A new nationalflagship is to be commissioned by the Royal Navy in order to boost british Trade And Industry overseas. The Vaccines Minister, Nadhim Zahawi, says the government will be cautious and look at all the data, before deciding whether to end Covid Restrictions in england next month. It comes as the Chief Executive of nhs providers says very, very few coronavirus patients in hospital in england, have received two covid jabs, showing that a double dose of vaccine can provide very high levels of protection. But he warned hospitals are dealing with a heavy backlog of patients because of delays caused by the pandemic. Heres our health correspondent, catherine burns. A critical incident for the south western Ambulance Service not because of coronavirus, though. There are just 13 covid patients there, but the hospital is dealing with a backlog in cases and a busy bank holiday weekend, so people are being told to only call 999 in an emergency. Were expecting to see around 3000 calls a day across the south west, and thats a considerable amount of the resources that we have available to us. Some parts of the country, like Bolton And Blackburn have had the biggest increase in the variant first linked to india, but even in those areas hospitals arent seeing a huge spike in covid patients. At the same time, though, Health Bosses are warning about universal pressure on the nhs across the country. Weve got these Big Care Backlogs that were, kind of, trying to get through as quickly as possible, and were tackling the most complex cases to start with, and that means those patients need to have overnight stays, because theyre difficult cases. Hospital say those complex cases are often simple problems that got worse over lockdown, so patients can need more complicated treatment and longer stays in hospital. Wesley vernon was diagnosed with cataracts three years ago and is still on a waiting list. Yeah, its steadily getting worse. It is an insidious thing, it has, sort of, crept on and off. Ive had the surgery cancelled several times, and ijust dont know what is happening, which is quite frustrating. But at the same time as the backlog, the nhs is still were six months in now, and the government has a new, speedier ambition. We hope to be able to protect with two doses all 1 9, all the over 50s before the 21st ofjune. We will, you know, make sure we vaccinate at scale. But and here is the important thing we will share the evidence with the country on the 14th ofjune. Those dates are key because June The 14th is when the government will tell us when the next stage of opening up will happen onjune the 21st. At that point, they want to meet four tests before going ahead. The first test is the Vaccine Roll out going well . The second are vaccines stopping people getting sick or dying with covid 7 the third test is about infection levels. Are they getting so high theyre putting too much pressure on the nhs . And the final test is about new variants of concern. Are they changing the Risk Level . There uestions over the last two Tests Case numbers and variants. The next few weeks will give us more information about how, if at all, they could slow down the opening up later injune. Lets look now at the government data figures, which show there were six deaths reported in the past 2a hours. And over the last day, 3,240 new cases have been reported. In the Vaccine Roll out, 39,259,168 people have now had theirfirstjab. And 25,332,851 have had their second Dose Meaning 64,592,019 people are now fully vaccinated. And well find out how this story and many others are covered in tomorrows front pages at 10 30 and 11 30 this evening in the papers our guestsjoining me tonight are Deputy Political Editor at the independent rob merrick, and the Writer And Broadcaster dawn foster. Of the jacobin magazine. In israel, two Opposition Parties have moved closer to forming a Coalition Government, which would end the era of Benjamin Netanyahu, the countrys longest serving prime minister. Speaking to Jane A little earlier from jerusalem, our middle East Correspondent Yolande Knell provided more detail on the negotiations just now, were getting comments in to us from one of the key players in all of this, the leader of the right wing yamina party, Naftali Bennett, whos a former defence minister, and after israels fourth election in just two years, he emerged as the kind of kingmaker and first mooted into a Coalition Government with Benjamin Netanyahu. When he couldnt get the seats together, he became the person for Yair Lapid, the centrist politician who is a former Tv Anchor who now has to The End of wednesday to form a new Coalition Government, he became the person for Yair Lapid to get On Board and we understand he has offered Naftali Bennett a rotating premiership, so that Naftali Bennett would serve for two years as prime minister, followed by Yair Lapid. The comments Naftali Bennett has been making, hes been accusing Benjamin Netanyahu of Sowing Division to cover for failure, saying there will not be that kind of division on his watch. We can stop this madness and take responsibility, he has been saying. Either we have a Unity Government or israel goes to a fifth election. But, as you say, it will be a really, really unusual Line Up if this new government does take place on the basis being talked about, because it will really bring together parties from across the political spectrum, from the far left to the far right, and you will have parties like Naftali Bennetts, which says that it has stood in the past for annexing most of the West Bank to israel, and then you have parties like the far left meretz party in israel, which has opposed, always, occupation of the palestinian territories. And also, this new Coalition Government looks very likely to be really looking to a Small Arab Islamist Party for support as well, if its to be able to push legislation through. And what really unites all of these different political players is the fact that they are opposed to Benjamin Netanyahu, and they say that after 12 years, consecutive years in office, now is the time for change. Mr netanyahu, of course, is on trial for corruption charges, of corruption that he denies, but still, the other political players say he has been putting his personal interests before those of the country. Of course, we will monitor the story over the course of the evening here on Bbc News if we get any developments we will bring them to you as soon as possible. Borisjohnson has married his Partner Carrie symonds at secret ceremony at Westminster Cathedral. A spokesman said that following yesterdays small ceremony, the couple would celebrate again with family and friends next summer. Dave wooding, political editor of The Sun On Sunday broke the story and explained what happened while they were investigating the story. When i rang number ten, they said, no, i dont think so. Its not happening. Yeah, its next year, isnt it . And i put some calls in to people who would know, and they didnt know they werent misleading me, theyjust didnt know. So we did a bit of old fashioned journalism, shaun. We sent a couple of reporters round to Westminster Cathedral and one of our lads spoke to a big Issue Seller outside who said, yeah, i sawjust boris and his girlfriend come in the church, all the cars pulled up outside. Course, we then went inside and spoke to the priests, who are much more likely to tell you the truth than politicians and they coughed to the lot, and still Downing Street were still In The Dark and saying, no comment, and, of course, they only pu the statement out this morning at five past nine. Did they buy the big issue, do you know . I wonder, i wonder theyll be buying copies of The Sun On Sunday, thats for sure. Youre quick a week ago, i was having an interview with liz truss, the international trade secretary, and i looked out the window and saw a marquee being erected in number ten and assumed it was for some kind of Trade Talks or Vip Delegation or something, and of course, we now know it was probably for the wedding, to get those 20 or 30 guests back. Of course he had been subject to Covid Restrictions, presumably the celebration, sensible to delay it till 0bviously boris Johnson And Carrie symonds have been together for some time now, they have a son together, lived together in the now infamous Downing Street flat. Theyve been a household together, one wonders what the pressure was in a sense, borisjohnson has come out of two marriages, perhaps surprising that he wants to get into third so quickly. I do think that waiting until next year seemed a long time for somebody who got engaged quite a while ago now, and is ready to get married, but i didnt expect it to be such a Cloak And Dagger operation here. I know borisjohnson is infamously notorious for not wanting to talk about his private life, and, you know, itjust, sort of, fits that caricature of boris, trying to do things quietly because he doesnt put a big fuss when it comes to his personal life, and that fits in with that. There is some more pictures tomorrow, some great pictures of the wedding now which have been released, because our daily paper has had more time to work on this one today, so look forward to reading that tomorrow. And what about, you know, the context of this . Because a lot of people werent even aware that borisjohnson was a practising catholic, apparently because his wedding, his previous weddings werent catholic weddings, they dont count in catholic law, so hes not a divorcee whos had to seek special permission to get married. Still, not that long ago, a couple of hundred years ago, it would have barred him from being prime minister altogether. Absolutely. And, incidentally, the ceremony took place in the lady chapel, which is one of the first parts of Westminster Cathedral to be built and the first ever mass was held in there in 1903, weve since found out. Again, this causes a bit of panic yesterday, trying to find out. We didnt know borisjohnson was Roman Catholic because he was a church of england, wed read in cuttings, so has he converted . Or why has he been allowed to have a marriage in a Roman Catholic church . And then we started going through all sorts of ecclesiastical laws to try and find out what the reason was that was the Ex Editor of The Sun On Sunday by. The government has confirmed that its considering making it mandatory for all Nhs Staff in england to have coronavirus jabs. But the suggestion by the Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi has been criticised both by labour and by groups representing health workers, who said it would be better to engage with the concerns some staff had. Mr zahawi spoke about the issue on the Andrew Marr show this morning. I think it is important for us to ask the question about how we protect the most vulnerable because if they get infected with covid 19 even with flu they can die because they are so fragile. I have just consulted with the social Care Workforce around the position of deployment having to be vaccinating it in one of the things that has gone through was maybe the whole of the health care system, including the health care system, including the nhs, should be looked at and it would be remiss and irresponsible of us as a government and ministers not to ask that question, not to think about it and consider it because clearly, you know, people being infected in hospital through covid or, dare i say, in other years in flu who are very fragile, there is a precedent for this, of course. Surgeons have to be vaccinated for Hepatitis B before they can practice as surgeons, rightly so, because there is a responsibility to protect those that are most vulnerable, and his right to look at that. Nadhim zahawi. Lets speak now to drjenny vaughan, chair of the doctors association. To be fair, he said theyre considering it but not requiring it yet. What you think this government should be thinking about before it makes an important issue . I think this is an important makes an important issue . I think this is an important issue makes an important issue . I think this is an important issue in makes an important issue . I think this is an important issue in the i this is an important issue in the government is right to think about it and he is right to talk about surgeons because there are precedents where there is a necessary level of vaccination, particularly Hepatitis B but we have to remember here that the Nhs Workforce is just recovering or trying to recover from a pandemic which clearly isnt over yet. It is battered, it is bruised, we have lost nearly 1000 nhs and social care workers, and it is far better for the government at this stage to talk about working with staff, Finding Out why certain staff dont want to be vaccinated or have concerns about it, it is not necessary dont want to be, they may have absolutely legitimate concerns. We have had a Side Effect of vaccinations and we have heard about deaths with clotting disorders from the a z vaccine, you know. What is far betterfor vaccine, you know. What is far better for the government to actually treat the Nhs Workforce with a degree of respect and to work with a degree of respect and to work with them. Many trusts have got nearly 85 of their workers vaccinated already and they are approaching this on a local level and talking. That is far better than just trying to take top down heavy decisions. In essence, i suppose, just trying to take top down heavy decisions. In essence, isuppose, to points come out of that. The government points come out of that. The government might points come out of that. The government might say we have waited, havent impose this and we are still talking about it and as i said it is perfectly reasonable for them to want to debate about it but there are those who say that some of the points you raised about crossing, for example, and all the rest of it and exactly the things that doctors had said it was as members of The Public. Yes, these things happen but they are so disproportionately that you shouldnt let them stop you having the vaccine because in a senseit having the vaccine because in a sense it sounds like youre saying it is all right. We will read about this stuff when youre on her tell The Public they should be worried about it. ,. � The Public they should be worried about it. ,. , � ,. , about it. No, what im saying is an absolutely about it. No, what im saying is an absolutely believe about it. No, what im saying is an absolutely believe that about it. No, what im saying is an absolutely believe that people absolutely believe that people should have the vaccinations and i absolutely encourage that you have to remember that the way the government has approached it with the general public and that is absolutely right is that it is a vault voluntary thing and we college people. And Hospitals Discipline Environment is precisely because the people you are dealing with are dealing with a vulnerable look at hospital . Dealing with a vulnerable look at Hos Ital . Dealing with a vulnerable look at hosital . ,. , , hospital . And hospitals different Environments Hospital . And hospitals different Environments Hospital . And hospitals different environments we hospital . And hospitals different environments we encourage hospital . And hospitals different environments we encourage people. Environments we encourage people. The hospitals themselves at the moment, you have to look at how staff are feeling, have to listen to them and say, you know, were listening to you talk to us about why you feel you cant have the vaccine at this moment. If you have got on the phone why mike lined i think there is a clear argument to relinquish vaccination there but so far this has been a voluntary Vaccination Programme and youve got examples of the trust doing really well and getting exceptionally high levels of their staff vaccinated and you have to say to us, why have they managed to do that what we learn from it. If you just go in heavy handed and say to people youre doing it now and there is no choice about it youd lose their goodwill and much of the nhs relies on goodwill. I am absolutely in favour of vaccination but what i am not in favour of is lessening an already overburdened Nhs Workforce. Bettors wear, i overburdened Nhs Workforce. Bettors wear. I sunspose. Overburdened Nhs Workforce. Bettors wear, i suppose, then overburdened Nhs Workforce. Bettors wear, i suppose, then aged overburdened Nhs Workforce. Bettors wear, i suppose, then aged chess wear, i suppose, then aged Chess Della mccombes because you have got your sewer got to the stage already of 85 and if you get the stage of, say, 95 and this is a theoretical because a appreciate i am asking you to address a potentially theoretical point, if you get to that stage what you ultimately do about the 5 who say however reasonable youve been, however much youve made what you think is the arguments, and they do say no, im sorry, im not going to do it. Do you ultimately have to say to those people you Cant Work in the nhs any more . Jeep think it becomes a thing where in future the chromatograms and that People Cant join unless they are willing to be vaccinated or have already been vaccinated or have already been vaccinated because then you come to a point where you have got 95 youve done it however they have backed to make reservations and 5 who potentially could still be a risk to their colleagues and their patients who are kind of given a Hail Mary pass. 50. Patients who are kind of given a Hail Mary Pm patients who are kind of given a Hail Mary pass. So, on that point it would actually Hail Mary pass. So, on that point it would actually depend Hail Mary pass. So, on that point it would actually depend on Hail Mary pass. So, on that point it would actually depend on where i Hail Mary pass. So, on that point it l would actually depend on where they were working, so i have colleagues who have not had the vaccine, and they have got extremely understandable reasons as to why they are in the nhs and dont feel they are in the nhs and dont feel they can have the vaccine, all right. If you have someone on the Front Line you actually come as a doctor or nurse, and you are looking after patients, there is more of a duty to actually make sure that you are vaccinated. If you are not, you know, if you are in a back of this role you should not be threatened with losing yourjob. Mil role you should not be threatened with losing yourjob. With losing your ob. All right, that is fine, with losing your ob. All right, that is fine, you with losing yourjob. All right, that is fine, you have with losing yourjob. All right, that is fine, you have been. With losing yourjob. All right, i that is fine, you have been very clear about the distinction. What happens if you are in a front Line Role . Im sorry to dont you buy do think we had to be clear about that. Youre mentioning this completely understandable distinction and Hit Somebody who works in an Office Or Security of reception who is not physically close enough to be patients or even doctors and other medical staff, patients or even doctors and other medicalstaff, but patients or even doctors and other medical staff, but what do you say to those who are front Line Staff and they may be nurses, care assistants, porters of our front Line Staff because they are dealing physically with patients. What are you ultimately think those people . 0k we accept it, even though you are a list of other people and your colleagues were saving lives and may become this dell may kill themselves of the strain on the system . Ultimately what you say in those circumstances . May become ill themselves. Can i tell you i rarely meet staff who have made such sacrifices on the Front Line that i wouldnt be able to work with on something like this. I absolutely would believe that if you laid out everything to them that people would make the right choices for them. I dont believe that you should bite lessening people that actually you win. I believe you always win with people if you sit down and listen to them. So if you had someone working on the Front Line i believe they always work as a solution with them. A doctor from the doctors association. Fascinating to talk to you and thank you so much for your time and talking to the spiritual elements with us. Thanks very much. The newly elected leader of the Democratic Unionist Party has accused the eu of playing Fast And Loose with the Peace Process in Northern Ireland. Edwin poots said checks on goods entering Northern Ireland from great britain were having a devastating impact and leading to violence on the streets. The European Commission says it rejects any suggestion that it no longer cares about the Peace Process. From belfast, Louise Cullen reports. The northern Ireland Protocol has caused political and practical problems since its inception. It creates a Trade Border in the Irish Sea, by keeping Northern Ireland in the eu Single Market for goods, enforcing Eu Customs rules at the ports, to prevent a hardening of the land border. And unionists view it as a threat to their place in the united kingdom. That fear was blamed for trouble on the streets at easter. The uk has delayed introducing some Food Checks until october, a move the eu has gone to court over. Technical talks continue. The new Dup Leader Edwin Poots claimed the Northern Ireland Peace Process was being damaged. I dont want to use a threat of violence in terms of this. 0ur Arguments are very clear, theyre very coherent. This is the European Union seeking to punish the united kingdom, and, as a consequence, Northern Ireland is being used as a plaything for the European Union. I can assure you, Northern Ireland should be nobody� s plaything. The Eu Commission Vice President rejected that. I think we are working absolutely flat out to make sure that the protocol operates as smoothly as possible. I think we have also to turn the table a little bit in this discussion and look at what the protocol brings as an opportunity to Northern Ireland. Talks continue about Uk Government spokesperson said they must continue to ensure peace as a Louise Cullen, Bbc News. The uks biggest seller of building supplies, travis perkins, is warning of considerable increases in the cost of raw materials, because of shortages. The company says surging demand as lockdown eases, as well as problems with the supply chain, mean bagged cement will rise by 15 , chipboard by 10 and paint by 5 . The government will miss its deadline for completing applications for 5 Billion pounds worth of funding to remove flammable cladding in the wake of the grenfell tower tragedy. The bbc understands that Managing Agents who administer most Tower Blocks with dangerous cladding have yet to sign any contracts with the government which would release funding. Hundreds of thousands of people remain concerned they wont be able to get dangerous cladding removed from their homes. Heres our consumer Affairs Correspondent sarah corker. I couldnt sleep, i couldnt eat, i couldnt concentrate. Unless that agreement is signed, were stuck and were trapped. Making a very difficult situation for leaseholders far, far worse. A chorus of concern about the governments building Safety Fund £5 Billion has been set aside to remove flammable cladding from buildings like this one in st albans. Alison hills moved here in 2018. The Fire Safety issues were discovered months later. Now shes moved out. Youre sat here in a flammable flat 2a hours a day, particularly during lockdown, knowing that your building could go up in flames any minute. I couldnt sleep, i couldnt eat, i couldnt concentrate. My Mental Health was in absolute bits. But alisons building, like hundreds of others, isnt being made safe. Managing agents who act for the buildings freeholders are refusing to sign contracts with the government to release the funding. Nigel glenn represents the agents. He says the contract, while paying for cladding problems, makes them liable for all other Fire Safety defects. We represent 325 managing Agents None of them have signed. Weve talked to freeholders, weve talked to cladding action groups, and as far as i know, none of them have signed. Its a really difficult situation. Were talking here of hundreds of blocs, potentially hundreds of thousands of people, and we just cant sign it, because by doing so, you take on the liability which would render you technically insolvent. The Ministry Of Housing says the Managing Agents� interpretation of the contract is fundamentally flawed and allows Cladding Removal without leaving the leaseholders liable for other Fire Safety costs. Without leaving them or leaseholders liable leaseholders like stephen in manchester say theyve been waiting long enough. You think you might be able to see a glimmer of light at The End of the tunnel, and then now, unfortunately, they wont sign the agreement, so its like, it doesnt matter how much money the government make available for us, unless that agreement is signed, were stuck and were trapped. The longer this dispute between the Managing Agents and the government goes on, the longer people living in these buildings are having to pay out thousands of pounds a month on interim Fire Safety measures. The Ministry Of Housing has now said it will allow applications to be processed beyond the End Ofjune Deadline on a case by case basis. That is some comfort for Stephen And Alison and hundreds of thousands of others still caught up in this cladding crisis. But their wait to live in a safe home continues. Sarah corker, Bbc News. A new nationalflagship is to be commissioned by the government in a bid to boost british Trade And Industry overseas. The royal Navy Vessel costing a reported £200 million pounds is due to be in service for 30 years and would be used to Host Trade Fairs and diplomatic meetings. It will be the successor to the royal yacht britannia, which was retired in 1997. Lord ricketts is the former british ambassador to france and national security adviser, hes now a crossbench peer. He told me he believes its not worth the cost. Its a colossal waste of money, because i dont think its at all relevant to the way that modern business and modern contracts are negotiated. The government says it wants britain to be a Science And Technology superpower, which is great, but i dont think the corporate bosses of the worlds great High Tech Companies and financial companies are going to be all that impressed with an invitation to go to some distant port and have a cocktail On Board a ship in the harbour. So, i think it harks back generations to the Way Export Promotion was done many, many years ago. It isnt relevant to promoting modern high Tech Britain in the modern world. The three peaks challenge, in which walkers tackle the highest points of scotland, england and wales one after the other, is one of britains most popular endurance events. But three climbs arent enough for one pair of fitness enthusiasts, who are planning to throw in a fourth in Northern Ireland. Oh, and theyre going to row between each nation. Alison freeman went to meet them. Their home for around six weeks. Katherine and martin will eat, sleep and travel on this Rowing Boat between the four nations of the united kingdom, before taking on their highest peaks on foot. A challenge thats never been attempted before. So this is our cabin. Theres just enough legroom to be able to lie down. And im here, martins here, so its pretty cosy. Its the idea of katherine wilkins, who runs a Fitness Centre in northumberland. Despite the mammoth challenge ahead, she managed to get martin, who works for her, On Board. I like to try things that no ones ever done before. When katherine mentioned it to me, that shes got this challenge in mind and no ones ever completed it, i was instantly, yes, im there, im doing it. The pair will start their challenge by climbing Mount Snowdon in wales before walking to caernarfon. Theyll then row to whitehaven, and from there walk up to the summit of scafell pike. After walking back to the coast, Theyll Cross the Irish Sea to Northern Ireland, where theyll tackle slieve donard. Theyll then take on the longest Rowing Leg of their expedition, by Sea And Canal to Fort William in the highlands of scotland. There, theyll climb ben nevis. The Irish Sea has a lot of challenges. Its got shipping lanes. It can be horrendously tidal and choppy. So we have everything crossed for a high Pressure System and a gentle crossing, but were not under any illusions. The pair will be raising money for the Mental Health charity mind. Me being a former marine, a veteran of the marines, some lads who leave struggle a lot with Mental Health, including myself. So, when ijoined the forces, the forces was my family. And then to go from that to civilian life is a bit of a shock. Its hard, really, to find that purpose, of where you stand in civilian life and what gets you up in the morning. Ijust want people to be able to talk about it, the benefits of being outside and pushing yourselves physically, and the benefits that can have on Mental Health. You are really going to be pushing yourself physically, arent you . Yes, i think we are we are definitely going to be pushing ourselves physically, and, you know, were probably talking 16, 17 Hours Rowing a day. Theyll set off on their challenge onjune the 3rd. Is it going to challenge your friendship, do you think . We had a couple of hairy moments on the Training Row last weekend and we got through that and said to ourselves, theres no one wed rather be in a boat with. Alison freeman, Bbc News. Now its time for a look at the weather with tomasz. Early on and some coastal areas around parts of aberdeenshire were overcast for most of the afternoon. And that cloud is returning through the night,