both craig williams, who was a close aide to rishi sunak and laura saunders, who is married to the conservatives�* director of campaigning, are being looked into by the gambling commission over alleged bets placed on the timing of the election. our political correspondent hannah miller reports. did you have any inside information when you made the bet? i did you have any inside information when you made the bet?— did you have any inside information when you made the bet? i made a huge error ofjudgment. _ when you made the bet? i made a huge error ofjudgment. it _ when you made the bet? i made a huge error ofjudgment. it is _ when you made the bet? i made a huge error ofjudgment. it is almost - when you made the bet? i made a huge error ofjudgment. it is almost two - error of 'udgment. it is almost two weeks error ofjudgment. it is almost two weeks since _ error ofjudgment. it is almost two weeks since it _ error ofjudgment. it is almost two weeks since it emerged _ error ofjudgment. it is almost two weeks since it emerged that - error ofjudgment. it is almost two weeks since it emerged that the i error ofjudgment. it is almost two i weeks since it emerged that the one of the prime minister's closest aides had placed a bet on the date of the election days before it was announced. figs of the election days before it was announced-— of the election days before it was announced. as i said, i will not be expanding — announced. as i said, i will not be expanding on _ announced. as i said, i will not be expanding on that _ announced. as i said, i will not be expanding on that statement. - announced. as i said, i will not be i expanding on that statement. today the conservative _ expanding on that statement. today the conservative party _ expanding on that statement. irr— the conservative party announced it will no longer support craig williams, there candidate in montgomeryshire and linda, nor laura saunders in bristol north west. in a statement, the party said, we have checked with the gambling commission this decision does not compromise the investigation they are conducted which is rightly independent and ongoing. i5 which is rightly independent and onauoin. , . which is rightly independent and oniioin, , . ., ongoing. is it the right decision to withdraw support _ ongoing. is it the right decision to withdraw support from _ ongoing. is it the right decision to withdraw support from these - withdraw support from these candidates?— withdraw support from these candidates? ., , ., candidates? conservatives said the decision was _ candidates? conservatives said the decision was the _ candidates? conservatives said the decision was the result _ candidates? conservatives said the decision was the result of - candidates? conservatives said the decision was the result of internall decision was the result of internal inquiries. if decision was the result of internal in i uiries. , decision was the result of internal inuiries. , ., decision was the result of internal iniuiries. , ., , inquiries. if they had been suspended _ inquiries. if they had been suspended without - inquiries. if they had been suspended without any . inquiries. if they had been - suspended without any proper investigation, i think it would have been _ investigation, i think it would have been unfair. there has been an investigation, there are obvious the questions _ investigation, there are obvious the questions to answer, possible criminai— questions to answer, possible criminal investigations going on and the gambling commission is doing its inquiry— the gambling commission is doing its inquiry as_ the gambling commission is doing its inquiry as well. the the gambling commission is doing its inquiry as well-— inquiry as well. the labour party is questioning _ inquiry as well. the labour party is questioning why — inquiry as well. the labour party is questioning why the _ inquiry as well. the labour party is questioning why the decision - inquiry as well. the labour party isi questioning why the decision didn't come sooner. it’s questioning why the decision didn't come sooner-— questioning why the decision didn't come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part _ come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part of _ come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part of two _ come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part of two weeks - come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part of two weeks to - come sooner. it's taken rishi sunak the best part of two weeks to act i come sooner. it's taken rishi sunaki the best part of two weeks to act on this. that is just weak leadership. it's too late for ballot papers to be changed, but if elected, the conservative party is suggesting that these two candidates would become independent mps. at least until the gambling commission has finished its inquiries. both candidates have said they will cooperate with the investigation. but as rishi sunak stepped away from campaigning today, he will be hoping this decision draws a line under the issue. hannah miller, bbc news. details of all candidates running in the general election can be found on the bbc news website and app. our chief political correspondent henry zeffman joins us now. henry, there has been much discussion over this, so what prompted the decision? there are two numbers to think— prompted the decision? there are two numbers to think about _ prompted the decision? there are two numbers to think about here, - prompted the decision? there are two numbers to think about here, anna. . numbers to think about here, anna. 13 and nine. numbers to think about here, anna. i3 and nine. it has been 13 days since it was first reported that craig williams was being looked at by the gambling commission, 13 days since he admitted having placed a bet, what he called a flutter on a july general election and said he would cooperate with their work. and in the days that followed that, we at the bbc revealed that another candidate laura saunders was being looked at as well as two senior members of conservative party staff and over that period, that 13 day drip, drip, drip. ithink it and over that period, that 13 day drip, drip, drip. i think it became clearthat drip, drip, drip. i think it became clear that this was dominating rishi sunak�*s campaign, that wherever he went, whatever he wanted to talk about, this is what people ask him about, this is what people ask him about so as hannah said, i think he is hoping, the conservatives are hoping now that this decision will draw a line under things, and they need that line to be drawn. because there are only nine days until polling day. some people will have voted already, some people in fact will have voted for craig williams and laura saunders by post. for everyone else, nine days to still be persuaded. nine days for rishi sunak to seize back control of this campaign's agenda, or risk being evicted from downing street. henry, thank ou. sir keir starmer and the actor idris elba have been meeting families affected by knife crime in london. the labour leader has pledged to make tackling the issue a "moral mission" if his party wins the election. the liberal democrats have launched their new mini—manifesto today, focusing on care. leader sir ed davey unveiled the six page manifesto called a fair deal on care. it highlights pledges the party has already made, including £9 billion of investment into the nhs, including gps, ambulance services and social care. the snp are launching their climate and just transition manifesto today. the party's leaderjohn swinney has said "unity and consensus" across politics is needed to fight the climate crisis. julian assange, the founder of wikileaks, has flown out of the uk after spending five years in belmarsh prison fighting extradition to the united states. he's struck a deal with prosecutors, and will stop in a us territory to plead guilty to a charge of espionage, on his way home to australia. mr assange uploaded classified military files to his website nearly 15 years ago. his supporters called it a victory for free speech, but critics said he'd put lives at risk. our diplomatic correspondent caroline hawley reports. what is going through his mind as he looks out of the plane window after five years in prison? julian sanjay had boarded a privatejet five years in prison? julian sanjay had boarded a private jet to thailand yesterday evening —— julian assange had boarded a privatejet to thailand yesterday evening before the world even knew about his release. from stansted to bangkok, a plane ride to freedom after he agreed to plead guilty of one charge of conspiring to illegally obtain classified us military information. his punishment, the time he has already served in belmarshjane. wikileaks has released this footage of one of the world's best prisoners arriving for a layover in bangkok. he will fly on later tonight to a pacific island, us territory, where a judge will approve his play. it's a judge will approve his play. it's a whirlwind of emotions. i mean, i'm just elated, frankly, it'sjust incredible. i don't know, it feels like it's not real. it was this footage released by wikileaks in 2010 which first brought international attention to julian assange. it shows an american helicopter gunships in iraq shooting unarmed civilians. it was part of a flood of military secrets spilled by wikileaks that year. two years later he was wanted in sweden for questioning about allegations of sexual assault made by two women. to avoid extradition, he sought refuge in ecuador�*s london embassy. he spent seven years there, but was arrested in 2019 when the ecuadorian government withdrew his political asylum. and he was jailed for skipping bail. soon, it was the americans asking for his extradition. after endless court cases, it was approved by the then home secretary, priti patel, in 2022. butjulian assange kept appealing, untilthis 2022. butjulian assange kept appealing, until this deal was struck. australia, his own country, had recently pushed hard for his release. . , , ., , release. regardless of the view is that people _ release. regardless of the view is that people have _ release. regardless of the view is that people have about _ release. regardless of the view is that people have about mr- release. regardless of the view is i that people have about mr assange's activities, the case has dragged on for too long. there is nothing to be gained by his continued incarceration and we want him brought home to australia. but there is an i er brought home to australia. but there is anger in some _ brought home to australia. but there is anger in some quarters _ brought home to australia. but there is anger in some quarters in - brought home to australia. but there is anger in some quarters in the - brought home to australia. but there is anger in some quarters in the us. | is anger in some quarters in the us. the charges were first brought under donald trump. his former vice president mike pence said julian assange had endangered the lives that american troops at the time war and should have been prosecuted to the full extent of the law. in australia his wife stella waits for a family reunion and the end of a drama which has spanned several continents and several years. in a moment we'll speak to our sydney correspondent katy watson. but first, our north america correspondent nomia iqbaljoins us now. nomia, how significant is this move from the us and president biden? hugely so. there is no doubt about that. three years ago, the us justice department said it wanted to pursue extradition. the americans, as caroline said, they have long considered julian assange as someone who endangered the lives of american operatives when his wikileaks website released those documents on the iraq and afghanistan wars. but earlier this year back in april, president biden said he was considering a request by the australian government to resolve julian assange's legal limbo. the australians are a key security ally for mr biden, there is no doubt there was pressure on him in that respect. also pressure from progressive members of his own democratic party, who view mr assange as somebody who is simply exercising his free—speech right as a journalist exposing those wards. but it is not a view held by everyone in the democratic party ignore the republican party, there are those who believe that mr assange should be held accountable. it's also hard not to see everything through the prism of the presidential election. mr biden obviously looking to november, donald trump said last month, or earlier this year, that he would consider pardoning mr assange if he won the election, but i'm sure we will find out in the coming days or hours exactly why this deal has been struck now. ., ., hours exactly why this deal has been struck now-— struck now. nomia, in washington, thank you- — let's speak now to our sydney correspondent katy watson. katy, what's the reaction been like there? i think one of cautious optimism. we heard that prime minister anthony albanese talked about this, he might not agree with assange or activities but you can agree that this has been going on for too long. he has support from across the political spectrum here in australia. last october, anthony albanese went to the white house and brought up the subject ofjulian assange and that ahead of his visit was also a cross—party delegation of mps who went to washington to lobby us lawmakers and the department of justice. so it's certainly a feeling thatis justice. so it's certainly a feeling that is shared that he should be coming back to australian soil. i think the speed at which this is turned around, though, i think there was perhaps people thinking this wasn't going to happen anytime soon, certainly before the us elections and the us was standing its ground, that has surprised quite a few people, probably, the quick turnaround. now we are seeing julian assange head back to australian soil. ., , , . ~' a former fujitsu engineer who helped design the faulty horizon software at the centre of the post office it scandal has said sorry to a sub—postmistress wrongly jailed for stealing money. garethjenkins said he may have been "wrongly confident" that accounting bugs were quickly resolved. seema misra was sent to prison when pregnant, one of hundreds of sub—postmasters falsely accused of theft. our employment correspondent zoe conway reports. garethjenkins is not a household name, but he is a key figure in the post office scandal. he helped design the faulty horizon software system. he gave evidence in court cases, including that of former sub—postmistress seema misra. his testimony helped put her in prison whilst pregnant after she was wrongly accused of stealing £70,000. it is very, very important because i definitely want to know why he did what he did, who was behind it and all of that. five years ago, sub—postmasters won their stunning victory against the post office in the high court. the judge, justice fraser, said the problems with horizon could cause discrepancies in sub—postmasters�* accounts. that the evidence i shall give shall be the truth... garethjenkins told the inquiry he didn't agree with the judge. and you don't accept his findings that bugs, errors and defects could result in, ie cause discrepancies or shortfalls in branch accounts? they could cause discrepancies in branch accounts, but not at the sort of levels that are being talked about. and in general, the systems, i believe, were operating as they should. do i take it that you accept his first finding that legacy horizon was not remotely robust? i don't accept that finding. he was asked about his role in giving evidence in court cases, whether he was sufficiently briefed about all the bugs and errors. i was confident and possibly wrongly so that when problems did occur, they were quickly fixed and they weren't left to fester in the system to have a larger impact. knowing what you know now, would you adopt the same approach of relying on your confidence? i think i'd have to say that with hindsight, i would have done things differently, yes. in his witness statement, garethjenkins said he was truly sorry that seema misra was wrongly convicted, that he didn't know she was pregnant at the time. "i can only apologise again," he said, "for what happened to her." zoe conway, bbc news. seema misra and davinder have been at the inquiry all morning listening to what garethjenkins had to say and a short while ago seema misra gave an emotional interview to the bbc about what she had heard. she said she did not accept gareth jenkins�* apology, she also talked about how she was still struggling to come to terms with what happened to come to terms with what happened to her. let�*s remember that she was notjust imprisoned, notjust given a 15 month prison sentence, she was also led away from the court in handcuffs whilst pregnant and upon her release, she was given an electronic tag. we are going to be hearing more from garethjenkins this and afternoon and over the next three days, giving you a sense of how central they think he is to the post of how central they think he is to the post office scandal. thank you, zoe. and you can follow updates from the post office inquiry on the special live page on the bbc news website and app. the time is 1.15pm. our top story this afternoon. the conservatives withdraw support for two of their candidates — craig williams and laura saunders — who are being looked into over alleged election betting. and england fans hope for a sharp performance in germany tonight, as their team faces slovenia in theirfinal group stage game at the euros. coming up on bbc news. cameron norrie is first up on a day of british action at eastbourne with emma raducanu and katie boulter also to come at the pre—wimbledon warm up tournament. new figures on childhood vaccinations have shown that targets for the number of children getting them are still not being hit. the immunisation programme protects against 13 different illnesses, and doctors now say we�*re at a "tipping point" where the low take—up could lead to more outbreaks of disease. there�*ve already been rises in measles and whooping cough. our health correspondent catherine burns explains. by the time a child turns one they should have had three different sets of vaccines, starting to protect them from nine illnesses like whooping cough. when they blow out the candles on their second birthday cake, they should have had more vaccines, including for measles. by the time they start school, more boosters helping their community. it�*s really important for all children to be vaccinated, not just for their safety but then for the children they�*re around all the time. definitely do it. i don't believe in any of the conspiracies. ijust don't trust the whooping cough, i don't know. - i mean, if my children, if they start coughing, i if they start doing it and i feel like. oh. 0k. _ it's getting a bit much, maybe i'll readjust it. i but to me it's not 100% trustworthy. but if your kids start coughing, it�*ll be too late? yeah. health officials have targets for how many children they want to have certain key vaccines. the aim is for 95% to be protected by the time they�*re five. recently we haven�*t been hitting that target. in fact, vaccination rates have been going generally in the wrong direction. the latest figures show that 93.4% of uk children who�*ve just turned five have had the six—in—one vaccine, which protects against illnesses including whooping cough and polio. for mmr, measles and rubella, 92.5 have had a first dose. and for the second dose only 85.2% were protected. this represents tens of thousands of children who remain unprotected and unvaccinated within our wider population. there is a reason why we have this target. we know