03/06/2017 BBC Weekend News

Theresa May has insisted that Conservative Party policy on income

One of her senior Cabinet colleagues had suggested that the tax would not

The Tory manifesto does not include a promise on income tax,

but in a newspaper interview, the Defence Secretary,

Sir Michael Fallon, said the only way people could be sure of not

paying more tax was to vote Conservative.

Our Political Correspondent Leila Nathoo reports.

The last push to win over undecided voters and shore up support among

the Tory base. Theresa May was forced to clarify the Conservatives'

tax policies morning after senior cabinet members suggested income tax

rises would be off the table. Opposition on tax has not changed.

We set it out in the manifesto. -- our position. What people will know

when they go to vote on Thursday is that it is the Conservative Party it

always has been, and always will be a low tax party. It's our intention

to further reduce taxes for ordinary working families. Her manifesto only

ruled out increasing VAT claiming the Conservatives 's intention was

to reduce taxes for working families. But with no firm promise

on income tax, the Defence Secretary used an interview in a newspaper to

certify high earners wouldn't pay more. And his Cabinet colleague gave

a similar reassurance last night. You can confirm what Michael Fallon

told the Telegraph, there will be no increase in income tax under this

Conservative parliament if you win, is that correct? We are a party that

has already taken 4 million of the lowest paid out of tax... No

increase in income tax, will you pledge that with one week to go? We

will bear down on taxation. We have absolutely no plans to raise income

tax. Are you doing all right? I am now I have met you. Jeremy Corbyn

says only those at the top will pay more tax under Labour back, but low

and middle-income earners will be protected. We are saying 95% of

people will pay no more tax under any of our plans. 5% will pay more

and big companies will pay more. After the Conservative wobble in the

polls, calming nerves about tax rises is a reliable way to rally

core supporters. Theresa May and her supporters and opponents have just

five days left to make sure their message gets through.

Our Political Correspondent Tom Bateman has been travelling

We know the Chancellor is looking for extra money after the changes he

had to make to his budget. Are we any clear on what will happen to

income tax if Theresa May is re-elected? Michael Fallon certainly

appeared to go further than we have heard before, saying higher earners

could be confident they could vote Conservative without increases in

income tax. When I as the Prime Minister about this, could she

categorically guarantee there would be no increases, she was a little

less emphatic, as you heard, talking about firm intentions rather than

any real clear and explicit promises. There may appear to be on

the surface some inconsistency in the position, but the truth is more

complex than that. With five days to go in campaigning, there is a

tension between the party's desire to leave in the minds of voters the

idea that they are the party of low taxation and this plays into that.

However, Theresa May will be aware of the embarrassing U-turn they made

National Insurance and be keen to box herself into firmly on the issue

of taxation. Tom Bateman in Penistone, thank you very much.

Police investigating the Manchester suicide bombing have made

A 24-year-old man was detained in the Rusholme area of the city.

Ariana Grande, the singer whose concert was targeted

by the bomber, has visited some of her injured fans.

Ariana Grande turned up just as these fans, injured in last month's

bomb attack, were getting ready for bed. The Star's surprise visit to

the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital left eight-year-old Lily

Harris and feeling like a rock star, according to her dad. Our room the

ward corridor, and she was working her way up. We were the last to be

seen. I think I was as nervous as Lily. Her hands were shaking. She

said she might need to go to the toilet, she didn't know what to do

and she was really nervous. And then she came skipping onto our ward. She

was brilliant. Preparations are underway for tomorrow's concert for

those who died at Ariana Grande's gig. She will perform at the Old

Trafford Cricket ground alongside other big names including take that,

Katy Perry and Justin Bieber. And those at her gig were offered free

tickets. Lilly expressed a wish to go. We didn't force it. We said if

you want to go, we will make sure you get tickets. But if we get to

the venue or we are on the way there and you don't want to go, we are

more than happy to bring you home. It's what she wants. Last night, and

emotional Robbie Williams dedicated his classic song Angels to the

victims. Saint and's Square has become the focal point of tributes

in the city. Manchester City Council said this could be the last weekend

the flowers remain here. It says it will consider setting up a permanent

memorial. Police investigation continues as they try to trace the

bomber Salman Abedi's movements. They have arrested another man on

suspicion of violating anti-terror laws. The victims were offered this

moment of comfort by Superstar Ariana Grande. It has been shared by

more than 100 million of her followers on Instagram.

Twelve people have been reported killed following explosions

at a funeral in the Afghan capital Kabul.

It follows a huge bomb on Wednesday, in which 90 people were killed,

Secunder Kermani is in Kabul for us now.

The blast took place at a cemetery where a young man who was killed in

clashes with the police was being buried. He was the son of a

prominent local politician who had been taking part in a protest

against the deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan following

the large suicide attack in Kabul earlier this week in which 90 people

were killed. The Taliban have denied responsibility for both that attack

and today's violence. Pictures on social media today, though, show a

number of dead bodies at the scene. We have spoken to health officials

who say they have received four bodies at hospitals already, and six

injured people, but they expect the number to rise. The numbers of

people killed in terrorist incidents in Afghanistan is increasing. Last

year saw the highest ever recorded number of civilian casualties.

It's derby day and the Champions League final is taking place in

Cardiff. With all the sport,

here's Mike Bushell The British and Irish Lions

have started their tour of New Zealand with a victory,

but it wasn't convincing against the Provisional Babarians,

made up of part-time players. They will need to improve, with

the first Test three weeks away. The fireworks were limited to the

pre-match build-up. Taking on a Barbarians side featuring builders

and painters should have been easy for the vastly experienced British

and Irish Lions. Things got off to a stuttering start with Johnny Sexton

missing a penalty before landing the first points of the tour. Blunt in

attack, they were brittle at the back as the Barbarians looked the

more likely to roar. They fell short at their first attempt, but gambled

into the lead bank 's two maintenance engineer Sam

Anderson-Heather. To rub salt into head coach Warren Gatland's wounds,

his son Bryn Gatland added to the host 's total. Greig Laidlaw took

over kicking duties from Johnny Sexton, but the Lions couldn't

silence the lambs. Their resistance was stubborn until Owen Farrell

entered the fray. Replacing Johnny Sexton he seized his chance to

reclaim the fly-half position, setting up Anthony Watson for the

try he converted. Farrell might have turned the game, but he couldn't add

any polish to an poor performance. Nick Parrott, BBC News.

It's the Investec Derby at Epsom this afternoon, and horse racing's

premier flat race features two of the unbeaten Frankel's children -

However, despite his formidable lineage,

Our reporter Tim Hague has been to Newmarket to find out more.

Meet Eminent, the horse no one wanted. While other Frankel

offspring sold for millions, this one, known as Frank, didn't sell at

all, eventually being bought in a private deal for just over ?150,000.

The feeling must have been he would take an awful long time to come to

himself. We really were taking a chance. I love his presence. I could

show you what that haven't turned out that well, so you need one

eventually. Their faith has been rewarded with victory in Eminent's

first two races, including a record winning time in February. The

Frankel cult is running towards the line. Eminent strides away to win

the Craven. While there was no victory in the 2000 Guineas, his

pedigree is obvious. Frankel could be hot, but he seems to have a good

temperament on him. Does he remind you of Frankel? He has huge drive,

he covers the ground. He's a big horse, Frankel was because as well.

He's very athletic as well. You just have to look at him racing to see

his stride and that's something to marvel at. In itself that's no good

if he's a nutcase but he's a horse or conducts himself well. He learns

and wants to please you. Ironic that a view yard yard from twoball's

stable is the area where his father Frankel used to train. While a

fantastic Frankel won all 14 of his races, he never went back the Derby.

However his son is aiming to do it. He can do the distance quite well

and hopefully he can do it. He's bred in the right way to be a Derby

winner. He looks the part and I see no earthly reason why he doesn't

have a really good chance on Saturday. And if he wins at Epsom,

the horse no one wanted would become the horse everyone wants.

Andy Murray is on court battling against Juan Martin del Porto

in the third round of the French Open.

The world War I survived two set points in the first set, it is now a

tie-break for the first set and its 5-4 to Andy Murray. That's all the

sport for now. You can see more on all of today's

stories on the BBC News Channel. The next news on BBC One

is at 5:30pm - bye for now.