:00:00. > :00:00.Shock as Boris Johnson - the man tipped to be
:00:07. > :00:08.the next Prime Minister - dramatically withdraws
:00:09. > :00:14.As he left home this morning, everyone thought he was about to
:00:15. > :00:21.launch his leadership bid - but then this.
:00:22. > :00:23.Having consulted colleagues and, in view of the circumstances in
:00:24. > :00:27.Parliament, I have concluded that person cannot be me.
:00:28. > :00:33.His hopes were dealt a fatal blow by his Leave
:00:34. > :00:38.campaign ally Michael Gove - who's decided to run himself.
:00:39. > :00:45.While Boris has great attributes, he was not capable of uniting that
:00:46. > :00:46.team and leading the party and the
:00:47. > :00:49.country in the way that I would have hoped.
:00:50. > :00:51.Also hoping to be Prime minister is Theresa May -
:00:52. > :00:53.who says she offers strong leadership and warns that
:00:54. > :00:58.I'm Theresa May and I think I'm the best person
:00:59. > :01:03.to be Prime Minister of this country.
:01:04. > :01:07.We'll be looking at what went wrong for Boris Johnson and what it means
:01:08. > :01:09.for the Conservative Party. The Governor
:01:10. > :01:12.of the Bank of England hints that interest rates could be cut even
:01:13. > :01:14.further following Britain's Are you going to stand for the
:01:15. > :01:20.leadership? Angela Eagle changed her mind too
:01:21. > :01:22.today, deciding to delay her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn
:01:23. > :01:24.as Labour leader. Here in Northern France,
:01:25. > :01:27.we report on two days of commemorations for the million
:01:28. > :01:29.men killed and injured in the Battle of the Somme,
:01:30. > :01:34.which started a century ago. At the Thiepval Memorial, and in
:01:35. > :01:36.every part of the United Kingdom, They'll continue throughout
:01:37. > :01:40.the night until the moment, a century ago, when the battle
:01:41. > :01:43.started. And we consider the fate
:01:44. > :01:45.of thousands of Welsh volunteer troops, who suffered huge losses
:01:46. > :01:48.in the deadly battle for Mametz Wood in the early days
:01:49. > :01:53.of the Battle of the Somme. Many of them didn't get within 200
:01:54. > :01:55.yards of the wood itself. It was a huge trial
:01:56. > :02:08.by fire for the division. Later, Sportsday on the BBC News
:02:09. > :02:10.channel with all the latest reports, results, interviews and features
:02:11. > :02:29.from the BBC sports Centre. Boris Johnson's dreams of becoming
:02:30. > :02:33.the next Conservative leader and Prime Minister have been
:02:34. > :02:36.shattered in a day of extraordinary Just hours before the former Mayor
:02:37. > :02:42.of London was expected to declare he was running,
:02:43. > :02:46.his Leave campaign ally Michael Gove stepped in and stunned Westminster
:02:47. > :02:48.by announcing he'd decided to run In the midst of it all,
:02:49. > :02:54.the Home Secretary Theresa May - who campaigned to stay
:02:55. > :02:56.in the EU - announced Our political editor
:02:57. > :03:02.Laura Kuenssberg reports. Even some of Boris Johnson's closest
:03:03. > :03:09.friends and supporters didn't know Only his wife and a couple
:03:10. > :03:17.of confidantes knew I must tell you, my friends,
:03:18. > :03:24.you who have waited faithfully for the punchline of this speech,
:03:25. > :03:29.that, having consulted colleagues and in view
:03:30. > :03:33.of the circumstances in Parliament, I have concluded that
:03:34. > :03:40.person cannot be me. The blonde dropped a bombshell,
:03:41. > :03:47.leaving the race. Because his campaign chief,
:03:48. > :03:50.Michael Gove, had phoned the strategist Lynton Crosby this
:03:51. > :03:53.morning, quitting and saying For Mr Johnson's supporters,
:03:54. > :04:00.tears and disbelief. I worked with him for ten years
:04:01. > :04:10.in London, I know he's quality and I stand by everything
:04:11. > :04:12.I said about him. Obviously, the circumstances over
:04:13. > :04:16.the last couple of days have been very turbulent and caught
:04:17. > :04:19.a lot of us by surprise. Did you know he was
:04:20. > :04:21.going to do that? In 24 hours, friends
:04:22. > :04:28.have turned bitter foes. They fought and won the referendum
:04:29. > :04:31.together but now Michael Gove is not just withdrawing his support
:04:32. > :04:34.but saying he wants to be Prime Minister instead -
:04:35. > :04:36.although he has always denied The one thing I do know is that,
:04:37. > :04:44.having seen David Cameron up close, I know that it takes extraordinary
:04:45. > :04:47.reserves of patience, judgment, of character,
:04:48. > :04:51.to lead this country. So what on earth has made Michael
:04:52. > :05:02.Gove completely changed his view? During the course of the last few
:05:03. > :05:05.days I have realised that while Boris does have those very
:05:06. > :05:09.special abilities to communicate and to reach out, what he did not
:05:10. > :05:12.have was the capacity to build and to lead that team and to provide
:05:13. > :05:15.the leadership the country needs You have worked closely
:05:16. > :05:20.with Boris Johnson for the last few months during the referendum
:05:21. > :05:22.campaign and you have known People will think it is rather
:05:23. > :05:29.surprising that suddenly you're saying that in the last couple
:05:30. > :05:32.of days it has occurred to me In the last four days I had a chance
:05:33. > :05:38.to see up close and personal how Boris dealt with some
:05:39. > :05:40.of the decisions we needed to make in order to take
:05:41. > :05:42.this country forward. During that period,
:05:43. > :05:44.I had hoped that Boris would rise to the occasion,
:05:45. > :05:49.because, inevitably, when you have a leadership election,
:05:50. > :05:52.people are tested, questions As I say, Boris has formidable
:05:53. > :05:58.qualities, but I saw him seek Your colleagues this
:05:59. > :06:04.morning are astonished, How do you expect anybody
:06:05. > :06:11.in the Conservative Party, let alone members of the public,
:06:12. > :06:17.to be able to trust you? Well, people will know that
:06:18. > :06:19.throughout my time in politics I've always done
:06:20. > :06:22.what I believe to be right. Sometimes, that has been
:06:23. > :06:24.at the cost of friendships, sometimes it's cost me in terms
:06:25. > :06:33.of personal relationships. Whether it's treachery or tragedy,
:06:34. > :06:35.the Home Secretary's smooth calm Her launch was packed
:06:36. > :06:41.with MPs and ministers ready to support her promises to cut
:06:42. > :06:44.immigration and provide stability My pitch is very simple,
:06:45. > :06:50.I'm Theresa May and I think I'm the best person to be
:06:51. > :06:56.Prime Minister of this country. If ever there was a time
:06:57. > :06:59.for a Prime Minister who is ready and able to do the job from day one,
:07:00. > :07:03.this is it. We have immediate work to do
:07:04. > :07:08.to restore political stability and economic certainty,
:07:09. > :07:11.to bring together the party and the country and to negotiate
:07:12. > :07:14.a sensible and orderly departure And I know I'm not a showy
:07:15. > :07:20.politician, I don't tour the television studios,
:07:21. > :07:22.I don't gossip about people over lunch, I don't go drinking
:07:23. > :07:26.in Parliament's bars. I don't often wear my heart
:07:27. > :07:29.on my sleeve, I just get Under my leadership, the motives
:07:30. > :07:37.of the Conservative Party will never be in any doubt and our actions
:07:38. > :07:42.will be bold. We, the Conservatives,
:07:43. > :07:44.will put ourselves at the service We will strive to make Britain
:07:45. > :07:50.a country that works for everyone, regardless of who they are and
:07:51. > :07:56.regardless of where they are from. I know the great hunger for this
:07:57. > :07:59.kind of one-nation vision You were on the losing side
:08:00. > :08:04.of the European argument. What is it now that you think
:08:05. > :08:08.makes you a winner? I think what the public want
:08:09. > :08:12.is strong, resilient leadership and I think they want honesty
:08:13. > :08:16.from their politicians. And I've always tried to be as clear
:08:17. > :08:19.with people as possible about what the challenges
:08:20. > :08:21.are and the difficulties in facing those and how
:08:22. > :08:24.we can do that together, and I think that is what
:08:25. > :08:28.people are looking for. But this race for Number 10 may yet
:08:29. > :08:32.find surprising stars. The referendum gave a big platform
:08:33. > :08:35.to Outer Andrea Leadsom, I have a real heart for this,
:08:36. > :08:40.this is something I really At the end of the day,
:08:41. > :08:46.it's up to the party and then it's The former Defence Secretary Liam
:08:47. > :08:50.Fox, on the right of the Tory party, This is about the governance
:08:51. > :08:55.of our country, the future of our relationships with Europe
:08:56. > :08:59.and the world beyond. Boris, what do you want
:09:00. > :09:03.to say to Michael Gove? It's an undignified
:09:04. > :09:05.departure from the race, from a politician who pleases crowds
:09:06. > :09:09.but alarms some others. Not even a week since his biggest
:09:10. > :09:11.victory, Boris Johnson's battle to become Prime Minister is lost
:09:12. > :09:17.before it officially began. Laura Kuenssberg, BBC
:09:18. > :09:21.News, Westminster. Michael Gove was by no means
:09:22. > :09:23.the only Conservative Lord Heseltine launched
:09:24. > :09:28.a scathing attack on him, saying he'd created the greatest
:09:29. > :09:31.constitutional crisis in modern times and would have to live
:09:32. > :09:36.with the shame of what he has done. In just one week, Boris Johnson has
:09:37. > :09:40.gone from victory to defeat. James Landale looks at what went
:09:41. > :09:43.wrong for him - and what it means His report contains
:09:44. > :09:47.some flash photography. Boris Johnson was the charismatic
:09:48. > :09:55.face of Leave, campaigning for a cause as energetically
:09:56. > :09:58.as he once campaigned for himself. A man of the people
:09:59. > :10:00.who appealed beyond party I believe that this Thursday can be
:10:01. > :10:11.our country's Independence Day. And, with the referendum won,
:10:12. > :10:14.many assumed Mr Johnson would stand for the leadership on a joint ticket
:10:15. > :10:18.with Michael Gove. There was little sympathy
:10:19. > :10:22.for where the former London Mayor I think it's an utterly
:10:23. > :10:26.intolerable situation. This guy has created the biggest
:10:27. > :10:28.constitutional crisis in peace We are seeing a serious depression
:10:29. > :10:38.in the nation's savings. He's torn the Tory party apart
:10:39. > :10:41.and his left the management of the economy in a situation
:10:42. > :10:44.where no politician can answer the basic questions about our
:10:45. > :10:49.direction of travel. Mr Gove's doubts first emerged
:10:50. > :10:52.in a leaked e-mail from his wife, claiming that Tory members and media
:10:53. > :10:55.moguls like Rupert Murdoch needed Some MPs claimed an article
:10:56. > :11:02.by Mr Johnson in the Daily Telegraph showed he didn't have
:11:03. > :11:06.the determination to deliver Brexit. One MP who backed Mr Johnson
:11:07. > :11:09.in the papers today, but is now supporting Mr Gove,
:11:10. > :11:12.suggested there had been a row about campaign staff
:11:13. > :11:16.and Cabinet jobs. Putting together a really strong
:11:17. > :11:19.unifying team was an When that fell away,
:11:20. > :11:23.I think Michael felt, actually, It looks like a student political
:11:24. > :11:29.game, when the country needs direction, needs clarity,
:11:30. > :11:33.needs a sense of maturity. I am shocked and surprised that
:11:34. > :11:37.people should behave in this way. Many MPs believe that Mr Gove pulled
:11:38. > :11:40.out primarily because he did not believe Mr Johnson could win,
:11:41. > :11:42.that his heart wasn't Mr Johnson's supporters say this
:11:43. > :11:47.wasn't some last-minute change of mind, but a deliberate,
:11:48. > :11:53.planned political assassination. Today, Mr Johnson quoted
:11:54. > :11:58.Shakespeare, appearing to compare Mr Gove's betrayal to Brutus's
:11:59. > :12:00.assassination of Caesar, A time not to fight against the tide
:12:01. > :12:06.of history, but to take that tide at the flood
:12:07. > :12:12.and sail on to fortune. For years, Boris Johnson has
:12:13. > :12:18.entertained the nation. But his chance of leading it is now
:12:19. > :12:21.in ruins and the smiles The events of today will echo
:12:22. > :12:26.for years to come. James Landale, BBC
:12:27. > :12:29.News, Westminster. Our political Editor Laura
:12:30. > :12:40.Kuenssberg is in Westminster. An astounding day on so many levels.
:12:41. > :12:45.But it is the deeply personal nature of this that has shocked so many
:12:46. > :12:50.people? That's right, it completely shocked Boris Johnson and his team,
:12:51. > :12:55.who have been planning, thinking about his leadership hopes, not just
:12:56. > :12:58.the months, but, frankly, for years. In Westminster it feels like there
:12:59. > :13:01.is bitterness and suspicion all around. Just think about what has
:13:02. > :13:05.happened in the last few months. Michael Gove helped persuade Boris
:13:06. > :13:10.Johnson to campaign to leave the European Union. Mr Johnson's
:13:11. > :13:15.charisma and crowd pulling abilities helped win that campaign. Together,
:13:16. > :13:20.by winning, they finish of David Cameron, the Prime Minister. Today,
:13:21. > :13:25.with his decision, Michael Gove has finished off Boris Johnson's dreams
:13:26. > :13:29.of taking the prize. Right now, it seems Mr Gove's own chances of
:13:30. > :13:34.becoming Prime Minister are on the slim side. But, whatever happens, he
:13:35. > :13:42.will certainly have a place in the political history books. Tonight, it
:13:43. > :13:45.appears that today's completely tumultuous events helped Theresa
:13:46. > :13:51.May, the Home Secretary, significantly. Her goal, long
:13:52. > :13:54.thought about, was to appear calm, sober, and she did that before she
:13:55. > :13:58.even opened her mouth. In comparison to what was going on with the other
:13:59. > :14:02.two, she looked completely in control. I can tell you tonight that
:14:03. > :14:04.two more Cabinet ministers have declared they are backing the Home
:14:05. > :14:09.Secretary, Michael Fallon, the Defence Secretary and Patrick
:14:10. > :14:14.MacLachlan, the Transport Secretary, have made public their intentions to
:14:15. > :14:17.back Theresa May to be not just the next leader of the Tory party, but
:14:18. > :14:21.the next Prime Minister. She will also have the support of the first
:14:22. > :14:25.newspaper, with the Daily Mail declaring tomorrow that they will
:14:26. > :14:29.back her to move into Number 10. There is no question right now that
:14:30. > :14:33.she has moved way out in front as the frontrunner in this race. But,
:14:34. > :14:37.Sophie, just think, it was just a week ago that the ballot boxes had
:14:38. > :14:42.been sealed up, the polls had closed in referendum campaign. Just think
:14:43. > :14:46.how much and how quickly things have changed right across politics since
:14:47. > :14:51.then. Leadership races are always unpredictable, this one, only a
:14:52. > :14:54.couple of days in, is something else. Indeed. Laura, thank you.
:14:55. > :14:56.You can find more background on all the candidates,
:14:57. > :14:59.where they stand on issues and how the leadership process
:15:00. > :15:06.In an unexpected move the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney,
:15:07. > :15:10.has signalled that interest rates could be cut over the summer.
:15:11. > :15:12.He warned that economic growth could be hit for some time
:15:13. > :15:20.Mr Carney said more cash might also need to be pumped into the economy.
:15:21. > :15:24.Here's our Business Editor Simon Jack.
:15:25. > :15:27.As the Vote Leave campaign punched the air in victory last week,
:15:28. > :15:34.?1.8 trillion was wiped off shares worldwide in a single day.
:15:35. > :15:44.The City and the country seemed rudderless.
:15:45. > :15:45.The Bank of England had described a Brexit as the biggest
:15:46. > :15:47.risk to the economy, and the governor hadn't
:15:48. > :15:55.In my view, and I'm not prejudging the views of other independent
:15:56. > :15:57.members of the MPC, the economic outlook has deteriorated and some
:15:58. > :16:00.monetary policy easing will likely be required over the summer.
:16:01. > :16:04.That could mean lower interest rates, more money printing or both,
:16:05. > :16:10.The material slowing in growth that the MPC had identified
:16:11. > :16:13.as a risk associated with the referendum now looks likely
:16:14. > :16:19.However calm he seemed, he warned there was, in his words,
:16:20. > :16:26.There are limits to what the Bank of England can do.
:16:27. > :16:28.The future potential of the economy and its implications for jobs,
:16:29. > :16:34.real wages and wealth, are not the gift of monetary policy-makers.
:16:35. > :16:39.At this software firm, there are already signs of caution.
:16:40. > :16:42.One thing we have noticed is four potential contracts
:16:43. > :16:45.in the pipeline have pulled back, international client
:16:46. > :16:48.is looking to invest in the UK and until we know if Britain
:16:49. > :16:52.is in the single market or not they will be a period of uncertainty
:16:53. > :16:56.and that is unsettling for people looking to invest here,
:16:57. > :17:03.That the biggest losers this week have been banks.
:17:04. > :17:07.HSBC and JP Morgan have warned jobs in the UK could go to Europe
:17:08. > :17:11.but to date the Barclays chief told the BBC that UK jobs
:17:12. > :17:17.We want to be involved in the capital markets globally.
:17:18. > :17:20.Right now the best way to do that is to be anchored in London
:17:21. > :17:25.You might have to increase your presence in another location that
:17:26. > :17:26.does not necessarily mean you are decreasing
:17:27. > :17:39.This is not an economic crisis, this is very different
:17:40. > :17:45.In some financial markets have roared back, helped in part
:17:46. > :17:48.by the Governor's hint of an imminent interest rate cut.
:17:49. > :17:51.It is still early days in the post Brexit journey but to date
:17:52. > :17:54.is the Bank of England made it clear it thinks the sky has darkened
:17:55. > :18:05.How reassured were markets by what Mark Carney had to say today?
:18:06. > :18:10.They definitely did take some reassurance from that. He is not
:18:11. > :18:13.everyone's cup of tea. Some politicians think he's been too
:18:14. > :18:17.political by half, during the run-up to this and after the referendum.
:18:18. > :18:20.They had taken reassurance from someone they see as one of the last
:18:21. > :18:23.grown-ups left in the House at the moment, in running the show. They
:18:24. > :18:27.have taken reassurance for two reasons. One, markets love an
:18:28. > :18:30.interest rate cut. It encourages people to borrow, to spend, it is
:18:31. > :18:35.good for the economy and for companies. He hinted at that today.
:18:36. > :18:40.It could be as early as July 14th. The other thing is, while we wait
:18:41. > :18:44.for this incredible political tale to unravel, what he is saying is,
:18:45. > :18:47.I'm not waiting for an answer to that, I will get on the front foot.
:18:48. > :18:53.He had this press conference today, a very unusual one. He had the bank
:18:54. > :18:57.chiefs in yesterday. He wants to get them all around to say, I'm on the
:18:58. > :19:02.front foot, I am a man with a plan. As he said in that piece there, he
:19:03. > :19:07.is not Superman, he can't do everything. The final settlement
:19:08. > :19:11.will not fall to people like him, it will fall to the politicians, so he
:19:12. > :19:14.is saying I can only do so much. I will throw some cushions down in
:19:15. > :19:17.case there are any accidents along the way. Simon Jack, thank you.
:19:18. > :19:19.The Government has decided to postpone a decision on airport
:19:20. > :19:21.expansion in the south-east of England until a new Prime
:19:22. > :19:26.An announcement on projects at Heathrow or Gatwick had been
:19:27. > :19:29.Business leaders have criticised the move,
:19:30. > :19:33.saying airport capacity is now an even greater priority following
:19:34. > :19:52.Angela Eagle was expected to launch her bid to replace Jeremy Corbyn
:19:53. > :19:56.today. Mr Corbyn has lost the confidence of 80% of his MPs, but he
:19:57. > :20:00.has the support of many grassroots members of the party. And is
:20:01. > :20:03.refusing to step down. John Pienaar reports.
:20:04. > :20:06.Jeremy Corbyn's home is normally mobbed by the media.
:20:07. > :20:09.Today, as rival Cabinet Ministers jostled and bumped each other off
:20:10. > :20:13.in the power struggle for Britain, he set off for work in peace,
:20:14. > :20:16.but the peace didn't last, it never does.
:20:17. > :20:18.Launching a plan to stamp out racism in the Party,
:20:19. > :20:21.he offended critics, including the Chief Rabbi,
:20:22. > :20:23.by mentioning Israel and the so-called Islamic State
:20:24. > :20:29.Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions
:20:30. > :20:31.of Israel, or the Netanyahu government, than our Muslim friends
:20:32. > :20:38.are for those various self-styled Islamic State organisations.
:20:39. > :20:43.A pro-Corbyn activist, who handed out a statement,
:20:44. > :20:47.saying rebel MPs should be sacked as candidates,
:20:48. > :20:48.turned on a Jewish MP for what he called
:20:49. > :20:53.You can see who is working hand in hand.
:20:54. > :21:01.I'm pleased that Keith Vaz said to me a moment ago
:21:02. > :21:03.The MP, Ruth Smeeth, walked out in disgust.
:21:04. > :21:07.And, under enormous pressure to stand down, facing an imminent
:21:08. > :21:10.leadership challenge, he tried defiance.
:21:11. > :21:13.I am the leader of the Party and I'm doing that.
:21:14. > :21:16.What do you say to those many members and most of your MPs who
:21:17. > :21:20.will never follow your leadership, no matter what you say on this
:21:21. > :21:22.or any other subject, and is the break-up
:21:23. > :21:25.of the Labour Party a price worth paying for your
:21:26. > :21:31.I'm sorry, John, I am going to cut in because there will be plenty
:21:32. > :21:39.of time in the months ahead to debate the Labour Leadership.
:21:40. > :21:44.He headed back to Westminster where his MPs are competing to see
:21:45. > :21:49.Mr Corbyn, is the break-up of your Party a price worth paying?
:21:50. > :21:52.Where once loyal MPs are telling me they think he should stand down,
:21:53. > :21:56.too, to prevent a right-wing takeover.
:21:57. > :22:01.Jeremy Corbyn's left-wing faith goes back decades,
:22:02. > :22:06.New members helped elect him with far-left backing.
:22:07. > :22:09.All hostile to most Labour MPs and, in some parts of the country,
:22:10. > :22:13.like Oldham, angry about the attempted coup.
:22:14. > :22:15.It's too early and he's not been given chance to perform,
:22:16. > :22:19.and he's got tremendous support at the grass-roots level.
:22:20. > :22:22.I didn't vote for him last time, but rest assured,
:22:23. > :22:24.if there is a leadership election, I will be
:22:25. > :22:29.Angela Eagle, a former Shadow Cabinet Minister,
:22:30. > :22:33.is ready to challenge for leader, assuming he doesn't quit first.
:22:34. > :22:36.The thing is that Jeremy needs to stand down.
:22:37. > :22:42.And at the moment we want him to consider his position and do
:22:43. > :22:44.what is right in the interests of the Party,
:22:45. > :22:49.And if he stays, Owen Smith, another one who quit the top team,
:22:50. > :22:54.And they are holding back to decide which one has the best chance
:22:55. > :22:59.And there is another reason a challenge has been put on hold.
:23:00. > :23:02.Many MPs are becoming convinced that Jeremy Corbyn's determination
:23:03. > :23:05.to fight on may be weakening under pressure.
:23:06. > :23:08.This morning, more than 500 Labour councillors joined the chorus
:23:09. > :23:12.There is talk of his trade union support softening.
:23:13. > :23:18.Team Corbyn deny that he will cave in and they say his base
:23:19. > :23:21.of support is strong enough to see off all comers.
:23:22. > :23:29.John Pienaar, BBC News, Westminster.
:23:30. > :23:31.Britain is sending another 250 military personnel to Iraq -
:23:32. > :23:36.almost doubling the number of UK forces in the country.
:23:37. > :23:39.The troops will join nearly 300 already there helping train Iraqi
:23:40. > :23:43.and Kurdish forces in their fight against so-called Islamic State.
:23:44. > :23:46.They'll be based in the Sunni heartland of Anbar province
:23:47. > :23:53.The US military has confirmed that it has ended its ban
:23:54. > :23:58.on transgender individuals serving openly in the armed forces.
:23:59. > :24:01.The Defence Secretary, Ash Carter, said he wanted to remove barriers
:24:02. > :24:06.to serving unrelated to people's abilities or qualifications.
:24:07. > :24:17.The new rule takes effect immediately.
:24:18. > :24:19.Tomorrow is the centenary of the Battle of the Somme,
:24:20. > :24:20.one of the bloodiest of World War One.
:24:21. > :24:22.On the first day alone, almost 20,000 British soldiers died.
:24:23. > :24:24.Vigils are being held tonight in the UK and in Northern France -
:24:25. > :24:33.100 years ago tonight, tens of thousands of British
:24:34. > :24:36.and French troops were waiting in this part of northern France
:24:37. > :24:40.to launch a colossal offensive against the German lines.
:24:41. > :24:43.It was meant to be a decisive push, but the Battle of the Somme
:24:44. > :24:49.would last from the 1st of July to the 18th November 1916 -
:24:50. > :24:51.one of the bloodiest confrontations in the history of the British Armed
:24:52. > :24:55.This memorial at Thiepval - the focus of these
:24:56. > :24:59.centenary commemorations - bears the name of 72,000 men -
:25:00. > :25:01.the missing of the Somme - whose bodies were never found.
:25:02. > :25:06.Tonight's vigils, here in France and back home in the UK,
:25:07. > :25:09.were arranged to mark those fateful events of a century ago,
:25:10. > :25:18.On a summer's evening at the Abbey Church at Westminster,
:25:19. > :25:20.the Queen joined a congregation, gathered by the Grave
:25:21. > :25:24.of the Unknown Warrior, to remember those who,
:25:25. > :25:27.on this night 100 years ago, were in their trenches waiting
:25:28. > :25:36.Tonight, we shall remember the courage and the sacrifice of
:25:37. > :25:46.And we shall pray that we may continue to learn the lessons
:25:47. > :25:55.of history, to build a world at peace.
:25:56. > :25:57.The battle took men from virtually every part of the British Isles
:25:58. > :26:02.From the Pals Battalions, some of which were all but wiped
:26:03. > :26:06.out, and from Ireland, north and south.
:26:07. > :26:10.The Bishop of London recalled words written by Tom Kettle, a Dubliner,
:26:11. > :26:17.Used with the wisdom that is sewn in tears and blood,
:26:18. > :26:23.this tragedy of Europe may be and must be the prologue
:26:24. > :26:32.to the two reconciliations of which all statesmen have dreamed.
:26:33. > :26:35.At the Thiepval memorial, close to the battlefield,
:26:36. > :26:37.the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry had come
:26:38. > :26:42.to pay their respects, and to recall the loss of so many.
:26:43. > :26:46.We lost the flower of a generation and, in the years to come,
:26:47. > :26:50.it sometime seems with them the sense of vital optimism
:26:51. > :26:56.had disappeared forever from British life.
:26:57. > :27:02.It was in many ways the saddest day in the long story of our nation.
:27:03. > :27:06.100 years after that day, the nation is remembering.
:27:07. > :27:09.Vigils were mounted at Edinburgh Castle,
:27:10. > :27:11.in Northern Ireland, where the terrible losses
:27:12. > :27:14.of the 36th Ulster Division at the Somme are still
:27:15. > :27:19.remembered, and at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff.
:27:20. > :27:24.At Westminster Abbey, today's young servicemen and women
:27:25. > :27:28.took their places at the Grave of the Unknown Warrior to the sound
:27:29. > :27:33.of a single bugle carried by a soldier at the Somme.
:27:34. > :27:44.The vigil will continue throughout the night, in memory of so many who
:27:45. > :27:48.were waiting to go into battle and to meet their destiny.
:27:49. > :27:57.Some of the names on this British memorial at Thiepval belong
:27:58. > :28:00.to the 38th Welsh Division - a volunteer force which suffered
:28:01. > :28:04.some of the heaviest losses in those first days of July 1916,
:28:05. > :28:08.when they were ordered to drive German forces out of Mametz Wood,
:28:09. > :28:12.Some 4,000 men were killed or injured - and some
:28:13. > :28:15.of the men who took part described their experiences in BBC
:28:16. > :28:18.interviews recorded in the 1980s, when a new memorial was installed
:28:19. > :28:27.A red dragon in the heart of Picardy, standing
:28:28. > :28:38.A place to reflect on the brutality of a century ago, when this entire
:28:39. > :28:43.forest was destroyed as a volunteer Welsh Army faced the might of one
:28:44. > :28:51.When the order came about quarter-to-5,
:28:52. > :28:58.It was synchronised, along with the NCOs responsible,
:28:59. > :29:04.Officers were shouting to attack and they were shoving
:29:05. > :29:14.Who's going to travel 200, 300 yards over open ground,
:29:15. > :29:18.in front of heavy machine-gun fire, from both flanks
:29:19. > :29:24.And yes, they paid a very heavy price.
:29:25. > :29:27.The little cemeteries dotted around the Somme, looked after by the
:29:28. > :29:31.Commonwealth War Graves Commission, are constant reminders.
:29:32. > :29:34.Among those last at Mametz, two brothers from the Rhondda Valley,
:29:35. > :29:39.Henry and Thomas Hardwidge, who died in each other's arms.
:29:40. > :29:42.They suffered a terrible fate on the 7th July,
:29:43. > :29:45.machine-guns from the wood itself and from the side,
:29:46. > :29:50.Really decimated the attacking soldiers.
:29:51. > :29:53.Many of them didn't get within 200 yards of the wood itself.
:29:54. > :29:57.It was a huge trial by fire for the division.
:29:58. > :29:59.Throughout the year, there is a constant stream
:30:00. > :30:02.of visitors to Mametz, many descendants of those
:30:03. > :30:05.who fought, little tributes left around the wood.
:30:06. > :30:11.We all feel very moved by what happened in the First World War,
:30:12. > :30:14.and we never knew our grandfather, but I think we are quite,
:30:15. > :30:20.we were quite moved by what happened to him and we want to be
:30:21. > :30:26.Their grandfather was Major Charles Bond,
:30:27. > :30:29.who recruited thousands of young men in North Wales,
:30:30. > :30:31.many of whom lost their lives on the Somme, and their memory
:30:32. > :30:37.TRANSLATION: These Welshmen died for us.
:30:38. > :30:40.They died so that France could be free, so that Mametz could remain
:30:41. > :30:45.We are 178 residents, so 3,000 lost their lives for 178
:30:46. > :30:51.of us, so we can't forget how special this relationship is.
:30:52. > :30:54.The First World War devastated communities throughout
:30:55. > :30:59.But, for Wales, this is the spot, and this is the memorial that
:31:00. > :31:08.And the inscription is very simple - Let us respect their efforts.
:31:09. > :31:17.Mametz Wood is still the resting place of many
:31:18. > :31:20.who fell in July 1916 - their bodies were never found -
:31:21. > :31:28.but, a century later, their sacrifice is not forgotten.
:31:29. > :31:30.Early tomorrow morning, the overnight vigils
:31:31. > :31:33.will come to an end, and Zero Hour will be marked -
:31:34. > :31:36.the moment the whistles blew and the men were sent over the top
:31:37. > :31:39.on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
:31:40. > :31:42.We'll have more from Thiepval on BBC One at 7.00am in the morning.
:31:43. > :31:45.But for now, from the plains of Picardy in northern France,
:31:46. > :31:52.Andy Murray is safely through to the third
:31:53. > :32:01.The world number two swept aside Yen-Hsun Lu in straight sets.
:32:02. > :32:03.An equally great day for fellow Brit, Dan Evans.
:32:04. > :32:05.He'll play seven-time champion Roger Federer after a straight-sets
:32:06. > :32:11.victory over 30th seed Alexandr Dolgopolov.
:32:12. > :32:13.Let's go back to our main story now and the extraordinary events
:32:14. > :32:15.in the race to become the new leader of the Conservative Party -
:32:16. > :32:22.Our Home Editor, Mark Easton, has spent the day at the Norfolk
:32:23. > :32:25.County Show gauging reaction from the Tory Party faithful.
:32:26. > :32:29.And the Royal Norfolk Show where these piglets are competed
:32:30. > :32:33.is perhaps the epitome of the Tory heartlands where Party members
:32:34. > :32:39.will choose their future leader and the destiny of the nation.
:32:40. > :32:40.You may have heard that Boris Johnson
:32:41. > :32:46.I'm delighted to hear that.
:32:47. > :32:51.I think he's a very intelligent, capable person, but not
:32:52. > :33:02.And actually I think she will probably go quite well
:33:03. > :33:06.in talking to Europeans because there's a softer touch.
:33:07. > :33:12.I think it's a great shame that Boris hasn't stood.
:33:13. > :33:14.He was very prominent in the campaign.
:33:15. > :33:19.It wasn't a case that I supported, but he made a very good case.
:33:20. > :33:21.He should have stood up and been counted.
:33:22. > :33:23.I am very disappointed he hasn't stood.
:33:24. > :33:26.I have had the good fortune to meet Mr Gove and he would get my support.
:33:27. > :33:31.You will be one of 150,000 who will be deciding our
:33:32. > :33:37.Where does it look like from where you are now?
:33:38. > :33:39.It looks like Theresa May at the moment, doesn't it?
:33:40. > :33:43.She is one of the only people that can unite the Conservative Party.
:33:44. > :33:50.I think she's positive, I think she will be good over
:33:51. > :33:54.the EU, discussing the points that we need to make to them.
:33:55. > :33:59.Yes, I know, but I think she's going to be the best.
:34:00. > :34:04.I'll go along with what my wife says.
:34:05. > :34:08.Signed-up members of the Conservative Party represent
:34:09. > :34:13.just 0.003% of the total electorate and yet they will decide
:34:14. > :34:17.the next Prime Minister and, until the General Election at least,
:34:18. > :34:26.So how do those who haven't paid the ?25 to become a Conservative
:34:27. > :34:32.It's not really very democratic, I suppose.
:34:33. > :34:36.We need to go back and let the people decide who they want
:34:37. > :34:42.The people in this part of Norfolk voted in almost the same proportions
:34:43. > :34:45.as the country in the referendum, largely Conservatives,
:34:46. > :34:48.divided on Europe and looking for somewhere who can
:34:49. > :34:55.Mark Easton, BBC News, at the Royal Norfolk Show.
:34:56. > :34:59.A final word from our Political Editor, Laura Kuenssberg.
:35:00. > :35:02.This time a week ago, votes were being counted.
:35:03. > :35:17.Well, if I knew that, then I would be in an extremely privileged
:35:18. > :35:20.position. Boris Johnson might have won the leadership and might have
:35:21. > :35:25.won the keys to Number Ten if he had been willing to stay on and fight.
:35:26. > :35:29.Of course, he will never know. We will never know. So the technical
:35:30. > :35:32.process of choosing the next Prime Minister goes forward next year.
:35:33. > :35:37.Right now, there are five candidates, that will be whittled
:35:38. > :35:41.down to two. Then members around the country will have their say rather
:35:42. > :35:45.than the main members of the public, the normal electorate. It is also
:35:46. > :35:50.worth saying that in terms of those very significant questions after the
:35:51. > :35:53.referendum, how will we reduce immigration and retain close
:35:54. > :35:58.economic ties to the rest of the EU? What will our relationship with our
:35:59. > :36:03.continental neighbours and the rest of the world really look like? In
:36:04. > :36:08.terms of those huge dilemmas, we are not any further forward in being
:36:09. > :36:12.able to get answers from any of the main contenders. Theresa May and
:36:13. > :36:17.Michael Gove have both committed firmly to reducing immigration if
:36:18. > :36:21.they win. But we are not clear what their premierships will look like if
:36:22. > :36:25.either of them were to win. Tonight, after an extraordinary day, an
:36:26. > :36:28.extraordinary seven days, and an extraordinarily bitter referendum
:36:29. > :36:34.fight, instead of uniting, the Tories seem to be splintering even
:36:35. > :36:38.further. And politics never loses its ability both to surprise but
:36:39. > :36:40.also perhaps for many members of the public its capacity to disappoint,
:36:41. > :36:42.too. Thank you. Newsnight is under way over
:36:43. > :36:46.on BBC Two, 11.00pm in Scotland. Here on BBC One it's time
:36:47. > :36:50.for the news where you are.