In about an hours time. Youre watching bbc news. The government in the uk is set to launch a test and trace system in england to help stop the spread of coronavirus. It marks the most significant change in the countrys effort to tackle the disease since the lockdown began nine weeks ago. Prime minister Boris Johnson announced the measure while he was facing a series of questions about his backing of his chief advisor, Dominic Cummings, amid continuing accusations that mr cummings broke the governments coronavirus lockdown. The Prime Minister was appearing before a house of Commons Committee via video link, headed by sir bernard jenkin. The committee is obviously extremely concerned about the issue of your senior adviser. This poll suggests a large majority of the public believe that the adviser did break the lockdown rules. How much do you think this has undermined the moral authority of the government at a time when Public Confidence in the government is so important . Well, thank you very much and i wasnt going to make a long announcement today about the test and trace scheme but i thought perhaps youll committee would like to interrogate me about it if they have a chance to read what were doing but on that particular matter all i would say is that this has really been going on several days now and in the media at least and i of course am. Deeply sorry for all the hurt and pain and anxiety that people have been going through throughout this. This country has been going through a frankly most difficult time. We are asking people to do quite exceptionally tough things separating them from their families, but i must say that i feel that for my adviser, to whom you refer, weve had quite a lot of autobiography recently. Ive commented on it, i think people know my views, i really dont propose to add to it. I think what the public do want us to focus on, bernard, ifi what the public do want us to focus on, bernard, if i may, is i think i wa nt on, bernard, if i may, is i think i want us to focus on as fathers we politicians possibly can on uniting oui politicians possibly can on uniting our message to get your point and focusing on their needs and explaining carefully what needs to be done next to get our country through this epidemic. Prime minister, you said on the 24th of may bit Dominic Cummings had acted responsibly, legally, and with integrity, and that in the flex that special advisers are bound on the segment on acting with integrity and the Civil Service code. Why have you. Independent enquiry . We have had a huge amount of discussion about what happened with my adviser between 24th of march on the 14th of april and quite frankly i am not certain right now that an enquiry into that matter is a very good use of official time. We are working flat out on coronavirus. And what advice have you sought from the cabinet secretary about compliance with the code and that matter of integrity in the code . Well, i had no reason to believe that there is any dissent from what i said a few days ago. Has he had an opportunity to ask his own questions of your Senior Advisor . Well, im not going to go into the discussions that have taken place, to go into the discussions that have ta ken place, but to go into the discussions that have taken place, but i have no reason to depart from what i have already said. Of course, it is unprecedented for a special advisor to have their owfi press for a special advisor to have their own press conference at the rose garden on downing street. How did you consult the cabinet before agreeing to this . Well, i thought that it would be a very good thing if people could understand what i had understood myself previously, i think on the previous day about what took place, and there you go, we had a long go sick, and, yeah, its been a long go sick, and, yeah, its been a very frustrating episode and i understand why people have been so concerned. We had a long go at it. Because this country has been going through a horrendously difficult time but i really think that as far as what we need to do is to focus on getting the message right, which is probably Common Ground with your committee, then i think what we need to do really is to move on and to. 0k. And to get on with how were going to suss out a coronavirus which is really the overwhelming priority of the people of this country. We have a plan, its working, we are now coming to the 28th of may, the very important next stage. 0k. Thank you and good afternoon Prime Minister, it is good to see you. Can you actually start by saying that i think you have been quite brave in the way that you have been prepared to sacrifice the credibility and popularity of your own governmentjust to stand by your man. You have done something i have never seen done on the 20 years i have been in the house. You have somehow managed to unite a nation in condemnation and indignation over your handling of it. 63 of the British Public said you should sack him. The most worrying thing Prime Minister was that 65 says that they think his conduct makes the public less likely to follow lockdown rules. Surely no man is more important than keeping this nation safe. Well, pete, if i may respectfully say, in addition to what i have already said about that particular matter, a lot of what was written and said over saturday and sunday was false, in respect to my adviser. It wasnt correct, and i think he has had an opportunity to clear the matter up and, notwithstanding the various Party Political points that you may seek to make, i think the best. And your point about the message, i respectfully disagree. I think actually the best way to clarify the message, the best way for people to understand what we need to do next, is for us all to move on and focus on what were tomorrow, what we are doing. Youve made that point by minister. Prime minister, have you had a look at your inbox . My inbox and mps across the uk is filled with people listing their sacrifices to follow the instructions that you set. I have spoken with families who have not been able to visit dying relatives, children and families of the month, you know what this looks like to them . One rule for those at the heart of government and one rule for everyone else. He wont say sorry, then you say sorry on his behalf. I am of course sorry for the pain as you said, the anguish of the heartbreak of so many people in this country and by the way there are people across governments at every level that have been going through exactly the same vibrations and difficulties. Private asians and difficulties. Private asians and difficulties. All i think is that what we need to do now is politicians and lead actors if we possibly can privations and difficulties fourth. A lot of the allegations to be totally false and move on. I have said what i have to say about the matter. Insofar as it is correct to say that it is a distraction then by that very argument now is the time to leave it aside and move on. But this isjust growing and growing, Prime Minister. The anger is reaching fever pitch. It is almost like it is eroding the nation. You know that eventually youll have to let it go, why dont youll have to let it go, why dont you now get on with it . We thank you so much for your point, i consider that to be very. Its a valuable piece of. You know, youre making a political point and a piece of political advice. I consider that what this government needs to do is focus, i dont think, the needs of the nation on sorting out this problem and on getting our message across and that is what we are going to do. Stephen. Youre muted. Good afternoon Prime Minister. You talk about the National Effort in the nation but how frustrating is it for you that you was the uk Prime Minister during this enormous peacetime crisis that we have not been able to act as one United Kingdom with one single set of clear rules and single strategy. Do you actually think that the variable geometry of a four nations approach actually reflects the strength of the union at this time . Very good question and actually one of the interesting things which you wouldnt possibly get from my Exchange Just now with pete is the fantastic cooperation, collaboration, between all four nations of the uk. If you look at the differences between our approaches, they are very marginal, and to get your point it is very important that when there is a slight distance in the our number for instance between one part of the uk and another or when one of us for example has a slightly different problem with care homes slightly different in our r number. It is entirely sensible that there should be slightly different approaches is a nasa but we have seen. And you will see that in many european countries. Can ask you on that collaboration, how influential were the criticisms of the scottish and welsh first minister about the easing of lockdown rules ahead of your statement, that they instead put a brake on temper and your instincts to go for lower further, andi instincts to go for lower further, and i heading infrom instincts to go for lower further, and i heading in from the influence on your process, is that why you gave a more cautious speech . We all listen to each other and think about it together, i do listen to what mark said, what nicola said, actually what i said i made the tent was a pretty cautious message. We have decided as Everybody Knows to have decided as Everybody Knows to have a relaxation that encourages people who must go to work for their job to go to work, it is still the case that if you can work from home you should work from home, but what we are also is brought in some relaxations on exercise and peoples ability to travel to take exercise. Only in england. Only in england. Actually, i was struck by the congruence rather than the disparity. It always suits those who have a separatist agenda to break up the uk to play up differences, when, in fact, the unity has been much more conspicuous than you might believe. We are already four minutes behind Prime Minister. Simon hall. Thank you sir bernard. Prime minister, do we not think, given the huge amount of cross border traffic between the republic and Northern Ireland that we need to ensure that we are in as close lockstep as possible with the lockstep in order to ensure as we take our baby steps to ensure as we take our baby steps to release lockdown the people. All of the people of the island of ireland are as safe as possible. Absolutely, and i know you follow this very closely from your Vantage Point on the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee and i thank you for all your work there, just to say that what. I for all your work there, just to say that what. I have a very good, you know, the relationship, working relationship with leo the right care as you know. We talk about what were trying to do as much as possible. One interesting thing is that clearly Northern Ireland and the republic of ireland wont be affected by any changes that we bring in on quarantine, we will keep the cta, keep common travel area and as you know by cooperation is going on with the apps are working together as closely as we possibly can. Thank you, if the rate continues to creep up, my inbox tells me that over the results of the past few days the response of the past few days the response of the british people are going to be far less energetic than it was the first time round, and that is as a direct result of the activities of your Senior Advisor. We are right to say that you are right to say that we know what your tsar, but frankly i dont think anybody understands why you those views, so what do we say to our constituents who might say that you can keep your lockdown, if other people do about that, why should we . Lockdown, if other people do about that, why should we . |j lockdown, if other people do about that, why should we . I have to say i dont think that is true as to how the british people will respond to the british people will respond to the next stages are how to work the test and trace, i dont think that is how they responded throughout the crisis and i think they have responded with fantastic responsibility and collectively we have got that mac one down we have got the info once of the disease down. Collectively we have got that mac rundown. Collectively we have got that r number down. Maintaining those key messages, isolating if you have symptoms, all of those things will continue to be absolutely vital as we move into the next stage, washing your hands. We are coming down from level four to level three and we hope that they are going to be making a decision tomorrow but all of that depends as we know what were doing with schools, with nonessential resale, from june the ist, with car showrooms, with acts outdoor shops, all of that depends on our ability to continue to get the r number down and that means that we have got to be ruthless in our message. Prime minister, you said that a number of the allegations that were made about Dominic Cummings were false. You are within the six hours. Did you see the evidence to prove that . within the six hours. Did you see the evidence to prove that . I dont wa nt to the evidence to prove that . I dont want to go into. Yes and no Prime Minister, it is a simple question. Did you see the evidence. Minister, it is a simple question. Did you see the evidencelj minister, it is a simple question. Did you see the evidence. I dont wa nt to did you see the evidence. I dont want to go into much more, and i have said. It is a simple question, did you see the evidence . If it pleases you you will say i will say yes i did. Well, you saw the evidence, would it be a good idea for the cabinet secretary to see that and for it to be published then this problem would be of your table. Well, i think i would not be doing myjob if i were now to shovel this problem into the hands of officials who believe me, as i think the public would want, i working flat out to deal with coronavirus. I think everybody has had a. I know that there is a great political interest with this, i am not certain andi interest with this, i am not certain and i totally understand public indignation, i totally understand that, but i do think that. As i understand things, and i have said what i said, about the whole business, i think it would be much better if we could now move on and focus on the next steps. We must try to avoid repeating ourselves. focus on the next steps. We must try to avoid repeating ourselves. I get asked the same question, what else cani asked the same question, what else can i do. Thank you minister. As i have to say it is extremely thank you, Prime Minister. I have to say, it is extremely surprising that you wont provide that evidence to the cabinet secretary or have any independent verification of it. But let me ask you about your instructions now to parents who either have covid or have the symptoms of covid, who wont know how seriously theyre going to get it, and who have no local child care available. Is the message to those parents now the one from Jenny Harries, to stay at home unless there is a risk to life and if you do get ill contact the community hubs, or is it the message from the transport secretary and the communities secretary, to be able to travel to wherever you have a support network . In the words of robertjenrick this morning, if you dont have ready access to childcare, then you can do as Dominic Cummings did. Which is it . Well, im not certain, that there is as much of a discrepancy between those bits of advice as you suggest. I think whatjenny was trying to say is that if you have exceptional difficulties with childcare, you should take account of them. Ok, but were not talking about exceptional difficulties with childcare, we are talking about their normal difficulties with childcare. A survey from mumsnet today said that a quarter of parents said they did not have access to local childcare when they had covid and were in exactly the same circumstances as Dominic Cummings. A third of them said theyd be more likely to break the rules now. So if youre trying to tackle local outbreaks and prevent them spreading, you need to be giving clear advice to parents, and what is it . Because it is not clear to me from listening to Jenny Harries and to robertjenrick what that advice to parents in Dominic Cummings situation is. The clear advice is to stay at home unless you absolutely have to go to work to do yourjob. If you have exceptional problems with childcare, that may cause you to vary your arrangements and thats clear. We are also saying from tomorrow, and this is an important development, but there is a new test and trace operation which will change peoples lives and which will require a great deal the clear advice is to stay at home unless you absolutely have to go to work to do yourjob. If you have exceptional problems with childcare, that may cause you to vary your arrangements and thats clear. We are also saying from tomorrow, and this is an important development, but there is a new test and trace operation which will change peoples lives and which will require a great deal of thought and compliance, but which i think will be worth it for the whole nation. And the fundamental advice remains absolutely unchanged. Which is wash your hands, observe social distancing, and self isolate if you have symptoms and to get a test. Thats not my question. Im asking specifically about your advice to parents who have covid. The reason youre not giving, the reason you are ducking it, the reason. Im not ducking it, ivejust given, i just said that i agree. I dont think that youre actually. Travel across the country, even though it may mean them having to go into hospital somewhere else where they made seed further infections. You want them to do that or do you wa nt you want them to do that or do you want them to stay put when they dont have local childcare like around a quarter of parents . I think youd have to look at each individual case and there are particular circumstances that my adviser explained, i think what Jenny Harries was trying to say was that where there are exceptional difficulties, that people needed to take account of them. And other than that, i dont really know what i can add. Heres the problem, Prime Minister, the reason you are ducking this, the reason youre not giving people a straight answer, is because you are trying not to incriminate Dominic Cummings and you dont want to apologise for him. Youre putting your own can split a concerns above the National Interest, above those of pa rents the National Interest, above those of parents who have coronavirus, you are trashing the work of a public advisor. Let are trashing the work of a public advisor. Let me i dont are trashing the work of a public advisor. Let me i dont think this is. Let me put this to you as a precise question. In the way into this crisis you were criticised on getting a whole series of messages wrong on shaking hands, is business as usual, a series of those things, and 40,000 people are dead. We need you to get this right now. So can you to get this right now. So can you tell us. You have a choice between protecting Dominic Cummings and putting the National Interest first. Which will it be Prime Minister . I think my choice is the choice of the british people that i would want us all to make. Is that as far as we possibly can to lay aside Party Political point scoring and to put the National Interest first to be very clear with the British Public about what we want to do and how we want to take this country do and how we want to take this cou ntry forward do and how we want to take this country forward and we come now to an important juncture. We country forward and we come now to an importantjuncture. We are moving to step. Step two of our road mac, andi to step. Step two of our road mac, and i think that this conversation has, to my mind, eliminated why it is so important for us to move on and be very clear with the British Public about how we want to do that and how we want to make progress and frankly when they hear nothing but politicians squabbling and bickering, its no wonder that they feel confused about it. It is much, much, much more important that we stress the vital messages, stay at home if you can, go to work if you must, although that will change obviously for some sectors is due in the first approaches, and then during the 15th when more nonessential retail comes on, we will. We must have social distancing, it is absolutely vital, and really, those messages need to be pumped out the whole time by you, in effect, just as much as me. Prime minister we would love to have clear m essa g es minister we would love to have clear messages but i need you to give those messages. We have you have had a long time if that, we must move on. If there are no further questions we need to move on. Simon whole, very brief please. Agree entirely with the seriousness of the situation but i dont think anybody can understand why mr cummings is so pivotal to moving this country forward , pivotal to moving this country forward, dealing with coronavirus. This is now a distraction, people are very annoyed, Prime Minister. Is that on your radar . Well, i think simon, you have made that point i think several times now. My reciprocal point to you is yes, i do understand peoples feelings, i do understand peoples feelings, i do understand why people feel such indignation about the whole business, the pain of the whole business, the pain of the whole business of the lockdown, but i really also think that what they wa nt really also think that what they want now is for us to focus on then and their needs rather than on a political ding dong about what one adviser may not have done and to repeat an important one, which i dont think you have acknowledged, a lot of the allegations that were made about that adviser were simply not correct, and i dont think that point has been sufficiently acknowledged. Hello there. Temperatures were up as high as about 26 degrees today. The highest temperatures in the south east of england. But for many parts of the country it has been a dry day with lots of sunshine around as well. Strong sunshine too and we saw more sunshine developing for a while in scotland but cloud amounts are increasing now. Well, weve still got High Pressure in charge of our weather, but around the top of that weve got this weather front here moving in. Thats increasing the cloud in scotland and its also bringing with it some outbreaks of rain. Now, thats mainly going to be affecting northern scotland, for a while overnight. Well see more cloud for Northern Ireland for a while too, and some cloud coming back into some eastern parts of england. Otherwise skies will be clear. Quite a warm night. Lowest temperature is probably going to be in the north east of england, six or 7 degrees. As you can see, by the end of the night, theres not much rain left in scotland. Whats left of it will move away into the north sea and the cloud will thin. In scotland, sunshine will develop away from the Northern Isles and well see a much sunnier day for Northern Ireland. Sunshine across england and wales after that early low cloud across some eastern parts of england. Its more of a breeze, and noticeable in the south east of england, its goal thats an easterly breeze. Its pushing the higher temperatures, this time most towards wales, the west country, and also the west midlands, again around about mid 20s. And those temperatures may not change a great deal over the next few days. Some early low cloud over Eastern England on friday and then a dry day with plenty of sunshine, a little bit more of a breeze, perhaps noticeable especially around coastal areas, but it is pushing the warmth further north, all the way to scotland where we are likely to get temperatures into the mid 20s, one in the central belt of scotland then it will be perhaps across south eastern parts of england. It has, however, been a very dry month for many parts of the country, and it looks like it is staying dry over the next few days. Could be a record breaker considering in the south east some places have had no rain at all this month. Over the weekend, that High Pressure is still in charge. Thats been the main reason its been so dry this month. We keep those weather fronts that they and we introduce our air we keep those weather fronts at bay and we introduce our air coming in from continental europe. So theres temperatures are again going to be around about the mid 20s or so but for pretty much the bulk of the country its going to be high uv levels throughout this weekend, strong sunshine around, there may be some patchy cloud bubbling up, may be Northern Ireland and scotland, but not a great deal of that. Its pretty much blue skies and those temperatures may be peaking at 26 or 27. This is outside source on bbc news for viewers in the uk and around the world. Im kasia madera. Were covering all the latest developments and analysis here in britain and globally. Everything is ready for the first commercial flight taking astronauts to the the International Space station. Im jane obrien at the Kennedy Space centre where the weather will be the deciding factor. But as of now, nasa says this launch ago. This launch is a