a plan for more, cheaper and greener buses in england to encourage us out of our cars. after almost a year of coronavirus, senior government figures tell the bbc how the government should have locked down earlier in the autumn. i like it here. no you don't. no i don't, i like it here. no you don't. no i don't. but _ i like it here. no you don't. no i don't, but i _ i like it here. no you don't. no i don't, but i like _ i like it here. no you don't. no i don't, but i like you. _ and a host of british talent is among this year's oscar nominations. and coming up in sportsday later in the hour on bbc news — we will head to cheltenham. can jump racing's world famous four—day festival save a sport in crisis? good evening and welcome to the bbc news at six. germany, italy and france are among several european countries that have suspended the use of the oxford astrazeneca covid vaccine. it follows cases of blood clotting reported in some people after having the jab. so, is the astrazeneca vaccine safe? experts here say it is and the number of blood clots reported after the vaccine are no more than those typically reported within the general population. and the world health organization says there is no evidence of a link between the vaccine and reported blood clots. our medical editor fergus walsh has more. a public display of confidence in the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine from northern ireland to's chief medical officer today. northern ireland to's chief medical officertoday. by northern ireland to's chief medical officer today. by contrast, you cannot have the jab in the irish republic, in france, germany and a growing list of eu countries which have temporarily suspended its use. this is a safe, effective vaccine as recommended by mhra, let's remember, this virus kills people, it kills people my age, younger people and older people. the benefit is strongly in favour of people getting this vaccine at this time. the strongly in favour of people getting this vaccine at this time.— this vaccine at this time. the eu vaccine rolled _ this vaccine at this time. the eu vaccine rolled out _ this vaccine at this time. the eu vaccine rolled out was _ this vaccine at this time. the eu vaccine rolled out was already . vaccine rolled out was already lagging well behind of that of the uk. france has said it will wait for a safety analysis from the european medicines agency due tomorrow before deciding whether to restart using the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine. translation: the the oxford-astrazeneca vaccine. translation:— the oxford-astrazeneca vaccine. translation: . , ., . translation: the decision which has been taken is — translation: the decision which has been taken is to _ translation: the decision which has been taken is to suspend, _ translation: the decision which has been taken is to suspend, as - translation: the decision which has been taken is to suspend, as a - been taken is to suspend, as a precaution, vaccinating with the astrazeneca vaccine in the hope that we can resume quickly if the opinion of the european medicines agency allows. ., , ., _, , ., allows. nine european countries have temoraril allows. nine european countries have temporarily suspended _ allows. nine european countries have temporarily suspended all _ allows. nine european countries have temporarily suspended all use - allows. nine european countries have temporarily suspended all use of- allows. nine european countries have temporarily suspended all use of the | temporarily suspended all use of the oxford—astrazeneca vaccine pending safety investigations. germany, italy, france and the netherlands are the latest, ireland paused at the weekend following denmark, norway and iceland. several other eu countries including austria have stopped using certain batches of the vaccine. that still leaves spain and others in the eu currently using the vaccine, which has been approved in over 70 countries around the world. astrazeneca says more than 17 million people in the uk and european union have now had its vaccine and fewer than a0 cases of blood clots have been reported. it says the risks of having a clot are significantly lower among those who have been vaccinated compared to the general population. we have been vaccinated compared to the general population.— general population. we know that blood clots are _ general population. we know that blood clots are remarkably - general population. we know that l blood clots are remarkably common and we would expect them to happen in one or two people per 1000 per year, which is actually a very large number and much, year, which is actually a very large numberand much, much higherthan the sorts of levels that we are talking about in these particular reports. talking about in these particular reorts. , , ., reports. scientists in the uk are frankly baffled _ reports. scientists in the uk are frankly baffled by _ reports. scientists in the uk are frankly baffled by the _ reports. scientists in the uk are frankly baffled by the decisions| frankly baffled by the decisions made in the eu. there is concern that the pause in using the astrazeneca jab will cost lives because people won't be protected from covid, and that it would damage public confidence in a highly effective vaccine. fergus walsh, bbc news. let's talk to our europe editor katya adler in brussels. europe has struggled with its vaccine roll—out and now it's pausing the use of astrazeneca just as several eu countries are having to introduce new restrictions and lockdowns. absolutely. covid is still biting hard across europe, as you say. several countries tightening their restrictions. italyjust today. the eu, of course, has been complaining loudly that it has a severe vaccine shortage, that it has not had deliveries of the amount of vaccines that it expected. many countries invested heavily in astrazeneca, particularly austria among countries in central and eastern europe, but every eu country had access to astrazeneca, and now as you say quite a number have said, look, we are going to pause the roll—out of astrazeneca while we investigate these claims of blood clots. of course, when you have a number of countries taking those measures, denmark, austria, the netherlands yesterday, then you have germany and italy, france feeling under pressure to take the same kind of action. germany said clearly this is a precautionary measure. it is waiting to hear from the precautionary measure. it is waiting to hearfrom the european precautionary measure. it is waiting to hear from the european medicines agency later on this week, which tonight was saying that it still believes the use of the astrazeneca vaccine far outweighs any risks, but bearin vaccine far outweighs any risks, but bear in mind that here in mainland europe people tend to be more sceptical about the vaccines and this could endanger others just even using astrazeneca or any other vaccine and the critics of governments who are holding the use of the vaccines say this could actually just cost further lives. katya adler in brussels, thank you. the prime minister says the government will work to ensure that women have confidence in the police following the death of sarah everard and the outcry over the police's response to a vigil for her on saturday. borisjohnson says he continues to back the metropolitan police commissioner, cressida dick, and that there will be an independent investigation into what happened. by coincidence, parliament is debating a new policing and justice bill today, which, amongst other things, will restrict the right to protest. our special correspondent, lucy manning, reports. this is a moment, a moment for the country and women in particular. it has triggered something in so many, and although few here will have known sarah everard, they think of her and their own experiences of harassment, abuse, or rape. your story is ours and ours is yours, the message here. that's why this scene two days ago where reflection turned to resentment towards the police behaviour upset so many. officers dragging away women taking a stand against violence. for those at the vigil on saturday, anger it didn't stay peaceful. the vigil on saturday, anger it didn't stay peaceful-— stay peaceful. the police in the middle of that _ stay peaceful. the police in the middle of that vigil _ stay peaceful. the police in the middle of that vigil made - stay peaceful. the police in the middle of that vigil made a - stay peaceful. the police in the l middle of that vigil made a clear decision to do enforcement and it was at that point when they went up to the bandstand that the mood changed in the vigil, and people became stressed and upset. given the fact that there was a load of burly men going up to the bandstand to try to stop women speaking.— to stop women speaking. georgina ashb was to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also _ to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also at _ to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also at the _ to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also at the vigil- to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also at the vigil and - to stop women speaking. georgina ashby was also at the vigil and on | ashby was also at the vigil and on her way home when she saw a man exposing himself. it her way home when she saw a man exposing himself.— exposing himself. it was a group of about five or _ exposing himself. it was a group of about five or six _ exposing himself. it was a group of about five or six police _ exposing himself. it was a group of about five or six police officers - about five or six police officers and i _ about five or six police officers and i went _ about five or six police officers and i went up and said, "hey, excuse me, and i went up and said, "hey, excuse me. there _ and i went up and said, "hey, excuse me. there is — and i went up and said, "hey, excuse me. there is a — and i went up and said, "hey, excuse me, there is a man who has his genitalia — me, there is a man who has his genitalia out, i feel really uncomfortable, it is a bit scary, can you — uncomfortable, it is a bit scary, can you please check it out?" a female — can you please check it out?" a female officer was, can you please check it out?" a female officerwas, "0k, can you please check it out?" a female officerwas, "ok, let's can you please check it out?" a female officer was, "ok, let's go." and mate — female officer was, "ok, let's go." and male officer said, we have had enough _ and male officer said, we have had enough of— and male officer said, we have had enough of the rioters tonight, we are hot— enough of the rioters tonight, we are not going to deal with it. how did it make _ are not going to deal with it. how did it make you _ are not going to deal with it. how did it make you feel— are not going to deal with it. firm? did it make you feel when they said they would not take any action? it was disappointing, i wouldn't say it is an— was disappointing, i wouldn't say it is an issue — was disappointing, i wouldn't say it is an issue with the police on the ground, — is an issue with the police on the ground, they are only listening to instruction. — ground, they are only listening to instruction, it needs to come from the too _ instruction, it needs to come from the too and — instruction, it needs to come from the top and there needs to be a systematic change. the the top and there needs to be a systematic change.— systematic change. the prime minister said _ systematic change. the prime minister said the _ systematic change. the prime minister said the pictures - systematic change. the prime | minister said the pictures from systematic change. the prime - minister said the pictures from the vigil were distressing, but he still had full confidence in the head of the metropolitan police cressida dick. ., , , ., dick. people must feel, women in particular. — dick. people must feel, women in particular. must — dick. people must feel, women in particular, must feel _ dick. people must feel, women in particular, must feel that - dick. people must feel, women in particular, must feel that when i dick. people must feel, women in l particular, must feel that when they make serious complaints about violence, about assault that they are properly heard and properly addressed. ih are properly heard and properly addressed-— are properly heard and properly addressed. ~ , , ., addressed. in westminster, a few hundred peeple — addressed. in westminster, a few hundred people gathered - addressed. in westminster, a few hundred people gathered to - hundred people gathered to demonstrate against attacks on women and about a commons debate this evening on new laws for the police and courts. evening on new laws for the police and courts-— and courts. too many of us have walked home — and courts. too many of us have walked home from _ and courts. too many of us have walked home from school - and courts. too many of us have walked home from school or- and courts. too many of us have. walked home from school or work alone only to hear footsteps uncomfortably close behind us. too many of us have pretended to be on a phone to a friend to scare someone off. too many of us have clutched our keys in our fist off. too many of us have clutched our keys in ourfist in off. too many of us have clutched our keys in our fist in case we need to defend ourselves, and that is not ok. it to defend ourselves, and that is not ok. , , to defend ourselves, and that is not ok. ,, ., ., _ 0k. it is still so emotionally charued 0k. it is still so emotionally charged here. _ 0k. it is still so emotionally charged here. men - 0k. it is still so emotionally charged here. men and - 0k. it is still so emotionally i charged here. men and women standing, many of the women are in tears. it has certainly touched something. and if the spark was the death of sarah everard and the flash point the police clearing the vigil, then the focus has to be on the police and the politicians stopping the attacks and harassment of women. at the heart of all this, sarah everard. police searching in sandwich in kent today as they widen the investigation to find out how she was murdered. lucy manning, bbc news. the scenes that unfolded on saturday night have raised questions about the role of the police, of politicians and of those who attended the vigil. our home editor mark easton looks at the many issues which arise when public gatherings are held during a pandemic. his report contains flash photography from the very start. understanding what went wrong on clapham common on saturday night means going right back to the beginning of the pandemic a year ago. the public health emergency saw new laws forbidding ancient freedoms. police found themselves navigating strange legal territory and decided to take a sensitive and sympathetic approach to the coronavirus regulations, using enforcement only as a last resort. derbyshire police found themselves criticised for being too tough in the early days of lockdown. officers found themselves in a place that they had never been before. and, in a sense, we were all making it up as we went along. everyone in society. the difference for police officers was that they were having to apply the new legislation. last summer posed a new question for police. how to deal with protests? chanting power... power to the people. the black lives matter movement exploded onto the streets and, rather than risk a confrontation, some officers took a knee in solidarity. when demonstrators in bristol pulled down a statue with police watching on, the home secretary let it be known she wanted and expected tougher enforcement. to the criminal minority| who have subverted this cause with their thuggery, i simply say this. - your behaviour is shameful and you will face justice. i the death of sarah everard amid the tightest of lockdowns in england prompted an outpouring of anguish. the organisation reclaim these streets wanted to hold a vigil, promising to provide stewards and ensure social distancing, but police said such an event would be illegal. the debate ended at the high court. the argument was about the coronavirus regulations versus the fundamental right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in the human rights act. now, the judge listened to both sides but, in the end, declined to rule on the legality of the vigil itself. he was effectively saying sort it out between yourselves. facing a potential £10,000 fine, reclaim these streets decided to cancel their involvement in the event. this afternoon, they met with metropolitan police commissoner dame cressida dick. cressida dick has lost our confidence and the confidence, i think, of women in the capital. this morning, we didn't want to call on her to resign until we had at least had a meeting and given her a chance to engage with us. we feel that that chance was wasted. without organisation, the vigil was much more difficult to control. when some women moved to make speeches, it appears police tactics changed. perhaps it was felt this turned a legal vigil into an unlawful demo. passions exploded, there was anti—police chanting. chanting nojustice, no peace! and a group of anti—lockdown protesters joined the crowds. mistakes were made, but there is no map for policing in a pandemic. the insensitivity shown on clapham common on saturday night may have been a side effect of covid—19. mark easton, bbc news. the latest coronavirus figures show there were 5,089 new cases recorded in the latest 2a—hour period, which means on average the number of new cases reported per day in the last week, is 5,756. there were 6a deaths reported, that's of people who died within 28 days of a positive covid—19 test, which means on average, 1a5 people died every day in the last week from coronavirus taking the total to 125,580. 257,010 people have had their first dose of a covid their first dose of a covid vaccine in the latest 2a—hour period, which means a total of more than 2a million people have now had theirfirstjab — meaning just over a6% of the population has now received their first vaccination. more than 1.6 million people have had both doses of the vaccine. new measures have been promised to improve bus services in england following cheaper, greener and more frequent services and miles of new bus lanes. the government says its aim is to encourage more people to take the bus rather than use their car. labour says the plan fails to reverse recent cuts to bus routes. our transport correspondent caroline davies reports. it's the route in, it's the route out, so how well it works can affect your life. buses to southfields northampton run every 30 minutes, but never on sundays. like, as it is now, we are not getting any increase in our salaries but the buses are rising, so it's really expensive. especially for me as well as single parent. nathan has been out of work as a decorator since december. i find getting a bus to town - gives me motivation to do things. for a week rider, it's £15. but for a monthly rider, 60 quid. i mean, that is 60 quid you ain't got. stagecoach, who run the service, says it does offer a discount for job—seekers. today, the prime minister announced the government's plan to improve buses, including introducing a,000 hydrogen or electric buses. this is an investment in the long—term future of this country. it's an investment in driving down carbon emissions, in making the uk one of the world's leaders in clean, green technology. the government say they also want simpler bus fares, more services, contactless payments and more bus lanes. local authorities will have to work with bus operators to make a legally binding plan that meets the government's priorities, in order to secure some of the £3 billion of funding. the idea behind the government plan is that this would create a positive cycle. so, for instance, if more bus lanes were introduced, buses would move faster, they would be more reliable, more people would want to use them and, therefore, there would be more money in the system. sally keeble was the local mp here and campaigns for bus services. she doesn't think this amount of money is enough. i'm sure that some local authorities will be able to cope with it very well, but to expect them all to be able to put plans in place within a year in order to qualify for the money, i think, is unrealistic. the liberal democrats say the plan won't return routes cut over the years. the green party welcomed it but said that the government needs to stop the fuel duty freeze which has cut the cost of driving, if it wants a bus revolution. after months of being told not to take public transport, the first challenge will be to get the public back on board. caroline davies, bbc news, northampton. the time is 6:17pm. our top story this evening. france, germany and italy are among several countries to suspend the use of the astrazeneca vaccine over safety fears. coming up... crowds at the cheltenham festival last march, but it'll be empty stands this year during a controversial time for horse racing. coming up on sportsday in the next 15 minutes on bbc news... a two—fight deal has been agreed for anthonyjoshua to face tyson fury. the one question remaining — where will the world heavyweight unification fight take place? senior government figures have told the bbc they should have locked down earlier in the autumn to control the deadly second wave that claimed tens of thousands of lives. tomorrow marks the day we were first asked to stop all non—essential travel and personal contact ahead of the nationwide lockdown just over a week later. as we look back on a year of coronavirus in a week of special reports, our political editor laura kuenssberg has been speaking — off the record — to 20 of the ministers and senior officials who made — orfailed to make — the critical decisions that have affected us all. at the start of march last year, i asked a senior member of the government if they were worried about coronavirus. their answer was, personally, no. now we've lost more than the population of a small city. i've talked to more than 20 senior politicians, officials and former officials. those who were in the room making the decisions. they agreed to talk on the basis of anonymity. this is what they were thinking as we all watched on. the virus arriving in italy was when it sank in for most. like a scene from a nightmare that italy is now living. the government had been talking about the virus four weeks but some on the inside to say it was seen as hysteria, "it'sjust like flu." it went from, "not on the radar, to people on the floor of hospitals in lombardy. that was the moment we knew it was inevitable, said one senior minister. after several weeks of cobra meetings, described by one attendee as a disaster... are we prepared enough, mr hancock? ..the government machine was breaking in our hands, an insider told me. number ten had started to prepare the public but although it was never a firm proposal, officials had even talked about chickenpox parties to help the virus spread among the healthy population. the conversations were "totally in the wrong universe," one source said. but a tiny group of advisers confronted the prime minister with evidence on saturday 1ath of march, showing graphs to him that suggested without tougher, faster action the nhs would collapse. we had those reasonable worst—case scenarios of hundreds of thousands of deaths, and the problem with them was that they were coming true. so we knew we had to act and that monday, i went to parliament and said that all unnecessary social contact should be stopped. i couldn't believe that i was having to say these words. lockdown was coming. it was all so new. "we were more blind than we told the public," one official admits. but something more personal soon struck. tonight at ten, the prime minister borisjohnson has been taken to intensive care. cabinet ministers were summoned urgently on the phone. "all of a sudden, we were asked tojoin a call, not knowing "if he was alive," he said. one of them said. who's in charge at the moment? well, the government's business will continue. but the country spiralling into crisis could for a moment have lost its prime minister. but, after two months of strict rules, news broke about the prime minister's chief advisor dominic cummings. he, in fact, travelled to his parents�* home in durham. he refused to quit, instead defending himself in the downing street garden. i thought the best thing to do in all the circumstances - was to drive to an isolated cottage on my father's farm. _ the political atmosphere turned sour. cabinet ministers said, "there had been tremendous goodwill — "the early pandemic washed away the bitterness of brexit." "but that came flooding back. "all that bile, all that frustration." by the summer, with cases falling, and many rules relaxed, we didn't feel like a country in the grip of a pandemic. even encouraged to eat out. hello! but when schools and universities returned, the testing system couldn't cope and the rise began. a senior figure told me, "if you do nothing now, "by the end of october, you'll get something worse "than the first wave." there was frustration among some in downing street about the prime minister's attitude, sometimes appearing to be in "let it rip" mode. what i said to the prime minister over the summer is review what's gone on, there is likely to be a second wave, don't make the same mistakes again, because i think that's unforgivable. i might have given you the benefit of the doubt in the first wave but you didn't learn the lessons and you went and repeated the very same mistakes. the prime minister resisted calls for a short lockdown. a senior figure told me, "the biggest mistake was the rush "of blood to the head in the summer, and the prime minister "has to carry the can." from the middle of september, there were people in government saying you're going to have to toughen things up, you are going to have to go faster. no, we listened to all of the evidence all the way through. but you've got to balance all of the different considerations. you know, it's only at the prime minister's desk that all these different considerations come together. yet some believe borisjohnson can't be blamed, it was a reasonable set of judgments to make. no one knew then, either, about the new variant. the oxygen levels plummet of a covid patient. but for some of the decision—makers still in government, the missed moments of september had a profound effect, setting a course for a terrible second wave. time and again, those who made the choices cite big success, throwing everything at finding a vaccine. they had resolved to "pay high, pay early and ensure it works" at home. ministers resolved to set aside the normal rules. the project was vital, but uncertain. much of it was secret too. the vaccines even had codenames named after submarines to protect commercial confidentiality. now that early choice to push alone for a vaccine seems a stroke of genius. but, back then, it was a real gamble. this generation of decision—makers and the fabric of the state have been stretched in a way theyjust haven't been for decades. but so have we. and those who made the decisions are all too aware that mistakes in these last 12 months may have had such a terrible cost. the bbc�*s political editor laura kuenssberg with that special report. the mostly hotly contested event of the horse racing calendar — the cheltenham festival — begins tomorrow. there was controversy last year when the event was allowed to go ahead with tens of thousands of spectators despite the looming coronavirus crisis. it will be very different this year — empty stands and a sport rocked by controversy over its treatment of horses. our sports editor dan roan reports. final preparations ahead of what will be a unique cheltenham, one robbed of its famous roar. last year's festival heavily criticised for going ahead despite fears over the pandemic. we followed the advice of the government at the time and that advice was for events such as this to continue and, you know, we're all in a very different situation now. this time, the controversy is of a different kind. top trainer gordon elliott, and amateurjockey robjames, both banned after pictures emerged of each posing with dead horses plunging the sport into crisis. the woman who runs racing told me it can't afford to be complacent. the images shown in recent weeks and seeing those breakthrough into mainstream media is damaging. we really need to ensure that the racing fans of the future, those people who may potentially own horses in the future, really get the correct image of horse racing, and so we've got a lot of work to do to make sure that that message gets across. 12 months ago, all the concern was for the spectators who came here, but recent events mean that the focus has now shifted to the welfare of horses as racing fights to regain public trust. these thoroughbreds are being cared for in their retirement at these stables in the cotswolds, among thousands supported by the charity retraining of racehorses. but those dedicated to horse welfare once more support. i think the spotlight will be on us even more. we can always do things better and we need help to do that better. i think the racing industry needs to probably get behind us and really start telling the story much better than we do now. top trainer fergal o'brien has been enjoying his best ever season ahead of the festival and says the sport should not bejudged on the recent controversies. you're talking about two very isolated incidents that don't actually represent the sport at all. go to any racing yard and you'll see the quality and care that are given to these athletes. but all we can do is go forward and portray what a great sport we are involved in and one that i'm still very proud to be involved in. a national database for racehorses like these is being developed, one of a number of welfare reform is delayed by the pandemic. but with the spotlight on the sports like never before, there is no added urgency. there is now added urgency. dan roan, bbc news. this year's oscar nominations are out. there's plenty of british talent on the list including carey mulligan, olivia colman and sir anthony hopkins. our arts editor will gompertz takes us through the nominations for a ceremony that will be unlike another — taking place in a train station. welcome to the 2021 oscar nominations, not coming from the sunny hollywood, sadly, but from a rather damp leicester square where the cinemas have been shut all year but, by hook or by crook, the films have been released so we have got a shortlist to discuss with larushka from the metro newspaper. let's start with the acting nominations and best actress. who should win and who will win? i think who should win is vanessa kirby, the british actress, for pieces of a woman. i still haven't got over the 20—minute birth scene that she does at the beginning of that film. but i think who will win is andra day, who puts in a terrific transformational performance as billie holiday. # blood on the leaves and blood at the root.# best actor, who is in the running and who is going to win? i would love to see riz ahmed win for sound of metal. he plays this ex—drug addict drummer who goes suddenly deaf. he is electrifying in this role. but who could begrudge chadwick boseman for winning for his final role in ma rainey�*s black bottom that he shotjust months before he died from cancer. if my daddy had known i was going to turn out| like this, he would - have named me gabriel. best supporting actress? could it be eighth time a charm for glenn close? she's got the record for the most nominated and never won actress, for hillbilly elegy. unfortunately, everyone hates the film. that's a bit of a problem. and i'd love to see maria bakalova win for borat 2. who would have thought borat 2 would have been in the running for the oscars? i want this one with a baby on it. oko, larushka, best supporting actor? daniel kaluuya is winning one of the awards forjudas and the black messiah. but here he is up against his co—star lakeith stanfield in the same category, both for best supporting. where is best actor in this film? any last words? we haven't talked about mank, although it does lead the way with ten nominations, the film about the writing of citizen kane and starring gary oldman. is that up for best picture? will it win? in a word no. so what will win best picture? nomadland, no doubt. it is a timely portrait of a woman who is living in isolation. you're my sister. when you were growing up - you were eccentric to other people. it'sjust because you were brave. let's finish with best director. who is going to win and who should win? lets just say first of all, two women nominated for best director at the oscars this year. time for a look at the weather here's chris fawkes. across parts of west yorkshire, through the east midlands and dan to south east england, and a brush hours, showing up in the satellite picture justly along that line. further north—west, we have the next weather system lurking and these weather system lurking and these weather fronts are going to be diving southwards and eastwards, bringing rain to all of us over the next 18 hours or so. most of the rain won't be heavy but it has already arrived over northern scotland. overnight, more extensive, pushing southwards and eastwards into england and wales but perhaps not reaching the far south—eastern so we head into tuesday morning. with all of the cloud, quite a mild night, temperatures 8—10 for many of us but, tomorrow, rain to start the day and clearing away quickly for scotland and northern ireland, a fine day here