20/04/2017 Breakfast

Hello - this is Breakfast, with Sally Nugent and Charlie Stayt.

The party leaders hit the campaign trail for the 2017 general election.

Jeremy Corbyn will say that Labour will stand up for British people

against what he calls a rigged system, when he makes his first

official speech of the election this morning.

Last night, on the campaign trail, Theresa May told voters in Bolton

they faced a choice between her "strong and stable leadership"

Good morning - it's Thursday 20th April.

Scientists discover drugs that could stop conditions

like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in their tracks.

I am anti-US Air Force Base in South Korea where huge military exercises

are under way. We'll hear about the new research

that suggests cycling to work cuts the risk of heart disease

and cancer by almost half. A slowing global economy has been

blamed for austerity and the financial crisis but data

out this week suggests the world's I'll have more on why

and what it means for you. Serena Williams reveals she's

expecting her first child the 23-time grand slam champion

making the announcement on social media and wont play

for the rest of the year, It could be good

news for this woman. The new star of British tennis,

Johanna Konta, speaks exclusively A cloudy day for England and Wales,

even the odd spot of drizzle. A good deal brighter in Northern Ireland.

Jeremy Corbyn says he'll stand up for the British people

who "are the true wealth creators, held back by a system rigged

by a system rigged for wealth extractors".

That's what the Labour Leader will tell voters in the first formal

Here's our political correspondent Alex Forsyth.

The campaigning can start in earnest, now the election date

has been set - and the party leaders are wasting no time.

Jeremy Corbyn's pitch is as the antiestablishment party.

He'll promise not to play by the rules.

And say Labour will stand up for British people in a system

rigged to favour the rich - a message he hinted at it

Are we going to be a country that works only to make

This election will be fought on the streets of this country,

up and down, in town halls, in streets, on beaches,

Theresa May wants to exploit when she sees as Jeremy Corbyn's

weakness, choosing the Labour held seat of Bolton for her first visit.

She said only the Conservatives can deliver the security

It's a choice between strong and stable leadership under

the Conservatives, or weak and unstable coalition of chaos,

Expect the campaign messages to come thick and fast from every party

The race is on, the battle lines drawn - and they know just

what is at stake: Not just their futures,

Our political correspondent Chris Mason joins us

In the morning. This is an important day, isn't it, for Jeremy Corbyn?

They are saying it is as first official speech but nonetheless all

eyes will be on him later this morning. You will hear lots of

references to the word first, I suspect, as various defence are

branded as the first. The rhetoric, the language being cranked up as we

count down. Now the vote has happened here in the Commons, there

is the sense that the dataset and it can all start formally even though

MPs will sit in the chamber for the next week or so. Jeremy Corbyn's big

pitch is to say that Labour is 1 million miles behind in the opinion

polls but they are offering something different. They say it is

a foregone conclusion in the media that Labour is going to lose but

they stand up for ordinary people so it should not be. Theresa May will

return to the theme of strong and stable leadership. Liberal Democrats

will continue to make the argument for the UK staying as close to the

European Union as possible. We have to wait until we see the official

manifestoes. These are the early opening gambits and then we wait?

Just imagine a bunch of people, often quite young, hunched over

computers, typing furiously because normally manifestoes, the

collections of promises, are monks, even years in the making. Here they

have to cobble something together in the best part of a week, ten days, a

fortnight. A lot of promises we are familiar with. The Conservatives,

likely to promise that if they are elected, they will take the UK out

of the European single market and away from the European Union courts

and we'll get on with Brexit and do what they have been saving it from

their perspective, I hope to have a bigger majority to do it. A whole

blizzard of promises to come our way in the coming weeks, a political

palaver under way again. It is nirvana for nerds like me but some

people, it can be a long seven weeks. A political palaver, I quite

like that. We'll take a detailed look at how

the parties are performing in the polls at ten past

seven this morning. Chris is never a nerd, he just

called himself a nerd. It's emerged President Trump's

armada of warships sailing to north Korea amid tensions over

Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions went We are going to bring you much more

from this with our correspondence, Steve Evans in South Korea later on

this morning. Services in and out of one

of London's busiest train stations are expected to return

to normal this morning, after a fire caused serious delays

and cancellations yesterday. Network Rail said engineers worked

overnight to restore services to Euston, which serves

the West Coast mainline through the Midlands,

North West England and Scotland. The station was shut for much

of yesterday when a fire next to the track damaged signalling

and cut power to the station. Scientists have discovered drugs

which may be able to stop Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a wide

range of degenerative brain Clinical trials are planned,

but the findings so far have been described as exciting,

important and potentially a major This is particularly exciting

because these drugs are already used to treat other conditions and this

means really can -- we can move to testing and people much faster than

we would for other drugs and their processes. Even though this is not

an overnight process, it might be a few years rather than decades when

these can be helping people with dementia and a movement towards the

treatment we so desperately need for these devastating conditions.

And we'll be finding out more about these drugs with the lead

researcher later in the programme, that's just after six thirty.

Test results on victims of an attack in Syria earlier this month confirm

the nerve agent, sarin, or a similar substance was used -

according to the global chemical weapons watchdog,

The attack killed at least 87 people.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons.

Police may now have to shoot at terrorists who use cars

as weapons, a senior officer has said.

The national lead for armed policing Simon Chesterman,

said the tactics of armed officers will have to change

following a string of attacks involving vehicles.

In the past, police have been told not to shoot drivers of moving

Cycling to work could halve the risk of developing heart disease

and cancer, according to new research published today

Scientists at the University of Glasgow, who analysed data

from more than 250,000 people, said walking reduced the risk

Our reporter Vishala Sri-Pathma has more.

The commute to work, for some, is the only exercise

For those of us that cycle to the office,

Experts from the University of Glasgow say it reduces the risk

of developing cancer and heart disease.

In fact, cycling to work is linked to a 45% lower risk of developing

cancer, and a 46% lower threat of cardiovascular disease.

That compares to driving or even taking public transport.

It also means you are less likely to die younger.

Walking has its benefits too, although it's not

You have to walk a total of two hours a week at an average speed

of three mph for the health benefits to kick in.

So we need to make it easier for people to cycle.

So we need to increase cycle lanes, we need to have cycle -

city hire schemes, subsidised bike schemes, have people have showers

at work, so they do not feel sweaty when they get to work.

There's a whole host of things to make it easier for the average

And if we can do that, more people will be on bikes,

and we're going to improve public health, just like places

like Amsterdam and Copenhagen have done.

Cancer Research UK says it is evidence that you do not need

to join a gym or run the marathon, and that everything they get you hot

and out of breath can help make a difference.

The American tennis player Serena Williams has announced

Now, we're not 'kidding' around with this next item.

These little Nigerian Dwarf Goats were filmed wearing the specially

constructed nightwear by a farm in the US state of Maine.

It is a goat in pyjamas. Obviously it had just been born, they are a

bit chilly at night, it is springtime, the farmers wanted to

keep them warm and they have kind of got a goat onesie. It is a Nigerian

dwarf goat. They are so cute. I love the way they jump. Talking of goats,

we have got our own goat. The greatest of all time. Serena

Williams is about to have a baby goat. Should we explain that? Serena

Williams, a widely regarded as the greatest, greatest female tennis

player of all time. It is often how she is referred to. She is having a

baby goat. You started it. I was just following. She is pregnant.

When she won the Australian Open earlier this year 's, the 23rd Grand

Slam title, that is the most number of majors on the one by anyone in

the open year of the women's game, she was probably eight weeks

pregnant. While people were staying at home, she was winning the

Australian Open. This was the picture that she posted on social

media yesterday. That means she wont play

for the rest of the year, It's expected the next tournament

she'll play in will be the French Open

championship in 2018. Andy Murray made a winning return

to competitive tennis after a month The world number one

beat Gilles Muller at Sam Warburton will lead the British

and Irish Lions on their tour Coach Warren Gatland has

defended his selection of the 41-man squad, saying nationality didn't

come into his thinking. Barcelona are out of

the Champions League, after a goalless draw with Juventus,

who reached the semi-finals Monaco beat Borussia Dortmund

in the other quarter-final. Manchester United can

secure their place in the last four They play Belgian side

Anderlecht at Old Trafford, looking to build on a 1-all draw

from the first leg. Jose Mourinho is earmarked as a way

to get back into the leg. It is their big chance.

Here's Matt with a look at this morning's weather.

Good morning. Let's get Thursday on the way with some fairly cloudy

conditions. Most well and truly frost free. Cloudy start but mainly

dry. A bit of a damp start. One of two showers across the far west of

Scotland. Cloudy at the moment but a bit of sunshine to the east of

Scotland. Damp on the ground in north-west England. Some rain

through the night through the South Pennines. It will ease off in

intensity, fairly light and patchy through the morning but across the

south and into East Anglia, a bit of a chilly start but there is a

morning sunshine. A fair bit of cloud to can pay with what we saw

yesterday. Generally, England and Wales are cloudy compared to

yesterday. A bit of afternoon sunshine. One or two light showers.

We'll continue to see some rain and its East of Scotland, north-east

England where we see that temperatures up to 17 degrees. We

finished the day with a bit of a breeze blowing across northern

Scotland, with outbreaks of rain through the night and some showery

rain into Northern Ireland and north-west England and Wales. Cloudy

skies and a frost free night with temperatures holding up quite

nicely. Into tomorrow, expect more rain across Scotland and Northern

Ireland. Reverse fortunes around again. Passing showers in the north

of England and Wales before things turn and Scotland turns brighter but

the weather front to set parades the milder south, with 18 or 19,

the weather front to set parades the temperatures falling back well down

into single figures by the end of the day. The air works its way to

the south as we go through Friday and into the weekend, with the high

pressure still close by to the weather front does not have much on

it as it hits the South and only one or two showers and the forecast,

primarily across some eastern areas. More of a breeze but further west,

lighter winds, should feel quite pleasant. Chile into Sunday and on

Sunday, this is what we will see. It turns wet and windy on Sunday.

Potentially some gale force winds, and as the low precious zips off

towards Scandinavia, and early heads up, it will feel cold late April and

it could be a bit wintry for some Woodlands sums over hills.

You're watching Breakfast from BBC News.

Jeremy Corbyn vows to prove the establishment wrong

as he launches his prime ministerial bid on the first full day

Theresa May begins her campaign in Labour heartlands telling voters

only she can deliver strong and stable government.

It really has started, hasn't it? Thank goodness you're here to

distract us all from it! It's going to ruin our lives for the next

several weeks! Let's have a look at

this morning's papers. Talking about the issue as to what

will be in the manifesto. Those in the Daily Mail say they already

know, they claim what they think will be in the manifesto. The Tory

manifesto will be significantly different this time around two 2015.

On the front page of the Guardian, Bill Gates has said that many lives

may be lost if the Tories cut foreign aid. He says that the UK

will lose influence if they tear up their pledge on foreign aid. Bill

Gates has given a lot of time to this, one of his great passions. In

relation to the idea that Labour and the SNP, according to the Tories, it

has been denied that it is a coalition of chaos. The Daily

Express is talking about a story we are discussing this morning, a new

drug which could potentially have great side-effects for those with

dementia. It is an antidepressant that has been called and encouraging

development. A lot of people will be talking about what any change in

government might mean for the economy, the IMF has said that

posterity is over, governments across the rich world increased

spending. Whether the UK government does that is anyone's guess. Overall

they are saying that it looks like things are changing in terms of the

global economy. Another story I want to tell you about is how popular

tequila has become! In which household? Possibly mine! They have

rocketed from 46 million to 103 million. Shots of tequila, that is

how we are getting through things! That is a huge jump. Can you match

that? Sadly, no, probably good for this time of mourning. In the mail,

the baby is due in the autumn, which means potentially she could return

for the French open in 2018. But the Mail has suggested she may retire

after giving birth to her first child at a Mail. If there is anyone

who can come back, it is Serena Williams. She would be returning for

months before her 37th birthday. A lot of men who have had children,

obviously they haven't given birth, they have said that fatherhood,

players such as Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, they have said it

gives them a new lease of life -- four. Did we see yesterday, Victoria

Beckham was awarded her OBE. A momentous moment in her life, she

has admitted she has only really got five friends. I quite like this

idea. She says she has five proper friends who stick by her, quality

over quantity. Does via sound about right? We've got that right here --

five. Maybe except for Nigel no mates on the end of the sofa.

As the UK gears up for a general election, voters in France

are getting closer to deciding who their new President will be.

This weekend's result will be closely watched as both left

and populist candidates campaign hard on issues that could have big

Breakfast's Graham Satchell has been on a French exchange

between the twinned towns of Tredegar in South Wales

We are on the West Coast of France. On board, a group of French and

Welsh people whose towns have been twinned for almost 40 years. They

share Rotary and a deep mistrust of traditional politics -- camaraderie.

We are fed up with the old way of doing politics. Fed up and slightly

confused, the French face a dizzying array of candidates for president,

11 in all. What is astonishing about this election is the almost complete

rejection of mainstream politics. The French President is very

unlikely to come from either of the two parties that has won friends

since the war. What happens is so new. -- run. The Welsh contingent

come from Tredegar, the parts of south Wales are voted for by Rex it.

Many in France have the same worries about the EU and immigration, its

winery McCain is doing well. They say, what are the politicians doing

for us? As far as the immigration is concerned, they think they are doing

nothing. I think this is why a certain lady may be leading France

soon. Dissatisfaction with the centre-left and centre-right has

opened the door to Marine Le Pen and the far left candidate. The prospect

of either at candidate actually winning has left some in a spin. To

have Marine Le Pen, or the left candidate, would be extremely

detrimental. Time for lunch. There is an alternative to the extremes, a

new party at the centre with a candidate who has never stood for

election before. Emmanuel Macron. He is... He is attractive, he has an

attractive programme. I think many French people are not sure about

him. Some days he says White, sometimes black, we don't know

exactly what he thinks. And manual micron and Marine Le Pen are the

front-runners in a close race. Read it and wants to take friends out of

the EU, whereas Emmanuel Macron is a staunch supporter. -- Marine Le Pen

-- Emmanuel Macron. Many here have watched it rakes it in Donald Trump,

and say anything could happen -- watched Brexit. However, the people

of Tredegar and Orvault will remain friends no matter what happens.

Still to come this morning: Drugs which might be able to stop

Alzheimer's and Parkinson's have been discovered by scientists.

We'll speak to the lead researcher about its significance.

Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out any post-election coalition

with the Scottish National Party in the event of a hung parliament.

The SNP has said it would be prepared to work with other parties

But the Labour leader said he did not regard

School meals should include fewer puddings and more fresh

vegetables, according to a report published today.

Obesity Action Scotland says improvements to school meals

could play an important part in reducing childhood obesity.

It wants to highlight the issue ahead of the council elections

in two weeks time and wants candidates to commit

New research suggests that cycling to work could almost halve people's

risk of developing heart disease and cancer.

Scientists at Glasgow University analysed data from more

than 250,000 people over a period of five years,

and compared people who had an "active" commute with those

The overall message is Alicia gets more people on bicycles and we need

to change the design of transport systems and cities to make it easier

for people to get on their bicycles. This will cost money up front but it

is likely to be substantially saving in terms of effect on public health

and reduce pollution and congestion in cities so there are a number of

wins associated with changing our transport system to make it easier

for people. The all-male club of the Hall

of Heroes at Stirling's Wallace After almost 115 years,

the room of 16 busts including Sir Walter Scott

and Robert the Bruce will see the addition

of its first female members - the missionary Mary Slessor

and Maggie Keswick Jenks, co- founder of the Maggies cancer

centre. The monument itself is to William

Wallace a Scottish Euro and the whole represents a number of

different men's who have over the years contributed enormously.

Visitors over the years have said to us, why are the only men in the Hall

of heroes and no women and it really goes back to the fact that the

original busts were installed between 1869 when the monument was

built and 87 soldiers over 100 years since it has even been an additional

cost of a man. Good morning. If fairly cloudy start

to the day, outbreaks bricks arranged through western parts more

persistent rain through Shetland will continue to seek further south

lingering for a time. It's very a lot of dry weather with any process

and shop supply the best and eastern parts. Muguruza your top temperature

of between 15 and 17 Celsius. The rest of the afternoon and into

overnight, leaving through October continue to move farther south

becoming persistent through the Highlands. Elsewhere right and

patchy rain with the least always fearing best and certainly not

because it to come, mild. The rain tomorrow moves farther south and

behind it and other fresh air is a mixture of some brightness and.

I'll be back with another update at 6.55

-- I'll. You can also tune in to BBC London radio. Goodbye for now.

Hello this is Breakfast, with Sally Nugent and Charlie Stayt.

Those of you setting off for work today may want to cycle

We'll take a look at a study which says it cuts the risk

of developing heart disease and cancer by almost half.

Also this morning, you may remember the story

of the BBC camera crew caught up in an explosion on Mount Etna.

We'll bring you the story they were there to film.

I went to meet Johanna Konta - the most successful

female British tennis player since Virginia Wade.

We talked about her love of the game and her hopes for the future.

But now a summary of this morning's main news.

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says he'll stand up for the British

people who are being held back by a system rigged in favour

In his first major speech of the election campaign,

says he rejects the idea the result is a "foregone conclusion".

Meanwhile, Theresa May says "strong and stable" leadership

is at the heart of her pitch to voters

In a speech in Bolton, the Prime Minister

warned of a potential "coalition of chaos" led by Mr Corbyn.

Although the Labour leader ruled out forming a post-election alliance

The billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has warned Theresa May

that reducing the government's commitment to foreign aid

who's the founder of Microsoft - said British people would be proud

of the spending, if they could see its impact.

The Prime Minister has refused to say whether she will retain

a pledge to spend at least 0.7%

of national income on overseas development.

We'll take a detailed look at how the parties are performing

in the polls at ten past seven this morning.

Scientists have discovered drugs which may be able to stop

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a wide range of degenerative brain

One of them is already safely given to people with depression. Clinical

trials are planned. The finding is described as important and

potentially a major step forward. In 10 minutes we'll be finding out

more about these drugs with the lead Services in and out of one

of London's busiest train stations are expected to return

to normal this morning, after a fire caused serious delays

and cancellations yesterday. Network Rail said engineers worked

overnight to restore services to Euston, which serves

the West Coast mainline through the Midlands,

North West England and Scotland. The station was shut for much

of yesterday when a fire next to the track damaged signalling

and cut power to the station. Test results on victims of an attack

in Syria earlier this month confirm the nerve agent, sarin,

or a similar substance was used - according to the global chemical

weapons watchdog, the OPCW. The attack killed

at least 87 people. The Syrian government has denied

using chemical weapons. American troops are taking part

in a military exercise with South Korea today,

an action which Pyongyang has The government in Washington

says the eleven-day exercises were planned months ago,

and happens every year. Called Operation Max Thunder,

it involves about 80 aircraft, and about 500 South

Korean officials. Cycling to work could halve the risk

of developing heart disease and cancer, according

to new research published today Scientists at the

University of Glasgow, who analysed data from more

than 250,000 people, said walking reduced the risk

of the same conditions by a quarter. Cycling, even better. We will be

discussing that later. John is here with all the support. Some happy

news. Great news for Serena Williams. You might see her play

again, I am sure she will be back. Because she is expecting her first

child and that means when she won the Australian Open, she was about

eight weeks pregnant which is just incredible. Not only she all but

trophies, she is expecting at child. In this post on social media

yesterday afternoon, she appeared to show off a bump

with caption '20 weeks'. Her most likely return to action

could be the French Open in 2018. Williams announced her engagement to

the co-founder of Reddit in December.

Andy Murray has made a winning return to competitive tennis

after a month out with an elbow injury.

The world number one took less than two hours to beat

Gilles Muller at the Monte Carlo Masters.

He last played on the ATP Tour in Indian Wells in March.

British number three Kyle Edmund pushed defending champion

Rafael Nadal to a deciding set before eventually going out.

Nadal is aiming for his 10th Monte Carlo title.

Sam Warburton will captain the British and Irish Lions

on their tour to New Zealand this summer.

Warburton led the Lions to a series victory in Australia four years ago

and he knows this challenge will be far tougher than that.

Every player from one to 20 through has to come through every Test match

to take the win and I'm not saying it's easy, I wouldn't presume that,

to beat them but the series should be tough, they got a great record at

home. They are extremely tough to beat.

Barcelona are out of the Champions League

after they again failed to score against Juventus.

It finished goalless at the Camp Nou last night

in the second leg of their quarter-final -

so the Italian side went through 3-nil on aggregate.

That avenged their defeat to Barca in the 2015 final,

Neymar clearly devastated at the final whistle.

Monaco will be joining Juventus in the semi-finals.

Former Chelsea and Manchester United striker Radamel Falcao

was on the scoresheet as they beat Borussia Dortmund 3-1 on the night,

Manchester United can secure their place in the semi-finals

They play Anderlecht at Old Trafford

looking to build on their 1-all draw from the first leg.

Captain Wayne Rooney could return from injury.

Winning the Europa League would guarantee United a place

in next season's Champions League - even if they finish outside

When you get into this level, the motivation has to be very high. We

must equalise at least. They lack motivation and Anderlecht dream to

go because we showed in Brussels that we had a stronger team.

We've had one of the biggest shocks in World Snooker Championship

The world number two and pre-tournament favourite

Judd Trump has been knocked out in the first round.

And the man that beat him...1000-to-one shot Rory McLeod.

It's only the second time McLeod has made it in to the second

round at the Crucible, in his 26 years as a professional.

It goes to show, the success that comes in your later years if you

persevere. Talking about Serena Williams having a they will --a baby

and she will be 37 potentially when she returns. Will she continue? Why

not? More and more sportsmen and women are enjoying success later.

Later in the programme, we are talking to Joh Konta who is known

for being a late developer, saying she did not get really great until

her 20s. More a little bit later. Millions of people across the UK

live with diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's

and Multiple Sclerosis But today, scientists are announcing

a major breakthrough. They've discovered two

drugs that could help - and one is already

used for depression. Joining us from our London

newsroom is Giovanna Malucci who led

the research. Could you explain to us in layman 's

terms, if you could, the significance of your discovery?

Thank you. A few years ago, we discovered a pathway in brain cells

which leads to bad debt in mice, this is, but we know the pathways

are also involved in many of the human diseases. Then we discovered a

compound, an experimental compound that completely protected mice from

two different types of brain disease but that was toxic to the pancreas

is that was not possible to take forward. Although we had a great

pathway and the potential to intervene, we didn't have the right

compound. To what we have done is screen the library of essentially

licensed and mostly brain penetrating safe compounds and we

found two which are protected in two different mouse models of brain

degeneration and the real advance here, it's the same pathway for the

same effect but these are safe compounds which can be rapidly put

into clinical trials so we are not promising a cure but we are seeing

the discovery now puts us into a position to test whether this is a

valid and possible benefit for patients quite quickly. Just give us

an idea of the timescale. You are saying the trial could start right

away? There is the barrier we need for funding and a small amount of

paperwork, ethical approval but this is not a new lead compound which is

ten, 20 years away. If we get it going, we can get these trials off

the ground very soon. Tell us more about those trials. A lot of people

listening to you talking would say, I love my family member, someone who

is suffering, to be part of one of those trials and possibly in the

future, benefit from what happens. Tell us more. They haven't happened

yet. That is our next step. We will have discussions about setting goes

up imminently. But they would be straightforward and there would

simply be a daily dose basically and we would use trazodone first which

is licensed antidepressant. It is used in the past dementia sometimes

for agitation but we would use it in early to moderate disease and we

would know as we did with the unfortunate failures of the other

trials, within two or three years, you will know whether this is

changing the disease course and have to emphasise, we are not expecting a

cure. We will not cure these disorders but if we stop them in

their tracks and we change the way their progress, we will radically

change the course and the natural history of diseases like Alzheimer's

and other dementia. People will still be able to hold onto a

meaningful quality of life and stay out of institutional care. That is

what we are hoping for. But we are still at the testing stage and the

only thing we have is the rapidity of being able to do these trials

which is a great excitement. When you have done the discovery work in

mice, it's great to test it in humans but it is still in a testing

stage. Take us forward from that point. After the trials have taken

place, in theory, how soon could those products be available? There

are two drugs. Trazodone is licensed, off-peak and readily

available. The other is not yet but it's fairly far advanced in that it

is in clinical trials for cancer in patients but that is not licensed. I

don't know how long that would take but presumably of its safe and

effective, that could also be not far away. Giovanna Mallucci, thank

you very much to your research. The story goes, the Prime Minister

decided to call a general election for June while on a walking holiday

in Wales. The decision took the

country by surprise. So, was it the beautiful

surroundings of Snowdonia We've sent Holly Hamilton

to the rural market town of Dolgellau

to see how the locals feel about being at the centre

of the election story so far, We are about as far away from the

Westminster bubble as you can get but it is beautiful and as you say,

this is how the story went, that Theresa May came here for a 5- day

walking and thinking holiday and this is where she made that decision

to go to the polls on June the eighth. The town has been quite

happy to have had this guest and the fact she has made that decision. You

are a business owner here. What is your reaction been to the fact that

Theresa May came here to the town and made that decision? Regardless

of your political stance, it's been fantastic for the town. Having

Dolgellau's name in the national newspapers and social media has been

fantastic. Beautiful as we are in southern Snowdonia, I'm not

surprised she came here. This is real thinking country. It is some

way you can have peace and quiet, there are a million and one walks

you can go on, wander around if you want to make a big decision. Making

a big decision somewhere like this, far away from the Westminster.

David, are you looking forward to another election? I feel that we

don't really need it. It's going to be very divisive and a challenge to

the union. It will all be about Brexit again. I think it's a shame.

How do people here feel about that? Specifically with Brexit because

this is an area which is believed -- received a lot of funding. I think

it will help but it's a great shame. Sharon, you also run a bed and

Breakfast here. What has been your reaction? I think it's important

that as a member of the general public and business owner, that you

think about what is important and you need to listen to the

manifestoes and you need to make your votes. You can't think it is a

foregone conclusion. We need to understand what is important as an

individual and business and the community. And make sure we votes.

That's the important thing, that some are getting maybe a little bit

of a voter fatigue but at the same time, people agree it is important

to get out. Make sure you are registered, when you live overseas

or are on holiday, make your vote count. Maybe a bit of advice from

people here and possibly Theresa May that if you are looking to vote and

take some time to have a think about it, come somewhere like this but

getting a pretty sown -- pretty soon, it gets busy in the summer.

It's beautiful. I hope that Holly comes back with a load of new ideas

for the programme. Perhaps inspired for the surroundings. In summer,

it's beautiful. You're watching

Breakfast from BBC News. Jeremy Corbyn vows to prove

the establishment wrong as he launches his prime ministerial

bid on the first full day Theresa May begins her campaign

in Labour heartlands telling voters only she can deliver strong

and stable government. Here's Matt with a look

at this morning's weather. Only he can tell us if Holly will

get a tan in Snowdonia. Absolute Lynott, I'm afraid. Some stunning

shots this morning, sunshine picking through the cloud. -- absolutely

not. Some sunshine in the east of Scotland, great conditions across

Scotland and Northern Ireland. The odd shower to the north and west of

Scotland. Brightening up quite quickly over the next few hours,

drizzle across greater Manchester and Merseyside will ease. We will

see some rain and drizzle come and go. A dry start in chilly to the

south and east of England, some frost across Kent at the moment. A

cool morning. If you see some breaks of cloud later on, temperatures will

lift up quite nicely. Some showers, fairly light across England and

Wales. Sunny and bright conditions through the afternoon. Tonight,

quite breezy across Scotland. Further outbreaks of rain in the

north and west. Plenty of cloud around, stopping the frost.

Temperatures lowest towards the south-west of England. A cool start

here in the country side. Elsewhere, lots of cloud to begin with.

Southern areas brightening up. Scotland working south, a few

showers in northern England. Scotland brightening up towards the

end of the day. This weather front will be in Northern Ireland and

southern Scotland by the end of the day. Could get up to 19 in the

south. Temperatures in single figures further north. That front

pushing in on the weekend. High pressure in charge, not much

rainfall on that weather front as it clears from the south. One or two

showers on Saturday. Mostly dry with some sunny spells. The best in the

west. Feeling pleasant in the sunshine. A cool start to Sunday, at

daytime temperatures higher than those on Saturday. Some rain in

northern Scotland, gales could develop later on. Eventually

introducing colder weather for next week. That is how it's looking.

Finance Ministers, central bankers and big business are gathering

in Washington later today - an annual meeting that looks at how

the economies of the world are working.

Steph is looking at how that related to the prices we pay and the jobs

There is some good news about how the global economy is doing.

We spend a lot of time talking about the economy here -

but actuallym the health of America, Europe and Asia has a massive impact

on the prices we pay in the shops and the jobs and pay available here.

Globally, we had been experiencing a bit of a slowdown in recent months

due to a lot of things, politics, conflict and still a massive

But data from the International Monetary Fund, which works

with almost 200 countries promoting trade and reducing poverty,

suggests the world's economy is finally picking up.

Charlotte Harington from Fidelity International

What are your thoughts on this? and why it matters.

What are your thoughts on this? Things are getting better? Yes, the

IMF have upgraded their outlook for both the UK and also globally. In

the last 6-9 months, it has been marked with low unemployment rate

rates and growing confidence. It has been quite turbulent few years with

the politics going on in the UK, and more uncertainty in the general

election. Why do you think this is occurring? It is not really a change

to the structural long-term average growth rate, but it is a mini cycle

upswing that we are seeing. Looking at how the UK is doing compared to

countries around the world, how is it doing? If we look more to the

future, it is slightly lagging globally. So far, the UK has

surprised many. That is the result of a robust consumer. Looking at the

global economy, what do you think are the important factors in future

for us? Low interest rates have been a great support. The gradual

normalisation of monetary policy in the US. Also, there are some risks.

China remains a risk. Also this move to protectionism with the potential

for trade terms. We will be watching those things which could potentially

slow this down. I started off saying how the global economy has an impact

in the UK, why is that? The UK has had quite a significant appreciation

in the currency. That will see prices rise. At the same time, the

Labour market is quite touch. Unemployment is very low. There is

potential for wage growth. Those two factors combined, that will market

the outlook for the consumer in the UK. Thank you very much for your

time this morning. We will be discussing this more gust after

seven o'clock this morning. A few months ago, you would never have

thought you would be talking about the success of British tennis

players. At just 25 years old,

Johanna Konta isn't doing too She's the most successful British

female tennis player since Virginia After winning the Miami Open last

month, she's ranked number 7 But she doesn't plan to stop there -

her dream, she says, She invited me to join her

at the National Tennis Centre to chat about her love of the game,

the LTA's Tennis for Kid's scheme My dream has always been to be

number one in the world, to win titles and be at the top of the

game. I am doing everything in my power to make that come true. We are

here this morning with one of the fastest rising tennis dials in the

world. She has her eyes firmly fixed on the number one spot. She has

given us exclusive access look at that -- tennis stars. Hello, nice to

see you! Congratulations! Welcome to, I guess it is my home in a way.

I used to sleep there, so I literally used to live here. I

actually lived pretty much on the tennis court. That's how you get

good. I woke my dad up to get to practise at the crack of dawn. He

told me I needed to invest energy into it, I needed to get up and

trained before school. Once he realised I would be waking him up

every morning, initially, he wondered, what have I got myself

into? You said you want to be world number one? I do. That has been a

dream of mine since I was a young girl. It continues to be my dream. I

think it will be as long as I am playing this sport. I need to keep

focusing on my work because I know that will bring the best out in me.

What does that do? When my feet get too tight, it helps loosen me up.

What is this doing? I am really just trying to loosen it up a bit. So

that I'm not stiff as a bored when I start warming up. Is there still

some way to go to make men's and women's tennis even? There has

become so much more depth in our game -- board. It is becoming more

exciting, but it is also important not to compare us to mean in terms

of our tennis. We work in different ways, but we were just as hard and

commit our lives to the sport, just as they do. It is a great time to be

part of women's tennis and British tennis in general. It is a very

exciting period and I am really enjoying it. I was wanted to be just

the best version of myself. I'm sorry to say I did ask are the W

question, Wimbledon. For a British tennis player, it must hang heavily

on her shoulders. But those shoulders could do it! Staying on

the sporting theme now. Still to come this morning,

we'll meet the 9 year old who designed these mascots for

the World Athletics Championships Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out any

post-election coalition with the Scottish National Party

in the event of a hung parliament. The SNP has said it would be

prepared to work with other parties But the Labour leader

said he did not regard School meals should include fewer

puddings and more fresh vegetables, according

to a report published today. Obesity Action Scotland says

improvements to school meals could play an important part

in reducing childhood obesity. It wants to highlight the issue

ahead of the council elections in two weeks time and wants

candidates to commit New research suggests that cycling

to work could almost halve people's risk of developing heart

disease and cancer. Scientists at Glasgow University

analysed data from more than 250,000 people over

a period of five years, and compared people who had

an "active" commute with those The overall message is about getting

more people on bicycles and we need to change the design of transport

systems it cities to make it easier This will cost money up front

but it is likely to be substantially saving in terms of the effect

on public health and reduce pollution and congestion in cities

so there are a number of wins associated with changing our

transport system to make it easier Edinburgh University has been chosen

as one of six centres which will be part of the new UK Dementia Research

Institute. It's been created to develop ways

of diagnosing and treating dementia. Researchers also hope

to identify strategies which will help to improve care

for people living with conditions, such as Alzheimer's,

Parkinson's and Huntington's. Breakfast time weather now -

and it's over to Anne A fairly cloudy start

to the day, outbreaks of rain in short supply, the best

in eastern parts. Top temperature between

15 and 17 Celsius. Brightening up for Shetland is it a

goes on. For the rest of the afternoon into this evening and

overnight in this arena 9-darter continues to sink further south and

some persistent rain for the north-west Highlands and the

Hebrides, light and patchy win for north-west Highlands and the

the site best with the east. The rain tomorrow moves

behind it and other fresh air is a mixture of some brightness and.

To the Highlands first - you'll find restrictions

on the A9 in both directions at the Dalwhinnie junction.

In Dundee one westbound lane of the Riverside Esplanade is closed

while work is carried out on the V Museum.

And in Dumfries and Galloway - on the A75, gas pipeline work

is continuing west of the Dromore roundabout at Glen,

between Dumfries and Crocketford, and that means traffic controls

I'll be back with another update at 7.25.

Plenty more on our website at the usual address.

You're watching BBC breakfast. The campaign trail begins for the

election. Jeremy Corbyn will say that Labour will stand up for

British people against what he calls a week system when he makes his

first official speech at the election this morning. Last night on

the campaign trail, Theresa May told voters they faced a choice between

her strong and stable leadership or a coalition of chaos. The

campaigning is under way. The date is set. Politics is about to get

loud yet again. The countdown to polling day, seven weeks from today.

Good morning. It is Thursday the 20th of April.

Hello, this is Breakfast, with Sally Nugent and Charlie Stayt.

The party leaders hit the campaign trail for the 2017 general election.

Jeremy Corbyn will say that Labour will stand up for British people

against what he calls a rigged system, when he makes his first

official speech of the election this morning.

Also this morning: A breakthrough for brain diseases.

Scientists discover drugs that could stop conditions

like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's in their tracks.

We'll hear about the new research that suggests cycling to work cuts

the risk of heart disease and cancer by almost half.

It's been a tough few years, but data out this week suggests

the world's economy is getting back on its feet.

I'll have more on why and what it means for you.

And in sport: Serena Williams reveals she's expecting

She made the announcement on social media, posting a picture

And we'll be hearing from one of the stars of British tennis.

Johanna Konta speaks exclusively to Breakfast about her dreams

We are serving up a cloudy weather story for you but there will be some

brightness here and there. Especially to the east of Scotland

and north-east England. The forecast coming up in 15 minutes.

Jeremy Corbyn will set out his pitch to voters this morning as he tries

In a speech the Labour leader will say that he'll stand up

for the British people who "are the true wealth creators,

held back by a system rigged for wealth extractors".

Last night, on the campaign trail, Theresa May said the public faced

a choice between her "strong and stable leadership"

Here's our political correspondent Alex Forsyth.

The campaigning can start in earnest, now the election date

has been set - and the party leaders are wasting no time.

Jeremy Corbyn's pitch is as the antiestablishment party.

He'll promise not to play by the rules.

And say Labour will stand up for British people in a system

rigged to favour the rich - a message he hinted at it

Are we going to be a country that works only to make

This election will be fought on the streets of this country,

up and down, in town halls, in streets, on beaches,

Theresa May wants to exploit when she sees as Jeremy Corbyn's

weakness, choosing the Labour held seat of Bolton for her first visit.

She said only the Conservatives can deliver the security

It's a choice between strong and stable leadership under

the Conservatives, or weak and unstable coalition of chaos,

Expect the campaign messages to come thick and fast from every party

The race is on, the battle lines drawn - and they know just

what is at stake: Not just their futures,

Our political correspondent Chris Mason joins us from

Morning to you. Welcome to your home for the next seven weeks. LAUGHTER I

wonder, from the words we have heard from Theresa May and Jeremy Tilse,

is this the tone that is that, is this what we are going to hear? Yes,

and we will hear those soundbites again and again -- Jeremy Corbyn. I

can't believe we are talking about a general election and Westminster

can't either. It gives you a sense of the pace and excitement. It

already feels we are well into the campaign. There is still seven weeks

to go. Big moment for Jeremy Corbyn as he sets out his stall,

antiestablishment, acknowledging the opinion polls suggest he is 1

million miles behind. He says he won't play by the normal rules of

politics. He is fighting for ordinary people. I think we will

have a similar set of language from Theresa May to what we heard in

Alex's report from her visit to Bolton last night. Her argument is

the Conservatives can offer stable leadership with a bigger majority

because that is what it is about from her perspective. That will mean

getting stuff through the Commons around Brexit much easier for the.

What about policies, are we closer to getting any idea about what the

party will offer? Imagine a bunch of young people, political nerds,

looking at laptops, typing furiously, trying to rattle out a

manifestos, promises which take months, even years to formulate, and

they have to do it in days or weeks. I think what we will get is a

solidified version of what the government has promised around

Brexit, for instance, so withdrawing the UK from the courts of the EU and

the single market. I think from Labour's perspective, a lot we have

seen on the provision of free school meals for Rymer schoolchildren,

imagine those things finding their way in. -- primary school children.

The tone I think will be familiar but with a huge amount at stake,

deciding the government in less than two months' time. Chris, almost

unimaginable. Thank you very much indeed. I love the image of the

nerds on the laptops writing manifestoes.

We'll take a detailed look at how the parties are performing

in the polls at 7:10am this morning.

Services in and out of one of London's busiest train stations

are expected to return to normal this morning,

after a fire caused serious delays and cancellations yesterday.

Network Rail said engineers worked overnight to restore services

to Euston, which serves the West Coast mainline

through the Midlands, north-west England and Scotland.

The station was shut for much of yesterday when a fire next

to the track damaged signalling and cut power to the station.

Scientists have discovered drugs which may be able to stop

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a wide range of degenerative brain

One of them is already safely given to people with depression.

Clinical trials are planned, but the findings so far have been

described as exciting, important and potentially

Speaking earlier on Breakfast, the lead researcher,

There would be a daily dose. We would use a licensed antidepressants

on it is used in the elderly. We are not expecting a cure, we cannot cure

these disorders but if we stop them in their tracks and change the way

they progress we will radically change the course and the natural

history of diseases like Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Test results on victims of an attack in Syria earlier this month confirm

the nerve agent, Sarin, or a similar substance was used,

according to the global chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW.

The attack killed at least 87 people.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons.

South Korean and American military forces are taking part in a joint

military exercise, an action which North Korea

Operation Max Thunder is a training practice involving aircraft

carriers, fighter jets and military drills.

Earlier we spoke to our correspondent Steve Evans at a US

He told us more about the training practice.

There are about 1000 American personnel involved and about 500

It involves aircraft pretending to fight each other and also bombing

targets on the ground, not with live ammunition. Despite its regularity,

North Korea finds it very, very annoying. It says it is a rehearsal

for invasion. China wants these exercises to stop, a moratorium to

be put on it. What China suggests is stop these exercises on the one

hand, and North Korea should put a moratorium on its nuclear programme

on the other. It doesn't seem likely to happen but if there is to be a

peaceable resolution, as vice president p says he wants, it would

involve something like that. -- Mike Pence. At the moment the atmosphere

is far from that, there is a tension which is building up and doesn't

seem to be deflating. There is the row in South Korea about the

presence of a lack of it at the Carl Vincent aircraft carrier strike

group. The fact that it wasn't sent when President Trump said an Armada

was on the way is causing consternation here with some people

saying, if you can't believe what he says, if you can't trust what he

says, what can you trust? Cycling to work could halve the risk

of developing heart disease and cancer, according

to new research published today Scientists at the University

of Glasgow, who analysed data from more than 250-thousand people,

said walking reduced the risk Our reporter Vishala

Sri-Pathma has more. The commute to work, for some,

is the only exercise For those of us that

cycle to the office, Experts from the University

of Glasgow say it reduces the risk of developing cancer

and heart disease. In fact, cycling to work is linked

to a 45% lower risk of developing cancer, and a 46% lower threat

of cardiovascular disease. That compares to driving or even

taking public transport. It also means you are less

likely to die younger. Walking has its benefits

too, although it's not You have to walk a total of two

hours a week at an average speed of three mph for the health

benefits to kick in. So we need to make it easier

for people to cycle. So we need to increase cycle lanes,

we need to have cycle - city hire schemes, subsidised bike

schemes, have people have showers at work, so they do not feel sweaty

when they get to work. There's a whole host of things

to make it easier for the average And if we can do that,

more people will be on bikes, and we're going to improve public

health, just like places like Amsterdam and

Copenhagen have done. Cancer Research UK says

it is evidence that you do not need to join a gym or run the marathon,

and that everything they get you hot and out of breath can

help make a difference. The American tennis player

Serena Williams has announced The world number two is expecting

a baby in the autumn, which would mean that she was in

the early stages of pregnancy when she won the Australian Open

singles title in January. It is great news for her. 7:11am is

the time and we have the weather coming up in a couple of minutes.

The surprise announcement of a general election on June eighth

has left political parties with just weeks to finalise manifestos,

select candidates and deploy battle buses.

And with local elections in May, it's going to be a busy time

The Prime Minister apparently came up with the idea of an election

while on an easter break in Snowdonia.

Good morning to you, Holly. Good morning. That's right, we're not

quite on the campaign trail but we've found a trail of our very own,

and as the story goes, this of course is where Theresa May came to

do a bit of thinking, a bit of walking, she decided on a five-day

trip that we are indeed going back to the polls. She spent her time

buying souvenirs, chatting to locals and getting her head together.

Locals here we've spoken to have been happy that she decided to come

here to make that decision and I been speaking to people like Brenda.

You spoke to Theresa May in Snowdonia, up in the mountains. What

was she like? She was interested in what I was doing, I had been out for

a run, I was running down a steep hill and I just saw this group of

people coming up, and I shouted, I don't know whether it is worse

coming down or going up this hill, and I stopped and said, oh, hello,

and realised it was Theresa May and her husband and a group of people

behind. She asked me if I was going to run a marathon, I was training

for a marathon on and I said, no, I am doing a local run, do you know

it? She said she did and we had a bit of a chat about the route she

was taking. It is a lovely, lovely route. So, did you mention the

general election at that point? Oh, no, and I didn't mention Brexit or

anything like that, and I think she was around just to relax, taking a

lovely, lovely route just to chill out a bit. Which is the perfect

place to do it, I must say. You are a pig farmer. Another election, how

do you feel? Good, you know, the people want to vote someone in who

will be positive to respect the wishes of the people, so it is the

people's choice and I am pleased about it. I think a lot of people

agree with you they are happy we are getting another election. We will

speak now with Doctor Ellen from the University of Aberystwyth. We have

another election, what has been the reaction from people? Quite varied,

isn't it? There was initial shock, but the process has happened quickly

with the announcement and a vote yesterday and campaigning is

starting strongly, I think, across the UK. In Wales we also have a

local election coming up on the fourth of May. We are at a different

time here, having to prepare for that alongside the general election

campaign starting up, but it's very exciting. We're seeing the political

parties developing pictures early. Theresa May emphasising her strength

of leadership and increasing her capacity to get the best vote for

the UK in Brexit in getting a strong vote in this election, and on the

other hand Jeremy Corbyn is trying to push the Labour Party as being

much stronger, and being less establishment as he has been in the

past. And I mean, we are not into that official campaign trail yet, it

is already getting emotional, we have heard accusations of broken

promises, and we can't trust Theresa May. It is the attempt to try to

impact her reputation, she has strong credibility elections, a lot

about the party image of the leader and the capacity to govern,

especially around the economy, so they will play on the broken

promises issue and try to talk about austerity policies in the UK.

Theresa May will emphasise her strength in governing, trusting in

her Dileep Britain to a stronger Britain and her capacity to go in --

to lead Britain. It is forced on issues these days, so it will be

interesting to see how it develops - a strong, pro-European, positive

attitude around, you know, anti- Brexit vote in the Liberal

Democrats, we might see a surge in their position during selection too.

Thanks very much, we have a view -- a few weeks left in the campaign but

if you want to think about it, come somewhere like this, I have heard it

is very beautiful. Yes, who knows what you will dream out when you are

out in Snowdonia? It is interesting hearing thoughts from people, as

soon as we talk about a general election, we talk about polls. In

the United States, there is a lot of scepticism about how useful and

accurate polls. The last two or three times they have not always got

it right. We are joined by the head of political research from

Westminster. We mentioned that the polls aren't always the most

reliable, but you have a new poll out today. Where do we stand? The

results will be the same no matter what the Tigers the situation has

improved for Theresa May said the announcement of the surprise general

election. Polling people over the weekend, we saw the Conservatives at

44%, that has now risen to 48%. Labour have risen by 1% to 25%.

Every person in our survey who says they are intending to vote Labour,

that means there are two who are intending to vote for Theresa May

and her party. Underlying that there are a number of other good bits of

news for the Conservatives. When we asked people whether Theresa May was

right to do this U-turn and call a surprise election, four out of ten

said it was the right decision, three out of ten said it was wrong.

So she is winning that battle as well. We asked people whether she or

Jeremy Corbyn would make a better Prime Minister, 53% now say Theresa

May, whereas 15% said Jeremy Corbyn. It has been christened the Brexit

election. What appears to matter to people the most? Brexit is on the

top of most people's lists. Ditto the people put it in their top

three. Bennett the usual suspects, immigration, health and the economy.

As you pointed out in your introduction, the margin of error is

low. It suggests that we should not focus too much on the specific

percentages of the overall story, and that overall story is that it is

a strong position for the Conservatives at moment. We saw Bill

Gates pleading with the Tories today not to cut the foreign aid budget.

How much do you think people are bothered about that? Do you think

they care about it? We made two key findings in this area. Generally

speaking, people do think it should be cut. The majority of people

believe that overseas aid should be reduced. But it is also showing that

they will leave we spend more both as percentages and as an absolute

figure on aid. Ultimately, it doesn't really matter to people.

This election will be fought on Brexit. After that on health,

immigration, health and the economy. Overseas aid is not high on the

list. In 2015, the polls made some significant mistakes. They led

experts down the wrong path. What has changed between then and now?

Allies is being done differently to make polling more accurate? We go

back and look to see what we've done right and wrong. We did that in

2015, and also in our previous polls over 16 years where we have

consistently got things right. In 2015, we identified that we needed

to do a better job of contacting certain groups in society. We did

not have sufficient numbers. It was a small error but enough to make a

big difference in a relatively close race. We have spent hundreds of

thousands of pounds in the last year recruiting people to our site from

those demographics. Anyone can sign up via our website. Thank you very

much for your time. Do we allow margins of error with the weather?

The viewers don't! Pretty great conditions for some this morning.

This was the scene just a short while ago. Some spots of rain. Some

sun breaking through the cloud. Some sunny spot is to get your day under

way. Lovely blue skies in some areas. Eastern Scotland, a pretty

decent day. A dry and bright day. Some more cloud in Scotland and

Ireland, the odd shower here and there. A lot of dry weather, some

sunshine pushing into eastern England. Grey and misty across the

north, rainy this morning. Slowly starting to turn dry. Had she rain

developing across Wales and the Midlands, edging south. Mostly dry

for many. Starting to change across the south-east, down two -2 in Kent

overnight. Some sunshine, but overall cloudy compared to

yesterday. When you see sunshine across England and Wales it should

feel pleasant, the warmest conditions into the afternoon in

eastern Scotland and north-east England. 16- 17 degrees. Compared

with yesterday, a milder day. Temperatures up on where they should

be for this time of year. Looking at tonight, a windy night across far

north Scotland. Outbreaks of rain, more persistent across the Highlands

and Ireland. A shower in Northern Ireland, England and Wales, most

areas dry. Lots of cloud around, the chilli is to conditions around Devon

and Cornwall. Into Friday, wet and cloudy conditions across much of

Scotland, especially in the west. Outbreaks of rain pushing into

Northern Ireland and England later in the day. With some sunshine, got

the warmest air. Up to 90 degrees across southern England. The

dividing line bringing rain to England and Ireland later.

Temperatures dropping across Scotland. Colder air working south.

High pressure is close by. Not much in the way of rain across the South

Coast. We will see a lot of dry weather across western areas. Some

more cloud and breeze. Feeling cooler once again. Turning

increasingly wet and windy across parts of Scotland later. More in

around half an hour. On board, a group of French

and Welsh people whose towns have -- As the UK gears up

for a general election, voters in France are

getting closer to deciding This weekend's result will be

closely watched as candidates campaign hard on issues that could

have big implications across Europe. Breakfast's Graham Satchell has been

on a French exchange between the twinned towns

of Tredegar in South Wales On board, a group of French

and Welsh people whose towns have They share camaraderie and a deep

mistrust of traditional politics. We are fed up with the old way

of doing politics. Fed up and slightly confused,

the French face a dizzying array of candidates

for president, 11 in all. What is astonishing about this

election is the almost complete The next French President is very

unlikely to come from either of the two parties

that has run Fance The Welsh contingent come

from Tredegar, the part of south Many in France have the same worries

about the EU and immigration, They say, what are

the politicians doing As far as the immigration

is concerned, they think I think this is why a certain lady

may be leading France Dissatisfaction with the centre-left

and centre-right has opened the door to Marine Le Pen

and Jean-Luc Melenchon. The prospect of either

candidate actually To have Marine Le Pen,

or Mr Melenchon, would There is an alternative

to the extremes, a new party at the centre with a candidate

who has never stood He is attractive, he has

an attractive programme. I think many French people

are not sure about him. Some days he says white,

sometimes black, we don't know Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen

are the front-runners Marine Le Pen wants

to take France out of the EU, whereas Emmanuel Macron

is a staunch supporter. If one of these two wins,

it will have a dramatic impact. Many here have watched

Brexit and Donald Trump, Whatever the outcome,

the people of Tredegar and Orvault Jeremy Corbyn has ruled out any

post-election coalition with the Scottish National Party

in the event of a hung parliament. The SNP has said it would be

prepared to work with other parties But the Labour leader

said he did not regard School meals should include fewer

puddings and more fresh vegetables, according

to a report published today. Obesity Action Scotland says

improvements to school meals could play an important part

in reducing childhood obesity. It wants to highlight the issue

ahead of the council elections in two weeks time and wants

candidates to commit New research suggests that cycling

to work could almost halve people's risk of developing heart

disease and cancer. Scientists at Glasgow University

analysed data from more than 250,000 people over

a period of five years, and compared people who had

an "active" commute with those The overall message is about getting

more people on bicycles and we need to change the design of transport

systems in cities to make it easier This will cost money up front

but it is likely to be substantially pollution and congestion in cities

so there are a number of wins associated with changing our

transport system to make it easier Edinburgh University has been chosen

as one of six centres which will be part of the new UK Dementia Research

Institute. It's been created to develop ways

of diagnosing and treating dementia. Researchers also hope

to identify strategies which will help to improve care

for people living with conditions, such as Alzheimer's,

Parkinson's and Huntington's. Breakfast time weather now -

and it's over to Anne A fairly cloudy start for many this

morning but not for all although any brightness or sunshine would be in

short supply, the best and eastern parts this afternoon. Could see a

top capture of up to 17 degrees. For the rest or cloud and rain and the

north-west Highlands and more persistent rain through Orkney and a

fresh wind shear. For the rest of the afternoon and overnight the rain

moves farther south becoming persistent for the north-west

Highlands and alike and patchy rain further south west and driest in the

east but not a core switch to come, fairly mild. The rain continues

tomorrow and behind it because there aren't fresher feel the messenger of

aren't fresher feel the messenger of showers and some brighter spells.

To the Highlands first - you'll find restrictions

on the A9 in both directions at the Dalwhinnie junction.

In Dundee one westbound lane of the Riverside Esplanade is closed

while work is carried out on the V Museum.

And in Dumfries and Galloway - on the A75, gas pipeline work

is continuing west of the Dromore roundabout at Glen,

between Dumfries and Crocketford, and that means traffic

I'll be back with another update at 7.55.

I'm back with the latest from the BBC London newsroom

Plenty more on our website at the usual address.

Hello, this is Breakfast, with Sally Nugent and Charlie Stayt.

The Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn says he'll stand up for the British

people who are being held back by a system rigged in favour

In his first major speech of the election campaign Mr Corbyn

says he rejects the idea the result is a "foregone conclusion".

Meanwhile, Theresa May says "strong and stable" leadership

is at the heart of her pitch to voters.

In a speech in Bolton last night, the Prime Minister warned

of a potential "coalition of chaos" led by Mr Corbyn, despite the Labour

leader ruling out forming a post-election

The billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has warned Theresa May

that reducing the government's commitment to foreign aid

In a speech in London, Mr Gates - who's the founder of Microsoft -

said British people would be proud of the spending,

The Prime Minister has refused to say whether she will retain

a pledge to spend at least 0.7% of national income

In just over half an hour we'll be speaking to MP Oliver Letwin

and the Labour party's former director of policy,

Scientists have discovered drugs which may be able to stop

Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and a wide range of degenerative brain

One of them is already safely given to people with depression.

Clinical trials are planned, but the findings so far have been

described as exciting, important and potentially

Speaking earlier on Breakfast, the lead researcher,

Giovanna Maluchi, told us clinical trials could start imminently.

We would use a licensed antidepressant, it is used

We are not expecting a cure, we cannot cure these disorders

but if we stop them in their tracks and change the way they progress

we will radically change the course and the natural history of diseases

like Alzheimer's disease and dementia.

Train services in and out of one of London's busiest station have

largely returned to normal this morning, after a fire caused serious

Network Rail said engineers worked overnight to restore

Most major services are operating as normal, but a full service is not

The station was shut for much of yesterday when a fire next

to the track damaged signalling and cut power to the station.

Debenhams is considering closing ten stores and ten regional warehouses.

The plans could affect hundreds of jobs in part of a strategic review

by the boss of the business. Remaining stores will be revamped to

offer an extensive shopping experience.

Test results on victims of an attack in Syria earlier this month confirm

the nerve agent, Sarin, or a similar substance was used,

according to the global chemical weapons watchdog, the OPCW.

The attack killed at least 87 people.

The Syrian government has denied using chemical weapons.

American troops are taking part in a military exercise

with South Korea today, an action which Pyongyang has

The government in Washington says the eleven-day exercises

were planned months ago, and happens every year.

Called "Operation Max Thunder", the training practice involves

about 80 aircraft, a thousand American personnel and about 500

Cycling to work could halve the risk of developing heart disease

and cancer according to new research published today

Scientists at the University of Glasgow, who analysed data

from more than 250-thousand people, said walking reduced the risk

Walking isn't terrible. It is all good for you. Yes, absolutely. It is

just the rain, when it falls from the sky, that's the problem. Tell us

about this remarkable lady and a great bit of news. She got people

talking yesterday when she took to social media and announced she is

pregnant, which is fantastic for her, although not if you are a

tennis fan and wanted to watch her play at Wimbledon. There are more

important things than tennis. Of course. I will show you the post she

put online. Overnight it was confirmed.

She told the world via this post on Social media yesterday afternoon,

in which she appeared to show off a bump with the caption "20 weeks."

With the baby due in the Autumn her most likely return to action

Williams announced her engagement to Reddit co-founder

Andy Murray's made a winning return to competitive tennis after a month

The world number one took less than two hours to beat Gilles Muller

He last played on the ATP Tour in Indian Wells in March.

British number three Kyle Edmund pushed defending champion

Rafael Nadal to a deciding set, which is no embarassment coming up

against the so called King of Clay, before eventually going out.

Nadal's aiming for a 10th Monte Carlo title.

The British and Irish Lions coach Warren Gatland has

defended his selection for this summer's tour to New Zealand.

The 41-man squad includes 16 England players, 12 from Wales,

11 from Ireland and two from Scotland.

Gatland said nationality didn't come into his thinking.

Sam Warburton will captain the squad.

He led the Lions to a series victory in Australia four years ago,

and he knows this challenge will be far tougher than that.

He has been unlucky. It is not just his position, there is a lot of

discussion about Joe Launchbury, Ryan, the great brothers and many

others left out. At the end of the day, selection is a matter of

opinion and we might slightly disagree, but that's what makes it

interesting. Barcelona have been knocked out

of the quarter finals Their forward Neymar moved to tears

after defeat to Juventus. 3-0 down from the first leg,

Messi with the best chance. It finished goalless

in Spain last night. So the Italian side into the semi

finals as they avenge their defeat If you thought players only care

about the big wages these days, that expression would

suggest otherwise. Monaco will be joining the Italian

side in the semi-finals. Have a look at this goal

from the former Chelsea and Manchester United

striker Radamel Falcao, as his side beat Borussia Dortmund

3-1, 6-3 on aggregate. Manchester United can secure

their place in the semi-finals They play Anderlecht at Old Trafford

looking to build on their 1-all draw Captain Wayne Rooney

could return from injury. Winning the Europa League

would guarantee United a place in next season's Champions League,

even if they finish outside When you get into this level,

the motivation has to be very high. They lacked motivation

and Anderlecht dreamed to go so I think it is a motivational

question, because we showed in Brussels that we

are a stronger team. We've had one of the biggest shocks

in World Snooker Championship The world number two

and pre-tournament favourite Judd Trump has been knocked

out in the first round. And the man that beat him,

1000-to-one shot Rory McLeod. It's only the second time McLeod has

made it in to the second round at the Crucible,

in his 26 years as a professional. What an upset. He must have been so

chuffed and yet it is still very... Very orderly, absolutely. As it

should be. I love that, super cool and calm. You have to keep your

emotions under wraps when you are playing snooker. Calm and collected.

Yes. Thank you. If you're going to work this

morning, you may want to cycle in. Research by the University

of Glasgow has found getting on your bicycle to the office means

you're less likely to develop cancer We asked people in Manchester why

they chose to commute on two wheels. I have been cycling to work for

about two years. It started when I got a job in the city centre. I have

always wanted to cycle to work. I have a nice route to work on the

canal. It was a nice reason to get started. I have been riding a bike

for nearly two years because work is about five miles away. It is faster

than catching the bus. About five or six years. They have a bike to work

scheme at the office. It is a good way to get a bike. It is cheap, it

is good exercise and it clears your head in the morning. About 15 years,

yes. It is just easier, healthier, cheaper. So long as I don't break

down. I have to say, none of those people looked unhealthy. They all

looked really healthy. We're joined now from Glasgow

by Dr Jason Gill from the Institute of Cardiovascular and Medical

Sciences, who carried out the research and Martin Key,

campaigns manager at British Morning to you both. Jason, I am

guessing you cycled in? I didn't this morning, it was very early,

normally I would. What are the benefits of cycling, what is the

science? We found in a large study of more than 260,000 people, people

who cycle to work at a 40% lower risk of dying and similar reduction

in cardiovascular and cancer as well. Why? We know physical activity

has benefits, it reduces blood pressure and the level of light in

your bloodstream. It makes your blood able to relax, it improves the

way your body handles sugar, it reduces inflammation. A number of

well-known mechanisms by which being active reduces the risk of adverse

health event. If you are cycling into work your lifestyle in general

is more likely to be healthy on the whole, you are likely to eat better.

That is a valid point. We tried to adjust for these factors. In the

analysis, we adjusted for age, because older people are likely to

develop adverse conditions, sex, ethnicity, deprivation. We know that

poor people are likely to develop these conditions. If people smoke,

DMI, how heavy people are, aspects of diet, other activity. We adjusted

for all of the factors we could think of which might influence the

result and we found the association of cycling and these outcomes is

over and above these effects after adjusting for these factors that

could have influenced the result. Martin is here, British cycling, did

you cycled it? I did, a couple of miles. It is a lovely morning. The

reasons are clear why it would be good for you, cycling, exercise, but

a lot of people might say why they wouldn't want to cycle. They may

say, what about pollution, what about being knocked off my bike,

road rage, what about the fact I will get to work looking like a

mess. A lot of reasons people might say it is not great to cycle to

work. And we know those reasons. Millions of people cycle. Relatively

few people cycle to work. And for many reasons you mentioned. We need

to help people build confidence. You might be happy to cycle on the

weekend. When you get on a bike for the first time your confidence

increases. Try cycling to work on a Sunday with family or friends. Try

to learn a back route and that will increase your confidence. If you

need to get going you will suddenly feel better. Another is packing on

Sunday evening. When you wake up first thing, that means you won't

check it out. You are ready to go. Does it require more of a mindset

from your employer as well because clearly you need facilities? In most

environments, you need something at the other end. To an extent, but it

is not completely - the great thing is it is so accessible and you don't

need special kit beyond a bike. There are always places to park your

bike. There are lots of tips you can do. Rolling up your clothes so you

can change at the office. If you don't have a shower, a baby wipe in

can change at the office. If you the bathroom is - you can freshen

up. Don't cycle very fast, don't sweat and you can get in in a good

state. Did you cycle in your suit? I did, yes. It is perfectly possible.

You only have to go and a few hundred miles and everyone cycles in

suit and dresses. That is true. And Jason, your research looked at

walking. And while it use great, it isn't as good as cycling at all?

There are several reasons, people walk shorter distances, so people

cycling to work cycled 30 miles a week, whereas walkers walked six

miles a week and more activity gives you bigger benefit. Cycling is

higher intensity. You get more out of breath. High intensity activities

are beneficial. It is a combination of the fact that they do more and

harder that gives the benefit. If you are walking and you take a

longer route to work you will get a bigger benefit from going the

shortest possible route. Thank you. I love what you said. If you cycle

to work, you need something at the other end. Some facilities, or

something. It makes it a bit nicer, doesn't it? Some decent weather

around today! I think this shot behind me, it really sums up this

morning for many. A fairly cloudy start to your day. Some breaks in

the cloud. If you are about to cycle into work, you've got some sunshine

overhead in the moment. -- at the moment. Some cloud, maybe one or two

showers. Mostly staying dry. West of the Pennines, damp, drizzly and

misty. North-east England brightening up quite shortly. Some

rain southwards and into the Midlands. The coming few and further

between. Staying dry through the day. Across east Anglia and the

south-east, some sunshine. Some frost in Kent and Essex. Overall,

this morning, cold. Some brighter breaks appearing through the cloud.

Some of the sunniest conditions through the afternoon. Eastern

Scotland, seeing the highest of the temperatures. Even with the cloud

elsewhere, temperatures above where they should be for this time of

year. A few showers in Northern Ireland and northern England. Many

areas dry. Not too cold tonight. There some frost. A bit of a chilly

start in the countryside. Lots of cloud across England and Wales,

brightening up. We could see one or two showers. A damp morning across

much of Scotland, some heavy bursts of rain. Pushing into Northern

Ireland later. This is the weather front, a dividing line between mild

air in the south. Further north, temperatures dropping back into

single figures. Nothing desperately chilli. This weather front, that

will bring much in the way of rain to southern areas. High pressure

close by. That will bring the dry start to Saturday. A bit breezy to

the north and east. Temperatures into double figures. Someday,

warmer. Southern parts especially. Wet and windy across the North of

Scotland. That's how it's working. More in half an hour -- looking.

Debenham's have announced an overhaul of their stores this

morning - revamping the look and layout -

but that means SOME of the stores could be closed.

The retailer Debenhams has announced it's looking to close 10 stores,

10 regional warehouses and a central distribution centre.

The department store says those left will be revamped,

changing the layout, reducing clutter, adding more beauty