the head of a uk government watchdog has told the bbc that rishi sunak has "set us back" on climate change. chris stark says the pm has left the uk at risk of falling behind other countries. here in the uk, the head of the government watchdog, i beg your pardon, we are going to talk about elections instead. in exactly two weeks time, we'll be raking over the results of the local and mayoral elections in england, and the police and crime about the coming general election. there are 11 mayoral contests taking place from london to liverpool and beyond. tees valley is currently held by a conservative mayor, but the result there is likely to be significant for the two men vying to be prime minister.

newsnight�*s nicholas watt reports from tees valley. an icon of a vibrant industrial past, now out of action, symbolising an area struggling to find its feet. tees valley, an infant hercules in its days as a world capital of iron and steel—making, is now clearing sites of past glories and looking for new ventures. a painful process with economic decline, alongside pockets of affluence. that has placed this area on the national political map, and now a mayoral contest with high stakes for the two main parties. a rumbustious conservative mayor became the first poster boy of the redwall, after his narrow win here in 2017. re—elected in a landslide in 2021, ben houchen is now hoping to buck the national trend.

a local labour stalwart hopes to win back what was once a heartland for his party — a win for chris mcewan would ease keir starmer�*s path nationally. and the lib dem outsider placing the fight of child poverty at the heart of his campaign. over the past decade or so, tees valley felt neglected by the party that thought it was the area's champion. and so voters delivered a series of bloody noses to labour, twice electing a conservative mayor and then injecting labour from the prized parliamentary seat of hartlepool in a by—election, the lowest of low points. and so that's why this mayoral contest reverberates way beyond here. a tory win and rishi sunak will grab a lifeline. a labour win and keir starmer, well, he will believe he really is on a roll. i think this is the headline grabber.

if rishi sunak holds on to this, then that's what he will be trumpeting, he will show that he does have that indefinable quality to reach out to these former areas that borisjohnson won, so that's big for him, but to overturn a 73% share of the vote last time around for labour would again be a massive triumph, and show that they really are coming home to their former heartlands, so, and just talking to various people out on doorsteps, they say it is incredibly close, and they are all confident for their own sides, but nobody is really predicting the winner yet. and offerings from the parties vying for the top spot — from ben houchen, a highly personal campaign, with no mention of the conservative party, other than in the small print. and then bold claims about building a hospital and delivering more international flights. ben houchen hails thousands ofjobs created at teesworks, the old redcar steelworks that closed in 2015.

no mention of a recent review which criticised oversight of the multi—million pound project with 28 recommendations for greater transparency. for labour, a more conventional party campaign with more modest pledges on free town centre parking and a £2 cap on train and bus fares. from the lib dems, a pledge to deliver £25 million a yearforan early years support programme. showing off his plans to his leader. well, ben meets the ronseal test, he's someone who when he says he will do something, he does it. and people said he couldn't save the airport, he did it. people said there wouldn't be a free port, and indeed in many cases fought to stop it, he delivered it. people said there was no way that steel—making will come back to teesside, he has made it happen. he embodies that teesside fighting spirit and he has made things happen. and this is obviously a really difficult time for the conservative party, but i think ben is perhaps the one

person who can rise above it. labour's candidate believes he can tap into the potential of this former industrial behemoth. i was raised here. i've got my mum in redcar, my stepmum in middlesbrough, i brought up my three daughters in darlington. i've worked here for most of my working career, in the nhs. what does this place mean to me? it's a place of immense opportunity. it is also a place with challenges, but it is also a place with accessibility to many things. i often talk about, from coast to country, you know, we have marvellous beaches, and we have countryside on our doorstep. so that's what it means for me. renewed confidence from the lib dems, who sat out the last contest. we see all areas as winners and all areas as being very receptive

to our core liberal message. i've been out knocking on hundreds of doors, speaking to a huge amount of people, we have had an excellent turnout from volunteers. and in the region, at the moment, durham county council has a lib dem leader, we are really making a difference to local people's lives all over the place, and this is just the next step in that process. a commanding presence at the heart of an electoral battleground that may soon command the nation's attention. and for more on the candidates running in tees valley and full analysis of the mayoral election there from our regional political editor, head to the bbc news website. some roads in wales will revert to a 30—mile an hour speed limit — that's 48 kilometres an hour — following a backlash against the welsh government's default policy to reduce speeds to 20 miles an hour. the welsh transport minister said the changes would address concerns many people had about the £34 million project.

0ur wales correspondent has more. the 20 mile an hour limit came into force back in september and since then, there has been a huge public backlash, the biggest public backlash, the biggest public backlash against any welsh government policy since the senedd began. 400,000 people have signed an online petition calling for this 20 mile in our policy to be scrapped and it looks like the new transport minister who has been in post for just under a month now will kind of almost dojust that. just under a month now will kind of almost do just that. he says some roads possibly like this one may revert to its original speed limit. he did say as well that there was widespread support for a 20 mile an hour limit where there was a hospital, school or built—up residential areas but if you look at this rate behind me, this is a dual carriageway which runs through the centre of cardiff, so there are no schools, hospitals, built—up residential areas here, so this could feasibly be changed back to

its original speed limit which was 40 mph before september last year. 0pposition parties, tories more than anyone else, are calling for this to be scrapped from the start really, so no surprised they are overjoyed that the welsh labour government have changed their minds on this. what will happen next is on tuesday, the transport minister will set out how exactly the changes will be made. essentially, he will say that councils will be able to change roads like this one if they want to, make it back to a faster speed limit, be that 30, 40 mph. there was also a vocal campaign from a cyclist and environmental groups calling for more restrictions on the speed limit and they were backing this 20 mile and they were backing this 20 mile an hour speed limit bet really the noise against is overwhelming and thatis noise against is overwhelming and that is why the welsh government have decided to make it easier for councils to change the roads back to

20 if they see fit. and at what must be said as well really is of course it is a general election year so no doubt there has been political pressure as well. the head of the government watchdog, the climate change committee, has heavily criticised the prime minister's approach to climate change. in an exclusive interview with the bbc chris stark said rishi sunak has "set us back" on climate change, leaving the uk at risk of losing out to other countries. 0ur climate editor justin rowlattjoins me now. he says it is the climate change committee to mark the government's her work on climate and he is marking rishi sunak down in dramatic fashion. in an interview with laura kuenssberg he said the uk made good progress on the theresa may and boris progress on the theresa may —.ic borisjohnson, progress on the theresa may —."ic borisjohnson, but back progress on the theresa may :ic borisjohnson, but back in progress on the theresa may —."ic borisjohnson, but back in autumn last year, you may remember rishi sunak rolled back on a commitment to

ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars and also watered—down commitments to phase out gas boilers, and here is what chris stark had to say about that. i think it's set us back. so i think we have moved from a position where we were really at the forefront, pushing ahead as quickly as we could on something that i believe to be fundamental to the uk economy, fundamentally beneficial to people living in this country — whether you care about the climate or not — and we are now in a position now where we're actually trying to recover ground. i will give you one example of that, the diplomatic impact of that has been _ the diplomatic impact of that has been immense. we have lots of contact — been immense. we have lots of contact with other countries around the world, — contact with other countries around the world, it does not matter that there _ the world, it does not matter that there were — the world, it does not matter that there were detailed policies within that speech that you can say were very much— that speech that you can say were very much in line with net zero, the overatt— very much in line with net zero, the overall message that other parts of the world _ overall message that other parts of the world took from it is the uk is less ambitious on a climate than it once _ less ambitious on a climate than it once was_ less ambitious on a climate than it once was and that is extremely hard to recover— once was and that is extremely hard to recover from. he was critical of other— to recover from. he was critical of other parties too and said

politicians across the uk have what he called _ politicians across the uk have what he called a — politicians across the uk have what he called ., . ., politicians across the uk have what he called ., _, . ., ., he called a collective fair of talkin: he called a collective fair of talking about _ he called a collective fair of talking about climate. - he called a collective fair of talking about climate. he l he called a collective fair of. talking about climate. he also criticised the scottish government in edinburgh and said it was desperately disappointing that they had dropped a key carbon cutting pledge this week. he said they were over ambitious from the beginning. the uk government says it is the first economy in the world to have halved carbon emissions since 1990 and says that record stands on its own. the scottish government has said we are sticking by our commitment to get to know zero by 2025 and we are steadfast in that commitment. 2025 and we are steadfast in that commitment-— 2025 and we are steadfast in that commitment. this is a week where there has been _ commitment. this is a week where there has been quite _ commitment. this is a week where there has been quite a _ commitment. this is a week where there has been quite a stark - commitment. this is a week where i there has been quite a stark warning about the practical effects of climate change.— about the practical effects of climate change. about the practical effects of climate chance. ., , ., climate change. certainly, we heard marine scientists _ climate change. certainly, we heard marine scientists in _ climate change. certainly, we heard marine scientists in australia - climate change. certainly, we heard marine scientists in australia and i marine scientists in australia and the us is in coral reefs around the world were facing the fourth global bleaching events, that is when coral reefs go white and can die, and they

say the reason is extreme the high c temperatures. say the reason is extreme the high c temperatures-_ temperatures. thank you. -- extremely — temperatures. thank you. -- extremely high _ temperatures. thank you. -- extremely high c _ temperatures. thank you. -- i extremely high c temperatures. members of the scottish green party are to vote on whether to continue their power—sharing agreement with the snp. it follows an outcry about the scottish government's decision to ditch key targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions, a move which is said to have angered green party colleagues. the vote will be held at an extraordinary general meeting, and officials say it will be binding on the party. an app designed to reduce disruption for people travelling from the uk across the channel will not be ready in time for a new eu border scheme, according to the boss of the railfirm eurostar. under the much—delayed entry exit system, non—eu citizens will need to register fingerprints and a photo at the borderfrom 0ctober. the app is meant to replace passport stamping by allowing passengers to scan their fingerprints remotely and prevent long queues. with more on this is our business reporter esyllt car, whojoins me.

what's the purpose of the new eu border scheme? this new it system is supposed to replace that traditional stamp in the passport and it will mean that is basically more oversight of he was entering and leaving the eu. for british travellers, it will mean they will have to scan their passport, there is an automated kiosk where their details will be registered. the system is already delayed, it was due to coming in october 2022, delayed, it was due to coming in 0ctober2022, but delayed, it was due to coming in october 2022, but even so there are still plenty of concerns about what this will mean amongst the industry about how these changes will come in, whether it will lead to more disruption and queues at bases in particular like the port of dover, eurostar and eurotunnel where those checks are carried out by french officials before people leave the uk. why is the app not ready in time? this app is being developed by the european commission and it is one of

the ways that many people hoped that some of these issues could be speeded up and smoothed out. but now the chief executive of eurostar has confirmed to the bbc she is not expecting that technology to be ready by the tiny coming in october this year. some groups have said it may be months until this app is up and running and the director of p&0 ferries has said he would like to see that delayed date of october 2024 west back even further. harper see that delayed date of october 2024 west back even further. how are they preparing — 2024 west back even further. how are they preparing for— 2024 west back even further. how are they preparing for the _ 2024 west back even further. how are they preparing for the delays? - 2024 west back even further. how are they preparing for the delays? the - they preparing for the delays? the chi is they preparing for the delays? tie: chip is active of they preparing for the delays? ti2 chip is active of eurostar told us while the app would make things smoother, they are already putting in kiosks at the london st pancras to deal with these extra checks and making sure they have staff to help

people through those changes initially. we know eurotunnel earner is building new processing areas to deal with the changes but the port of dover is expected to face particular challenges because of the constrained area there and because they have so many cars, lorries and coaches going through every day, and the ports, along with ferry companies and tourism groups in kent, have previously warned that this disruption could have a significant impact on communities, businesses and the authorities. thank you very much indeed. a financial watchdog is warning uk firms they must have their houses in order before new regulations aimed at protecting victims of fraud come into force in october. the payment systems regulator says traditional high street banks have made significant steps in refunding victims in recent years, but smaller, online—based money transfer services — or so—called electronic money institutions — still have a long way to go to catch up. the difference between

the bank and the emi, electronic money institution, was like night and day. the bank were professional and they and sent me details of remote access scams. they said that's what had happened. the emi had basically no systems in place. with just a few days to go until its opening night, the finishing touches are being made to the uk's biggest indoor arena in manchester this weekend. 0nce open it'll host events for audiences of more than 23,000 people. those behind the £365 million project hope it will attract major events from rival venues across the country, due to its capacity. 0ur entertainment correspondent colin paterson has been taking a look around. the new co—op live in manchester with a capacity of 23,500 is the biggest indoor venue in britain. to show us round, tim leiweke, the boss of oak view music group, who raised £365 million in private finance to get it built.

we have about 1,600 workers on site today. we can get almost 10,000 people on this floor. if you yell, go ahead and give it a yell. 0h! no echo. this is my favourite room that no—one ever gets to see. these are all going out to the largest bar in the uk. this is all beer? this is all beer. we're heading to the stage. the artist comes out of their dressing room... ..does their prayer... heart pounding. all together... right onto the stage here. that's it? that's it. and this is where the stage is going to go? this is where the stage is. no signs, no advertising no scoreboards, no led boards, all gone because they hurt the acoustics and the experience. this is about the artist, it's about music, and it's about their direct relationship with their fans being right on top of them. acts booked to play in the next couple of months

include stevie nicks... # welcome to the hotel california... the eagles for theirfinal five uk shows ever. # i've been telling myself... and on the 14th of may, manchester's elbow have a hometown show. it's a purpose—built music venue, so you don't have to worry about all the seating behind you. this new venue probably needs a bit of scuffing up so we're looking forward to our fans coming and doing exactly that. but with two small music venues closing every week in the uk, i wanted to know if a very big one, co—op live, had any plans on how they could help. do you worry about the future because that is where your next generation of headliners comes from? we are here to be a part of the community. i'm not here to take your ticket, i'm here to make this a better place to live and inspire you, and i'm here to bring a new enthusiasm, an entrepreneurial spirit in what we do as a company here.

co—op live is certainly not short of headliners at the moment. the killers arrive for four nights injune and this is far from the end. the next aim? a sister venue in west london which could be even bigger. retro's back, vinyl is in — and what better way to celebrate than world record store day. first started in the us, here in the uk more than 260 indie record shops are taking part across to celebrate the staff, customers, artists and labels that keep the industry going. emer mccarthy is on berwick street in soho in london, which itself has become a landmark for music—lovers. you may think that this looks a bit familiar. if you are familiar with what's the story morning glory by oasis, we are standing in soho exactly where this cover was shot in

the 90s and what better place to celebrate record store day? as you said, more than 260 record stores across the uk are taking part and it is really a day to celebrate record lovers, artists, labels and the store owners. we have been here for a few hours, seen hundreds of people, tote bags. we have been asking a few people about what is making them embrace vinyl. i have come today — making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for _ making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for 60s _ making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for 60s pop. _ making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for 60s pop. i - making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for 60s pop. i think- making them embrace vinyl. i have come today for 60s pop. i think i l come today for 60s pop. i think i started to _ come today for 60s pop. i think i started to collect _ come today for 60s pop. i think i started to collect vinyl _ come today for 60s pop. i think i started to collect vinyl only - come today for 60s pop. i think i started to collect vinyl only two l started to collect vinyl only two years _ started to collect vinyl only two years ago — started to collect vinyl only two years ago but— started to collect vinyl only two years ago but i_ started to collect vinyl only two years ago but i already - started to collect vinyl only two years ago but i already have . started to collect vinyl only two i years ago but i already have about 100 plus _ years ago but i already have about 100 ptus finals _ years ago but i already have about 100 plus finals.— 100 plus finals. when you put a vin lon, 100 plus finals. when you put a vinyl on. you — 100 plus finals. when you put a vinyl on, you can _ 100 plus finals. when you put a vinyl on, you can sit _ 100 plus finals. when you put a vinyl on, you can sit down - 100 plus finals. when you put a vinyl on, you can sit down and i vinyl on, you can sit down and listen — vinyl on, you can sit down and listen to— vinyl on, you can sit down and listen to it _ vinyl on, you can sit down and listen to it and really enjoy it as it is an — listen to it and really enjoy it as it is an opportunity to really focus on the _ it is an opportunity to really focus on the music and just enjoy the experience of it rather thanjust having — experience of it rather thanjust having it — experience of it rather thanjust having it on in the background. and as ou having it on in the background. and as you have — having it on in the background. elic as you have seen there, people from all walks of life and all ages are really embracing vinyl. last year in

the uk was the best year since 1994 vinyl sales. more than 5.9 million copies were sold around the uk and we have certainly seen a cross—section today, everything from 0livia rodrigo albums tote taylor swift's new album on vinyl, to blur, 0asis, fleetwood mac, really vinyl hasjust 0asis, fleetwood mac, really vinyl has just taken off again and as you said everything old is new again, retro vinyl is back. work has begun on one of the first official statues of her majesty queen elizabeth ii following her death two years ago, at the age of 96. the renowned artist and sculptor andy edwards has been tasked with immortalising britain's longest reigning monarch in bronze, which will go on display in staffordshire once complete. 0ur reporter liz copper explains. a sculpture to mark a reign

of more than 70 years. andy edwards from stoke is beginning to fashion a historic piece of public art. and this is how his finished statue of queen elizabeth ii will look. i do feel that pressure but i do relish it because it is what you aspire to, it's the highest honour, to sculpt the queen. and for that to be commissioned by your hometown is even more so. it's a visit in 1973 which has inspired the sculpture. queen elizabeth and prince philip were here to mark the 800th anniversary of newcastle borough's royal charter. the details from that visit are being carefully observed and cast in bronze. the aim is also to capture the spirit of the day. it's so evocative, its just shows what it's like to see people on the streets, being happy, celebrating something. there's not enough of that. even though i couldn't be

further in my background and circumstance than the queen, i come from a council estate, not a royal estate, but it's the difference between people that brings us closer together and i think it's important that we feel that we can celebrate things like the queen returning to newcastle. this will be the statue's eventual home. here in queens gardens, there is a statue of victoria, and queen elizabeth's sculpture will be placed so she looks towards her great—great—grandmother. i think it will be a really fitting tribute to be in such a beautiful place where so many people from good old stoke can see it and people from newcastle—under—lyme, so i think it's wonderful. she has been queen all my life, she was queen all my life and i admired her. ijust think it will be a very nice idea. work on the statue should be complete by september. 0nce unveiled, queen elizabeth will take her place at the very heart of this town. rowers at oxford university are naming one of their boats river action in honour of a campaign group which aims

to hold water companies to account for river pollution. it comes amid concern over high levels of e.coli in the river thames during last month's oxford and cambridge boat races, when one rower fell ill before the race. now it's time for a look at the weather with tomasz schafernaker. hello. quite a chill in the air earlier on, but at least that sun's quite strong. talking about cold weather, this is what we call the anomaly map across europe. where it's blue, temperatures are below the average for the time of the year and you can see across many countries, it's been colder than what we would expect in april. in fact, across some northern parts of europe, we have had snow. here's helsinki today — three degrees, flurries of snow. central parts of europe not even making double figures. and we are feeling that chill as we see colder air arriving from the north. but at least it's high pressure, so that does mean that the weather's quiet, so a lot of welcome dry weather. here's the satellite picture.

clouds have been building through the course of the morning and into the afternoon. some areas are still quite sunny, other areas have turned a little more overcast. temperatures i think best in the west, possibly 15 in northern ireland. but on the north sea coast, we've a chilly breeze, it's only around 9 or 10. now, temperatures may be on the down, but the pollen levels are on the up. moderate widely across some central and eastern parts of the uk and even high in the south west. now, through tonight, variable amounts of cloud. it will turn damp for a time in scotland, particularly northern and central areas. i don't think this coming night will be quite as cold as last night, but still in some spots, temperatures could drop close to freezing early in the morning, given clearer skies overnight. variable amounts of cloud tomorrow, there will be some sunshine, for sure. i think further south, that's where the best of the sun will be, but some areas may be stuck underneath the cloud. now, interestingly, it is actually going to be a relatively warm day across western parts

of northern ireland again, 18 degrees. but closer to the north sea coast in that breeze, maybe not even making 10 celsius. now, into monday, well, high pressure's still with us, but a weather front caught on that eastern edge of the high pressure means thick cloud across much of the uk. little dribs and drabs of rain. i don't think it's going to feel particularly pleasant, again, the further east you are. 10 degrees in hull. 0ut towards the west, in belfast, around 14 celsius. is it going to warm up? well, not significantly so in the days ahead. in fact, if we look at the outlook for the week, it is going to stay generally on the chilly side with a little rain now and then.

live from london. this is bbc news. nine people killed, at least four of them children, after israel strikes homes in southern gaza — where the un says the threat of disease is growing. we are scared. we are traumatised. we are thinking where we should go, but no one can answer this question. ukraine hopes for more air defence systems in the war against russia — as us lawmakers prepare to vote on a long—delayed military aid package. thousands of people take to the streets of the canary islands in protest against what they say are the damaging effects of over—tourism.

hello, i'm lauren taylor. we start in the middle east, where nine people, including at least four children, have reportedly been killed after israeli strikes hit homes in rafah in the southern gaza strip. israeli planes and tanks pounded various parts of the territory overnight. the israeli war cabinet has been planning a large offensive against hamas in rafah, which is where an estimated 1.5 million displaced palestinians are sheltering. the us and other allies have warned israel against a full—scale assault on the city. these are live shots of a refugee camp for displaced people in rafah. one of the main un agencies responsible for getting aid to palestinians, the united nations relief and works agency is warning that the risk of disease is increasing across gaza because of the lack of sanitation and aid. wyre davies reports from jerusalem. over the last few days, the world and the world's media attention has been focused on those exchanges of fire between israel and iran, and the potential,

a week ago, for what looked like a possible regional war.