Transcripts For BBCNEWS Beyond 100 Days 20240713

Speaks to me about the challenges of implementing real world Foreign Policy and americas place in diplomacy. To see america from the inside out, and to see whats good and even great in america, but also to see america from the outside as well i think is an important part of being an effective diplomat. Plus italy becomes the first country in the world to make Climate Change lessons for schoolchildren compulsary. Hello and welcome im Michelle Fleury in washington and Nuala Mcgovern is in london. Its not what anyone would want minutes before they launch their Election Campaign. As borisjohnson prepared to address voters from downing street, the news broke that a cabinet minister was resigning. Welsh secretary alun cairns quit following claims he knew about a former aides role in the collapse of a rape trial. Certainly not the best start for a campaign which was launched after mrjohnson met the queen to mark the dissolution of parliament. We now face five weeks of campaigning the Prime Minister saying he has no choice but to hold an election, because parliament is paralysed. The conservative party launch their campaign in about 30 minutes time in the West Midlands problem with sound we will try and bring that to you later on. Its also not been a straightforward day for labour three of theirformer mps have been axed as candidates for the party for the election. Our Political Correspondent Jessica Parker is in westminster. Well get to labour in a minute, but first. Borisjohnson basically Boris Johnson basically a borisjohnson basically a tough start for him, as you know, there we re start for him, as you know, there were allegations coming out against his minister that needed to step down. Talk us through what it looks like. The resignation of alun cairns wasnt surprising, it felt like the mood music wasnt particularly good yesterday for the welsh secretary, now a former welsh secretary, what was surprising was the timing of it, the fact he did resign today, moments before of course Boris Johnson took to the steps of downing street to say he had been to see the queen and the election was formally under way and on the very day the conservatives are launching their Election Campaign. But it seems maybe the conservative party thought this issue was hanging over them, they needed to deal with it, aluncairns said he is confident the investigation will clear him of wrongdoing but it isnt the best start for Boris Johnsons campaign, having said that, a lot can happen during a general Election Campaign, especially given there is five weeks of it so number ten will hope despite the bad start they have time to make up for things. Does this present an opportunity then, for labour . I think the labour Party Obviously wont be displeased with the way the conservative partys launch has gone so far today, although as you mentioned the official launch, the event in the wizards, that is happening in a West Midlands, that is happening in a short space of time. With a party launch day, what is customary, they get to set out policies and ideas, what is striking in terms of what borisjohnson has what is striking in terms of what Boris Johnson has been what is striking in terms of what borisjohnson has been saying so far and which will hear some of the same m essa 9 es and which will hear some of the same messages this evening, it is along the lines of what we has been outlining, he says he doesnt want an election, this has been forced on him bya an election, this has been forced on him by a stubborn parliament but a conservative government would get brexit done and be able to focus on important issues like the nhs and schools investment. I think that is interesting because borisjohnson has constantly been focussing on this idea of putting more money into Public Services and what you could see over the course of this election isa see over the course of this election is a bidding war, as both the labour party, the conservative party and indeed other parties the as well, try and address that appetite voters very for investment in Public Services after years of authority. It is interesting as whether they will talk about a brexit election or will talk about a brexit election or will the issues make it through. We talked about the conservative, labour, what about the liberal democrats as they are called, the liberal democrats or the green, where are they in this picture . The liberal democrats of course have this quite clear cut policy in terms of brexit, if and it would be a pretty big if given that are going in with 20 mp, if they won this election and became a majority government they have talked about revoking article 50, that would mean reversing brexit. Now that is seen as quite a big bold policy, what they are trying to do, is be clear to voters on the i issue of the day and they can say about the labour party who have this policy of having a referendum within six month, having renegotiate add day they can say the liberal democrats will argue they are more of a party of remain, thatis they are more of a party of remain, that is a constant attack line you will see from the liberal democrats, a for the can greens they are addressing the climate crisis, that is something they are have been talking about today. As the Campaign Goes on you will see core messages, maybe we start getting more details as we see manifesto, what we are are getting is launches but the black and white manifestos where you get to read the small print of what the Party Policies are, they will be important. Thank you so much. Taking us important. Thank you so much. Taking us through some of the strands of discussion, this isjust day us through some of the strands of discussion, this is just day one i want to share with you one video people are been watching online. Kay bu rley people are been watching online. Kay burley is a news reader in the uk. If somebody doesnt turn up they show themty chair, she continued to ask him all the questions she would if he was there. She said she was booked to be on the show. He denies it so it turns into a he said, she said. Let us watch what went on on air. Let us watch what went on on air. Ooh, im fuming, i cant even begin to tell you how cross i am. Youre watching kay burley at breakfast. Ive got an empty chair here, it was supposed to be filled by the chariman of the conservative party. Where is he . Hes probably 15 feet away from where im standing just at the moment. Ive been in to see him during the break. He said he wasnt due to come and talk to us today. That went on for what over an minute, in which she went through her laundry list of item, viewers had mixed reaction, it was being shared on social media, some people liked what she did, holding politicians feet to the fire, others not so happy, they complained to the media regulator and it seems that ofcom, the media regulator in britain is going to investigate and look into this. We shall see. The Brexit Party Leader nigel farage has been campaigning in north west england this morning. He told a rally that borisjohnsons new deal with the eu was 95 the same as theresa mays deal which was rejected by mps three times. He also said that labour would betray leave voters. Jeremy corbyn, the leader of the labour party, was also on the campaign trail today. He told supporters that the country will see real change if labour wins the election. Mr corbyn also claimed a government led by him would be able to renegotiate a brexit deal within three months. The green party in england and wales has said 12th december should be the climate election. At the start of its campaign in south west england, the party said it would spend £100 billion per year to protect the environment over the next decade. This would be funded by borrowing and tax changes. The impeachment inquiry is entering an important new phase. Today it was announced that open hearings will begin next week. That means the witnesses who have been appearing behind closed doors will now be in front of the cameras for everyone to see. First up on wednesday is william taylor, americas top diplomat in ukraine, and Deputy Assistant secretary of state george kent. Then on friday we will hear from Marie Yovanovitch who served as Us Ambassador to ukraine until she was called back early in may of 2019. And just moments ago, the closed door testimony of ambassador taylor was released. Here to talk about it all is the bbcs anthony zurcher. There are well over 300 pages so i am sure you havent had a chance to go through it all, anything jump out at you . It is interesting, we knew some of what bill taylor was going to say, you can see the actual consequence questions and his responses. One of the things said yesterday was that he, presumed that it was likely military aid was being conditioned on ukraine, opening up the investigations. Here you have bill taylor talking about how trump told for a public statement, that is because it ties donald trump to sobbed lynn who was talking about a quid pro quo, exchanging military aid for the investigation, if taylor can establish this tie between the president and this direction, i think that goes a long way to showing the president was right in the middle of this demand for something that could benefit him politically. Presumably democrats belief he will be a strong witness in the impeachment case because they have him scheduled to be the first in the public hearings when they ta ke in the public hearings when they take their case to the american public. A lot of these depositions we re public. A lot of these depositions were screen tests for the people, to see what they would say, what questions prompted the most incitele answer, now they have done that, clearly, bill taylor is someone they think is speak with authority, he is a careerforeign think is speak with authority, he is a Career Foreign Service officer, the same with george kent and Marie Yovanovitch. These are all Foreign Service people with depth of knowledge about ukraine and i think thatis knowledge about ukraine and i think that is why the democrats want to put them front and seven tern. That is why the democrats want to put them front and seven ternlj started downloading it before we started downloading it before we started the programme, that particular testimony took a lot of time. It is 324 pages, do you think there are certain words people will search for . How do you see it progressing . As the democrats have donein progressing . As the democrats have done in the past, they have released their own key moments, that tries to frame what people are talking about once the transcript drops, so passages they think are north worthy are being highlighted for reporters, but it will take a while to dig this through. We did have bill taylors Opening Statement so we know the gist of what he was saying, this is flushing the details out. We will come back to you in a minute. Thank you for Speed Reading through that now, the president ial election is a year away but opponents of President Trump are sniffing blood, after us democrats made gains in state elections. Virginia, once comfortably republican, has gone blue, with the democrats seizing full control of the States Government for the first time in a quarter of a century. In mississippi, republicans have held on to power in the race for governor. And in kentucky, trump couldnt save the unpopular incumbant matt bevin despite campaigning with him the night before the election. The democratic candidate for governor, andy beshear, has claimed victory, although bevin has refused to concede, citing unspecified irregularities. Lets go back to anthony. Let us start with virginia. One of the sort of states, i mean can we say this is a blue state that what was once republican is democratic . Well, the democrats control the governors office, they have both senate seats and i think they have seven out of 12 of the congressional house seats, it is a democratic state. Where it was once reliably republican it is a swing state and it is democratic, so donald trump has a path to winning the presidency next year but i think it is clear to say that that path is not going to go through virginia. Mississippi the republicans held on to. Kentucky, a murkier picture, can you bring us up to speed . The first thing know is donald trump carried that state by 30 point, so, it was a state that was one of Donald Trumps strongest. And bevans was a candidate in 2015, the year before donald trump won the presidency that looked like donald trump. Here he was a businessman, had never Held Elected Office before, ran against his own partys establishment, won, ran against a republican and governed in a confrontational sort of way, pushing through an agenda and not compromising a lot with the democrats and his popularity sunk. He got mired in controversy and lost despite Donald Trumps assistance on monday, so if you say well that could tell us a bit about what it will be like when donald trump is running for the presidency next year with the same issues going on, you have to read a bit into that, yes. We will leave it there for now, thank you forjoining us today. My pleasure. My pleasure. So how much trouble will republicans be in if the trends that emerged last night repeat themselves in 2020 . Heres a look at the Philadelphia Inquirer this morning where suburban voters will be key to President Trumps fortunes. Joining us now from new york is former advisor to george w bush, ron christie. Iam i am wondering whether you look at last night on or the front of the philadelphia inquiry is it time for a change of strategy when it comes to donald trump. Yes, without any doubt, i would say to you, that republicans, if they wake up today and dont take away the notion that the gop is heading into trouble next year, then i suggest they get a new line of work. I went to school in Delaware County outside of philadelphia, this was an area, these were areas where President Trump used as a springboard to bring him to the white house. Very important demographics and the blood letting we saw last night should be a significant wake up call to republicans that hey, perhaps we need to moderate or image a touch to bring some voters back to the fold. What would you advice . Well, for one thing i think republicans arent talking about the issues, we spend so much time talking about impeachment, fake news, witch hunt, this that and the other thing, the democrats i give them full credit here, they talked about the cookie cutter issues, health care, social security, they are talking about medicare and it gave voters a choice, do we want to talk about controversy or substance, that is my big take away, if the republicans are listening, if you dont knows can on the issues they care about they dont bring it back to office. Ron, i was looking at the president s twitterfeed, when talking about kentucky he pointed to the five races that republicans did win in that state, but the governor, where he campaigned with matt bevan the night before, was one where they we re the night before, was one where they were not successful, i want to play you this clip when he was campaigning the night before the election. Campaigning the night before the election. If you lose, it sends a really bad message. And they will build it up. Heres a story, if you win, theyre going to make it like, ho hum. And if you lose, theyre going to say, trump suffered the greatest defeat in the history of the world. This was the greatest. You cant let that happen to me cheering and laughter. Was the problem here the unpopularity of matt bevan or is that sign of troubles ahead for President Trump . Well, good afternoon to you michelle. I think this is more after an indication the focus on kentucky didnt like their current govern more more than a recollection of donald trump. If you look down ball let every other Office Holder won or held on, so, i look at this and say that an unpopular governor coupled with his controversial style led to that defeat. However, what i said a seconding a, there are many people in many districts across the us who are looking at the fact that republicans are trying to defend the president or talking about impeachment and not issue, that for tends danger, danger, dangerahead if we dont course correct. Ron christie, thank you for reminding us it is the suburbs that will be key in this 2020 president ial election. Next up, Samantha Power, the former Us Ambassador to the un under obama from 2013 to 2017, she has been a war correspondent, a Pulitzer Prize winning author and for years a high profile member of the obama adminstration. Now, she has written a memoir called the education of an idealist, about her career, yes, and she details why certain decisions were made by then president obama, but she also bares her soul about her home life and the anxiety she has experienced for years. We caught up this morning, starting with the impeachment inquiry into president donald trump. Do you think that republicans, and many of them would say a quid pro quo does not actually reach the bar for impeachment of high crimes and misdemeanors . I think what you see from republicans is a kind of nervousness, acute nervousness about the facts of what trump did, and therefore, more an more discussion of process its not fair process, its closed door, its this, then the democrats go, oh, its a show trial and so theyre really trying to change the conversation. I mean, he went and asked a Foreign Government to not dig up dirt, to make up dirt, in order to use that for his own election, and the quid pro quo dimension of it is really important for our national security, because the idea is, im not going to give you military assistance to defend yourself against russia because my own political fortunes matter more than our national security. But he does have a huge amount of support across the country. It is divided, that is fair to say. And maybe even some that arent Trump Supporters might think, you know, we do not need an impeachment inquiry. This is something that can hold up the country when there are much more important priorities to get to. What would you respond . Well, i would say what you need to do is get the facts and if you have a democratic official who has been elected democratically, as trump was, and he does things out of the office that are more about him than the country, theres a reason that the founders of our nation put those provisions in place and they should be exercised. A lot of our viewers will remember, after the chemical attack that was in syria in august 2013, many expected military intervention from president obama at the time. It was a red line, he had said, that could not be crossed. Did you consider resigning at that point . Talk me through your thought process. I didnt think of resigning at that point at all, because the task that was handed to me when president obama pulled back from using force was to try to negotiate the peaceful dismantlement of syrias chemical weapons programme, which i did with the russian ambassador. Assad, to be sure, kept a small stash of sarin because he appears afflicted with an almost pathological desire to gas his people, but nonetheless, we got rid of 1300 tonnes of chemical weapons over the course of the subsequent year. I think there was a substantial gap between our stated objective, which was assad must go, there must be a Democratic Political transition, and the means that we were willing to put in place to make that happen. I think you cant look back on it any other way. So when you have no international support, no congressional support, very little public support, thats a hard set of circumstances, even for someone who has a responsibility to lead in the face of stiff odds, thats not an auspicious beginning to engaging in. So youre at peace with that decision . No, i look back and wish it had been otherwise, but im trying to explain to you, because its not a mystery as to why we landed where we did. Another part of your book, which i think a lot of people are finding fascinating, is just knowing the woman as well who they know as, who has been an ambassador, senior adviser, you know, one thing that really struck me, were both irish, but that old arran sweaters were pulled out at one point when you figured out that you were pregnant. I like these stories, running somewhere in the white house to do a pregnancy test, but you also wore your overcoat indoors because you didnt want people to know. It really gave me pause, because im like, hang on, if Samantha Power cant show her bump with pride, where are we . I mean, in retrospect i should have but i felt so vulnerable in this new world, and so at sea in many other ways, and you just dont know. It wasnt obama i was worried about it, but you dont know. I mean, i actually didnt know the people round him, i didnt know necessarily. I mean, i knew he had hired them, but that doesnt mean they wont think to themselves, three months off atjust the time were trying to draw our troops down from iraq . I sort of internalised that. I wish i had defiantly gone forth, but i guess ijust dont trust yet the world we are in to be the world as it ought to be. You have looked a lot, you are from dublin, you have gone into your background, your childhood which was a harrowing one but tell me in your words, where dublin, where ireland fits into this picture for you . In terms of ireland, it means everything to me, its where i am from, where my parents are from. But also i think, coming from a small country, when i got to the un to represent the united states, i was an immigrant, that was a source of great pride for me, but i hope ive never lost the ability to see america as a small country would. To see america from the inside out, and to see whats good and even great in america, but also, to see america from the outside as well, i think, is an important part of being an effective diplomat. Samantha power, thank you very much. Thank you. Fascinating stuff there to hear her talking about career and policy, particularly that period in syria and the red line, given where we are right now. I was also interested though, to hear her talk about her personal life. I think that is about this memoir part that will stay with people, because she bears her soul. She talks about bares her soul. She talks about bares her soul. She talkeder her harrowing eilidh child hood and anxiety and panic attacksome he has suffered from throughout her career from when she was young, she wanted to do that so people realised that she doesnt haveit people realised that she doesnt have it all figured out and to try and attract more people into public service, even if they are not com pletely service, even if they are not completely 100 feel they are a steely person that would be able to deal. But it is ok to vulnerable. Yes. I want to take a moment at the end to bring breaking news we are coming in. Let us look, this is from schiphol airport. Dutch military police said they are investigating a situation onboard a plane at the airport. The police did not offer any further details but we will keep across it and bring any more details that come in to us. This is beyond 100 days from the bbc. Coming up for viewers on the bbc news channel and bbc world news the conservative Party Launches its Election Campaign setting off five frentic weeks until the vote we will be live at the launch in the West Midlands. And in mexico, was it a deadly case of the mistaken identity . Well look in depth at the deaths of nine us citizens killed in ambush attack. Thats still to come. Good evening, a lot of rain in the forecast for some of us over the next 24 hours. Today started off chilly but bright for many. Some of us held onto the sunshine. That was how it looked in shetland but for many more, we saw things turning increasingly cloudy and we had some outbreaks of rain spreading from the west. You can see those on the earlier satellite and radar picture. And as we head through this evening, if anything, this rainfall will intensify. Not this first band of showers is drifting northwards at the moment. Likely to be producing some sleet and snow over high ground in scotland through the night because the air is still rather chilly. Down towards the south this i think is going to bring more cause for concern, some heavy and persistent rain setting in through the early hours of thursday. Generally not as cold as it was this morning. We will have more cloud, more rain, more of a breeze as well. As we go through tomorrow, heavy rain affecting east anglia for a time, the north midlands but i think more especially parts of north wales and Northern England. And as we play the sequence, you can see the rain really doesnt shift that much further north. It gets stranded, marooned in this easterly wind. So, through some parts of Northern England down into north wales could see 20 40 mm of rain maybe more of a high ground. That could cause some localised flooding and some travel problems. Now, to the south of that, were likely to see some sunshine but also some heavy, thundery showers especially for wales in the south west. Northern ireland and scotland ending up with a mix of sunshine and showers as well. Some of the showers over high ground in scotland continue to be wintry. Quite breezy in the north and also in the west and temperature wise, no great shape. 7 10 degrees at best. Now as we go through thursday evening, watch our band of rain. It really doesnt shift very far, the rain keeps on coming for Northern England and north wales. It will only slowly make progress southeastwards as we head on into friday as this area of low pressure eventually wobbles its way off towards the near continent. Behind me, you can see this little bump in the isobars, a ridge of High Pressure starting to topple its way in. So, slowly but surely, things should settle down during friday. The showery rain in the east might hang around for a while but most of us seing more dry weather, some spells of sunshine, but it is not going to do much for the temperatures. Highs of 7 11 degrees. Now, friday night looks like being very cold indeed with widespread frost and some freezing fog patches but things change again on saturday. We see more rain spreading from the west. Youre watching beyond 100 days. Our top stories. The first open hearings are set in the impeachment inquiry for next week. And in the last half an hour, the testimony of americas top diplomat in ukraine was released. Boris johnsons attempts to get his partys Election Campaign back on track have been undermined by the resignation of the welsh secretary the pa rtys official launch is expected in the next half hour. Also on the programme. Details a re revealed of the attack in mexico on a convoy of us mormons, a 13 year old survivor hid six siblings in the bushes before walking 14 miles to get help. Plus, italy becomes the first country in the world to make Climate Change lessons for schoolchildren compulsary. The uk election is off to its official start with the dissolution of parliament, and the launch of the conservative campaign in the West Midlands. Borisjohnson will lead the launch, he already urged voters to come with us to get brexit done within weeks. He has attempted to reposition himself as leader of a moderate, one nation conservative government. We can go now to the launch and our correspondent jonathan blake. Fairly empty behind you jonathan but what is happening and what do they need to achieve with this launch . What is happening and what do they need to achieve with this launch7m a whole next door, the conservative Party Launches disking under way. The mayor elect in the street is addressing 800 or so Party Activists to mark the start of the conservatives general Election Campaign. You also hearfrom the conservatives general Election Campaign. You also hear from the old cemetery priti patel, conservative Party Chairman James Cleverley and borisjohnson Party Chairman James Cleverley and Boris Johnson himself. And Party Chairman James Cleverley and borisjohnson himself. And has a few already of a president ial style rally more than a Traditional Campaign launch. The slogan about the activists inside the hall get brexit done, unleash britain s potential. And that will be very much the theme of the conservative Election Campaign for support johnson speaking on number ten downing st that he will be able that he has negotiated a new deal with the eu over britains withdrawal from the eu. With the eu over britains withdrawalfrom the eu. And he is rated get it the apartment. He says he is only called the selection because parliament has stood in this way and tried to delay the process was a beyond getting bursa done we will hear a lot to me about what the conservatives of done in terms of the promises they made and pledges they made to add extra police officers, more funding into schools and education and nhs as well. It is and education and nhs as well. It is a 2 pronged attack if you like it that will hear from portions of the night in the coming weeks but if only he can get a majority in parliament to get approval for his brexit deal and move on to the domestic issues that the people care so much about. This also be an attempt tonight to get his campaign off toa attempt tonight to get his campaign off to a better start than we have seenin off to a better start than we have seen in the last one to four hours or so. Controversial comments with cabinet ministers be forced to apologise for offending victims and theirfamilies at apologise for offending victims and their families at the Grenfell Tower disaster and this morning a cabinet resignation of the welsh secretary alun cairns, the last thing Boris Johnson would have wanted at the very start of this campaign. I think you can expect them tonight to try to rally his troops for the campaign in the weeks ahead. I was going to say, you mentioned there a terrible start. You have Jacob Rees Moggs comment on the grenfell fire, those picked up by a popular rapper storm see in the uk criticising them on social media. This resignation of alun cairns. Storms a. How would this affect Decision Making of voters. With this cast a long shadow of how the tories are trying to get out where you are standing with them they move pretty quickly to contain a facadejacob rees mogg apologised asa a facadejacob rees mogg apologised as a buzz was then criticised by stormzy. That will get some traction online of course was of it wont do the tories favours in the early stages of this campaign and a misstep from accra to resign from cabinet this money. Thats not a good look for the Prime Minister or party either and it will be up to vote is that they dont want to join. Vote is that they dont want to join. This morning. They dont wa nt to join. This morning. They dont want to be painted elitist which is what theyre always in danger of doing. We will sit and see will precede tonight the premise or ramming home that message and a tightly choreographed Campaign Slogan of getting brexit done and then as they put it unleashing bradentons potential and investing into Public Services. Unleashing britain possible venture for somebody campaigns really go to plan throughout and less time the conservatives came up with a specific policy in their manifesto which was so deeply unpopular it had to become remise and change on the hoof. Boris johnson to become remise and change on the hoof. Borisjohnson will want to become remise and change on the hoof. Boris johnson will want to avoid any kind of problem like that in the weeks ahead because there is only so much they can do to control the message and control the campaign. And we will hear tonight from the Prime Minister as i say, a familiar message and a familiar tone that it familiar message and a familiar tone thatitis familiar message and a familiar tone that it is the conservatives who can deliver that commitment to get brexit done as he puts it and follow that with investment in the Public Services. The other part is of course will do their best to say the opposite and the labour party in particular have a very different plan to negotiate a new deal and put into a public vote. Thank you very muchjonathan into a public vote. Thank you very much jonathan blake, we into a public vote. Thank you very muchjonathan blake, we can hear some of the cheers coming from that room next door as the conservative Party Launches their campaign. What state with this story for sub as you have heard the general Election Campaign truly under way but how sexy do the voters feel about the prospect of financial polling station in the run up to christmas . A bad time but mark easton. Our home editor mark easton has been to birmingham, a city surrounded by lots of marginal seats, to meet some undecided voters. The nights are lengthening as the uk tilts away from the sun. At this unscheduled winter election voters will be more in the dark than ever before, literally, so how does the electorate feel as the campaigning begins . With the help of consultants britain thinks, weve gathered together different strands of Public Opinion in a former Textile Factory in birmingham, a balanced group still undecided as to who in this advent election should get to open the door to number ten. There wasnt supposed to be an election now but here we are. I want to know how you feel about the state of uk politics as we start election 2019 . As concerned as ive ever been in my life if im honest. I feel as though its out of control. Its embarrassing, isnt it . I think other countries are looking at us and were just a laughing stock. I actually dont feel its an embarrassment to the country. Im quite proud, not necessarily of how things are working out in the moment but that people are stepping back from their own parties and disagreeing with one another. I think the election is needed to sort of make the country decide which route they want to go down. So this will decide it, do you think . No. Is this election about the brexit divide, leave and remain, or is it about left and right or Something Else . It feels like the brexit election to me, a rerun of choosing which side youre on. It needs to be about the bigger issues like the nhs, crime, education but it is going to be about brexit, lets face it. It used to be very much, you knew exactly where you were with the conservative party and the labour party and now i think theres so much extreme within each party. Theres parties i would never vote for but actually i do like some of their policies and in the party i would vote for, i dont quite like some of theirs and thats never happened to me before. With a nod to elections past, weve built ourselves an ometer and this can test anything we like, we can make it an integrity ometer. Do you think our political leaders, our Political Parties have got integrity . Is this bad . Thats bad, yeah. Its quite high, isnt it . Our sincerity ometer. Bring it up to average. I think some are sincere. I think it goes with integrity for me so it would be down there. Now its an ability ometer. Ill go all the way. Really, full marks on ability . These are talented people . Theyll get it done. Im going to bring it down, i think a bunch of clowns. Bunch of clowns. Thats my score there. Come election day, birminghams polling stations will open an hour before sunrise and close six hours after sunset. The question for britain is whether undecided voters like these will bring light out of the darkness. Mark easton, bbc news, birmingham. Ido like i do like that metre that mark had there. Thanks to mark there. Lets turn this story out of mexico. Was it mistaken identity or a targetted attack . That is one of main questions lingering over an ambush in mexico which left nine us citizens including six children dead. The victims are members of the lebaron family, linked to a Mormon Community that settled in mexico decades ago. Eight children survived mondays attack including a 13 year old boy who walked 14 miles to get help. The brutal assault is putting new focus on the power of drug cartels in sonora state. President trump said the us stood ready to offer support but mexicos president said they would act with independenece and sovereignty to pursue the criminals. Joining us now from mexico city is the bbcs will grant. Well, i start by asking you about the attack to be know yet whether this was a terrible, unfortunate case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time or were they targeted . Its very hard to save obviously at this stage, the investigation is during its initial conclusions. But the line coming from the Mexican Government is that this was a case of mistaken identity, that earlier in the day there had been some kind of confrontation between rival cartels and that the site of three suvs and convoy and that the site of three suvs and co nvoy was and that the site of three suvs and convoy was confused by one cartel with its rival and thats why they initially started opening fire. Now, the family members of the victims dispute that. They point to the fact that they have been very vocal about Cartel Violence in the region over the past few years. As was mentioned in the introduction there that the Mormon Community has been established in this part of mexico for decades now and have denounced things like the traffic of illegal arms from the us south and things like that which have obviously put them perhaps in the firing line with them perhaps in the firing line with the cartels. I remember the last timei the cartels. I remember the last time i was travelling in mexico for work, and our driver at the time basically was very specific about what kind of car we could drive, what kind of car we could drive, what time of day we could drive, where we could go. Do we know the path they were on, is that particularly known for Cartel Violence . Yeah, absolutely. Particularly in that region, thats sonora with chihuahua too. The most dangerous states in the country. Very lawless pa rt of dangerous states in the country. Very lawless part of mexico. And particularly because these cartels we re particularly because these cartels were splinter groups of larger cartels, so there is less control, more clashes, things like that. They we re more clashes, things like that. They were driving down a dirt road we understand, a very mountainous remote region and clearly if this was a targeted attack, it was the sort of place where that takes place in dle was a question of a mistake, what they were certainly in they were in the long pace of the wrong time. Will grant, so many questions to answer. Thank you so much forjoining us today. Lets turn to italy now. Italy is set to become the worlds first country to make it compulsory for schoolchildren to study Climate Change. From september next year, all state schools will dedicate almost an hour per week to the surrounding issues, including sustainable development. The move was announced by italys education minister, lorenzo fioramonti, a member of the anti establishment five star movement, which has long viewed the environment as a key part of its identity. Lets bring in edoardo zanchini, Vice President of the enviornmental Campaign Group legambiente, who joins us now from turin. What is your reaction . Im assuming you welcome this news. Yes, we welcome this news because we believe it is important. Today in italy for students, they can discuss together about Climate Change and learn something more. We have a really huge demonstration in september in the streets and students were asking for a change in policies to fight Climate Change. We believe that creating lessons, giving space for lessons, giving dynamic lessons on clement change. I amjust wondering when it comes to Climate Change one of the biggest issues for the country that it is facing . At the country that it is facing . At the moment we are facing big mental issues linked to the impacts of Climate Change. These days we have a lot of cities in italy to suffer the impacts of big storms like in genoa or people who are dying these days because of these impacts and we have to invest more in mitigation. At the moment, i would say we have a good percentage of renewables but italy has huge opportunities investing in sun, when, and others. We have to ask the government to do much more on these issues. Some might say why dont you have the money spent theyre trying to get some of these government proposals under way instead of trying to change the curriculum for example in schools which will be also an expense no doubt for training teaching, etc. Which will be also an expense no doubt fortraining teaching, etc. Is this really the right way to go . |j think this really the right way to go . think we should go in both directions. We have to understand more about what is happening in the environment in the world on Climate Change and we must let even the stu d e nts change and we must let even the students know more and discussed about what is happening and together we must push a change in order to stop the increasing emissions. We know that the next ten years are very important. We cant only wait for when the students will be adults and change the world. We must do something now. Edoardo zanchini, thank you so much speaking to us for proposal. I wonder would also be printed adopted in other places around the world. It does seem like Climate Change is very much on the agenda for students. But we wanted to bring you a letter that michelle andi to bring you a letter that michelle and i were looking out this is 11,000 researchers from around the world issuing a grim warning of u ntold world issuing a grim warning of untold suffering that will because by Climate Change if humanity does not change its ways. It says everything from a need to replace fossil fuels, pollutants like at methane, soot, and protecting and restoring ecosystems, eating less meat, converting the economy to more clean versions. But it is quite a laugh, 11,000 scientists to get together to sign this letter. Quite a lot. The fa ct this letter. Quite a lot. The fact they see it as an urgent concern is something we have heard lots of warnings before but i guess the language they are using in the proposals they are putting forward ta kes a proposals they are putting forward takes a step further. Going back to just what we were just discussing with it away, was striking to me is also the five star movement. We have seen italy and talked a lot about italian governments running into troubles. Will this policy stay in place long enough to actually come into effect and have the desired impact . Hopefully longer than some of the governments. One to give an update on this breaking news story we spoke about in the last half hour. This from amsterdam in the netherlands. We are now hearing there was some suspected or suspicious activity on board one of their plans. They re suspicious activity on board one of their plans. Theyre now saying that their plans. Theyre now saying that the passengers have disembarked safely and the pilot as well. We are going to try and find out and get more details on that, the research as you see there the schiphol tweet that everybody is safe but the research continues. We will keep you abreast of that investigation. This is beyond 100 days. Still to come do you know your pronoun from your prorogue . 2019s word of the year is soon to be revealed. Well run you through the contenders. We are going to take a little work now and what is happening in the West Midlands. Any minute now, the leader of the conservative party will get up and make a speech would write that you can see the chair of the party James Cleverley is warming up the party James Cleverley is warming up the faithful as that conservative party gets ready to launch their Election Campaign at that rally in the West Midlands. We will go back as soon as we see borisjohnson and right now were going to get around to some other news. The green party have launched their Election Campaign this morning. Its pledging a major increase in spending on climate measures, in order to end the use of carbon in the uk by 2030. Our reality check correspondent Sophie Hutchinson has been looking into the promises. The green party insisted today that some things were bigger than brexit and that this election must be about the climate, and they launched this ambitious plan. Today im proud to announce that the green party will invest £100 billion a year into Climate Action over the next decade. So let us look at this. In total that is around a trillion pounds in ten years. Its certainly a very large number. To put it in context, the annual cost would be similar to the whole of the education budget, which this year was £103 billion. So where would the money come from . Well, theyre proposing that 9 would come from tax changes, including a rise in corporation tax, and the rest, the vast majority, would need to come from borrowing. This year, well borrow an estimated £55 billion, but the green party would increase borrowing to more than £140 billion a year, the highest level since 2012 as a proportion of national income, according to researchers at the institute for fiscal studies. The party are calling it a green new deal. It means decarbonising every single sector of the economy. Energy, industry, agriculture, transport and housing. Its rapidly rolling out Renewable Energy in britain so that we are net zero carbon by 2030. Now eliminating carbon by 2030 is 20 years sooner than the current uk target for net zero emission, which many experts would regard as extremely ambitious. Sophie hutchinson. Police have made one arrest, following the death of three adults and six children in northern mexico. The group was travelling in a convoy of vehicles which is believed to have been attacked by a suspected drugs cartel. All those who died were dual us mexican citizens. Our correspondent will grant sent this report this grisly video, taken by a distraught family member, shows the extent of the violent attack on the Lebaron Mormon family. Ido i do apologise just as we are getting into that report, Boris Johnson has appeared at the podium, lets listen into his Campaign Rally speech. Fantasy to be here in birmingham wherever great conservative mayor has taken the repression of having every street named after him. Im happy to see of you here. The beginning of what is the most important election of our country has voted for a generation. I mention them might be some people who were not too keen about having a general election a little bit for christmas. And i am with you, i did not want an election. No premise or length no premise or wants this. Since there is so much we wa nt to this. Since there is so much we want to get on into but my friends, we have no choice. We have a parliament that is paralysed, blocked, generally incapable to function as an anaconda that has swallowed a tap he a. Neither moving one way or the other if you know and i mean. This parliament refuses to get brexit done and thats of course bad for democracy because we asked the people of this country whether they wanted to stay in the eu, we told them time and again that we would honour their decision, didnt we . We told them whatever they voted for, leaf or remain, we would put into effect and yet for three and a half years, into effect and yet for three and a half yea rs, we into effect and yet for three and a half years, we have seen nonstop would call manoeuvring to frustrate brexit and for the will of the people. And the result is that the whole brexit the way is holding us all back. It is like a bendy bus, i banned them in london. A bendy bus jackknifed on the junction for some nobody can get around to blocking the traffic in every direction and the traffic in every direction and the uncertainty and delay are bad for the country. They need to plan, make investments to hire employees, to buy new homes, and we need a new election. We need a new election and new parliament because we cant go on like this and because now is the time to make a change and unleash that title wave of investment that is going to flow into this country, a great surge of confidence into the uk, and we can do that injust a few weeks because im part of many things we have done in the last 108 days. Biggest investments in the nhs for a generation, 14 new hospitals green lighted, a lot of decisions taken by this government, levelling up taken by this government, levelling up education around the country, more for primary and secondary schools around the country, 20,000 more police officers. Priti patel was just talking to you, wasnt she . Greatjob talking. I met some of them, i have already met some of the recruits. Gigabit broadband, gigabit broadband eight years ahead of schedule spreading to every home like a kind of that make a very informative vermicelli. Its when we fantastic for this country. We will have a revolution across the uk. Im proud of many things that went in. But most of all i am proud of our deal, the deal that they said was impossible, the deal they said we couldnt do and its a great deal. And ive heard some people in the last few days trying to attack our deal. Trying to cast aspersions on it and reminded me of candle ceremonies at the dawn of the electric light bulb. Knickers of typewriters are beholden their first la ptop typewriters are beholden their first laptop computer. They have a terrible sense that they are about to lose their market. Because this deal delivers everything that i campaigned for for brexit. We take back control of our money so that we can spend millions more every week on the nhs or whatever priorities we want. Hundreds of millions, we can ta ke want. Hundreds of millions, we can take back control of our borders, an austrian style points based system to bring in people whether they are ever Cultural Workers that this country needs. An australian style points based system. We take back control of our laws so that we can do things our way different lien better from free ports to free trade deals to banning the cruel wives shipment of animals to cutting vat. We can do things differently for sub cruel life shipment. Under this deal, the crucial thing is the whole of the uk comes out of the uk comes out of the eu. They come out whole entire, and perfect. This deal is rated to go. Parliament, the infuriatingly refused before they delayed it, they gave it a approval. You just whack it into the microwave. Im not very good at cooking, but. Gas mark is there. It is ready to go put in. And then we can get on. We can get this deal through permanent and get on with all the fantastic projects in which this government is engaged uniting and levelling up our country giving people opportunity across our country with better education, better infrastructure, and new technology. That is what this is all about. It is about giving. And we can make those investments. We can make those investments as conservatives, we have credibility precisely because we have taken the tough decisions to restore public finances. We have shown that we can manage the economy well, and we have now had nine years of uninterrupted growth, the economy is 20 was in bigger than we took over in 2010. And record employment in this country. Why . Because we understand the importance of a Dynamic Market economy facade the economy is 20 bigger. And there is a reason why this party is more. More trusted with man hancock, and his counterpart, matt hancock, more trusted than gavin williamson, than his labour counterpart in education because people can see that we we understand how to pay for that whole society. How we can ensure society has the wealth to pay for fantastic Public Services and infrastructure. And that is the balance and symmetry at the heart of one nation, one conservative. That is the problem with bull of aryan revolutionary socialism practice by jeremy with bull of aryan revolutionary socialism practice byjeremy corbyn and the labour party. The labour party always runs out of other peoples money. The prom with Simone Bolivar ask. It will happen sooner this law because they have arranged plan to spend £196 billion on theirfriends in arranged plan to spend £196 billion on their friends in the eu arranged plan to spend £196 billion on theirfriends in the eu henri nationalization and to do it, theyre going to raise taxes on pensions, corporations of the highest level in europe, on inheritance, on homes, it is a huge list, and as i said before, the taxon. List, and as i said before, the taxon. Eu list, and as i said before, the taxon. Eu re nationalisation. They know themselves, look at what theyre doing. Look at the preparations they are making. They know that their policies for the economy are ruinous becausejohn mcdonald, remember him, he was sacked by ken livingstone, sacked by preparing a fictitious budget for the glc. John mcdonald who is even left of corbyn, is preparing for a run on the pound and he wants to restore Exchange Controls which we havent seen for decades in this country. And so the choice before us is very stark and very dear. I say to everybody, i say to all of you here and everybody watching, come with us which is a party that supports a fantastic education for every child in this country because we believe an opportunity across this country. Or go withjeremy corbyn. Go withjeremy corbyn and the labour party who wanted to expropriate the property of schools and abolish ofsted which actually protects kids from bullying in the classroom. We support our armed forces, we believe them. He actually said he wants to ban them. We back our police and the fight against street crime and knife crime, his party things that stop and search is oppressive and inappropriate. We wa nt to oppressive and inappropriate. We want to control our immigration system. He wants unlimited and uncontrolled immigration no matter what pressure that puts on Public Services such as the nhs. We want our country to stand tall in the world. And to sit by our allies and our advice. Will he is so consumed with a juvenile dislike of america that he actually sides with the mullahs of tehran rather than washington. And when russia ordered the poisoning of innocent civilians in salisbury, he sided with vladimir putin. And theres a key difference that we all face at this time at the selection, and that is above all come with us and we will get brexit done. Where is this guy wants nothing more whereas this man where is this guy wants nothing more whereas this man wants nothing more than did into labels up he wa nts a