and a lot of people who knew him, they know behind it all he was a decent chap and modest, self—deprecating. about all of the things that he had achieved. he did not really value than particularly, he treated it as though they were of no great consequence.— he treated it as though they were of no great consequence. steve, tell us how ou no great consequence. steve, tell us how you came _ no great consequence. steve, tell us how you came to _ no great consequence. steve, tell us how you came to know— no great consequence. steve, tell us how you came to know raymond. itl no great consequence. steve, tell us| how you came to know raymond. it is a great tale, isn't it? i how you came to know raymond. it is a great tale, isn't it?— a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his _ a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his work. _ a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his work. i _ a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his work. i was _ a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his work. i was in - a great tale, isn't it? i became a fan of his work. i was in my i a great tale, isn't it? i became a| fan of his work. i was in my 20s, a great tale, isn't it? i became a l fan of his work. i was in my 20s, a teacher_
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fan of his work. i was in my 20s, a teacher at— fan of his work. i was in my 20s, a teacher at the _ fan of his work. i was in my 20s, a teacher at the time. a friend, he was also — teacher at the time. a friend, he was also a — teacher at the time. a friend, he was also a cartoonist, i was a cartoonisl— was also a cartoonist, i was a cartoonist but did not think of doing — cartoonist but did not think of doing it — cartoonist but did not think of doing it as a living. my friend showed — doing it as a living. my friend showed me a father christmas book and it_ showed me a father christmas book and it was— showed me a father christmas book and it was like a revelation, the most _ and it was like a revelation, the most fabulous, beautifully produced comic, _ most fabulous, beautifully produced comic, to— most fabulous, beautifully produced comic, to be honest. that is what raymond — comic, to be honest. that is what raymond was, he was a comic strip artist, _ raymond was, he was a comic strip artist, producing beautifully books. it was _ artist, producing beautifully books. it was so _ artist, producing beautifully books. it was so wonderful. the one, the illustration — it was so wonderful. the one, the illustration that made myjaw drop is in this— illustration that made myjaw drop is in this exhibition. father christmas on a rooftop with his reindeer. — christmas on a rooftop with his reindeer, having a snack break. it is the _ reindeer, having a snack break. it is the middle of the night. the deal of suburban london in the background at the _ of suburban london in the background at the night—time. the rangerare grazing _ at the night—time. the rangerare grazing out — at the night—time. the rangerare grazing out of a bank and father christmas — grazing out of a bank and father christmas has his damages. so matter of fact _ christmas has his damages. so matter of fact i_ christmas has his damages. so matter
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of fact. i think that was one of the things— of fact. i think that was one of the things that — of fact. i think that was one of the things that stopped making me become a teacher, _ things that stopped making me become a teacher, try to be a cartoonist. only— a teacher, try to be a cartoonist. only a _ a teacher, try to be a cartoonist. only a few— a teacher, try to be a cartoonist. only a few years later i managed to .et only a few years later i managed to get some _ only a few years later i managed to get some work as a cartoonist, doing daily strips _ get some work as a cartoonist, doing daily strips in the newspaper. i got to meet— daily strips in the newspaper. i got to meet raymond. i was asked to judge _ to meet raymond. i was asked to judge a _ to meet raymond. i was asked to judge a cartoon competition in brighton _ judge a cartoon competition in brighton. we were on the judging panel~ _ brighton. we were on the judging panel~ i_ brighton. we were on the judging panel. i had never met raymond. they say you _ panel. i had never met raymond. they say you should not meet your heroes. he was— say you should not meet your heroes. he was a _ say you should not meet your heroes. he was a lovely, warm, interesting and funny— he was a lovely, warm, interesting and funny person. we became friends. we had _ and funny person. we became friends. we had mutual respect, ithink. i always— we had mutual respect, ithink. i always adored his work. his artistry is supreme — always adored his work. his artistry is supreme. he respected the fact i was good _ is supreme. he respected the fact i was good at deadlines. i was good at churning _ was good at deadlines. i was good at churning it— was good at deadlines. i was good at churning it out. he only had one deadline — churning it out. he only had one deadline a — churning it out. he only had one deadline a year, i had seven or
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eight _ deadline a year, i had seven or eight a — deadline a year, i had seven or eight a week. we had this mutual respect, — eight a week. we had this mutual respect, which was great. he was such— respect, which was great. he was such great— respect, which was great. he was such great fun. his artistry was so superb. _ such great fun. his artistry was so superb. all— such great fun. his artistry was so superb, all on show. | such great fun. his artistry was so superb, all on show.— superb, all on show. i think the imact superb, all on show. i think the impact on _ superb, all on show. i think the impact on you _ superb, all on show. i think the impact on you is _ superb, all on show. i think the impact on you is one _ superb, all on show. i think the impact on you is one of - superb, all on show. i think the impact on you is one of the i superb, all on show. i think the i impact on you is one of the reasons why we included that picture on the rooftop. why we included that picture on the roofto -. . , it why we included that picture on the rooftop.- it made _ why we included that picture on the rooftop.- it made all- why we included that picture on the rooftop.- it made all the i rooftop. really? it made all the difference _ rooftop. really? it made all the difference to _ rooftop. really? it made all the difference to you. _ rooftop. really? it made all the difference to you. watching i rooftop. really? it made all the difference to you. watching our| difference to you. watching our language. _ difference to you. watching our language. and _ difference to you. watching our language. and l— difference to you. watching our language, and ijust _ difference to you. watching our language, and ijust say, i difference to you. watching our language, and ijust say, in i difference to you. watching our i language, and ijust say, in terms of raymond, his artwork and books, fantastically lapped by children but also by parents and grandparents? you can enjoy that work together as a family, can't you?— a family, can't you? yes, i think... is the quote _ a family, can't you? yes, i think... is the quote you — a family, can't you? yes, i think... is the quote you used _ a family, can't you? yes, i think... is the quote you used earlier- is the quote you used earlier suggested, raymond said, books are not missiles, you do not aim than at
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anybody. the idea he would do something to entertain himself, that was the reason why he blurred the boundaries, if you like, between what is possible for children and adults. i think it is almost impossible to categorise them as one or the other. even a book like the snowman, and nursery classic, because it has no words people bring whatever they want of their own life and experience. a sense of loss at the end is something everyone can respond to because the melted snowman, everyone has known a loss, a friend he wasn't that after a while. i think, a friend he wasn't that after a while. ithink, yes, he was a friend he wasn't that after a while. i think, yes, he was very much an artist and illustrator for everyone. he made himself laugh clearly. the story was of his own life had his own experience with his
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parents. interesting that you were saying earlier that ethel and ernest was his favourite book. it is clearly the key to everything. all of the stories are about class and the generation gap. and what happened to him. he had working—class parents and went to art school and moved away into a world they did not really understand and yet he loved them and they loved him. he reworks that theme through all his work of the gap between the educated child and the less educated parents. so all of that is very much themes that all of us can identify with. how we might lead lives that are different from the experience of our parents and what the difference is and how love matters and how you experience loss.—
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experience loss. absolutely. thank ou both experience loss. absolutely. thank you both very _ experience loss. absolutely. thank you both very much _ experience loss. absolutely. thank you both very much indeed - experience loss. absolutely. thank you both very much indeed for- you both very much indeed for talking to us this morning. apologies if anyone was offended by the choice of language in the interview just in the interviewjust a moment ago. we should have had pictures and not words. it would have been safer. the exhibition, bloomin' brilliant: the life and work of raymond briggs, is open at ditchling museum of art and craft in east sussex until october 27th. time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are. hello, welcome to bbc london with me, frankie mccamley. the father of a pregnant woman killed in a gay bar in soho 25 years ago says "the pain is still as raw as ever". the nail bomb explosion at the admiral duncan pub killed andrea dykes alongside more than 80 others. it was the third bomb planted in less than a month by a self confessed racist and homophobe. andrea's father says the bomber�*s hatred hurt so many.
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i don't hate him. ifeel sorry for him. to go through life thinking like that, it's got to be so sad. at the same time, he's harmed an awful lot of other people for the sake of his hatred, which is inexcusable. a man from croydon has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years for murdering his 19—year—old wife. mehak sharma was stabbed to death by her husband, 2a—year—old sahil sharma, at their home on ash tree way. sharma was sentenced at kingston crown court after pleading guilty to her murder. as for the weather, it looks like you're in for a treat, clear skies and highs of 18 degrees. so don't forget your sunglasses! head to our website for more including the dagenham music festival that's been forced to cancel. i'm back in 30 minutes. see you then.
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good morning, welcome to breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent. our headlines today. the search begins for a new first minister of scotland following humza yousaf�*s decision to resign. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today, in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis. pollution in our rivers and waterways has become a major public health issue in recent months. good morning from a rowing club in manchester, with sports coming together to push for real change so they can continue to enjoy the sport that they love safely out of the water. —— out on the water. cities like london need more homes
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but a lack of bricklayers is hampering government plans to build them. we talk to the young female apprentices helping to put the bricks in the wall. from riverdance to lord of the dance. michael flatley on 30 years since that life—changing eurovision moment. good morning. it is going to be fairly cloudy, wet and windy in western areas through the day, the rain we currently have continuing to push northwards. for central and eastern areas, dry with some sunshine but clouding over in the southeast with a few showers this afternoon. it's tuesday the 30th of april. the scottish national party has officially started the process to find a new leader, after humza yousaf announced his resignation as scotland's first minister. he quit ahead of two no—confidence votes at holyrood which were due
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to be held in the wake of his decision to eject the scottish greens from his power—sharing government. nominations to replace him opened just before midnight. our scotland correspondent lorna gordon reports. politically, there was nowhere left for humza yousaf to go. his leadership fatally wounded, not by his party or by the voters, but by himself. and so this admission that his time as first minister had come to an end. i am not willing to trade my values and principles or do deals with whomever simply for retaining power. therefore, after spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country i lead, i've concluded that repairing a relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm. msps will have 28 days to find his replacement
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or an election is called, and the names of possible contenders are already emerging. i'm giving very careful consideration to standing to be the leader of the snp. i've been somewhat overwhelmed by the requests that have been made of me to do that. scottish national party leader... kate forbes narrowly lost out to humza yousaf in the contest, which saw him become leader. she is said to be considering another bid. itjust hasn't gone well. and when things go badly, it's time for a change. and the time for kate has now come. there are some who now argue that this political implosion could be an opportunity for scotland's party of government for over 15 years to get back on the front foot. it has the potential to bounce back. this could turn the fortunes of the snp if, and only if, they can come together really quickly, put an end to the bickering
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and the sniping that's taken place for the last 12 months. and who could ask for a better country to lead than scotland? humza yousaf�*s successor will face significant challenges, leading a minority government and trying to unite a party bruised by political own goals and soon to face the verdict of voters in a general election. lorna gordon, bbc news, edinburgh. our political editor chris mason is outside holyrood for us this morning. morning, chris. lorna's line there, understated slightly, significant challenges now.— understated slightly, significant challenges now. yeah, morning, sall . challenges now. yeah, morning, sally- there _ challenges now. yeah, morning, sally. there really _ challenges now. yeah, morning, sally. there really are, - challenges now. yeah, morning, sally. there really are, because | sally. there really are, because here we find the snp yet again scrambling around looking for a new leader, and are therefore looking for a new first minister. and yes,
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they confront huge problems, perhaps they confront huge problems, perhaps the biggest of which is testament to their success. they have been in power here for ages, since 2007. and when you have been in powerfor that long you accumulate all sorts of issues, not least a track record that critics can point out. then there is the whole question that stands at what the heart of what the snp is all about, which is that desire for scottish independence, nearly ten years now since the independence referendum here in 2015 -- 201a. in the independence referendum here in 2015 —— 201a. in the last year or two the prospect of another independence referendum anytime soon has begun to look like it slipping away. and for the snp in that context, it had to work out what it wants to focus on. there has been a big argument internally about whether or not they have got that right and boy oh boy, there is going to be more of that argument in the leadership race getting under way as the party asks
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very loudly and publicly, what is its future look like? so very loudly and publicly, what is its future look like?— very loudly and publicly, what is its future look like? so what does this mean for— its future look like? so what does this mean for scotland _ its future look like? so what does this mean for scotland and i its future look like? so what does this mean for scotland and the i its future look like? so what does i this mean for scotland and the wider uk? it this mean for scotland and the wider uk? ., , ., ., , , this mean for scotland and the wider uk? .,, ., ., , , uk? it means that leadership race here nets uk? it means that leadership race here gets under _ uk? it means that leadership race here gets under way, _ uk? it means that leadership race here gets under way, people i uk? it means that leadership race here gets under way, people are l here gets under way, people are already talking aboutjohn swinney, the long—standing snp politician. so long—standing he is 60 years old and he is a former leader of the party's youth wing which gives you some sense of his longevity under the snp umbrella. there is also talk of kate forbes, almost halfjohn swinney�*s age, and seniorfigure in the party which came within a whisker of winning a year ago. does she decide to go for it? she comes from the social and economically conservative wing of the party, not to everyone's tastes but to the taste of plenty given that she came so close last time round. that's the race here. then there's the question about what it means for the wider uk. labour have been smiling in the last 2a hours, because turbulence for their
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biggest scottish rival the snp is potentially useful for them. does biggest scottish rival the snp is potentially usefulfor them. does it make it a little bit easierfor keir starmer to win more seats in scotland come the general election? then there is a bigger question around independence, support for independence as things stand seems more resilient than a support for the snp. this matter is, what is happening here, whether you are in scotland or wherever you are in the uk. ., ~ scotland or wherever you are in the uk. . ~ , ., , scotland or wherever you are in the uk. thank you, chris, good to see ou. uk. thank you, chris, good to see you- more — uk. thank you, chris, good to see you- more the _ uk. thank you, chris, good to see you. more the you _ uk. thank you, chris, good to see you. more the you news - uk. thank you, chris, good to see you. more the you news today i uk. thank you, chris, good to see| you. more the you news today now with jon. you. more the you news today now withjon. —— more of the news today. king charles will visit a cancer treatment centre today in his first major public engagement since his own diagnosis with the disease in february. he'll be accompanied by queen camilla and is said to be "greatly encouraged" to be resuming some of his duties. here's our royal correspondent sean coughlan. the news about king charles�*s cancer treatment has been much more positive, enough for the king to begin a return to public events today. with the queen at his side, they'll be at a symbolic location,
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a hospital with a specialist centre for cancer. the king's visit will try to raise awareness of the importance of early diagnosis and by going public about his own health problems, the king had hoped to encourage others to get health checks. apart from an appearance on easter sunday, the king has mostly stayed away from public events and the crowds. so today marks a gradual return to normal. but this is still only cautious optimism. the king is continuing to receive cancer treatment, and we still don't know if he'll be able to attend many of the big summer events. this includes major engagements such as garden parties and the d—day celebrations and trooping the colour, where last year he was on horseback. it's been a tough year for the royals. the princess of wales has also had a cancer diagnosis and catherine and prince william put out a photograph yesterday to mark their 13th wedding anniversary. after a long winter, the whole family will be hoping for a glimpse of summer. sean coughlan, bbc news.
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the duchess of edinburgh has become the first member of the royal family to visit ukraine since the russian invasion. buckingham palace said sophie's trip was to "demonstrate solidarity with the women, men and children impacted by the war". our ukraine correspondent james waterhouse has more. this really is a sizeable endorsement of ukraine's cause as it continues to try and resist russia's full—scale invasion. the duchess of edinburgh travelled to bucha first, in a jam—packed one day visit, this was a town that russian forces advanced upon in the early weeks of the invasion where there was overwhelming evidence of war crimes, of civilians deliberately being targeted. it's often a place where high profile visitors go. then there was the meat in the sandwich, meeting president zelensky and the first lady in kyiv, he had a big grin on his face
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compared to when he greets other dignitaries and politicians which he does so frequently. it was there the duchess presented them with a personal message from king charles. the royal family has been very outspoken about russia's aggression towards ukraine. it was after then that the duchess greeted children who had been forcibly separated from their families by russian forces, they had been returned to ukraine. she campaigns frequently about preventing sexual violence in conflicts, by the way. and it was a big moment for ukraine. will this visit follow with military pledges worth tens of millions or billions of pounds? no, but it does ukraine's cause no harm when other charities and governments see visits like this and president zelensky knows that. four law enforcement officers have been shot dead
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and anotherfour wounded in the us state of north carolina. the officers were attempting to arrest a wanted fugitive at a house in the city of charlotte when they came under fire. the suspect was shot dead at the scene. the royal mail is pausing the £5 penalty it was charging to anyone receiving a letter with a fake stamp. the firm said it would re—impose the charge after it has introduced an online scanner allowing customers to determine if a stamp is genuine. it follows a surge in the use of counterfeits, with 1.5 million seized. two military horses that sustained injuries after colliding with vehicles in london are continuing their recovery. army officials say quaker, a cavalry black seen on the left, is expected to make a full recovery, whilst the other, vida, a grey, remains under close observation. the uk covid inquiry is heading to northern ireland today
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after previously having hearings in england, scotland and wales. senior politicians and decision makers who guided northern ireland through the pandemic will appear but this module of the inquiry will begin by hearing from families of those who died during the pandemic. our reporterjennifer o'leary is in belfast for us now. good morning, jennifer. what will those families be hoping for in the days ahead?— those families be hoping for in the da s ahead? ,., ., ., days ahead? good morning. over the next three weeks _ days ahead? good morning. over the next three weeks the _ days ahead? good morning. over the next three weeks the covid _ days ahead? good morning. over the next three weeks the covid inquiry, l next three weeks the covid inquiry, which will be convened in the city centre hotel in belfast, will be hearing why decisions were taken and by whom because this module of the inquiry is focused on decision—making and political governance. so it's set to hear from senior politicians, the likes of dame eileen foster, sinn fein's michelle o'neill, who were the first and deputy first ministers of northern ireland —— arlene foster.
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that was during the time of the pandemic. it will hear from that was during the time of the pandemic. it will hearfrom sarah near seal servants who guided northern ireland to the pandemic. —— senior civil servants. there is another element, whether the critical nuances of northern ireland had any impact on the effectiveness of the response. over the next three weeks, the politics and decision—making will be passed through but today is an opportunity for the families of those grieving for the families of those grieving for loved ones lost, to have their say. a spokesperson from the bereaved families group will give testimony to the inquiry. it will also hear from footage from families affected by those who lost loved ones during the inquiry. during the pandemic. ones during the inquiry. during the andemic. . ~ ones during the inquiry. during the andemic. ., ~ , ., , ones during the inquiry. during the andemic. . ~' , ., , . pandemic. thank you very much indeed. the home office has admitted it is unable to immediately locate thousands of migrants who were initially earmarked for deportation to rwanda
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although a government source has denied they are missing. our chief political correspondent henry zeffman is in westminster. henry, they cannot be found but they aren't missing, explain? i will]! henry, they cannot be found but they aren't missing, explain?— aren't missing, explain? iwill try! this is about _ aren't missing, explain? iwill try! this is about the _ aren't missing, explain? iwill try! this is about the more _ aren't missing, explain? iwill try! this is about the more than i aren't missing, explain? iwill try! this is about the more than 5700 | this is about the more than 5700 asylum seekers who the home office we have learned has identified for removal to rwanda on the flights that rishi sunak said last week he hoped would take off in ten to 12 weeks, that is earlyjuly. they are a group of people who arrived in the uk on small boats betweenjanuary 2022 and june last year. but of those 5700, only 21a3 continue to report to the home office and can be located for detention, that is in the home office's official language. the rest of them are not reporting regularly to the home office, they are not in government operated on
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accommodation or maybe they don't have regular appointments. the government says this does not mean they are missing or have absconded, but now they have been alerted they might be deported to rwanda there are fears in parts of government that they could go missing or abscond. this is a reminder that we have talked about this policy for more than two years now, in terms of what the government wants, and negotiations with the rwandan government and what they want and what preparations they are doing, what preparations they are doing, what is happening with parliament and with legal challenges and in the supreme court, but now we are in the really fine practical details and the question for now and the question for the next ten weeks is, does it work? hate question for the next ten weeks is, does it work?— does it work? we will find out, thank you- _ for the past few years we've followed the story of the three dads, andy, mike and tim, who've been fundraising in memory of their daughters, who all took their own lives. the trio are currently taking part in their third hiking challenge walking 500 miles from scotland to norwich. yesterday they reached headingley in leeds where they met up
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with another famous fundraiser, kevin sinfield. the rugby league star and mnd campaignerjoined them for part of theirjourney. with some words of advice, i imagine. with some words of advice, i imauine. �* . , with some words of advice, i imagine-— with some words of advice, i imaaine.�* . , ., , imagine. and a very natty bobble hats! he was _ imagine. and a very natty bobble hats! he was a _ imagine. and a very natty bobble hats! he was a lot _ imagine. and a very natty bobble hats! he was a lot more - imagine. and a very natty bobble hats! he was a lot more wrapped imagine. and a very natty bobble i hats! he was a lot more wrapped up than anyone — hats! he was a lot more wrapped up than anyone else, _ hats! he was a lot more wrapped up than anyone else, maybe _ hats! he was a lot more wrapped up than anyone else, maybe he - hats! he was a lot more wrapped up than anyone else, maybe he feels i hats! he was a lot more wrapped up i than anyone else, maybe he feels the cold! they have 12 days left before they reach the finish line. we will be there on breakfast every step of the way. i we will be there on breakfast every step of the way-— step of the way. i wonder if it is whether for _ step of the way. i wonder if it is whether for shorts _ step of the way. i wonder if it is whether for shorts today? i step of the way. i wonder if it is l whether for shorts today? carroll can tell us. we will need everything because we will see a lot of different types of weather over the next few days. in the west we have got some rain and wind, this is an earlier picture from powys. if you have an allergy to tree pollen, it is moderate across scotland and high across england today. we are talking about oak tree pollen which is peaking at
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the moment but there is a bit of plane tree and birch as well and the grass season is on the way. you may have already noticed you are suffering from that as well. the rain has been coming up from the south—west, through the early part of the day, continuing to move northwards. it will continue to do so through the rest of the morning. move further east, we have got dry weather, a fair bit of sunshine across the north of scotland as well, but the rain is not too far away. eventually moving out of northern ireland but we will see some heavy showers here later. it continues through wales and into the south—west, some strong winds through the irish sea and areas adjacent to it. but inland it is going to be blustery. through the course of the day the rain might edge a little bit further eastwards, but we have another weather front coming in across the south—east introducing some cloud and one or two showers. temperatures up to 19 degrees but cooler if you are out towards the west in the cloud, wind and rain. this evening and overnight
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at the weatherfront and rain. this evening and overnight at the weather front is still with us but it is weakening, low cloud mist and fog coming from the north sea. the odd shower coming out of that. we are not expecting any issues with frost. these are the overnight lows, seven in the north to 11 with the south. i will have longer weather at about quarter to nine so i will see you then. there were more than 250 fatal stabbings in england and wales last year, many involving young men and boys. for every life lost, many more are shattered by grief. as part of a special bbc investigation into the wider effects of knife crime, our west of england correspondent danjohnson went to meet the mother of mikey roynon, who was just 16 when he was stabbed to death last summer. you may find some details of dan's report distressing.
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look how big it is! he was a live wire. he loved school. he was a little performer. he had loads of friends. he's always wanted to be outside, so he loved, you know, being out on a bike or a scooter. love you, too. love you. we love you. this is the story of a young life lost to knife crime atjust 16 and the grief of those left behind. one thing that's really hard is like not being called mum, because i've only got one son, so that's really hard. i'll never, ever be called mum again. 10th ofjune last summer, and teenagers are heading to a birthday party in bath that's been advertised on snapchat. this is mikey travelling from the edge of bristol with some friends. he was about to come across this group of teenagers from wiltshire heading to the same party.
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i knew mikey since probably say about 12, 13. this friend of mikey�*s was with him. we got to the party. yeah, the vibes, sound, happy. a sound party. and then, yeah, it all went downhill. we may never know exactly what sparked the confrontation, but at the back of the house, mikey was stabbed in the back of his neck. seeing him come out the balcony doors. he had blood coming out of his mouth. everyone wasjust shouting and screaming. me and another individual took him out, put him on the floor. but we didn't know where he actually got stabbed. how many times he'd been stabbed. all we knew was that he's been stabbed somewhere in his chest or his neck. so we thought straightaway that this is bad. as he collapsed on the road, neighbours tried to save mikey�*s life. the only thing he could say was that he was dying. you think he knew what was happening, how serious it was? yeah. what was that like to watch? sad, it's hard.
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worst thing that ever happened to my life. i noticed straightaway that i had loads of missed calls. as soon as i seen that, i panicked because the amount of calls that were on there, my heart was pumping. and then i rang mikey�*s phone and his friend answered and he said, "mikey�*s been stabbed." i was like, "is he ok? is he 0k?" and he said, "he's gone, he's gone." and i put the phone down on him because i didn't want to... i didn't want to hear that. i didn't believe it. and i went outside, i was being sick. this is mikey in a music video for his own song called oh dear. it had gone viral and was played at the party shortly before the attack. as a younger man, he'd been caught carrying a knife for someone, but his family say he'd left all that behind. he wore a balaclava, you know, he hung around in a big group of lads. he did.
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but it didn't mean he was going to go out and stab someone or he was going to have a weapon on him. so, this is where mikey used to come all the time from a very young age. so it's only right that it was done here to remember him. mikey�*s wider family are feeling the impact of his death. he was just amazing. and he just was, he wasjust what you would wish for in a son, a boyfriend, a nephew. i'm so proud i was his older cousin. i'm so proud, he made me so proud. and still nothing makes me so proud. so, yeah, he was a little star. in march, one of these 16—year—olds was convicted of murder, two of manslaughter. the jury agreed this footage showed they were carrying knives hidden in their tracksuits. why would you take a knife to a 16 year old's birthday party? why would you need to have a knife in a house party? yeah, that is shocking, really shocking.
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when i was 16, even younger, ia, i thought it was so cool to have, like, a naughty boyfriend or hang around with naughty people. you might think you're cool because your boyfriend gets arrested and he's cool and, you know, he drives stolen cars or even carries a knife, but it affects so many other people's lives. when i'm alone, i do chat to him. sometimes ijust sit on my phone and look at pictures or videos of him. and alongside the grief and the unanswered questions are the nightmares. around mikey�*s funeral i kept dreaming that the coffin lid would come off. that was hard. a lot about what he would look like now. that's tough. i've woken up in the night shouting his name because i can't find him. i also have nice dreams about him as well. like i dreamt the other day that was having a conversation with him.
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you've got the haemostatic tools in there. so that would be used on arteries to help clot blood. first aid kits for traumatic bleeds are part of a campaign now to save lives. we've got the tourniquet, which is a brilliant piece of equipment. mikey�*s world is something positive from the despair. ifelt numb, yeah. for all those months? yeah, yeah. like this, this is going to end soon. this is, you know, this... he'll come walking back in the door. i've always said that, i still feel that way. do you think that will ever go? no. do you want it to? no. no, i don't, no, because i can get through thinking in that way. he's around and he's
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here and he'll be back soon. everything's the same at home. shoes are still by the back door. his work boots are still by the front door. just in case, yeah. and tomorrow we'll look at the impact on others affected by this crime, neighbours, police and medics, as well as mikey�*s family. three teenagers are due to be sentenced in bristol on friday. one for mikey�*s murder and the other two for manslaughter. lots more to come in the lots more to come in the pro-ramme. lots more to come in the programme. nina is learnin- to be a bricklayer. nina is learning to be a bricklayer. she will— nina is learning to be a bricklayer. she will be — nina is learning to be a bricklayer. she will be brilliant about it. john is learnina she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to _ she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to row. _
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she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to row. and _ she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to row. and he - she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to row. and he will i she will be brilliant about it. john is learning to row. and he will be | is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at _ is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it — is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it as _ is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it as well. _ is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it as well. and - is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it as well. and we i is learning to row. and he will be brilliant at it as well. and we are | brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending _ brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it _ brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it is _ brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it is warm _ brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it is warm there, i brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it is warm there, it i brilliant at it as well. and we are pretending it is warm there, it is freezing, isn't it?— pretending it is warm there, it is freezing, isn't it? don't know what ou freezing, isn't it? don't know what you mean! — freezing, isn't it? don't know what you mean! summer _ freezing, isn't it? don't know what you mean! summer is _ freezing, isn't it? don't know what you mean! summer is here! i freezing, isn't it? don't know what - you mean! summer is here! guarantee it! coming up. this month ofcom has named and shamed the most complained about broadband providers. consumer champ matt allwright is here to help if yours is letting you down. how come he has got the jackets, helen, _ how come he has got the jackets, helen, how— how come he has got the jackets, helen, how come _ how come he has got the jackets, helen, how come you _ how come he has got the jackets, helen, how come you have - how come he has got the jackets, helen, how come you have not i how come he has got the jackets, l helen, how come you have not got how come he has got the jackets, - helen, how come you have not got the jacket? _ helen, how come you have not got the jacket? the _ helen, how come you have not got the jacket? the wind — helen, how come you have not got the jacket? the wind is _ helen, how come you have not got the jacket? the wind is picking _ helen, how come you have not got the jacket? the wind is picking up! - poor customer service, _ dodgy connections, and increased prices are just a few. of the network niggles. i'll tell you how to do a quick speed check and how good . a letter could help - escalate your complaint. plus, almost a million people in the uk are off work due to excruciating back pain. we've called on a premier league football team doctor to help you give it the boot and explain why painkillers aren't the answer. also, car insurance claims are reportedly on the rise in what's being dubbed wrist—lash. a top insurance expert give
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us their ways to save. and, tens of thousands of brits have got a secret inheritance waiting for them, which could add up to thousands of pounds. we meet the people connecting families with their missing cash and learn how no genuine firm will ever ask for payment upfront. all that plus, fridge freezers are one of the biggest energy guzzlers in your home. we'll tell you why defrosting it regularly could help slash your bills and how a pair of chopsticks are the trick to keeping it clean. it is pretty cold up here. we are in some _ it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind — it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind of— it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind of wind _ it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind of wind tunnel. - it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind of wind tunnel. you. it is pretty cold up here. we are in some kind of wind tunnel. you need to stick your — some kind of wind tunnel. you need to stick your head _ some kind of wind tunnel. you need to stick your head out. _ some kind of wind tunnel. you need to stick your head out. better? - some kind of wind tunnel. you need to stick your head out. better? we. to stick your head out. better? we are ready for _ to stick your head out. better? we are ready for 9:30am. _ to stick your head out. better? we are ready for 9:30am. we - to stick your head out. better? we are ready for 9:30am. we will - to stick your head out. better? we| are ready for 9:30am. we will have the forecast — are ready for 9:30am. we will have the forecast later! _ are ready for 9:30am. we will have the forecast later! at _ are ready for 9:30am. we will have the forecast later! at least - are ready for 9:30am. we will have the forecast later! at least they - the forecast later! at least they are outside! it is a signal that spring — are outside! it is a signal that spring is_ are outside! it is a signal that spring is coming. i are outside! it is a signal that spring is coming.— spring is coming. i love your optimism- — time now to get the news, travel and weather where you are.
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hello, good morning. this is your london news with me, frankie mccamley. 25 years ago, a nail bomb went off in a gay bar in soho, killing more than 80 people. the bomb was the third planted in the capital in less than a month by a self—confessed racist and homophobe. one of those killed was a pregnant woman — andrea dykes. her father has told us, all these years later, "the pain is still as raw as ever." i don't hate him. ifeel sorry for him. to go through life thinking like that, it's got to be so sad. at the same time, he's harmed an awful lot of other people for the sake of his hatred, which is inexcusable. a man from croydon has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 15 years for murdering his 19—year—old wife. mehak sharma was stabbed to death by her husband — 24—year—old sahil sharma — at their home on ash tree way.
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sharma was sentenced at kingston crown court after pleading guilty to her murder. the army says the horses that were injured when seven of them bolted through central london last week are continuing to recover. it says of the two that needed surgery one, called quaker, is showing "significant improvement" and should make a full recovery. while the other, called vida, continues to make progress "under close and careful" observation. a bit of possible good news for renters. although average rents have hit a new high in the capital there are signs that the pace of the rise is slowing. that's according to the property website, rightmove. it's partly down to landlords being forced to reduce prices — simply because renters cant afford them. let's take a look at the tubes now.
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now, let's get that bank holiday weather. here's kate kinsella. good morning. it's a bright start this morning. plenty of sunshine. we start the day with temperatures in mid single figures. now, we'll start to see more cloud edging in from the near continent. with that, the chance of a shower in the east later on this afternoon. most places staying dry further west with some sunshine and temperatures warm, 18 celsius, the wind less strong than yesterday. so feeling the benefit of that temperature rise. now, overnight, some clear spells, mist and murk developing where we get those clear spells, some low cloud, the minimum temperature, 7 celsius. now, for wednesday, we'll start to see that cloud becoming more widespread as we head through tomorrow morning. the mist and murk should lift, but the cloud moving west. with that, some rain. now, we could get some heavier bursts. you mightjust hear a rumble of thunder, but it's clearing away westwards, an easterly breeze. the temperature tomorrow, again, warm at 19 celsius, especially through the afternoon in that sunshine. now, it is going to stay unsettled this week. further spells of rain at times and temperatures a little less warm
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for the bank holiday weekend. head to our website or the bbc news app for more including the dagenham music festival that's been forced to cancel over safety concerns. i'm back in half an hour. see you then. hello, this is breakfast withjon kay and sally nugent. returning to our main story this morning, scotland's search for a new leader. a year after he was elected, humza yousaf has stepped down as scotland's first minister and leader of the scottish national party. his future as leader had been uncertain since last thursday, when he ended the snp�*s power—sharing agreement with the scottish greens. he said he underestimated the impact of his decision, which left him facing votes of no confidence from opposition parties. so, who could replace him as leader of the snp? two early contenders for thejob are former deputy first ministerjohn swinney
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and former treasury secretary kate forbes. john swinney led the snp in opposition in the early 2000s and some big names are encouraging him to step up again. he's considered an experienced safe pair of hands and says he's thinking about it. kate forbes narrowly lost to humza yousaf in the last snp leadership contest. she has rebelled on a number of issues while she's been on the backbenches, and is widely seen as representing a more socially conservative wing of the party. not running, though, is the snp�*s westminster leader, stephen flynn. despite representing the party in westminster, he's ruled himself of this contest and is instead backing john swinney to become the next party leader. so what happens next? well, candidate nominations opened at midnight and close on monday, the 6th of may. here's how some people in scotland reacted to humza yousaf�*s decision to stand down. i don't think he was the man for thejob, to be honest. full of promises, which never transpired. but then that comes with quite a lot of the ministers that take office. i'm sorry to see him resign.
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i thought he had a lot still in him to give. in his time in office, i've met him in the hustings and he came across — he'd been really good, he's had a very, very hard time since he come into thejob and i think it's made it a very difficult move for the snp full stop. i wasn't really all that surprised. i think the wheels have been coming off for a while, so i think it's probably his time to go. but i don't know about the chaos that ensues — who's going to take over, so... sad to see humza go, - but there'll be somebody else in the background that's coming up. now, whether it's going - to be someone from westminster or whether it's going to be someone from within the party or someone i that's unknown yet. i'm sure that they'll get back on track fairly soon. - he just wasn't the right person for thejob. he's basically taken scotland from up here to down here. i thought he was actually fairly competent. never been a fan of the snp, mind you. but i don't know quite
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who will take over. personally, for him, it's quite a sad event, but it couldn't have gone on the way it was going with indecision all over the place. it's not satisfactory. we're joined now by anas sarwar, leader of the scottish labour party. good morning to you. humza yousaf is still facing two votes of confidence, one which the conservatives in scotland brought against him, against him personally. the other you tabled, as labour, no confidence in his government. it looks like the one in him is probably going to be shelved. what about yours in the government? is it still on the table? it is about yours in the government? is it still on the table?— still on the table? it is still on the table- _ still on the table? it is still on the table. we _ still on the table? it is still on the table. we have _ still on the table? it is still on the table. we have to - still on the table? it is still on the table. we have to see - still on the table? it is still on | the table. we have to see how still on the table? it is still on - the table. we have to see how this week progresses. the parliamentary process will look at this afternoon. the principle of the nation still
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stands. the reason why we do not have confidence in this snp government since the creation of the scottish parliament we are in the biggest crisis scotland has seen. there is an nhs crisis with one in six starts stuck on an nhs waiting lists. it requires a competent government, not a dysfunctional snp. i do not think they can get the strong, fresh leadership the country needs. the second point, a point of principle around our nation, that democratic deficit. when rishi sunak took overfrom democratic deficit. when rishi sunak took over from liz truss, it was said the doors of downing street were not a revolving door or a plaything of the political party and it was for the people to decide who lead the country. that same principle should surely apply to the snp and holyrood. it should be for the people of scotland to decide who leads the country, not a backroom
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deal stitched up by the snp. the bbc understands the _ deal stitched up by the snp. the bbc understands the green _ deal stitched up by the snp. the bbc understands the green party - deal stitched up by the snp. the bbc understands the green party is - understands the green party is unlikely to back your motion of no confidence, so it would hardly stand a chance to get through. what would be the point of keeping it on the table? it be the point of keeping it on the table? , ., ,., .., table? it is full other political arties table? it is full other political parties to _ table? it is full other political parties to decide _ table? it is full other political parties to decide how - table? it is full other political parties to decide how they i table? it is full other political. parties to decide how they vote. table? it is full other political- parties to decide how they vote. the green party has huge influence on the snp leadership process. john swinney as their preferred candidate and he would look to do a deal with the green party again. i emphasise the green party again. i emphasise the principle of the nation still applies. they cannot bring us chaotic government. they are similar to the uk conservatives, a party trying to manage and cover up full failures were trying to manage the division and failures internally. i do not think they can give strong government. it is not for them to stitch up and decide who leads the country, it is all the people of
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scotland to decide. we may well not have the votes to get through parliament but the principle still applies and we will continue to make that principled argument. is it applies and we will continue to make that principled argument.— that principled argument. is it what the --eole that principled argument. is it what the peeple of— that principled argument. is it what the people of scotland _ that principled argument. is it what the people of scotland want? - that principled argument. is it what the people of scotland want? have| that principled argument. is it what i the people of scotland want? have an election in scotland now and then a general election in a few weeks' time, another three months�* time general election in a few weeks�* time, another three months�* time and then another election? are you in tune with what scotland wants? if you look at the polling, a recent survey said 70% of scots believe we need fresh leadership in scotland. 75% believe we need to change here in scotland. , 7596 believe we need to change here in scotland-— in scotland. they will get it with a new leader _ in scotland. they will get it with a new leader for _ in scotland. they will get it with a new leader for snp. _ in scotland. they will get it with a new leader for snp. no, - in scotland. they will get it with a new leader for snp. no, they - in scotland. they will get it with a new leader for snp. no, they are | new leader for snp. no, they are not. john swinney _ new leader for snp. no, they are not. john swinney himself - new leader for snp. no, they are not. john swinney himself has i new leader for snp. no, they are | not. john swinney himself has said he has been at the heart of the snp for the last a0 years. he has spent every minute as part of the machine of this snp government. he was the
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finance secretary, doing four deal�*s the home secretary. he was the worst education secretary in the history of scottish parliament crashing the education system and school standards falling. this is continuity on steroids in many ways. scotland needs change. it will not come from the snp. you scotland needs change. it will not come from the snp.— scotland needs change. it will not come from the snp. you do not want john swinney — come from the snp. you do not want john swinney and _ come from the snp. you do not want john swinney and you _ come from the snp. you do not want john swinney and you accept - come from the snp. you do not want john swinney and you accept you - come from the snp. you do not want john swinney and you accept you are| john swinney and you accept you are unlikely to get an election. would you rather have kate forbes as your first minister?— first minister? again, i am not someone _ first minister? again, i am not someone pretending _ first minister? again, i am not someone pretending to - first minister? again, i am not someone pretending to have . first minister? again, i am not - someone pretending to have influence over leaders for political parties. it is for the snp to do that. i am focused on what the public think and what the public need. i think the public should think that they should decide who leads the country. we need change to reform public
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services, to get the nhs back on track, to get the economy growing and to make work pay and have government on the side of working people across the country. that is not on offer from the uk conservatives all from the snp in scotland. 0nly labour offers that change. i am looking forward to energetically make that case every day between now and the next general election and when the next scottish parliament election is as well. thank you forjoining us. the construction industry is warning that it needs more bricklayers to meet the government�*s home building target. nina�*s on a building site to tell us more. what is going on? some fantastic views and great company. goad views and great company. good morninu. views and great company. good morning. good _ views and great company. good morning. good morning. - views and great company. good morning. good morning. look. views and great company. (limo. morning. good morning. look behind me at this cracking view over west london! you can see kew gardens, richmond park. spin around this way,
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we are on a big old building site, part of the regeneration of brentford. one, two and three—bedroom flats being built at the moment with this bricklaying business employing 600 people the country. the situation for recruitment in bricklaying is so difficult at the moment. there are not enough bricklayers across the country. at the moment my 70,000 new homes need to be built if the government is to hit its own target of 300,000 new homes a year. to get near the target, another 33,000 new bricklayers are needed. there are some good news and these girls form part of the picture. there has been a fourfold increase in young women taking on apprenticeships in construction and engineering over the last five years. butjust15% of
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the last five years. butjust15% of the current construction workforce is female. why is that? let�*s talk to morgan, millie and amelia, who had taken on these apprenticeships. morgan, so far so good? yes. had taken on these apprenticeships. morgan, so far so good?— morgan, so far so good? yes, it has been pretty — morgan, so far so good? yes, it has been pretty good- — morgan, so far so good? yes, it has been pretty good. what _ morgan, so far so good? yes, it has been pretty good. what do - morgan, so far so good? yes, it has been pretty good. what do you - morgan, so far so good? yes, it has| been pretty good. what do you like? sa a mac been pretty good. what do you like? say a mac or — been pretty good. what do you like? say a mac or the _ been pretty good. what do you like? say a mac or the environment - been pretty good. what do you like? say a mac or the environment on - say a mac or the environment on site. ifeel you can pick up things a lot easier because people can show you easy ways to do things. it is a lot easier because people can show you easy ways to do things.— you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way _ you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way to _ you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way to learn _ you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way to learn man - you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way to learn man on - you easy ways to do things. it is a lot better way to learn man on a l lot better way to learn man on a regular— lot better way to learn man on a regular college course. you lot better way to learn man on a regular college course.- lot better way to learn man on a regular college course. you say you like the fact — regular college course. you say you like the fact you _ regular college course. you say you like the fact you get _ regular college course. you say you like the fact you get stuck - regular college course. you say you like the fact you get stuck in - regular college course. you say you like the fact you get stuck in from l like the fact you get stuck in from day one. here is millie. have you found it challenging being in a male—dominated environment? no, she has not. i male-dominated environment? no, she has not. ~ , ., , male-dominated environment? no, she has not. ~ , , ., has not. i feel like people should be able to _ has not. i feel like people should be able to reach _ has not. i feel like people should be able to reach potential - be able to reach potential regardless _ be able to reach potential regardless of _ be able to reach potential regardless of gender- be able to reach potential regardless of gender or. be able to reach potential. regardless of gender or race. be able to reach potential _ regardless of gender or race. anyone should _ regardless of gender or race. anyone should have — regardless of gender or race. anyone should have the _ regardless of gender or race. anyone should have the support— regardless of gender or race. anyone should have the support they - regardless of gender or race. anyone
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should have the support they need. i should have the support they need. lee should have the support they need. lee marley— should have the support they need. lee marley has _ should have the support they need. lee marley has excelled _ should have the support they need. lee marley has excelled at - should have the support they need. lee marley has excelled at that, . lee marley has excelled at that, really _ lee marley has excelled at that, really there _ lee marley has excelled at that, really. there are _ lee marley has excelled at that, really. there are four _ lee marley has excelled at that, really. there are four of - lee marley has excelled at that, really. there are four of us, - lee marley has excelled at that, j really. there are four of us, four females — really. there are four of us, four females. there _ really. there are four of us, four females. there are _ really. there are four of us, four females. there are minorities i really. there are four of us, four- females. there are minorities abuzz everywhere — females. there are minorities abuzz everywhere-— females. there are minorities abuzz eve here. �* . everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier- she — everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. she is _ everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. she is a _ everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. she is a tricky _ everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. she is a tricky not _ everywhere. amelia was teaching me earlier. she is a tricky not to - earlier. she is a tricky not to crack. l earlier. she is a tricky not to crack. . ., ., , , crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master— crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master it _ crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master it soon. _ crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master it soon. do _ crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master it soon. do you - crack. i am getting now, hopefully i will master it soon. do you see - will master it soon. do you see alon: will master it soon. do you see along career— will master it soon. do you see along career in _ will master it soon. do you see along career in construction? l will master it soon. do you see i along career in construction? yes. as lona along career in construction? yes. as long as — along career in construction? yes. as long as you _ along career in construction? yes. as long as you do _ along career in construction? yes. as long as you do not _ along career in construction? yes. as long as you do not do - along career in construction? yes. as long as you do not do too much heavy— as long as you do not do too much heavy lifting. it as long as you do not do too much heavy lifting-— heavy lifting. it must be so satisfying- _ heavy lifting. it must be so satisfying. these _ heavy lifting. it must be so satisfying. these buildings| heavy lifting. it must be so - satisfying. these buildings behind he had been built brick by brick. i have been enjoying watching the process and having a go as well. what is a solution to recruitment?
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meeting the house builders of tomorrow, the princess royal at the hub developing the next generation of construction workers. here they�*re training up to 80 apprentices to go some way to tackle the skills shortage with people like tiwona, 29, who chose construction over university, tegan, who decided a job on the building site was for her, and toby, a former ipswich town trainee who was let go from the club. i did find myself not really knowing where to look going forward. yeah, it was a very brutal industry, yeah. and what�*s been so special about this? i finally sort of found a path where i could see myself progressing, and it�*s nice to be able to do something and stand back and feel proud of what you�*ve done. it's definitely a male—dominated job, but it's very good. it's a lot of support, it's not what people think it would be like, you know, all of those stereotypes. it's really nice, everyone's been so supportive and lovely. getting new blood into the industry is vital if we�*re going to keep pace with demands.
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across the country, we need to build 300,000 new homes and that will take 75,000 bricklayers. the builders that we work with are very keen to deliver quality homes and if we haven�*t got the people there to build those quality homes, the volumes willjust be less. what can you earn in the building industry? on average, a bricklayer from our data can comfortably earn £50,000 a year. and we�*re trying to, along with the house builders, dispel the myth that it is a hard and dirty and low paid role. bricklayers make quite good money, so i thought i'd get into that. i was also in the building industry a little bit myself labouring, and obviously i wanted to get qualified. so i've done the training hub and it's a quick way to actually get qualified. it�*s hoped the royal seal of approval might go some way to attract more into the industry. emma baugh, bbc news.
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eve is from the association of brickwork contractors. what do you see the blockage being about? is it still because of the reputation, dirty, hard and low paid? there is still a stigma _ dirty, hard and low paid? there is still a stigma attached _ dirty, hard and low paid? there is still a stigma attached against i still a stigma attached against construction. the industry is trying very hard _ construction. the industry is trying very hard to — construction. the industry is trying very hard to move away from it. the number _ very hard to move away from it. the number one — very hard to move away from it. the number one blocker to recruitment is that skill— number one blocker to recruitment is that skill shortage. organisations can overcome this. we tirelessly worked — can overcome this. we tirelessly worked to— can overcome this. we tirelessly worked to overcome it by investing in skills. _ worked to overcome it by investing in skills, investing in training programmes and recruitment programmes. also, embracing diversity— programmes. also, embracing diversity is one way to really help recruitment.— diversity is one way to really help recruitment. ., ., . recruitment. some women will watch and then, recruitment. some women will watch and then. we — recruitment. some women will watch and then, we are _ recruitment. some women will watch and then, we are different, _ recruitment. some women will watch and then, we are different, we i and then, we are different, we menstruate, we grow babies, is it thejob for me? i menstruate, we grow babies, is it the job for me?—
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the job for me? i can absolutely understand _ the job for me? i can absolutely understand that. _ the job for me? i can absolutely understand that. as _ the job for me? i can absolutely understand that. as an - the job for me? i can absolutely| understand that. as an industry, the job for me? i can absolutely i understand that. as an industry, we need _ understand that. as an industry, we need to— understand that. as an industry, we need to move away from that stigma. we have _ need to move away from that stigma. we have proved today it is doable. anyone _ we have proved today it is doable. anyone who can pick up a trowel can lay a brick _ anyone who can pick up a trowel can la a brick. anyone who can pick up a trowel can lay a brick-— lay a brick. even me! i have been learnina. lay a brick. even me! i have been learning. amelia _ lay a brick. even me! i have been learning. amelia has _ lay a brick. even me! i have been learning. amelia has been - lay a brick. even me! i have been l learning. amelia has been teaching me. can i borrow your travel again? there is a technique. i have not mastered it but i have tried my best. it is about right? there we go. looks about right. and so we go, central, squash down the middle class of. oh, she has messed it up! god loves a try! we class of. oh, she has messed it up! god loves a try!— class of. oh, she has messed it up! god loves a try! we would never have known that- — god loves a try! we would never have known that. there _ god loves a try! we would never have known that. there we _ god loves a try! we would never have known that. there we go. _ god loves a try! we would never have known that. there we go. that - god loves a try! we would never have known that. there we go. that is i known that. there we go. that is ri . ht, known that. there we go. that is right. perfect- —
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known that. there we go. that is right, perfect. everyone- known that. there we go. that is right, perfect. everyone loves. known that. there we go. that is right, perfect. everyone loves al right, perfect. everyone loves a trier and nina _ right, perfect. everyone loves a trier and nina is _ right, perfect. everyone loves a trier and nina is certainly i right, perfect. everyone loves a trier and nina is certainly trying j trier and nina is certainly trying to work with. it is quarter to nine. the issue of pollution in our rivers and seas is something we have covered extensively on breakfast — including its impact on surfers, swimmers and rowers. now, the governing bodies of seven water—based sports are uniting to demand action from the government. john�*s at a rowing club to tell us more. morning, john. yes, good morning. hello, everybody. a beautiful morning outside trafford rowing club on the banks of the bridgewater canal. you can probably see some wearers. for anyone enjoying water—based activities at the moment, there are real concerns about what is in it. that the pollution and water quality at the moment. it has prompted several sporting associations to come together and push for lasting change
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from the government and the authorities so they can continue to enjoy these activities out on the water safely, as our sports editor tantalus. —— can tell us. pupils at greenbank primary in rochdale, enjoying their weekly session on the water. the school offers sailing courses at a local reservoir and, for the kids, it�*s one of their favourite lessons of the week. how does it feel out on the water? well, sometimes when it�*s windy it goes really fast, so you get a bit scared. but other than that, it�*s quite fun. it�*s very cool. is it a good thing to do? definitely. yeah, because it's still a sport, so you still get exercise. the water quality here at hollingworth lake is good but the same cannot be said elsewhere. amid mounting concern over the threat of illness due to pollution, seven national governing bodies of water—based sports, including sailing, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, rowing and angling have now formed an alliance to demand clean, open water across the uk on behalf of a combined a50,000 members.
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they�*re worried about if their children are going to get sick, if they�*re going to get sick. our athletes are concerned when they go out training, are they going to get poorly doing the thing that they love? so yeah, we�*re hearing it every day now. there�*s a lot of rivers that are under real threat from sewage discharge, and that puts our members and our community under direct health threat. we're calling for the ability for regulators to monitor, the ability for regulators to hold polluters to account. there needs to set a precedent, so that it's not ok for our waters to become polluted and remain so because these are precious places for all people to enjoy. a government spokesperson said sewage pollution in our waters is unacceptable, which is why we have taken action to ban water bosses�* bonuses when criminal breaches have occurred, quadrupled company inspections next year, provided more funding to our water regulators and fast—tracked investment to cut spills. 100% of overflows are now being monitored, and if water companies are found to breach their permits, action will be taken.
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meanwhile, industry group water uk said sewage spill levels remained unacceptable, but water companies in england had proposed £10 billion to reduce them by nearly a0% by 2030. many will hope that this unprecedented coming together by water—based sports helps to ensure that places like this are protected for generations to come. but it�*s notjust here at the grassroots of sport that there are concerns about water pollution. last month�*s boat race was overshadowed by concerns over sewage levels in the thames with high levels of e.coli detected. and, at this summer�*s paris olympics, organisers may have to postpone or even cancel the swimming leg of the triathlon if pollution levels in the river seine don�*t improve. a host of sports now adding their voices to those calling for change. dan roan, bbc news.
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let�*s chat to some people here. ben summers hisjunior vice captain of the rowing club. is it something on your mind at the moment, water quality? your mind at the moment, water auali ? your mind at the moment, water .uali ? ., your mind at the moment, water auali ? ., .., ., your mind at the moment, water auali ? ., ., ., quality? looking at the colour of the water and _ quality? looking at the colour of the water and some _ quality? looking at the colour of the water and some of— quality? looking at the colour of the water and some of the i quality? looking at the colour of the water and some of the stuff| quality? looking at the colour of. the water and some of the stuff we found _ the water and some of the stuff we found but— the water and some of the stuff we found but there are obvious dangers. lucky— found but there are obvious dangers. lucky we _ found but there are obvious dangers. lucky we are — found but there are obvious dangers. lucky we are on the canal. the rivers — lucky we are on the canal. the rivers are — lucky we are on the canal. the rivers are a _ lucky we are on the canal. the rivers are a lot worse than theirs. even _ rivers are a lot worse than theirs. even though there are clear risks, we feel. _ even though there are clear risks, we feel. we — even though there are clear risks, we feel, we are quite a tight knit community. we have good communication from adults to genius. there _ communication from adults to genius. there are _ communication from adults to genius. there are good safety and welfare officers _ there are good safety and welfare officers in — there are good safety and welfare officers in place to give us good guidance — officers in place to give us good guidance. even if we do have an illness— guidance. even if we do have an illness or— guidance. even if we do have an illness or we fall in, even with the risks, _ illness or we fall in, even with the risks, we — illness or we fall in, even with the risks, we feel comfortable enough to row. , . row. does it affect your en'oyment? not at all. row. does it affect your en'oyment? not at an. r — row. does it affect your en'oyment? not at all. i would i row. does it affect your en'oyment? not at all. i would say i row. does it affect your enjoyment? not at all. i would say trafford i row. does it affect your enjoyment? not at all. i would say trafford is i not at all. i would say trafford is a really — not at all. i would say trafford is a really good club to start because there _ a really good club to start because there is— a really good club to start because there is stuff in place to help you, if you _ there is stuff in place to help you, if you capsize or get healed. glad
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to hear you _ if you capsize or get healed. glad to hear you are _ if you capsize or get healed. (zlac to hear you are enjoying it. if you capsize or get healed. (elac to hear you are enjoying it. we can speak to rick daniels, ceo of british triathlon. morning. a beautiful manchester day. —— rees. do you know to some of your athletes, putting on big tournaments and competitions, are you might point where you have to think whether they can go ahead because of water quality? sign up it is definitely tougher people because of all the commentary at the moment. == all the commentary at the moment. -- it is all the commentary at the moment. —— it is definitely tough for people. we feel— it is definitely tough for people. we feel we are operating in a safe environment. it is very much top of peoples _ environment. it is very much top of peoples minds. the environment. it is very much top of peoples minds-— peoples minds. the olympics is around the _ peoples minds. the olympics is around the corner— peoples minds. the olympics is around the corner and - peoples minds. the olympics is around the corner and triathlon | peoples minds. the olympics is i around the corner and triathlon will be part of that. what are you hearing from members and some of your elite athletes? share hearing from members and some of your elite athletes?— your elite athletes? are elite athletes want _ your elite athletes? are elite athletes want to _ your elite athletes? are elite athletes want to know - your elite athletes? are elite athletes want to know they l your elite athletes? are elite l
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athletes want to know they are swimming in safe, healthy water. our members _ swimming in safe, healthy water. our members are wanting to know they are swimming _ members are wanting to know they are swimming in— members are wanting to know they are swimming in good water. they will not be _ swimming in good water. they will not be ill— swimming in good water. they will not be ill or— swimming in good water. they will not be ill or sick. when we have events, — not be ill or sick. when we have events, we _ not be ill or sick. when we have events, we have certain water quality— events, we have certain water quality which is needed. it is top of mind — quality which is needed. it is top of mind. we need to have a voice and ensure _ of mind. we need to have a voice and ensure there — of mind. we need to have a voice and ensure there is a better standard for everybody. ensure there is a better standard for everybody-— ensure there is a better standard for everybody. being able to check water quality _ for everybody. being able to check water quality immediately. - for everybody. being able to check water quality immediately. if i for everybody. being able to check water quality immediately. if you i water quality immediately. if you want to go out on the board kamate you need to know it is safe. the czechs do not give instant answers, they can take days. ll is czechs do not give instant answers, they can take days.— they can take days. it is a coalition _ they can take days. it is a coalition to _ they can take days. it is a coalition to work - they can take days. it is a| coalition to work towards. they can take days. it is a _ coalition to work towards. real-time coalition to work towards. real—time data people can rely on foot rather than wait _ data people can rely on foot rather than wait for results to come back. he mentioned the olympics. —— people can rely— he mentioned the olympics. —— people can rely on _ he mentioned the olympics. —— people can rely on. the he mentioned the olympics. -- people can rely on—
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can rely on. the sun is out, it is still a beautiful _ can rely on. the sun is out, it is still a beautiful day. _ can rely on. the sun is out, it is still a beautiful day. banner- can rely on. the sun is out, it is| still a beautiful day. banner still his rowing but there are still ongoing concerns. —— ben is still enjoying. eurovision has launched some huge acts over the years — but one eurovision performer, who went on to global fame, wasn�*t even there to compete. michael flatley was the half—time entertainment when he stole the show in 199a with his fresh take on irish dancing. 30 years later, he�*s returned to dublin to share memories of that life—changing moment, with our culture correspondent, charlotte gallagher. eurovision, 199a in dublin. and this was the interval act — riverdance with michael flatley. my goodness, that brings up a lot of memories. it was a very unique evening. it was very, very special. i�*ll tell you a story. i don�*t think i�*ve ever mentioned it before.
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right before i went on stage, they came to me beside the stage. a couple of them said, "please, we�*re getting calls from all the dance teachers. please don�*t wave your arms around. you�*re going to make us look ridiculous in front of the world and we�*ll be very embarrassed. so can we just ask you this time, whatever happens, keep your arms down?" and i said, "no." irish dancing quickly became a global sensation and fans filled arenas. and that impact going right across the world. how cool is that? so we nailed it. my dream. for 35 years, i was working in construction sites and digging foundations in chicago in those freezing cold winters. but i was creating those steps in my dance style, in my mind that whole time. and that�*s what got me through the hard laborious work was that — bring this dance form to the world.
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and did you tell your friends at the time or was... did you just keep it inside your head? would they just. .. you�*d think, "no, i�*m not going to rent him out on a building site." you know, these big muscle guys at the bar better not mention i�*m dreaming about dancing — and probably not the right thing to do. you know. michael set up his own show, lord of the dance. but growing up and wanting to be an irish dancer in the late—19605 wasn�*t easy. dancing. i got bullied at school terribly. so i know what young lads go through and it�*s trying. it�*s mentally difficult. it�*s stressful to have to walk into school and hope somebody doesn�*t say something negative toward you. but, if you look at our dancers now and in lord of the dance, the men are so powerfully masculine and they are just so buffed, cut, ripped. and they�*ve taken it to a whole new level.
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and it�*s fair to say that irish dancing has changed a lot over the decades. # don�*t stop till you get enough.# so what about the new generation of irish dancers? we took michael to meet a group of students in castleknock county, dublin. hiya. one, two, three. four, five, six. point and up. point toes. good job! allunder nine. beautiful. my god! ready. slowjump. good job. so. . . how was today? it was amazing.
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amazing. it's incredible to have, like, i michael flatley in our studio. yeah. it's just an insane - experience for all of us. for him to be here is mad, like. because we all look up to him, like, so much. j and would you like to dance professionally? would you like to be in lord of the dance? definitely. that�*s what we all look up to do in the future. exactly. and i couldn�*t leave without getting a little lesson. so penguin feet, yeah. and then you get your right foot. and then you bring it in front — heel to toe. first position. and then point your toe and you can start dancing. i think i�*m ready for the lord of the dance! and did you ever think, 30 years later, you�*d be talking still about that moment? but did you know at that time it would carry on? to be honest with you, i�*m delighted i�*m even here, 30 years later. at the pace i was going, i never thought i would be. and still, on the night, when riverdance finished, on that last stamp of the feet when it stopped, even i was blown
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away with the response. and it was one of those moments in time, you know. we were so blessed. charlotte gallagher, bbc news, dublin. good grief. that brought the folk memories out. stay with us. the headlines coming up. live from london, this is bbc news. our correspondents witnesses a
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confrontation between chinese and filipino coastguard ships in the disputed south china sea. one chinese coastguard ship on that side, three orfour behind us, so many chinese ships in this area. what next for scotland ? we look at the runners and riders to replace humza yousaf as first minister. a leaked document suggests an iranian teenager who vanished and became a symbol of anti—government protests was sexually assaulted and killed by security forces. and king charles returns to public engagements today with a visit to a cancer treatment centre. hello. i�*m azadeh moshiri, welcome to the programme. we start this hour in the disputed waters of the south china sea. the bbc has witnessed chinese vessels firing water cannon at philippine�*s coast guard ships.

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