adding to the problems. cases that should be tried your now have to be heard across the region. this charity provides support to victims of rape and sexual assault, and says such cases usually take between four and five years to get to court, which leads to some survivors dropping the charges. it is notjust the mental preparation, it is also childcare, taking time off work, transport, all these other things. and then, to go through that once, and then at the last minute you are getting told, no it is not going ahead now, it'll be for another year or so. they feel, i haven't got enough in me to keep going for that. we were waiting a long time for the original— we were waiting a long time for the original court case.— original court case. emma, not her real name. — original court case. emma, not her real name, reported _ original court case. emma, not her real name, reported an _ original court case. emma, not her real name, reported an allegation | original court case. emma, not her. real name, reported an allegation of sexual abuse in 2019. in 2023 the case went to court. but it was adjourned on the first day after a scheduling error, and thejudge wasn't available to hear the entire case. awful. i can't even explain how many emotions you are dealing with at that time. the realisation that you are potentially going to profoundly impact someone's life, and for that just to be taken away, without even any explanation, no clear communication, it was horrendous. emma's case has been rescheduled for next year. six years after she reported the assault. the ministry ofjustice said the number of sitting days of crown courts in england hit a record high last year. but in telford, as elsewhere, it is too often a case of justice denied, due to justice delayed. as part of our election coverage we have been taking a close look at some of the key battlegrounds for the general election and talking to people across the country. this week we are in derby north. a bellwether seat held by the conservatives since 2019. the seat has historically swung between labour and the tories, and this time round it is all to play for. i spoke to our critical reporter at radio derby. this will be high on the's list take that, majority ofjust over 2500, it has been a bit of a bellwether since 1983. but then it has been a bit of a to me, to you constituency, labour had a majority in 2010, they hang on despite conservatives taking power in 2010, the conservatives then took it back in 2015 with a majority of just a1, i think it was the smallest majority in 2015. they were triggered back again with 2000 votes. underthe triggered back again with 2000 votes. under the tories have been in power ever since, with a majority of 2500. it is safe to say that if labour do not take the seats with the current poll lead, there will be alarm bells ringing in labour hq come election night. what are the main issues that people in the area, in derby north, are worried about? what are they going to be voting for. i think it will follow a lot of the same themes up and down the country. the cost of living are something thatis the cost of living are something that is brought up quite a lot. it is interested to hear about labour's policy today and i childcare, i have been speaking to voters in the constituency who have raised the issue of the cost of childcare. i think that'll be another as well. certain issues around kind of local issues around industry in the city as well. even though the trade manufacturer which has hit the headlines over recent weeks before the election, there is concern within derby north and across derby in terms of getting those train orders which employs thousands of people in the supply chain. those issues will be on the doorstep. derbyshire generally there are quite a few bellwether constituencies there. it is an area that both sir keir starmer, and rishi sunak really need to get a grip on if they want to get into number ten. that is right. i think it was quite telling that rishi sunak launched his local election campaign, back in may, in langley mill, and of the first day of the general election campaign, he was in ilkeston, not too farfrom langley campaign, he was in ilkeston, not too far from langley mill, to launch the general election campaign. and then followed four days after that, keir starmerand and then followed four days after that, keir starmer and rachel reeves came to derby in a rolls—royce and set out or frame the economic vision for the country. these are marginals. there, interesting the brexit party didn't stand in a couple. these are seats at a sizeable conservative majorities. reform uk now standing in those seats, which i think will siphon some votes from the conservatives in that respect. safe to say the seats where labour before, they were labour during 1997 in 2010. they have been conservative ever since. in 2010. they have been conservative eversince. labour, even with in 2010. they have been conservative ever since. labour, even with the big majorities the tories have, with the national mood and the polls at the national mood and the polls at the minute i think there comes that they could cause a couple of upsets come july the ath. some comejuly the ath. some other news. as come july the ath. some other news. as voters comejuly the ath. some other news. as voters prepare for the election here, faceting and dramatic results from the weekend's european parliamentary elections. mr macron has called a general election saying he couldn't act as if nothing has happened. european commission president has described her block as an anchor of stability. questions about the direction of europe as we head into the election. earlier my colleague in brussels talked me through all the latest. the headline news overnight the fact that president macron has called a snap election in france where national rally took 32% of the vote compared to his party's a0%, a record performance for national rally, it left the president in his view with no option but to dissolve parliament and call a snap election. he is a dangerfor our nation parliament and call a snap election. he is a danger for our nation stop but also, for our europe, for france's position in europe. the french right is the result of impoverishment of the french and the downgrading of our country, at the end of the day i cannot act as if nothing had happened, i into the situation is a fever which has gripped havoc parliamentary debate in our country in recent years. a disorder which i know that sometimes shocks you, and to which i do not intend to give in. however, today, the challenges that present themselves to us, whether external dangers, climate change, and its consequences or threats to our own cohesion, these challenges require clarity in our debates. ambition for the country. and respect for every french person. this is why after having carried out the consultations provided for in article 12 of our constitution, i decided to put back in your hand is the choice of our parliamentary future by the vote. i can tell you that at party headquarters in paris last night that drew a sharp intake of breath, with cries of, no, from some of mr macron's supporters. but over at marine le pen's election party there are a celebration with people looking on shouting, dissolution. shortly after that many in the pen took to the stage. this is what she had to say. —— marine le pen. translation: the french have spoken and this historic election shows - that when the people vote, the people win. by giving more than 32% to the national rally, the french have just given us their highest score, all parties combined, in a0 years. it is a real emotion to see this beautiful popularforce rising up throughout the country. i can't quite remember a party getting over 30% in any election in france, certainly not in recent memory. let us have a quick look at the map to stop this map shows you the map to stop this map shows you the communes right across france. the brown is national rally. bar paris and some of the metropolitan communities around france, it is almost a whitewash right across the country, which tells you what an enormous gamble this is going to be. europe correspondent explained why president macron had taken the entire country by surprise and calling a snap election. huge political bombshell in france. president macron last night during a tv address and said that he simply couldn't ignore the fact that so many people had voted for the far—right party, for the national rally of marine le pen. in fact, they got double the number of votes than his own centrist party. he says he is calling elections, they will take place, the first round, in three weeks' time. he is taking a massive gamble. last night, president macron said to be french is to write history, not to be governed by it. but it could well be that we find out in less than a month's the time he has made an historic, monumental error. having said that, it could be that he is taking the best possible course of action in the circumstance in which he finds himself. in that the far right have surged in france, and maybe he is thinking that the elections for this place, the european parliament, don't necessarily translate into votes in the french national election, and maybe there is the will and the capacity to build a coalition to keep out the far right in france, even if they top the polls. certainly the far—right party in france has won the last three european elections, in terms of the vote in france. that is not new. i think the extent to which they trounced president macron's party yesterday was new. they will certainly be hoping they are on the crest of a wave here and can consolidate this success in the national elections. certainly marine le pen has tried to change the image of this party, to detoxify it, as some may say. it was her father who, for many people, was seen as the unacceptable face of france, even though they were picking up votes some 20 or 30 years ago, there was always an alliance against them. but in the past couple of years they have used very savvy marketing and other sort of pr tools at their disposal. they have been big on tiktok, they have a 28—year—old leader now, leading the party, and they seem to be picking up the youth vote, which has been an interesting dynamic. rather than talking about the stability of europe and geopolitical matters like emanuel macron has, it is clear he is somebody who likes that role that he takes on the global stage, the national rally have been talking about making life betterfor younger people, the cost of living crisis, as they call it, and all of that sort of stuff, trying to paint this positive vision of france. now it is time for a look at the weather. the search for summer continues. temperature is below average for the time of year. a mixture of sunshine and showers for many. some of you could stay dry and reasonably sunny for the next few days, that there will be more persistent and widespread rain later in the week. persistent rain today came from this weather system which is now departing into the near continent, but happy to bring in that northerly earful. after some sunshine elsewhere, shower clients develop. last of persistent rain after lunchtime. that breeze will bring frequent showers. some of the south and west may avoid the showers. more cloud than sunshine between showers in scotland. but for all, that northerly wind knocking back the temperatures. a good four or five degrees below average for many this afternoon. 0vernight, remaining showers will fade, some will continue in the north of scotland, down to eastern districts, with the breeze, and some through northern ireland into wales and parts of the midlands as well. where you are sheltered from that breeze, particularly across parts of central scotland, a cold night, could be a touch of frost you to take us into tuesday morning. but a lot about whether around for a tuesday, may be a bit more sunshine more widely than we had today. much of rice literal build—up. showers later in the number and fewer in the number than be seen through today. the heaviest of showers likely towards eastern areas, some in the west they could put dry altogether. that actually start temperatures could even be a degree or so lower than today's values. wednesday, the base of sunshine first thing and last thing on the day. fibre build up after sunny start, could produce a few light showers, but more of you will stay dry throughout wednesday. temperatures to start to nudge up again by a degree or so. and they nudge up further later this week, but at a price, this area of low pressure off the atlantic, weather fronts with it, strengthening southern winds, not straightaway on thursday, many will star driver some sunshine, quickly clouding overfrom the star driver some sunshine, quickly clouding over from the west, because ireland, wales, south—west wind, rain will set in through the afternoon. that rain spreading across the rest of the country through thursday night and into friday. this is bbc news and these are the headlines. the liberal democrats launch their general election manifesto, promising billions of extra investment in the nhs and social care. we are putting forward bold ambitions fully costed plan to tackle the health and care crisis from top to bottom. this is a manifesto to save the nhs. labour pledges to create 100 thoudsand new childcare places , in england's primary schools. the conservatives promise to recruit an extra 8,000 neighbourhood police officers over the next three years, if re—elected. and a greek coroner says a postmortem on the body of television presenter michael mosley has found no evidence of foul play. some big pledges then, in the liberal democrat manifesto. big pledges tend to be expensive. let's get more from bbc verify�*s ben chu. yes, what is the big picture on tax and spend in the liberal democrat manifesto? it is £9.5 billion extra spending on health and social care to be paid for by around £9.5 billion in extra revenue from an increase in capital gains tax and new taxes on the banks. the party presented the tax rises as falling on big bounce and on billionaires. that is what the party deputy leader daisy cooper said. is that right? tax experts say the broad idea of raising 9.5 billion extra revenue for capital gains tax reforms and the banks levy and surcharge do not look unreasonable but misleading to suggest it is free money. when you raise taxes, it ultimately is passed on to people. evidence capital gains is concentrated among higher income people. research from the london school of economics suggests three in every £7 school of economics suggests three in every e7 of capital gains in the uk was for people earning more than 150,000 a yearand uk was for people earning more than 150,000 a year and the majority do not pay it. tax experts warn that we do not know precisely how costs of save the bank levy would be distributed. and it would not necessarily only fall on bankers and bank shareholders. i think—tank says the likely effect of the levy is for mortgage and consumer lending, the costis mortgage and consumer lending, the cost is passed on to customers. this is not to imply that taxes should not be increased to pay for more spending on health and social care, but a reminder that we should not think of tax rises, even those who look like they hit faceless corporations, as without cost. most public finance experts think it is unwise for political parties to pledge to try their hand by ruling out any increases in the big revenue raisers such as income tax, national insurance and vat, something the tories, labourand now insurance and vat, something the tories, labour and now the lib dems have done. back to you. thank you. analysing the figures from the liberal democrat manifesto. i think we are going to be able to speak to a spokesperson from the lib dems shortly. can we get her now? we will go on. we can talk to nick robinson because he has an interesting task, interviewing all major party leaders interviewing all major party leaders in the run—up to the election. first off is the prime minister and he will sit with rishi sunak later to talk to him. and this is nick robinson on what he expects it to be about. , ,., , .,, about. there will be some people watchin: about. there will be some people watching saying _ about. there will be some people watching saying not _ about. there will be some people watching saying not another - watching saying not another interview, not more evasive answers from politicians. ithink interview, not more evasive answers from politicians. i think what i hope will make these interviews different is instead of quick clip from the road or a debate, this is around half an hour, one—on—one, from the road or a debate, this is around halfan hour, one—on—one, no autocue, no notes shoved in front of politicians, no access to the mobile phone, where i can take them through the questions people tell the bbc they want answered. the areas they want focused on, policy choices people are considering. in that senseit people are considering. in that sense it is an old—fashioned traditional set piece election interview, the sort i watched when i was growing up with robin day, david dimbleby, andrew neil. these people did them and i am delighted to have the chance to do it. how did them and i am delighted to have the chance to do it.— the chance to do it. how do you approach _ the chance to do it. how do you approach these _ the chance to do it. how do you approach these big _ the chance to do it. how do you approach these big interviews? | the chance to do it. how do you - approach these big interviews? what ou have to approach these big interviews? what you have to do _ approach these big interviews? what you have to do is _ approach these big interviews? what you have to do is try _ approach these big interviews? “await you have to do is try to think approach these big interviews? “iii"isgt you have to do is try to think what is the essence of the choice people facing at the election? what are the questions they ask about the individual and whether they are fit for thejob, individual and whether they are fit forthejob, right individual and whether they are fit for thejob, right to have individual and whether they are fit for the job, right to have your vote. what are the policy areas? we are likely talk about big subjects, the economy, immigration and health. climate change to some but maybe not all, or education. we cannot do everything in half an hour but we can do more than the average news interview on the normal day which is my dayjob. 0ften interview on the normal day which is my dayjob. often i get ten minutes with a politician. 0ften my dayjob. often i get ten minutes with a politician. often less. this is a more considered interview and it is not about a moment we can clip out and put on social media to try to embarrass a politician. they have a right to get their message across, to explain what they are about. i have a duty on behalf of viewers and listeners, people who read the bbc website as well, to say hold on, are you sure? can you justify that? is it true? what do you say to those who raise this problem? that is the challenge and the advantage of an interview. and the day after we learn of the extraordinary election results in europe where voters are angry, looking for new choices and often voting for parties they would not have dreams of voting for 20—a0 years ago. it is a reminder politics matters. if you think you already know who is going to win, you don't because nobody has voted. and it is the balance of forces within parliament regardless of who wins that will matter, as well as the person who gets the keys to downing street. we are lucky enough to live in a country where people who want o