live from london, this is bbc news. uk labour leader sir keir starmer sets out his policy to stop migrant boat crossings. we will set up a new commands with a new way of doing things, border command. israel's prime minister vows to press ahead with the offensive in rafah in defiance of us calls for restraint. i'm at the eurovision song contest, where excitement is growing ahead of the final on saturday. the controversy surrounding israel's entry continues, as they go forward into that final with other favourites, ukraine, france and the netherlands on saturday.

bordersecurity, migration, and asylum—seekers crossing the channel in small boats are expected to be major issues during the uk election. labour leader sir keir starmer is in dover, outlining how his party will tackle them. here's what he had to say. let's have a look at what labour is planning to do. sir keir starmer is promising to set up a new border security command to crack down on people—smugglers if his party wins power. he is also pledging to hire hundreds more specialist investigators and cross—border police. meanwhile, counter—terror powers would be extended to cover organised immigration crime, including the power to search people suspected of being involved in people smuggling, close bank accounts, restrict their travel and trace their movements before an offence has taken place. and he says £75 million of the money allocated for the first year of the rwanda scheme

would fund its plans. as the first step in this plan, a new manifesto commitment. we will set up a new command with new powers, new resources and a new way of doing things — border security command. now this is about leveraging the power and potential of dynamic government based on a counter—terrorism approach, which we know works. an end to the fragmentation between policing the border force and our intelligence agencies. a collecting of the standards, so the border protection becomes an elite force, not a cinderella service. let's get more on this with our political correspondent harry farley. labour saying they would scrap the rwanda scheme, the plan to send those arriving in small boats to rwanda.

labour said they would take a law enforcement approach, the border security command. sir keir starmer characterised the rwanda scheme is a series of gimmicks that wouldn't tackle the problem. he pointed to other mooted ideas like a wave machine in the channel that appeared in newspapers that didn't make it into policy. he said the rwanda scheme is just another in the latest series of gimmicks. he was asked afterwards how many small boats his border security command would tackle, how many the numbers crossing would reduce. we didn't give a specific figure, saying he would look to reduce the numbers, but didn't put a number on it, not saying his scheme would stop small crossings. sir keir starmer made a lot

in a speech about how he would improve asylum processing in the uk by putting more funding into it, by hiring new caseworkers, to process those who are in the uk trying to claim asylum. he said they would be processed more quickly and those who failed to get asylum would be returned. the difficult question is the largest nationality that came over in small boats to the uk last year was from afghanistan, and we don't have a return agreement with afghanistan because it is currently run by the taliban, so he said he didn't really have an answer for where those people who come from countries like afghanistan or iran would be returned to. so a couple of caveats there, but certainly a stark difference between the conservatives and labour, taking a more law enforcement approach to the small boats crisis.

the numbers that came across yesterday, there were 211 people on three boats brought to shore yesterday and it is general halevi boots made the crossing today. let's speak to kevin saunders, former chief immigration officer at the uk border force. did you see the announcement from labour? what border force. did you see the announcement from labour? what did ou make announcement from labour? what did you make of — announcement from labour? what did you make of it? _ announcement from labour? what did you make of it? yes, _ announcement from labour? what did you make of it? yes, i— announcement from labour? what did you make of it? yes, i have _ announcement from labour? what did you make of it? yes, i have seen - announcement from labour? what did you make of it? yes, i have seen the l you make of it? yes, i have seen the announcement. there doesn't appear to be anything new in this at all. what keir starmer hasn't said is what will happen to the small boat command, which the conservatives set “p command, which the conservatives set up and which was run by a royal marine when we had the navy and the army as well, which is all very similar to his offices for security

and counterterrorism. so basically there is nothing new in this. the thing that you have got to realise, that everybody must realise, and everybody in the business has been telling sir keir starmer this, you must have a large deterrent. the nci have told them this. you have to have told them this. you have to have a deterrent if only a tiny proportion would be sent to romantic, is that really a deterrent for people who have risked their lives and continue to do so to get to the uk? we only have a tiny amount at the moment, three other countries have expressed an interest injoining moment, three other countries have expressed an interest in joining the scheme. the numbers could be as high as 20,000 being removed, so we have got to get away from this idea that rwanda is only going to take a very small amount of people. the first

few flights, very small, but once it is up and running and other countries joined is up and running and other countriesjoined the is up and running and other countries joined the scheme, and as i say three others have expressed interest in joining, i say three others have expressed interest injoining, this could be a really big result. in interest in joining, this could be a really big result.— really big result. in terms of a labour announcement, - really big result. in terms of a labour announcement, they i really big result. in terms of a i labour announcement, they said really big result. in terms of a - labour announcement, they said they are going to take on counterterror powers to take on the gang, a more intelligent look at tracing those who organise all of this, it has been described as a sort of mafia, isn't it? ., u, been described as a sort of mafia, isn't it? ., u, , isn't it? you can use counterterrorism - isn't it? you can use - counterterrorism powers in isn't it? you can use _ counterterrorism powers in the united kingdom, you can't wear the people smugglers are based so it is nonsense, really. we already have a very effective intelligence system thatis very effective intelligence system that is telling us what is going on, and gangs are smashed. neighbours are sa in: and gangs are smashed. neighbours are saying that _ and gangs are smashed. neighbours

are saying that they're _ and gangs are smashed. neighbours are saying that they're going - and gangs are smashed. neighbours are saying that they're going to - are saying that they're going to spend £75 million of the money earmarked for a wanda to set up this new border security command and this will be modelled on the office of security and counterterrorism and this will be much more effective and efficient. it. this will be much more effective and efficient. ., , ., efficient. it. people getting into boats and coming _ efficient. it. people getting into boats and coming across - efficient. it. people getting into boats and coming across the . efficient. it. people getting into - boats and coming across the channel because the people know the ones they are here they have won the lottery. once they are here, they are here and will not be removed. we heard that when sir keir starmer was asked about how he was going to remove people to afghanistan, and he can't. how do you remove people to iran? you can't?— iran? you can't? some of them will be legitimate _ iran? you can't? some of them will be legitimate asylum _ iran? you can't? some of them will be legitimate asylum seekers - iran? you can't? some of them will. be legitimate asylum seekers fleeing unsafe regimes.— unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that _ unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that is _ unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that is not _ unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that is not what _ unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that is not what he - unsafe regimes. some of them will be, but that is not what he said. i unsafe regimes. some of them will| be, but that is not what he said. he said he would grant asylum to those

who were genuine and remove those who were genuine and remove those who aren't, they are his words, not mine. but you can't remove anybody. once they are here, they are here, you can't remove them. 5ir once they are here, they are here, you can't remove them.— you can't remove them. sir keir starmer said — you can't remove them. sir keir starmer said they _ you can't remove them. sir keir starmer said they will _ you can't remove them. sir keir starmer said they will look - you can't remove them. sir keir starmer said they will look at i you can't remove them. sir keir l starmer said they will look at that because that is obviously been a long—standing problem for decades removals back to the country of origin. i'm sure we will come back to you on this in the coming weeks and months. thank you. israel's prime minister, benjamin netanyahu, has said he hopes to overcome his differences withjoe biden, but vowed to press ahead with that military assault on rafah. mr netanyahu was speaking to us media after president biden confirmed that the us had withheld a delivery of munitions, and could halt more shipments if israeli forces attack hamas in rafah, a densely populated city in the gaza strip. mr netanyahu said israel had to defeat hamas in rafah. earlier, our middle east correspondent yolande knell gave me the latest update on the public rift

between biden and netanyahu. we are hearing about more strikes in rafa, there is a constant sound of the surveillance aircraft and drones overhead naming people really on edge. the israeli prime minister has sought to play down the significance of the us withholding some of the weapons that it supplies because of its concerns about the offensive in rafa, but has also told a us talk show that he wants to overcome these difficulties with this rope is my closest allies. at the moment to ceasefire talks in cairo have broken down with the delegations from hamas and issue about leaving. the difference remains that hamas wants to talk about a full end to the war, a full withdrawal of israeli troops,

while israel only want to talk about your trust in return for its hostages coming home. with battles going on close to the crossing in the south—eastern corner of the gaza strip and with israeli forces keeping the palestinian side of the crossing to egypt closed, no 80s coming into gaza. we are getting warning that particularly feel for hospitals is going to run out in the coming day. i'm joined by the middle is director of the international community is organisation, also a former hostage negotiator. thank you for your time today. we saw earlier this week a sense that may be to ceasefire negotiations were going to make progress and yet things seem to have unravelled again now. where do you think we are? that unravelled again now. where do you think we are?—

think we are? at the present time what we have _ think we are? at the present time what we have is _ think we are? at the present time what we have is a _ think we are? at the present time what we have is a situation - think we are? at the present time what we have is a situation where | what we have is a situation where the gaps between israel and hamas are unbridgeable because hamas is asking for an obligation from israel to end the war and israel will not make any agreement that obliges it to end the war. that is where we have the difficulty in bridging that gap- have the difficulty in bridging that gap. israel wants to get is 132 hostages home, many of them already dead, hamas is holding on to those hostages until it achieves what it wants, which is an end to the war and a release of palestinian prisoners. we don't have a situation right now that is bridge above. the mediators have walked away from the table as well as the two parties to the conflict itself.— the conflict itself. that is obviously _ the conflict itself. that is obviously incredibly - the conflict itself. that is - obviously incredibly alarming, if thatis obviously incredibly alarming, if that is the case. do you think benjamin netanyahu is serious about going into rafa despite the enormous

risk to life? he going into rafa despite the enormous risk to life? , ., , , risk to life? he is only interested in prolonging _ risk to life? he is only interested in prolonging the _ risk to life? he is only interested in prolonging the war. _ risk to life? he is only interested in prolonging the war. the - risk to life? he is only interested j in prolonging the war. the israeli public and the international community have been told by the israeli defence for some of the prime minister that this is the key location where the hamas leadership is, whether ammunition supplies are, whether it be in the north of gaza, the city of gaza, the refugee camp, the city of gaza, the refugee camp, the alcacer hospital in the centre of gaza, we were told khan yunis the same thing, and now we are being told the same thing about rafa. you cannot defeat an organisation like hamas. hamas is an ideology. israel needs to be concerned about fighting the ideology of hamas and i can only be done with the political endgame, which the israeli government refuses to deal with. if which the israeli government refuses to deal with-—

to deal with. if the us does pull out of more _ to deal with. if the us does pull out of more military _ to deal with. if the us does pull out of more military support, i to deal with. if the us does pull. out of more military support, will that have a real effect on benjamin netanyahu, or is it under too much pressure from the right if he wants to stay in office to continue? he is under a tremendous _ to stay in office to continue? he is under a tremendous amount - to stay in office to continue? he is under a tremendous amount of. under a tremendous amount of pressure for his own government, from the right—wing flank of his government. if the united states withholds the weapons that israel needs to run the attack into rafa, israel will have to consider how many weapons it has in stock that it needs to save in case there is a flare—up on the northern border war with iran orany flare—up on the northern border war with iran or any other part of this very dangerous middle east. it could be the way to end the war, simply the united states, and for that matter the united kingdom and other countries that supply weapons, to make a calculated risk and say we will not fuel the war any more. i will not fuel the war any more. i will caveat a base end of the countries that you support israel should be willing to supply israel

if israel is really under attack, but that is not the case right now. right now israel attacking gaza. thank you very much indeed.

officialfigures released on friday show the uk economy is no longer in recession. the economy grew by 0.6% in the first three months of this year. the uk entered recession when output fell during two consecutive quarters at the end of last year. most economists had predicted growth of 0.4%. this is the fastest growth rate for more than two years. we can speak now to our correspondent andrew verity. it we can speak now to our correspondent andrew verity. it was the fastest growth _ correspondent andrew verity. it was the fastest growth in _ correspondent andrew verity. it was the fastest growth in two _ correspondent andrew verity. it was the fastest growth in two years, - correspondent andrew verity. it ms the fastest growth in two years, but

thatis the fastest growth in two years, but that is partly because of the last two years growth has been so slow. ever since the war in ukraine growth has been sluggish. consumers have less to spend partly because in the last couple of years they spent so much on fuel and food. the situation has changed recently as inflation has changed recently as inflation has subsided and finally pay rises have overtaken price rises. that means that people are slowly recovering some of their living standards and being able to spend a little bit more. jeremy hunt was keen to say that the economy is performing well. well, i think it's encouraging that we, in the last quarter, have grown faster notjust in france and germany, but also the united states. but i think more significant is the longer term data that is coming out now about the uk economy. we can see that since 2010 we have created more jobs in the uk than anywhere else in europe. we've attracted more greenfield foreign direct investment,

notjust done anywhere in europe, but anywhere in the world outside of the united states and china. in terms of the most rapidly growing industries, we have by far the largest tech industry in europe. and international monetary fund say that, over the next six years, we will grow faster than france, italy, germany orjapan. for the families that have been having a really tough time, i think they can see that the very difficult decisions that we have taken in order to get the economy back on its feet after the pandemic, after the energy shock, are beginning to pay off and we need to see them through. when the economy is growing, what does that mean for each of us individually? are we getting better off? ., . , , . , off? not necessarily. we tell this sto as if off? not necessarily. we tell this story as if in _ off? not necessarily. we tell this story as if in a — off? not necessarily. we tell this story as if in a recession - off? not necessarily. we tell this| story as if in a recession everyone is getting worse off than in the recovery they are all getting better. that is by no means the

case. if you take the global financial crisis, interest rates drop to the floor and that meant that a lot of people with mortgages were significantly better off. indeed, incomes improve despite the fact the economy was shrinking. equally, we have seen living standards fall even when the economy is growing. it doesn't by any means necessarily mean that we are getting better. if you look at the better measure of that, it is not the economy as a whole growing, and the economy as a whole growing, and the economyjust paint people and their economic activity, divide that by the number of people then you find out whether we are each producing more goods and services and therefore each more likely to be better off. in that matter, gdp per capita is down on a year ago. rachel reeves wasn't as upbeat as jeremy hunt. we all welcome the fact that the economy is no

longer in recession, but it's hardly cause for a victory lap. and if you look at the forecasts from the oecd, who look at the major industrialised economies, they say that, of those economies, of the g7 economies, the uk will have the second slowest growth rate this year and the lowest growth rate next year. i don't think that is a cause for celebration. my ambition for britain is so much greater than merely the economy not being in recession. so, rachel reeves talking about growth rates and you touched on this in terms of historic numbers, but how do these figures compare with the sort of growth we have seen in the sort of growth we have seen in the past? hat the sort of growth we have seen in the ast? ., , , the past? not very well, is the short answer. _ the past? not very well, is the short answer. for— the past? not very well, is the short answer. for the - the past? not very well, is the short answer. for the last - the past? not very well, is the short answer. for the last 15 l the past? not very well, is the - short answer. for the last 15 years we have an easily growth, round about the 1% a year mark, as opposed to the 2% or 3% before the financial crisis. all policymakers will be hoping if we get on that investment we can get back to those rates of growth. we can get back to those rates of urowth. ., ~' ,,

the duke and duchess of sussex have begun their visit to nigeria. here they are, prince harry and his wife, meghan, being greeted at an event in abuja. it's the start of a three—day trip, which is at the invitation of the chief of defence staff. harry will attend a reception to honour military families, and meghan will co—host an event for women in leadership. they'll also attend several events together — including a visit to a school, where they spoke about mental health. so it applies to us, but after today, no more being scared, no more being unsure. if you are unsure, then ask. ask your teachers, ask your friends. be there for one another. if you see your friend as you walk past not smiling, what are you going to do? are you going to check on them? are you going to ask them if they are ok? because it's ok not to be ok. applause.

we celebrate all the good stuff and we are there in the moments that are bad. we are just together, so together we appreciate all of you. inaudible. applause. ina in a moment we will speak to our correspondent on the isles of scilly. first of all, let's speak to a reporter he is in abuja for us. just give us a sense of the reaction and the reception that harry and meghan are getting.— and the reception that harry and meghan are getting. well, the kids here at this — meghan are getting. well, the kids here at this school _ meghan are getting. well, the kids here at this school where - meghan are getting. well, the kids here at this school where they - here at this school where they visited earlier this morning were really excited to meet prince harry

and meghan. the couple appeared very relaxed with the kids. they met primary and secondary school children. meghan even opened up about her own kids, saying things about her own kids, saying things about how lily, he was turning three, enjoy singing and dancing and how archie, who is five, enjoys construction. they spent the day talking about mental health and the duke and he was speaking on stage spoke about how the kid should not be afraid about emotions like grief or stress that they may feel and they should work together to conquer they should work together to conquer the stigma surrounding mental health worldwide. ., ~ the stigma surrounding mental health worldwide. ., ,, , ., the stigma surrounding mental health worldwide. ., ~' , ., . the stigma surrounding mental health worldwide. ., ,, , ., . ., worldwide. thank you. the prince of wales is visiting _ worldwide. thank you. the prince of wales is visiting the _ worldwide. thank you. the prince of wales is visiting the isles _ worldwide. thank you. the prince of wales is visiting the isles of - wales is visiting the isles of scilly today as part of a two—day tour of the south—west of england. jenny kumar is there for us. what is the reception there is a prince william? ~ , , ,

william? well, the sun is shining here and he _ william? well, the sun is shining here and he got _ william? well, the sun is shining here and he got a _ william? well, the sun is shining here and he got a very _ william? well, the sun is shining here and he got a very warm - william? well, the sun is shining - here and he got a very warm welcome. he hasjust left at here and he got a very warm welcome. he has just left at this hospital, here and he got a very warm welcome. he hasjust left at this hospital, a community hospital here in the isles of scilly. he was asked by one member of staff how princess kate was doing, he recently announced that she was undergoing cancer treatment. the response was that she was doing really well. there was also a member of staff here who has served 50 years working for the nhs and that member of staff gave him an letter that had been written by her granddaughter. that lecture basically wished the king and princess kate is well. many people i have spoken to here today who have met the prince said it was a real honour to meet him. he showed great interest in the issues and the challenges that providing health care silence faces. these group of islands are about 28 miles off the

coast of cornwall. whilst there were some services here, people had to travel to the mainland by plane or by boat to access services at the main hospital there can be some challenges around finding accommodation, which can be difficult and expensive. today at this building there is a site where the duchess of cornwall, which is the duchess of cornwall, which is the estate is owned by the duke of cornwall as he is known, the prince of wales, when he is here, he is giving land for facilities to be built here that will provide integrated health and social care board, so inpatient beds, maternity suites and residential care beds, so there was a lot of conversation here about working in the health care settings, but everyone i spoke to today saying that it was a real honour to meet the prince. thank you both very much _ honour to meet the prince. thank you

both very much indeed. _ honour to meet the prince. thank you both very much indeed. stay - honour to meet the prince. thank you both very much indeed. stay with - honour to meet the prince. thank you both very much indeed. stay with us i both very much indeed. stay with us here on bbc news. for most of us it feels more like summer than spring out there today. very warm across large swathes of the uk. we do have a bit more in the way of cloud across northern scotland. elsewhere, good spells of sunshine, highs of 2425 degrees. through this evening and tonight, this area of

cloud will rule its way in off the north sea into parts of eastern england, perhaps giving in to the midlands. also some of low cloud rolling into effect in shetland. most places will see clear skies and sunshine to start saturday morning. temperatures not falling away too far at all. this area of cloud will tend to move back towards the north sea coasts. there is the chance for some showers to pop up. across some parts of scotland, especially of a high ground there could be the odd heavy, thundery downpour. highs of 24, perhaps 25 degrees. not a bad looking day for northern ireland, may be just the odd shower out towards the west. a bit of patchy fair weather cloud. towards the west. a bit of patchy fairweather cloud. some towards the west. a bit of patchy fair weather cloud. some of this low cloud and mist affecting north sea coasts, but temperatures easily up to potentially 25 degrees. this area of high pressure starts to give way into the second half of the weekend with these frontal systems rolling

in from the atlantic. so, the increasing chance of seeing heavy showers and perhaps some thunderstorms popping up as we had through sunday, particularly across parts of northern ireland, northern england and down towards the south—west. we could see showers getting going across parts of scotland. still very warm, with temperatures perhaps up to 26 degrees on sunday. but as we head into next week, very different weather outlook. it looks much more unsettled, rain at times and feeling cooler, as well.

this is bbc news, the headlines... uk labour leader sir keir starmer sets out his policy to stop migrant boat crossings — promising new powers to tackle people—smuggling gangs. a bbc investigation tracks down one of europe's most wanted criminals — known as the scorpion — whose admitted trafficking thousands of people to the continent. europe — are you ready for it? taylor swift's heroes —— eras tour hits paris. taylor swift's heroes -- eras tour hits paris-— hits paris. before that, the world

is ready for— hits paris. before that, the world is ready for the _ hits paris. before that, the world is ready for the eurovision - hits paris. before that, the world is ready for the eurovision song i is ready for the eurovision song contest in malmo