Fighting to stop brexit that is or priority. Because we believe we are better in the european union. It is better for our Public Services, like the nhs. It is better for our environment, and its better for peoplesjobs. Heres the scene live in Central London where party leaderjo swinson will be giving more details of the lib dem manifesto shortly. At the trump impeachment inquiry the Us Ambassador to the eu says the president was behind pressure on ukraine to investigatejoe biden. And the special one is special again at least thats what spurs think, asJose Mourinho returns to football management in the premier league. Its five oclock. Our main story is that borisjohnson has said that, if elected, the conservatives would raise the threshold at which employees Pay National Insurance to £12,500. That would bring the threshold into line with income tax. Mrjohnson said the first step would be to increase the threshold to £9,500 in the first budget of a tory government. The Prime Minister announced the policy whilst answering questions from workers at an Engineering Firm in teesside. You said low tax, low tax for people like you or for People Like Us . No tax for people of the working people. Low tax for people of the working people. If you look at what we are doing, what i said in last few days, we are going to be cutting National Insurance up to £12,000, we will be making sure we cut Business Rates for small businesses, we are cutting tax for working people. National insurance is a tax paid by workers and the self employed who are over 16, with the amount varying depending on how much you earn. The current threshold sees workers paying National Insurance contributions once they earn over £8,628 a year. Mrjohnson had promised to raise the threshold to £12,500 when he ran for tory leadership. That pledge could see workers saving up to £465 a year. With me is pauljohnson, director of the institute for fiscal studies. First of all, in terms of the specifics, this kicks in, the rate will change. What are the implications for that to the overall cost to government . Is your duty at the sir trevor is a hybrid and pounce right away, that would cost £10 billion. That is a big tax cut. The Prime Minister has suggested he will do more gradually than that, maybe to £9,005 and the first incident, not is still a couple billion pounds of cost. If you are to do this over a parliament, that is still a big change. When he says he will say favoured a big change. When he says he will save five to is based on the 12,500, not the initial you are to do this over a parliament, that is still a big change. When he says he will save five to pass, that is based on the 12,500, not the initial 9500 . The initial change would save about the amount you are getting back, or not having to pay in tax, that is significantly different . There is a big difference in saying it will save you five no pounds, actually, it will save you 85 initially. This is the kind of change you to make gradually. It has taken a decade for the comment to an increase the income due to £12,500. These are big changes to. If you were to do this, but it does make sense. It is kind of autostart income tax act a 500 but National Insurance at 9500. The lib dems might grumble that the conservatives are slipping out this policy just before conservatives are slipping out this policyjust before they announced their manifesto, perhaps it will knock them off the front pages tomorrow morning . It is interesting that some of the debate about tax has changed over the last few years, partly because the lib dems were pushing them on that lower rates for lower paid workers during the coalition. The lib dems were the people behind the increase in income tax personal allowance. Interesting to look at their manifesto today, there are some big tax increases in it, corporate, Passenger Duty and so on. Really substantial increases in tax for them. 0bviously, these cuts that the conservatives are going to announce. In terms of the proposal from the lib dems, the kind of headline, which is extra billions for Public Services, some of which they will use to recruit more teachers in schools in england. 0f course, education is devolved around the uk but the top for england specifically. How do they come to this figure of £50 billion over five yea rs . This figure of £50 billion over five years . Are they taking money from elsewhere, is it tax increases, or are they assuming about what will happen to the economy if there is no brexit . It is all of those things. They have some really significant tax rises in their manifesto. In case any income tax, Capital Gains tax, Corporation Tax and Passenger Duty. Those come to well over 30 billion. Also assuming that if they where the Majority Party as we stay in the eu, and a world where we would be remaining, youll lose a lot of uncertainty, the benefits of the Single Market and so on. They are assuming or not conservative estimates that the economy will be a bit bigger in that world, if so the way of tax, they are suggesting that five years in, may be at the tax reve nu es five years in, may be at the tax revenues will be 1a million or so. That is actually less than half, about a third what they are seeing from specific tax rises, but it is an additional bit of money in their assumptions. Have then got the full picture in this election for what the biggest Political Parties will be doing in terms of taxation and spending . Are you still waiting for some gaps in the pictures to be filled in . We are still waiting on the labour and conservative ma nifestos, the labour and conservative manifestos, but we have already had some bigger spending proposes by all three parties, some very big increases on investment. And presuming tomorrow we will see big increases from labour along the lines they suggested back in 2017. We will get more detail on their spending plans. Itll be interesting to see where the conservatives come out because they have said that they to get a current budget balance, effectively meaning they do not want to borrow any more than they are today, other than for investment. In that world, they havent actually got much space for other tax cuts or spending increases. Although this is ultimately about credibility with the voters for all parties . All the parties have been making some pretty remarkable promises, whether the voters believe any of them, well, thatis voters believe any of them, well, that is up to them. 0ur Political Correspondent nick eardley is just outside middlesbrough on teesside, where he has been following Boris Johnson on the campaign trail today. Your only way, very good with you that you have your seat belt on do at the conservatives think they have everything tap down with this announcement, please have the interest it has generated . Almost. Im not quite sure it was meant to come out today. The first to be head of the xi announcement was Boris Johnson responding to a pretty hostile pro question about touch ups from an audience member and a queue and a. After that, there was a bit ofa and a. After that, there was a bit of a mad scramble to figure out exactly what was being announce when it came to a National Insurance will stop in at the last hour, we have got confirmation from the Prime Minister that if the conservatives win at the election, he will do this. The pledge to up the National Insurance threshold, lowering the amount that we all Pay National Insurance, that will happen pretty quickly, actually. He will bring the first measure in in his first budget, now take the fish out up to 9500. Then, over time, budget, now take the fish out up to 9500. Then, overtime, they budget, now take the fish out up to 9500. Then, over time, they want to ta ke 9500. Then, over time, they want to take it up to 12,500, although we dont know exactly when that will be. If we are lucky enough to be re elected, the first budget, will go re elected, the first budget, will 9 up re elected, the first budget, will go up to the 9500 threshold. That will, as i say, put £500 in the pocket of everybody. We will then ta ke pocket of everybody. We will then take a further step and we will sit out the timescale at the budget up to 12,500. We want to operate in a prudent way, but we do want to help now with the cost of living. So, its happening, it is going to cost a lot of money. We will wait for the tory manifesto, probably the next few days, to find out exactly where thatis few days, to find out exactly where that is coming from. The liberal democrats have published their election manifesto promising a remain bonus of £50 billion if brexit is stopped. The party wants to spend the money on improving Public Services and reducing inequality. The manifesto also includes a pledge to tackle Climate Change by generating more electricity through renewable energy. 0ur Political Correspondent, chris mason, has sent this report. Debt for hundreds of thousand of students thanks to your Party Election campaigns are noisy critics of the liberal democrats like to remind them of their time in government, supporters like to drown out the critics. Jo swinson went to school in cambridge this morning. This is nonfiction. Also published today, her partys pamphlet manifesto, 96 pages, but one topic dominates. The liberal democrats will be fighting to stop brexit. That is our priority because we believe we are better in the european union, it is better for our Public Services like the nhs, our environment and it is better for peoples jobs. The partys main pitch is to cancel brexit. They point to economic forecasts suggesting remaining in the eu is better for the economy they would have more money to spend. They also want 80 of our electricity generated by renewable sources within a decade, and are promising 20,000 extra teachers in england within five years. Today we have set out the details of our plans on schools funding and making sure that there can be up to 20,000 new teachers employed in schools across the country. That is incredibly important for our childrens education at a time when schools have really been struggling with funding. What else is in here . More stuff on schools in england, getting rid of 0fsted and replacing it with an alternative inspections system. Replacing mandatory sats and league tables. But the big question for the party, given the noise of labour and the conservatives and the snp in scotland, is how much they can get noticed. Well, jo swinson has been speaking to our political editor, laura kuennsberg, this afternoon. She said that the past three and a half years have proven that there is no majority of one kind of brexit. I do believe it has become a National Embarrassment for our country. When you speak to people in other countries looking at us, and they look at us with puzzlement. But what message do you think that sends to a leave voter who might have just heard you say that . I mean, it was a majority decision. And the liberal democrats this time are, very candidly, seeking to overturn what was a narrow but clear decision taken by the majority of voters in this country. So, i recognise that the vote in 2016 had that result. But the debate since then, and listening to mps in parliament who support brexit not being able to agree amongst themselves about what brexit would look like. So, theresa mays deal wasnt good enough for Boris Johnson orjacob rees mogg, and then they would disagree. But, also, remainers have disagreed, too. Theres been failure right across the piece, has there not . Remainers agree that we should remain in the european union, we are coming out of that interview because jo swinson we are coming out of that interview becausejo swinson herself has started speaking in a Central London. Lets what she has to say. Whether that is the 1970s of the 18705. Whether that is the 1970s of the 1870s. For too many people, things are not working as they should be. We are the fifth largest economy in the world, yet, one in five of us in this country in poverty. Parents working full time on the National Living wage who are struggling to provide for their children. Im not talking about trips to disneyland, im talking about putting food on the table, paying for school uniforms, keeping the heating on. There are others like the one in my constituency who came to see me, having is escaped an abusive relationship, she got out, and then she faced a five week wait for her universal credit payment. Going without so her child could eat, and having to rely on the kindness of neighbours to invite them round for a hot meal. There are schools in this country shutting early on fridays because they cannot afford to pay their teachers. Head teachers who are having to ask parents to buy toilet roll. There are teenagers like the one i met on a visit to a school recently, who have found themselves in deep crisis, feeling likely have no way out. And in that moment, the professional help they needed just wasnt there. Tonight, that ourfamily needed just wasnt there. Tonight, that our family sleeping in a makeshift accommodation, whatever positions they have left are packed in plastic bags, their wives devastated by flooding. Their lives devastated by flooding. Instead of addressing these very real problems, we have wasted the last three and a half years talking about brexit. 0n perceiving a path that we know it will make all of these problems worse. That is now form of brexit that would be good form of brexit that would be good for the future of our country. It would put ourjobs at risk, hurt our nhs, reduce our environmental protections, vetting workers rights, and it would make us less safe. Whether brexit is done by borisjohnson or sorted safe. Whether brexit is done by Boris Johnson or sorted byJeremy Corbyn, they are both gambling with your future. Boris corbyn, they are both gambling with yourfuture. Borisjohnson corbyn, they are both gambling with your future. Boris johnson is collecting quite the set of celebrity endorsements. Britains biggest races, tommy robinson, has come out in his support. Just days after borisjohnson struck come out in his support. Just days after Boris Johnson struck a come out in his support. Just days after borisjohnson struck a deal with nigel farage. At least President Trump will be happy, his two friends coming together like she wanted. Clearly, President Trumps which is Boris Johnsons wanted. Clearly, President Trumps which is borisjohnsons command. Borisjohnson is which is borisjohnsons command. Boris johnson is deluded which is borisjohnsons command. Borisjohnson is deluded if he thinks he can negotiate a new trade deal with europe by this time next year. Yet, he refuses to extend the transition period, he refuses to confirm that he will not cash is out of the eu at the end of 2020. We dont out what reassurances he gave to nigel farage, but we do know this, borisjohnson to nigel farage, but we do know this, Boris Johnson only to nigel farage, but we do know this, borisjohnson only cares about borisjohnson. Applause. He will say and do whatever it takes to keep him in at number 10. This is a man who lie to the queen, who has lied to you before, and he lying to you now. Applause. Two weeks into the general election, Jeremy Corbyn still wont tell you how he will campaign in a peoples vote. The biggest question of the election, and he still wont answer it. Elections are about choosing the kind of country we want to build. A man who refused to tell you what that looks like does not deserve your vote. Borisjohnson that looks like does not deserve your vote. Boris johnson and Jeremy Corbyn are living in a fantasy land if they think that brexit is a simple as getting a deal through parliament. If we leave the eu, we are looking at years and years and yea rs of are looking at years and years and years of endless trade negotiations. More time and energy wasted on getting something that will never be as good as what we already have. More time and energy wasted for violently ideological fantasies of nigel farage, so that borisjohnson can play at being Prime Minister. More time and energy wasted that we could spend on improving everyones lives. The solution is clear. If you wa nt to lives. The solution is clear. If you want to put an end to this, if you wa nt to want to put an end to this, if you want to stop borisjohnson and his cabal of hardline brexiteers, then unity about for the liberal democrats. We are the only party that can win a significant number of seats from the conservatives and deprive them of a majority applause. 0ver over the last two weeks, we have set out our plans to build a Brighter Future. We have shared our plan to transform Mental Health services. Imagine going to the hospital with a broken arm and been told that you need to travel hundreds of miles to get treatment. You would be outrage, right . Now, imagine being a child in the midst of a Mental Health crisis and being made to travel hundreds of milesjust so miles just so that and being made to travel hundreds of miles just so that you can get the support that you need. Separated from your friends and familyjust when you need them the most. We shouldnt accept that is just how it is. The liberal democrats will invest £11 billion of the next five yea rs, years, investing invest £11 billion of the next five years, investing more money in talking therapy so that people dont have to wait four months. And increasing the number of psychiatrist and specialist Mental Health nurses. It is about time that we treat Mental Health with the same agency as physical health. Applause. Last year, the Uk Parliament was the first ina first in a barrel last year, the Uk Parliament was the first in a barrel to declare a climate emergency, but the level of action by the conservative government has been woeful. This week, we saw reports that the labour party has dropped the 2013 at zero target that they simply had not thought through. No plan and have no clue how to save our planet. 2030. Totally an Inspiring Leadership when put in contrast to the thousands of children and teenagers that have taken to our streets to remind us that we are running out of time to save the planet. Like my friends 12 year old, ev, who has the day after day on the road in her hometown with a huge home made sign that reads, treat a crisis like a crisis. People like ev, those children, that is why the liberal democrats will deliver a programme to cut greenhouse emissions straightaway, so that in a decade, 80 of electricity will come from renewables. And so that we can lift millions of fuel poverty by into losing their homes in the next five yea rs. We losing their homes in the next five years. We arent the only party with a radical and credible plan to tackle the climate emergency, as we will not leave our children without boiling planet. Applause. The state of our schools is just not good enough. The conservatives have cut School Funding to the bone, and children have paid the price, especially those with the most complex needs. Liberal democrats will build a voucher for a charge for every child. By stopping brexit, we can spend a bulk of our bonus on revision school, so that schools can hire 20,000 more teachers, and if pupils can leave school happy, healthy and with the skills they need to succeed in life. Because our schools should be one class, not forced to cut corners to balance budgets. That is why we are going to put our money where our heart is, in the future of our children, giving them the best start in life. Applause. We will create a fairer economy is how that everyone can live a secure, happy and fulfilling life. We will start by recognising that in a world that his rapidly changing, it is just not good enough to say that education stops after school or university. That is why we will give every adult £18,000 skills wallet, so every adult £18,000 skills wallet, so they can keep learning, developing the skills they need for thejobs of developing the skills they need for the jobs of the future developing the skills they need for thejobs of the future £10,000. Creating a fairer economy is also about reinventing the relationship between business and the communities on which they rely. I believe that business can be a force for good, it can be part of the solution, not pa rt can be part of the solution, not part of the problem. I am so proud that our biggest investment in this ma nifesto that our biggest investment in this manifesto is to help parents. Currently, it wont lose my months of paid parental leave are up, the cost of childcare just makes returning to work impossible for far too many people. We all know someone, a too many people. We all know someone, a friend orfamily member, usually a women, who has had to give up usually a women, who has had to give up their career to take care of theirfamily. Up their career to take care of their family. They take time out of work for a couple of years, until the chat, current child care help start. Then they have a second or third child. Soon enough, they have lost out on six or seven years worth of work experience, opportunities, promotions and pay rises. Every family is unique, what works for one wont work for another, but we are deluded and we think that families have a real choice at the moment about how they balance work and taking care of their little ones. That is why the liberal democrats will help parents going back to work, with free, high Quality Childcare from when the child is my mum is old until the first day at school. 35 free hours a week, a0 weeks a year. This isntjust about giving parents a proper choice. We do not think any child should miss out on high quality early years education because their parents cannot afford it. If we want to close the academic gap between rich and poor children, we need to put our money where our mouth is and invest in those formative years. We will transform childcare so that every family and every child can thrive. Applause. At this election, the future of our country is at stake stop dont let anyone tell you that it doesnt get better than Boris Johnson orJeremy Corbyn. That we are destined to stand alone in the world. That we must face the Biggest Challenges on our own, that brexit is inevitable. None of that is a given. The future of our country is in our hands, and we can make a better choice. So, if you want to stop borisjohnson and stott brexit, vote liberal democrat applause. If you want the £50 billion remain bonus to improve your life vote liberal democrat if you want to nurture the bonds and our family of nations vote liberal democrat cheering. If you want to work with our friends to tackle the Climate Crisis vote liberal democrat if you want to build a Brighter Future vote liberal democrat cheering and applause. So, there is jo so, there isjo swinson enough flourishing the partys manifesto, with its key pledge of stopping brexit. They are will not disavowing that during the course of this campaign. Where later when, they would cancel, in effect, the referendum result and argue for britain remaining in the. She says no deal that cannot negotiate with the eu would be as good as they deal the eu would be as good as they deal the uk currently enjoys. She says no formal brexit is preferable to the one that our continued membership to the eu. She reckons that there would be up to £50 billion over a five Year Parliament which would be what they call a brexit bonus for remaining in the eu, a remainers bonus, if you like. She says some of that money would be used to fund 20,000 extra teachers in england, and fora 20,000 extra teachers in england, and for a boost for other things, in particular, social care. Lets return to our Political Correspondent chris mason, im joined now by chris morris, the bbcs reality check correspondent, whos here to go through that manifesto in more detail. Stopping brexit, what are the implications of that in terms of theirfigures . Implications of that in terms of their figures . It is the one thing that sets them apart from all the other uk wide parties, just cant all the whole thing. As you say, no big claim from the lib dems on that score is this, they say that there will be this bonus of £50 billion over five years. Over five years is not a tremendous amount of five yea rs not a tremendous amount of five years when you take into the totality of government spending. You have to be careful because it is just a forecast. It is through that the vast majority of independent economy say that they think the economy say that they think the economy would be bigger if we stay in the eu. If you look at the way that the lib dems have done their conclusions, they have been fairly conservative. Its a forecast. The i think this will give them an extra £1a billion in the spending calculations. You cant say that for certain. A Health Warning on that is that it certain. A Health Warning on that is thatitis certain. A Health Warning on that is that it is money that they dont yet have. What should happen in the world economy, little on the british economy over five years. And that grows when we generate more tax revenue and the government to spend that money . If that is taken into account, what would they do with that money . What is their target bird to spend this . As you say, not a huge sum, but a significant one. 0bviously all manifestos cover pretty much everything. Lets take one thing they have spent a lot of time looking at which is education. They say they would be spending an extra £10 billion on schools in england by 202a. Government spending doesnt go that far at the moment, but on the track to about 2023 when we know what the government is planning to spend, the liberal democrats would be spending a little bit more. That needs to be seen in the perspective of the decrease there has been since 2010, an 8 decrease per pupil in england and education spending on schools. And they were in government for the first five year most of the reduction came when the liberal democrats himself in government. Like many of the conservative pledges in this campaign, they are simply saying theyre going to start spending the money they cut in the past. That is education. The other thing that is interesting, what they wa nt to thing that is interesting, what they want to do with Climate Change. A huge increase in the amount of the uk electricity which would come from new renewable sources. They say should be 80 by 2030. Second in only two ambition to the greens. At the moment, to put it in perspective, in quarter three at the moment, about a0 of the uks illiteracy is produced by renewable sources. We are already making quite a bit of progress if you want to get to 80 , vast extra number of offshore wind farms and solar farms and so forth. There is quite a long way to go and it is quite an ambitious target. One thing she talked about towards the end of the speech was child care. Have the flesh that out in the manifesto . He institute for fiscal studies calls this the most striking spending plan in the liberal democrat manifesto. What they are promising as a Free Childcare for parents with children two and free from all children from the age of two until they start school. It would cost by 2020 for an extra £13 billion. That is almost four and extra £13 billion. That is almost fourand a extra £13 billion. That is almost four and a half times as high as current government plans. Sometimes when we look at manifestos we say, there can spend a bit more here. This is four and a half times higher. 0ne this is four and a half times higher. One of the question is, how much would it help if you are going to spend that money, new mothers who are going to return to work after pa rental leave, are going to return to work after parental leave, how much would help them cut the evidence is mixed. 0ne thing the ifa says is that this would dramatically increase the scope of welfare state at younger ages. The liberal democrats are saying theyre offering a pretty clear choice from the other parties. It is time for a look at the weather prospects. We have seen some rain today across areas, but for most of us today across areas, but for most of us it has been dry but pretty cloudy with a breeze. Skies like these are common, but a little sunshine poking through across parts of england and scotland. A heavy night tonight, cloudy skies that most of us will have. 0utbreaks cloudy skies that most of us will have. 0utbrea ks of cloudy skies that most of us will have. Outbreaks of rain will tend to be confined to the far south west of england. They could be a few showers priest in scotland. For most it stays cloudy and drive. Temperatures area stays cloudy and drive. Temperatures are a 3 6dc, but we could get a touch of frost, most likely in parts of northern scotland. Tomorrow, the one backing to a south easterly direction and a chilly breeze, keeping the rain away from Northern Ireland but importing some killer air, so it will feel chillier. Eastern scotland, a few patches of low cloud and rain returns to South West England again. Temperatures come up most of us, struggling a little bit, highs of 67d. A struggling a little bit, highs of 6 7d. A little milder towards the south west. The conservatives promise to cut National Insurance payments for workers if theyre elected although the full timescale has not been set out the liberal democrats launch their general election manifesto saying that stopping brexit would give the economy a 50 billion boost which they would invest in Public Services. At the trump impeachment inquiry the Us Ambassador to the eu says the president was behind pressure on ukraine to investigate joe biden. Sport now. And for a full round up, from the bbc sport centre, heres new tottenham manager Jose Mourinho says hes excited by the quality in both the spurs squad and the clubs academy. Mourinho added working with these players is what has attracted me. Hes signed a contract until the end of the 2022 23 season with a basic salary of £8 million a year. His First Priority aftrer replacing the sacked Mauricio Pochettino will be getting tottenham back up the premier league table. Theyre1ath at the moment and without a win in their last five league games. Spurs Supporters Trust say they have concerns about how mourinho will work with the board and have called for the club to explain its long term vision. heres how some fans greeted the news earlier today. I think he is going to bring the Champions League for tottenham, because i think that is the main goal. To win the Champions League, that should be the main goal. |j goal. To win the Champions League, that should be the main goal. I feel likely reason are even in the position there are endless because of the manager. It is why we allowed to dream the way we are. To diminish that and completely disregard everything he has done over the last five and a half years is quite disrespectful. Good choice. Time for a difference to make the team a lot better. I dont think he is going to doa better. I dont think he is going to do a greatjob considering what he did at man united and real madrid. I think we should have given the last manager a bit more time, to turn the clu b manager a bit more time, to turn the club around. Well, the former tottenham manager Harry Redknapp thinks mourinho will have plenty to work with at spurs. Hes walking into a good squad that have been underachieving for a while. To go in there, lived in there and to get them into Champions League, which is still a possibility, that would be his re met, he will have a massive bonus im sure in his contract if he makes Champions League this season as well. He will be giving everything he has got to get them going, and will look to make one or two changes, one or two players he is looking at he has been eyeing up while he has been out of work. Great britains davis cup final tie with the netherlands has gone to a deciding doubles match. Andy murray won the first match, before dan evans was beaten by robin haase in the singles. Evans made a great start taking the first set of the group of the group match 6 3. But haase fought back, levelled the match on a tie break before going on to win the third set 6 a. Earlier andy murray got Great Britain off to a winning start. It wasnt easy, though he lost the first set against the world number 179 Tallon Griekspoor on a tie break. Murray admitted hed put on some weight during a break from the court after the birth of his third child and he did look less sharp than usual but he fought back to win the decider on another tie break. The new england cricket coach Chris Silverwood will get the first chance to see his vision for the side in action tonight, when the first test against new zealand starts in mount maunganui. Warwickshires dom sibley will make his debut, opening the batting alongside rory burns. This two test series is being seen as a dry run for the next ashes series, even though it isnt part of the world test championship. Its an opportunity for us as a side to continue our development and improvement at winning away from home. 0bviously improvement at winning away from home. Obviously there is points to be played for them we get to south africa and sri lanka later on this winter, so there is plenty, with a few new faces around, there is plenty to play for. For us to lay a marker down and how we want this winter to go. Well have more for you in sportsday at half past six. The Us Ambassador to the eu has told the impeachment inquiry into donald trump that he was following the president s orders, when he pressed ukraine to investigate burisma , a gas firm empoying the son of his president ial rivaljoe biden. Gordon sondland said there was absolutely a quid pro quo , and that he and other diplomats had been forced to work with President Trumps personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani. Mr giuliani demanded that ukraine make a Public Statement announcing the investigations of the 2016 election, dnc server and burisma. Mr giuliani was expressing the desires of the president of the united states, and we knew these investigations were important to the president. I tried diligently to ask why the aid was suspended, but i never received a clear answer. Still havent to this day. In the absence of any credible explanation for the suspension of aid, i later came to believe that the resumption of security aid would not occur until there was a Public Statement from ukraine committing to the investigations of the 2016 elections and burisma, as mr giuliani had demanded. Lets talk to our washington correspondent on capitol hill. There had been some speculation about what mrsun might say had been some speculation about what mr sun might say when he gave oral test may having spoken previous to buying closed doors . The democrats expected to be an important business and are very pleased about what he said. The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee said this was a significant moment in the history of the impeachment enquiry. When you ta ke of the impeachment enquiry. When you take a look at what this man appointed by donald trump aside, he was a major donor to the campaign in 2016 and was rewarded with a top diplomatic post, it has been very damaging for the trump administration. If you take a look at some of what he said, he said that they were following the president s orders and bringing his personal attorney Rudy Giuliani into negotiations with ukraine. The phrase being used time again a p pa re ntly phrase being used time again apparently by the president was talk with rudy. And he said yes. You just heard it, there was a quid pro quo. What that means it is basically the us was demanding ukraine launched investigations into his political rivaljoe biden and his son hunter biden, in response and then return for potentially a visit to the white house by ukraines president , how to counter this threat that the us would withhold military aid to the country. That was hundreds of millions of dollars of military aid that was vital to the country. Gordon said that as far as he was concerned, gordon said that as far as he was concerned , everyone was gordon said that as far as he was concerned, everyone was in the loop about that. It was no secret. He was talking there are about the white house and the us state department. Talking there are about the white house and the us state departmentlj was house and the us state department. was talking before i came into the studio to one of Donald Trumps supporters, the chief executive of newsmax. He said, similarto supporters, the chief executive of newsmax. He said, similar to the republican argument in the coming days, the president did something thatis days, the president did something that is kind of within his discretion to do. It doesnt amount toa high discretion to do. It doesnt amount to a high crime and misdemeanour as defined by the us constitution. Therefore it is not unimpeachable offence. Is that how the republicans are going to be defending the president in the coming hours . The argument has come time and time again from republicans that as far as they are concerned, the president was right to try and push for an investigation into potential corruption in ukraine. Even if that wasnt was any foreign country, evenif wasnt was any foreign country, even if it involved a potential political rival. President trump has made unfounded allegations of corruption against a company and are specifically against hunter biden who was a board member of the company. Those are unsubstantiated allegations and no evidence has been presented. It was an argument from republicans that he wanted to investigate corruption. What we are seeing in this testimony and this hearing, they have been pushing the idea that the president never actually said to gordon, and they would suggest others, that this military aid to ukraine was contingent on investigations. They had been pointing out that gordon made an assumption that that was the case, or as they argue, it was a speculation and i guess. Make no mistake, President Trump will not likely testimony that has been given, particularly somebody that he has appointed saying these things. We know he was watching closely in the white house, and a short time ago, he left with some handwritten notes and spoke to reporters. In those notes he said, i wanted nothing from ukraine, i want nothing from ukraine, i want no quid pro quo. That goes against what gordon has said, but you can imagine that this impeachment enquiry, this is not the last witness we will hear from, and there will be lots more discussion about whether or not there was potentially a quid pro quo. Senior conservatives have rejected criticism of the decision to change the name of one of the partys twitter accounts during last nights tv debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn. One of the partys accounts was rebranded as a Fact Checking service. Twitter says it will act if the party does it again and the Electoral Commission has reminded all parties that they must campaign responsibly. This report from our Political Correspondentjessica parker looking online, what to take at face value . Last night, a brief rebrand of a conservative Party Twitter account to factcheckuk, as the press Office Shared its interpretation of the head to head debate. Tonight, the conservative Prime Minister, borisjohnson, and leader of the labour party, Jeremy Corbyn, debate. Amidst an hour long exchange, covering a range of issues. Lets end the privatisation within the nhs. Applause. What could be more ruinous for the nhs than a crackpot plan for a four day week. Jeremy corbyn was laughed at on brexit. Laughter. And we will abide by that result. And borisjohnson on trust. Does the truth matter in this election . I think it does, and. Laughter. I think it very important. I have been very clear so, if trust is an issue, do people care about the consrvatives twitter adjustment . No one gives a toss about the social media cut and thrust, what they care about is the substance of the issues. And, of course, there is a huge amount of scepticism about the claims of all politicians. What we are not going to do is have this nonsense put around by labour. Accusations of misinformation, online and out on the campaign trail, fly around in an election between the parties. But today, in response to this row, the Electoral Commission said that voters are entitled to integrity and transparency. And, last night, twitter warned that if Something Like this happened again, it would result in decisive action. The conservatives say it was still clear who was running the account, but one senior labour figure said that twitter should have taken it down, and there has been criticism elsewhere. To suggest that they were an independent fact checker, and that, to me, was utterly outrageous, at a time when there was many questions about, do you trust borisjohnson . But some will point to say, this account called the insider, offering, it says, facts not waffle. But its labour run, Party Sources say is clearly marked as such, and that the two cases are incompatible. There were no knockout blows between these men last night, but the episode has sparked controversy, even if for reasons that happened off rather than onstage. Nicola sturgeon has warned that the uk will be engulfed by brexit chaos for years if the conservatives win a majority. Speaking in dundee, the snp leader warned that investment across scotland in a range of key Public Services like the nhs will be at risk from brexit and urged voters to back independence instead. A reminder that if youve not yet registered to vote on december 12th, or if you want to vote by post, there are only a few days left to apply. There are details about how to do that on the website, at bbc. Co. Uk news or full details on the bbc news app. The headlines on bbc news. The conservatives promise to cut National Insurance payments for workers if theyre elected although the full timescale has not been set out. The liberal democrats launch their general election manifesto saying staying in the eu would give the economy a £50 billion boost which they would invest in Public Services. At the trump impeachment inquiry the Us Ambassador to the eu says the president was behind pressure on ukraine to investigate joe biden. A former employee of the british consulate in hong kong has told the bbc he was tortured in mainland china, and accused of inciting political unrest. Simon cheng says he was blindfolded and hooded while he was detained for a fortnight in august. The foreign secretary has summoned the Chinese Ambassador but china says it wont accept the summons and has told britain to stop interfering in its affairs but it hasnt denied mr chengs allegations. 0ur correspondentjohn sudworth has been speaking exclusively to mr cheng. Ive been shackled, ive been handcuffed and ive been blindfolded. We the putter pretty who dont read . How many errors with that last . It was last a long time, and they would handcuff me like this. So your hands are cuffed and they hang you on something . Exactly, and then they start the torture. Hands up, handcuff and for several hours. And then, for example, you need to do lots of extreme exercise, Something Like this. For several hours as well. And you shuffle, your legs. 0h, hours as well. And you shuffle, your legs. Oh, youre not standing still. If you try to stand down or would happen . They would beat me. Wright did the bu . Course. They asked whether the consulate asked me to mingle with the protests. The concert instructed and recruited volu nteers concert instructed and recruited volunteers from the staff to tap into and stay tuned to the status of protesters. And report back to the consulate. I cried and i said there is no need to torture me, i will say anything you want me to say, but i wa nt to anything you want me to say, but i want to make it 100 clear, i didnt, the uk didnt assign any resources or materials to the protests. 0ne young girl came in, and one of the interrogators told me it was also because of the protest. I got brought to the Detention Centre and realise that not only me, a bunch of people from hong kong had been caught because of the protest. How many do you think . What i saw is about ten, but im not sure how many. I would feel quite a lot, and i heard someone speaking cantonese saying raise your hands up. Because you raise lots of flags when youre in the protest. Raise your hands up. He it quite loud and i feel that thatis he it quite loud and i feel that that is part of the torture, because i remember having to raise my hands up i remember having to raise my hands up as well. A letter written by Buckingham Palace in 2011 suggests Prince Andrew first met the billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in the early 1990s several years earlier than claimed by the duke of york. Several companies and organisations are reviewing their association with Prince Andrew, following the airing of his interview with newsnight in which he defended his friendship with epstein. The president of the oxford union has resigned over a pa rtially sighted student being forcefully removed from a debate. Brendan mcgrath had come under increasing criticism for his handling of the incident. Ebenezer azamati was accosted by a Security Guard when he tried to return to a seat he had earlier reserved before the discussion last month. On saturday, he was cleared of any wrongdoing. Its feared the bushfires raging across australias east coast have killed hundreds of koalas. So now people are doing their best to help those that have survived. A volunteer rescue operation is under way to save the injured koalas, as andy moore reports; just to warn you, you may find some of these images upsetting. Its been one of the worst seasons for bushfires in australia in many years. Millions of hectares have burned, hundreds of homes have been destroyed and theres been a devastating toll on wildlife. Other animals can run from the flames. The koala cant, and this slow moving marsupial is trapped. Hell need rescuing, wont he . The woman behind that voice takes the shirt off her back and rescues the animal, taking care to avoid getting hurt herself. Just careful of his claws. Can you get water out of my car . And then she gives him a first aid, dousing him in water to try to treat his burns. Do you want to put him in the blanket and bring him out of the hot stuff . Yeah, i will. This animal was lucky. He was taken off to a local Animal Hospital for treatment. But its believed that hundreds of koalas have died in the bushfires. This is a dog called bear. Hes been specially trained to sniff out koalas and other small marsupials so they can be rescued from the flames. This is a young koala thats recovering well after being rescued. It was found curled up and badly dehydrated. But its hoped it will eventually be able to go back to its home in the wild. Andy moore, bbc news. I was giving you a little earlier the contrast about what Prince Andrew said when he metjeff epstein. And what apparently the council was being set in the course of that story that appeared. He has issued a statement literally in the last few moments which has come to us. Last few moments which has come to us. We relate to you. Has become clear to me over the last two days that the circumstances related to my former relationship to epstein is a major disruption to my familys work. Therefore i have asked the majesty her queen if i may step back from public duties for the foreseeable future and she has given her permission. He continues, he says, to unequivocally regret his association with jeffrey says, to unequivocally regret his association withJeffrey Epstein. It has left many wrong answer questions, particularly for the victims, and i particularly see with eve ryo ne victims, and i particularly see with everyone that was affected and once culture. I hope that in time they can rebuild their lives, and im willing to help with any appropriate Law Enforcement agency with their investigations if required. In that statement, Prince Andrew will be stepping back from public duties for the foreseeable future. Much more in the foreseeable future. Much more in the news at six. Hi there, it has been another pretty cloudy day. We have a number of flood warnings in force as well, particularly around the river severn. It doesnt take until we head into this weekend. We have seen rain around as well, the heaviest of it heading across Northern Ireland, but some damn why are there are four in scotland and cornwall. If you share is running close to the north east of scotland. Low pressure has been causing the rain and showers. That low pressure has moved very much of of days. The reason it can move eastward at the moment is because its progress is blocked by this enormous area of High Pressure covering a good chunk russia. Low pressures will continue to remain slow moving around the british isles. 0therwise, to remain slow moving around the british isles. Otherwise, as we look at the whether picture tonight, we are looking at rather cloudy conditions. 0utbreaks are looking at rather cloudy conditions. 0utbrea ks of are looking at rather cloudy conditions. Outbreaks of rain tending to become confined to the far west of england, if you share is running into eastern scotland. 0therwise running into eastern scotland. Otherwise it is dry and pretty cloudy. Temperatures overnight between 3 6dc. We could dip below to give a touch of brass, particularly but not exclusively in northern scotland. Tomorrow it is one to be a fairly cloudy day for many of us. When is one to be a fairly cloudy day for many of us. Whens backing down to a south easterly direction and will tend to keep the rain at bay in Northern Ireland, but will bring some colour air in here, by the same time, some fairly thick cloud for eastern scotland. Rain for the south west. In between, a lot of drive or cloudy weather, feeling quite cool though in the breeze. Friday, more rain on the charts. The rain across northern scotland doesnt look too troublesome, given that it has not been especially wet year over recent weeks. Towards the south west, rain could turn heavier, particularly in the day, which could cause one or two issues depending on how heavy it turns out to be. Temperatures, rising ill submit across much of the country. Highs are between 8 10d, so a bit closer to normalfor are between 8 10d, so a bit closer to normal for the are between 8 10d, so a bit closer to normalfor the time are between 8 10d, so a bit closer to normal for the time of year. The weekend, some spells of rain, particularly on saturday. There is a degree of uncertainty as to how wet the weather is going to be on sunday. Rain for most of us at some point during the weekend. Perhaps a little bit drierfor some point during the weekend. Perhaps a little bit drier for some of us across england and wales on sunday. That is your latest weather, bye for now. Today at six. Boris johnson pledges major changes to the amount we all pay in National Insurance. The Prime Minister is not due to launch his manifesto till later in the week, but listen to what he told these workers. I mean low tax for people, for working people. Were going to be cutting National Insurance up to 12,000. Jo swinson launches the lib dems manifesto she predicts a £50 billion remain bonus, and a new kind of politics. Im not a tribal politician, and where we agree, where we share values, where we share objectives, i will always be open to working with people. But i fundamentally do not think borisjohnson orJeremy Corbyn are fit to lead our country