:00:00. > :00:07.Tonight at ten - Buckingham Palace announces that the Duke of Edinburgh
:00:08. > :00:10.has decided to stop carrying out public engagements.
:00:11. > :00:14.He will retire from the public eye after the summer.
:00:15. > :00:17.But today, it was business as usual - including a touch
:00:18. > :00:23.I'm sorry to hear you're standing down.
:00:24. > :00:29.Prince Philip - who'll be 96 next month -
:00:30. > :00:32.has been at the Queen's side for nearly seventy years.
:00:33. > :00:36.If we regard the Queen's reign so far as a success, and we do,
:00:37. > :00:38.the joint author of that success is the Duke of Edinburgh.
:00:39. > :00:46.The Palace says Prince Philip decided now was the right time
:00:47. > :00:49.to step down and his decision was not health related.
:00:50. > :00:55.Twins, but with very different lives - the NHS hospital trust that's paid
:00:56. > :00:58.millions in compensation after errors at birth
:00:59. > :01:09.The surfer rescued from the Irish Sea, after more than 30
:01:10. > :01:11.hours clinging to his board, describes the moment
:01:12. > :01:21.President Trump celebrates at the White House,
:01:22. > :01:24.after Republicans help him take the first step towards scrapping
:01:25. > :01:32.This is a repeal and a replace of Obamacare,
:01:33. > :01:40.And National treasures - Alan Bennett and Nicholas Hytner -
:01:41. > :01:46.tell us how their friendship has fuelled theatrical success.
:01:47. > :01:48.And coming up in Sportsday on BBC News...
:01:49. > :01:50.Could Manchester United finally find a way past
:01:51. > :01:52.the Celta Vigo goalkeeper in the first leg of their Europa
:01:53. > :02:18.After nearly 70 years in the public eye, the Duke of Edinburgh has
:02:19. > :02:22.decided to retire from royal duties from August.
:02:23. > :02:24.Buckingham Palace said that Prince Philip,
:02:25. > :02:28.who'll be 96 next month, has the full support of the Queen.
:02:29. > :02:31.She will continue with all her engagements.
:02:32. > :02:33.The announcement has prompted tributes from the public
:02:34. > :02:38.Here's our royal correspondent, Nicholas Witchell.
:02:39. > :02:42.It's an image to which the nation has become accustomed over
:02:43. > :02:49.The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh side by side on official business.
:02:50. > :02:52.Today, they were at a reception at St James's Palace.
:02:53. > :02:56.The Duke, a few steps behind, and there in support.
:02:57. > :03:00.Inside, meeting members of the Order of Merit.
:03:01. > :03:16.Never mind standing down, I have trouble standing up, he said.
:03:17. > :03:19.But, come the autumn, his attendance at events such
:03:20. > :03:27.After nearly 70 years of public service, the Duke has decided a few
:03:28. > :03:30.weeks short of his 96th birthday that it's finally time to step
:03:31. > :03:36.The Palace says the decision has not been prompted by any particular
:03:37. > :03:40.concerns about his health and the evidence would support that.
:03:41. > :03:42.Yesterday he was at Lord's Cricket Ground,
:03:43. > :03:47.opening a new stand, and sharing a familiar joke.
:03:48. > :03:54.I'm the world's most experienced plaque unveiler.
:03:55. > :03:57.Alongside all those plaques he's unveiled are the serious
:03:58. > :04:01.achievements, things like the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme.
:04:02. > :04:05.But his most important contribution has been
:04:06. > :04:07.the support he's given to his wife, the Queen.
:04:08. > :04:09.As she's become the longest reigning monarch in British
:04:10. > :04:14.history, he's become the longest serving consort.
:04:15. > :04:18.On their golden wedding anniversary, the Queen spoke about how
:04:19. > :04:27.He is someone who doesn't take easily to compliments.
:04:28. > :04:30.But he has quite simply been my strength and stay all these years.
:04:31. > :04:36.And I, and his whole family, and this, and many other countries,
:04:37. > :04:38.owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim
:04:39. > :04:45.Soon, though, the Duke's public role will come largely to an end.
:04:46. > :04:47.The Palace statement said, Prince Philip will attend previously
:04:48. > :04:51.scheduled engagements between now and August, both individually
:04:52. > :04:55.Thereafter, the Duke will not be accepting new invitations
:04:56. > :04:58.for visits and engagements, although he may still choose
:04:59. > :05:04.to attend certain public events from time to time.
:05:05. > :05:07.Political leaders paid their tributes.
:05:08. > :05:10.For his steadfast support for Her Majesty the Queen,
:05:11. > :05:14.to his inspirational Duke of Edinburgh Awards,
:05:15. > :05:17.and his patronage of hundreds of charities and good causes.
:05:18. > :05:21.His contribution to our United Kingdom, the Commonwealth,
:05:22. > :05:27.and the wider world will be of huge benefit to us all for years to come.
:05:28. > :05:34.I wish him well spending time doing the things he wants to do,
:05:35. > :05:36.as opposed to being required to attend lots of events,
:05:37. > :05:41.some of which he may find very exciting, some less so.
:05:42. > :05:48.He's dedicated his life to public service and supporting the Queen.
:05:49. > :05:51.I think he's more than earned his retirement.
:05:52. > :05:53.Prince Philip, as well as the support he's given the Queen
:05:54. > :06:01.of course, he's done an amazing amount of charity work as well.
:06:02. > :06:04.It was in a BBC interview to mark his 90th birthday in 2011
:06:05. > :06:06.that the Duke first hinted that he was thinking
:06:07. > :06:19.With less responsibility, less frantic rushing about,
:06:20. > :06:23.less preparation, less trying to think of something to say.
:06:24. > :06:39.Six years later, that winding down is finally taking place.
:06:40. > :06:41.It means that other members of the Royal Family will step up
:06:42. > :06:45.It's likely she'll be seen more frequently at major occasions
:06:46. > :06:47.with the Prince of Wales or Princess Ann.
:06:48. > :06:50.Those who know the couple say it won't be quite
:06:51. > :06:54.The Queen will undoubtedly miss him on public occasions.
:06:55. > :06:57.There's no doubt that when they go out for a day together,
:06:58. > :07:04.Having been on tours with them, having followed in the car behind
:07:05. > :07:08.them, you see at the end of the day they get together into the car
:07:09. > :07:10.and he entertains her hugely, telling her funny stories
:07:11. > :07:14.about what's happened during the day.
:07:15. > :07:16.So she will definitely miss all that and occasionally
:07:17. > :07:18.she will strike us as a lonely figure.
:07:19. > :07:20.But she'll be going back to Buckingham Palace,
:07:21. > :07:23.Windsor Castle, Balmoral, and he will be there.
:07:24. > :07:26.Slowly but surely there is a generational shift taking
:07:27. > :07:30.Officials have made it clear that the Queen will continue
:07:31. > :07:36.But, at the age of 91 now, her load is being lightened.
:07:37. > :07:39.As monarch, she is still the central figure.
:07:40. > :07:42.As today has underlined, there is starting to be tangible
:07:43. > :07:51.Prince Philip has accompanied the Queen on countless state
:07:52. > :07:57.He's carried out more than 22,000 solo engagements,
:07:58. > :08:00.and made thousands of speeches while supporting charities
:08:01. > :08:02.and organisations - including his own -
:08:03. > :08:05.the Duke of Edinburgh's Award for young people.
:08:06. > :08:07.Our royal correspondent Peter Hunt reflects on a long
:08:08. > :08:14.Prince Philip has been an unstoppable Royal
:08:15. > :08:19.While he's finally taking it easier, the organisations
:08:20. > :08:26.Millions have benefited from the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme.
:08:27. > :08:29.When I spoke to him a decade ago, he was modest
:08:30. > :08:34.I know you hate the L word, but do you see it as an important
:08:35. > :08:47.And you would both obviously argue it's still relevant?
:08:48. > :08:55.It's relevant too, because it's part of the process of growing up.
:08:56. > :08:58.They've been growing up with his help since 1956.
:08:59. > :09:00.The Queen's husband may be stepping down.
:09:01. > :09:05.Everyone is entitled to step back a little bit
:09:06. > :09:08.and certainly his retirement from public duties doesn't mean he's
:09:09. > :09:11.going to lose interest in what we're doing.
:09:12. > :09:14.I think I'll still have to stay on my mettle
:09:15. > :09:18.NEWS ARCHIVE: He's obviously got a genius for that sort of thing.
:09:19. > :09:21.Skipping in a suit in the '50s might not have been his thing,
:09:22. > :09:25.but links with youth clubs he fostered in his young adult life,
:09:26. > :09:30.This London youth club benefits from Prince Philip's support
:09:31. > :09:36.He was quite a lively man and he made lots of jokes
:09:37. > :09:40.He went round talking to lots of different people
:09:41. > :09:42.and he also had a meal here, which he really enjoyed
:09:43. > :09:45.and made good comments about the food as well.
:09:46. > :09:49.Another of his causes, the environment and conservation.
:09:50. > :09:51.Princely passions Philip embraced long before
:09:52. > :09:59.Probably the biggest thing he's done is help us reach lots of people
:10:00. > :10:02.globally in different parts of the world and bring together
:10:03. > :10:04.really influential people in support of conservation.
:10:05. > :10:10.He's got a great convening power, he brings people together.
:10:11. > :10:15.Travelling the world - here he was with British troops
:10:16. > :10:19.in Iraq, when he was in his 80s - is also at an end.
:10:20. > :10:22.The former naval officer doesn't do bland.
:10:23. > :10:27.His bluntness has occasionally got him into trouble on his travels.
:10:28. > :10:29.For his critics he's a gaffe-prone prince.
:10:30. > :10:33.The most notorious was during the Queen's state visit to China,
:10:34. > :10:36.when her husband told British students there, "if you stay
:10:37. > :10:40.here much longer you'll all be slitty eyed".
:10:41. > :10:43.Such public encounters, which supporters portray
:10:44. > :10:47.as an attempt by the Prince to put people at their ease,
:10:48. > :10:49.will now diminish, allowing Philip more time to enjoy the sport
:10:50. > :10:56.It's a friendship, there's no holds barred.
:10:57. > :11:02.I've had plenty of disagreements with him - I don't mean nasty ones.
:11:03. > :11:06.Prince Philip on duty, on display during the Diamond Jubilee.
:11:07. > :11:09.As he relinquishes all this, the princely pensioner is now
:11:10. > :11:18.And Nicholas Witchell is at Buckingham Palace
:11:19. > :11:30.Almost 70 years side-by-side with the Queen in the public eye. How
:11:31. > :11:34.important changes this going to be for her? She will take it in her
:11:35. > :11:37.stride. Of course she will. She's used to carrying out soloing
:11:38. > :11:42.agement. She will just carry out rather more from the autumn. But she
:11:43. > :11:44.will I'm sure missed the companionship, the levelling
:11:45. > :11:48.influence that the Duke brings to public engagements. It's quite a
:11:49. > :11:53.solitary life being head of state and she will miss that sense of
:11:54. > :11:56.shared experience I'm sure, with the person with whom she's experienced
:11:57. > :12:01.so much over the decades. It reminds us of the contribution he has made
:12:02. > :12:05.to the success of this reign. He has no constitutional role. As the
:12:06. > :12:11.husband of the Queen is principal role as being, as she boarded
:12:12. > :12:15.herself at the of their golden wedding, my strength and stay over
:12:16. > :12:18.the years. Other sense of support and frequently pithy advice in
:12:19. > :12:22.private and that of course will continue. He's been considering this
:12:23. > :12:27.step, as I understand it, since the turn of the year. He wanted to spend
:12:28. > :12:30.last year, the year of the Queen's 90th birthday at her side in public,
:12:31. > :12:35.but he is now putting into practice what he talked about at the time of
:12:36. > :12:39.his 90th birthday, winding down, stepping back, although he has said
:12:40. > :12:43.he reserves the right to attend some public events, decided on an ad hoc
:12:44. > :12:47.basis. But as he does wind down now, so of course the younger generations
:12:48. > :12:51.will have to step forward even more in support of the Queen, and one
:12:52. > :12:54.does get that real sense now of a generational shift within the
:12:55. > :12:59.family. Nick Witchell, thank you. An NHS Trust has paid out millions
:13:00. > :13:02.of pounds in compensation, after errors in monitoring babies'
:13:03. > :13:04.heart rates during birth A BBC investigation also revealed
:13:05. > :13:09.that at least five babies have died at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital
:13:10. > :13:11.NHS Trust as a result But the trust said the sums paid out
:13:12. > :13:17.offer little insight Our correspondent Michael Buchanan
:13:18. > :13:24.has this exclusive report. They're now 11 and the older
:13:25. > :13:31.they get, the less similar Beth is fit and healthy, but Olivia
:13:32. > :13:39.was born with a brain injury. Problems with monitoring her heart
:13:40. > :13:42.rate and delays in delivering her She struggles to walk, can't talk
:13:43. > :13:50.and has carers 24 hours a day. Our family life is not
:13:51. > :13:53.the same as it should be. We've all had to make drastic
:13:54. > :13:58.changes to our life. I wasn't able to go back to work,
:13:59. > :14:02.I had to become a full-time... Well, I say a full-time mum,
:14:03. > :14:05.a full-time carer, I think. And obviously I have two
:14:06. > :14:11.children to look after. Olivia can't swallow,
:14:12. > :14:14.so is fed through a tube. All problems the Shrewsbury
:14:15. > :14:16.and Telford Hospital Trust Similar errors have also left other
:14:17. > :14:23.children with brain injuries. In 2015 we have learned a consultant
:14:24. > :14:26.at the trust told a meeting that one compensation claim for ?4.4 million
:14:27. > :14:32.related to CTG - or foetal Two other claims, he said,
:14:33. > :14:38.worth ?144,000, were also due to failures to properly interpret
:14:39. > :14:42.the babies' heart rates. Medical negligence lawyer
:14:43. > :14:46.Beth Harrison says her firm has 27 open investigations into allegations
:14:47. > :14:50.that the trust's maternity errors We are seeing repeatedly the same
:14:51. > :14:57.mistakes again and again. There is generally a delay in acting
:14:58. > :15:00.upon foetal distress. I also think there is a culture
:15:01. > :15:05.of trying to push for a vaginal These women need a Caesarean section
:15:06. > :15:13.and they aren't getting that. The trust has been under intense
:15:14. > :15:16.scrutiny since we revealed last month the Health Secretary has
:15:17. > :15:18.ordered an investigation following the avoidable deaths
:15:19. > :15:24.of at least seven babies. Over the past decade we have learned
:15:25. > :15:26.they have paid out nearly ?25 million in compensation
:15:27. > :15:29.following maternity errors - among the highest figures
:15:30. > :15:31.for similar units. The trust told us they would not
:15:32. > :15:34.comment in detail in case they prejudiced the ongoing review,
:15:35. > :15:38.but did say claims can be and frequently are brought
:15:39. > :15:41.and resolved many years and that the sums paid out in recent
:15:42. > :15:47.years offer little insight into the maternity services provided
:15:48. > :15:53.by the trust. Beth and Olivia will be lifelong
:15:54. > :15:56.friends but basic maternity errors mean only one of them
:15:57. > :16:00.will fully flourish. Beth is going to do all
:16:01. > :16:03.the things that most children do, or adults -
:16:04. > :16:05.University, work, Olivia will never do any
:16:06. > :16:13.of those, she will always Michael Buchanan,
:16:14. > :16:21.BBC News, Shropshire. President Trump has been celebrating
:16:22. > :16:24.at the White House after the US House of Representatives passed
:16:25. > :16:26.a Healthcare Bill, bringing his pledge to repeal and replace
:16:27. > :16:30.so-called Obamacare a step closer. He vowed to "finish off"
:16:31. > :16:34.Barack Obama's signature health care law, which offered medical insurance
:16:35. > :16:37.to millions more Americans. But President Trump's plan may
:16:38. > :16:40.well face a tougher ride in the Senate where Republicans
:16:41. > :16:43.have a smaller majority. Here's our North America
:16:44. > :16:47.Editor, Jon Sopel. Without objection,
:16:48. > :16:53.the motion to reconsider The moment at just after two
:16:54. > :16:57.o'clock this afternoon in Washington, when Trumpcare
:16:58. > :17:00.became a thing. Outside, a rather different scene,
:17:01. > :17:08.as protesters chant, "Shame." Getting the measure
:17:09. > :17:11.through the Senate is Because, as today's debate showed,
:17:12. > :17:22.this is a deeply divisive issue. So, I ask you, my colleagues,
:17:23. > :17:25.does Trumpcare lower health costs? Does Trumpcare provide
:17:26. > :17:27.better health care? Does Trumpcare protect
:17:28. > :17:30.seniors and families? Are we going to be men
:17:31. > :17:38.and women of our word? Are we going to keep
:17:39. > :17:42.the promises that we made? In the Rose Garden this afternoon,
:17:43. > :17:47.the President beamed. A time for fist pumps
:17:48. > :17:51.and hugs with the Speaker. This is an important
:17:52. > :17:54.legislative victory. I actually think it
:17:55. > :17:57.will get even better. This is a repeal and
:17:58. > :18:03.a replace of Obamacare, They are dancing a happy dance
:18:04. > :18:11.at the White House today. The extraordinary
:18:12. > :18:14.thing about this vote is, there has been no independent
:18:15. > :18:17.assessment done on who will be affected, in what way,
:18:18. > :18:20.and what the costs will be. By the time it gets to the Senate,
:18:21. > :18:24.that will have happened. And that could affect
:18:25. > :18:27.whether Obamacare A man who was rescued
:18:28. > :18:36.from the Irish Sea - after clinging to his surfboard
:18:37. > :18:39.for more than 30 hours - says he was convinced
:18:40. > :18:42.he was going to die. Matthew Bryce had set
:18:43. > :18:44.off on Sunday morning and was last seen heading
:18:45. > :18:45.towards Westport Beach Eight rescue teams were mobilised
:18:46. > :18:52.when the alarm was raised. The 22-year-old was finally
:18:53. > :18:54.spotted by a helicopter, He's been describing his ordeal
:18:55. > :19:04.to our correspondent, Chris Buckler. By the night-time, it
:19:05. > :19:06.wasn't just my shoulder, Matthew Bryce is exhausted,
:19:07. > :19:13.sunburnt and still recovering. But he's just thankful to have
:19:14. > :19:16.survived after drifting alone in the Irish Sea for more
:19:17. > :19:19.than 30 hours. I would say that's probably
:19:20. > :19:21.a yellow surfboard so This picture, taken on Sunday,
:19:22. > :19:26.shows him surfing off the west coast of Scotland,
:19:27. > :19:29.before he was pulled out to sea The current changes
:19:30. > :19:37.and I can't do anything. All this time the wind's pushing me
:19:38. > :19:44.further and further and further out. He ended up clinging
:19:45. > :19:52.to his surfboard in the middle of the Irish Sea for a day
:19:53. > :19:55.and a half. He was eventually found halfway
:19:56. > :19:57.between Northern Ireland and Scotland, just as the sun
:19:58. > :19:59.was setting and a second I was pretty certain that
:20:00. > :20:11.I was going to die with that sunset. So I was watching the sun set, I had
:20:12. > :20:17.pretty much made peace with all, So I jumped off the board
:20:18. > :20:31.and I lifted the board up And they flew right over
:20:32. > :20:39.and I thought they had missed me. This is the moment he was rescued
:20:40. > :20:55.from the water and his family could finally be told
:20:56. > :20:59.that he was alive. You have this elation
:21:00. > :21:02.and then, 20 minutes later, You don't know how unwell
:21:03. > :21:12.he is and until we got that phone call from Matthew,
:21:13. > :21:17.just to hear his voice. The search teams even managed
:21:18. > :21:21.to recover his surfboard. Are you looking forward to being
:21:22. > :21:24.reunited with your surfboard? I think we'll find
:21:25. > :21:31.a good use for it. And that pledge to keep away
:21:32. > :21:49.from the surf is one his family seem Chris Buckler, BBC News,
:21:50. > :21:54.at the Ulster Hospital in Belfast. The general election
:21:55. > :21:57.is just five weeks away. But today millions of voters have
:21:58. > :22:00.been taking part in local and mayoral elections in England,
:22:01. > :22:02.Wales and Scotland. Polls have just closed and counting
:22:03. > :22:05.is getting under way Most of the results
:22:06. > :22:10.will come in tomorrow. We'll be hearing the latest
:22:11. > :22:13.from Cardiff and from Westminster. But first, Lorna Gordon
:22:14. > :22:24.is in Glasgow tonight. Yes, all 32 local authorities are
:22:25. > :22:28.being contested here in Scotland. One of the key battle grounds is
:22:29. > :22:34.here in Glasgow. Will the city Chambers here, for decades dominated
:22:35. > :22:38.by Labour, go to the SNP? Will the SNP, a party that has been
:22:39. > :22:42.empowering national level for ten years now become the principal party
:22:43. > :22:44.at the local level as well? The question of an independence
:22:45. > :22:48.referendum has been one of the issues of the campaign. The
:22:49. > :23:00.Conservatives, positioning themselves as protectors of the
:23:01. > :23:02.union, are confident they say are making gains. The Liberal Democrats
:23:03. > :23:05.and greens are hopeful of increasing the number of councillors they have
:23:06. > :23:07.in certain parts of the country. Labour, it is possible, could be
:23:08. > :23:10.looking at heavy losses. If the SNP becomes largest party here in
:23:11. > :23:17.Glasgow, once a Labour stronghold, it will be a hugely symbolic win.
:23:18. > :23:25.It is expected that Labour will suffer local losses in Wales as
:23:26. > :23:30.well. It has the most to lose for the Cardiff is seen as a key battle
:23:31. > :23:37.ground. It is one where Labour has a slim majority to defend it is facing
:23:38. > :23:41.pressure in the west of the city from Plaid Cymru and in the north
:23:42. > :23:45.from the Conservatives. We'll be looking how Labour fares in North
:23:46. > :23:50.Wales. If it slides further up there, it will be seen as a bad
:23:51. > :23:55.night for the party. Plaid Cymru has the second-largest member of
:23:56. > :24:00.councillors here in Wales. Ill be looking to gain overall control in
:24:01. > :24:04.Carmarthenshire. The big question, how will the Conservatives perform
:24:05. > :24:10.in Wales? The part is looking to benefit from Theresa May riding high
:24:11. > :24:11.in the polls. Swansea, the Vale of Glamorgan and Newport, some of the
:24:12. > :24:18.places they will look to do well. Labour politicians here in England
:24:19. > :24:23.are also bracing themselves for bad results. One insider told me they
:24:24. > :24:28.are going to get a kicking. Labour has never been strong in the English
:24:29. > :24:31.shires. Their own polling is suggesting they retain overall
:24:32. > :24:35.control of just one council and are no longer likely to be the largest
:24:36. > :24:40.party in Nottinghamshire or in Lancashire. They are expecting much
:24:41. > :24:44.better news in a contest for new Metro mayors in greater Manchester
:24:45. > :24:48.and Merseyside a close eye on what is happening in the tightly fought
:24:49. > :24:52.contest in the West Midlands foot of this is where Labour and the
:24:53. > :24:55.Conservatives are scrapping of crucial, marginal seats in the
:24:56. > :24:59.general elections. The local elections do not provide as with an
:25:00. > :25:03.exact blueprint for the general election result. The Lib Dems tend
:25:04. > :25:08.to do much better locally than nationally. The outcome will
:25:09. > :25:10.influence the tactics of the main parties over the next five weeks.
:25:11. > :25:14.Thank you all. The two candidates vying to become
:25:15. > :25:17.the next French President were back on the campaign trail today,
:25:18. > :25:19.after clashing in a TV debate last night when centrist candidate
:25:20. > :25:22.Emmanuel Macron called his far right challenger, Marine Le Pen,
:25:23. > :25:24.the High Priestess of Fear. She in turn accused him
:25:25. > :25:28.of being soft on terrorism as our correspondent,
:25:29. > :25:32.Lucy Williamson, reports. Borders and barriers aren't really
:25:33. > :25:37.Emmanuel Macron's thing. But when you might be
:25:38. > :25:39.the next president of France, your supporters have
:25:40. > :25:42.to get used to them. And so the European flags
:25:43. > :25:45.that mark his rallies were waved today from
:25:46. > :25:48.behind rows of fencing. France, he said, needed
:25:49. > :25:50.to end divisions, of its people, its land,
:25:51. > :25:58.and its social classes. We've seen that society in the UK,
:25:59. > :26:01.where the middle-class implodes. And that was the moment that
:26:02. > :26:04.Britain decided to withdraw Momentum is building
:26:05. > :26:09.behind Emmanuel Macron but this fight has been getting
:26:10. > :26:13.ever more personal. With just one more day
:26:14. > :26:16.of campaigning left, the end of France's extraordinary
:26:17. > :26:22.presidential race is in sight. 24 hours after a bitter debate
:26:23. > :26:25.with Marine Le Pen, Mr Macron is still seen
:26:26. > :26:28.as the firm favourite. Some of his voters say they are not
:26:29. > :26:31.choosing him, so much Two thirds of the country's
:26:32. > :26:37.Far Left supporters may not If Marine Le Pen wins,
:26:38. > :26:44.it will be a of course. If Emmanuel Macron wins,
:26:45. > :26:48.what will be the consequence? In five years, Marine Le Pen
:26:49. > :26:53.will be so strong. Critics have accused
:26:54. > :27:00.Marine Le Pen of using last But personal attacks happen
:27:01. > :27:08.on the campaign trail, too. Today, an egg, thrown
:27:09. > :27:11.during a visit to northern France. TRANSLATION: The French people
:27:12. > :27:14.know my programme very well. I have been presenting it
:27:15. > :27:18.to them for several years. I want to lift the veil,
:27:19. > :27:21.and I believe I did that There's more than one role
:27:22. > :27:29.at stake in this campaign. The presidency is the real
:27:30. > :27:32.treasure but, for France's Far Right party, emerging
:27:33. > :27:35.as the official opposition This campaign has been, in many
:27:36. > :27:43.ways, and argument over French No matter how many European
:27:44. > :27:48.flags are waved, every Even if France's political
:27:49. > :27:56.map has changed. Our Europe Editor,
:27:57. > :28:06.Katya Adler, is in Paris. You have been following this
:28:07. > :28:13.campaign very closely. Can
:28:14. > :28:21.anything stop Emanuel Macron now? Never say never. Polls here are
:28:22. > :28:26.consistently showing Emanuel Macron with a 20% lead over his rival. If
:28:27. > :28:32.he does make it, that really is quite something. He is only 39, a
:28:33. > :28:37.former banker. Never elected before to political office. He only formed
:28:38. > :28:41.his political party the year ago. If French voters do choose him for the
:28:42. > :28:45.top political job in this country, which is a political and economic
:28:46. > :28:52.heavyweight in Europe, and outsiders well, you could say that is quite a
:28:53. > :28:56.risk. So, Marine Le Pen has a plan. The plan is to do as well in these
:28:57. > :28:59.elections with an eye on the next presidential elections because she
:29:00. > :29:03.thinks President Macron will be a failure. This country is really
:29:04. > :29:07.hungry for change but it is divided over the kind of change it once. She
:29:08. > :29:11.thinks President Macron will not be able to unite the country may not
:29:12. > :29:15.even be able to introduce ger Matip change of you cannot form a strong
:29:16. > :29:19.government. He is still a political novice. If he does fail she will be
:29:20. > :29:23.waiting in the political wings. And Manchester United have been
:29:24. > :29:27.in action tonight in the first leg of their Europa League semi-final
:29:28. > :29:36.against the Spanish Marcus ratchet's free kick in the
:29:37. > :29:44.second half gave Mantis United a 1-0 win. --
:29:45. > :29:53.Alan Bennett is one of this country's greatest
:29:54. > :29:56.Sir Nicholas Hytner is one of our most successful theatre directors.
:29:57. > :29:59.Together they have brought some of the most critically acclaimed
:30:00. > :30:01.works to the stage - creating huge hits like The History
:30:02. > :30:05.Our Arts Editor, Will Gompertz, has been talking to them
:30:06. > :30:07.about their collaboration which has lasted more than a
:30:08. > :30:12.And that's what oracles do, they repeat themselves.
:30:13. > :30:16.Here is a scene from Alan Bennett's play The Habit of Art which,
:30:17. > :30:19.on the face of it, imagines a meeting between a poet, WH Auden,
:30:20. > :30:23.But there are also plenty of jokes that allude to another
:30:24. > :30:27.That of the playwright and his long-term collaborator,
:30:28. > :30:34.I mean, I can only remember about two disagreements.
:30:35. > :30:36.If you believe that art comes out of conflict,
:30:37. > :30:42.What would you say, of all those plays that you two
:30:43. > :30:45.have made together - some of which have become films -
:30:46. > :30:49.Well, the thing we enjoyed absolutely every minute
:30:50. > :30:53.of it was obviously The History Boys.
:30:54. > :31:04.As the director of the National Theatre,
:31:05. > :31:07.what is it about Alan Bennett plays that seem to make them
:31:08. > :31:10.absolutely bullet-proof when it comes to success?
:31:11. > :31:17.Well, the way Alan talks through his characters is the way
:31:18. > :31:21.large audiences wanted to be talked to.
:31:22. > :31:25.They trusted what he had to say, they trusted the way he said it.
:31:26. > :31:28.There's a kind of bond that Alan creates in the way he writes,
:31:29. > :31:40.Such as The Lady In The Van, a play - which they subsequently
:31:41. > :31:42.turned into a film - about an eccentric old lady
:31:43. > :31:54.who inveigles her way into Alan Bennett's life.
:31:55. > :31:56.You're not doing me a favour, you know.
:31:57. > :32:00.Is it true that you write about the outsider, principally?
:32:01. > :32:05.I don't go casting about for people who aren't
:32:06. > :32:07.in the charmed circle, as it were.
:32:08. > :32:10.Have you ever had a situation, Alan, where you've taken a play to Nick,
:32:11. > :32:12.he was unenthusiastic, and the play never
:32:13. > :32:30.Nick said, I can't remember, you must have been reading some
:32:31. > :32:35.He said, "You do repeat yourself, don't you?"
:32:36. > :32:39.If he does, and writes another new play, he says it'll be directed
:32:40. > :32:42.once again by Nicholas Hytner, who won't put it on at
:32:43. > :32:44.the National Theatre this time, but at his own theatre,
:32:45. > :32:47.which will open at London South Bank later this year.
:32:48. > :32:57.Newsnight is about to begin over on BBC Two in a few moments. Here is
:32:58. > :33:01.Kirsty. Tonight we report from Shepherd needs out where one of the
:33:02. > :33:07.six drivers from the massacre in 1995 is back there, facing down
:33:08. > :33:10.Serbs who say the genocide never happened. Join me now on BBC Two.