since the charges against him broke, he wasjoined at since the charges against him broke, he was joined at the dock this morning by his wife and his co—accused, lady eleanor donaldson, and we heard or detail about the charges both of them face. sir geoffrey faces 11 charges in all, one count of gross indecency towards the child, nine counts of indecent assault and one of rape. those charges involve two individuals and span from 1985 until 2006. eleanor donaldson faces four charges of aiding and abetting of the charges faced by her husband. this morning, the police officer connected the dances to the charges against them. there were no pleas of guilty or not guilty to tip that place at a later date. we previously heard sir geoffrey was strenuously contest the charges. the entire hearing this morning lasted for around seven minutes and i would say there was a

massive crowd of members of the public, police and the media, as the donaldson is entered and left. there was a condition stopping them contacting each other. that was lifted. both cases will be heard again next month. former labour minister frank field has died at 81. he was a leading voice on welfare reform and campaign property for much of his career and one of the longest serving mps, representing birkenhead in merseyside for a0 years. politicians paid tribute to him for the prime minister described him for the prime minister described him as a decent, moral and thoughtful man. frank field did a lot. i came into

parliament _ frank field did a lot. i came into parliament 35 _ frank field did a lot. i came into parliament 35 years _ frank field did a lot. i came into parliament 35 years ago - frank field did a lot. i came into parliament 35 years ago and - frank field did a lot. i came into parliament 35 years ago and if . frank field did a lot. i came into - parliament 35 years ago and if you'd said to me that, 30 years or so later, we would have a society in which notjust some people but an increasing number of people were using food banks, i'd have thought you didn't like sound judgment. his sharp intellect and independent spirit _ sharp intellect and independent spirit made him a formidable campaigner against hunger, food poverty— campaigner against hunger, food poverty and climate change. his work heled poverty and climate change. his work helped create — poverty and climate change. his work helped create child _ poverty and climate change. his work helped create child benefit _ poverty and climate change. his work helped create child benefit and - helped create child benefit and later paved the way for the minimum wage and free school meals. "frank was an extraordinary individual, who spent his life fighting poverty, injustice and environmental destruction. his decency and faith in people's self—interested altruism made a unique contribution to british politics." frank field was a minister in tony blair's government but only briefly. his principles made him independent—minded, some times uncompromising. he quit labour whenjeremy corbyn was leader, saying the

party had become a force for anti—semitism in politics, then joined the lords. we need more frank fields. they're the grit in the oyster. i loved frank and i think he did a terrificjob, both for his constituency and raising issues, often cutting edge issues, which were controversial. frank field, praised today as a man who made a unique contribution. softly—spoken, generous, one of parliament's nicest people. lord field, who died today at 81. 0n the loose without their riders. the military horses gallop through the streets of central london. one of them collides with the side of a taxi. all the animals have been recaptured and are being treated by a vet. 0ur

correspondence has the latest. 0n the loose without their riders. the military horses gallop through the streets of central london. one of them collides with the side of a taxi. the bbc understands that the noise of builders moving concrete caused horses from the household cavalry to bolt and unseat their riders. at the side of the road, medical treatment. four people in total are said to have been injured, the side of this van also damaged, as was a parked tour bus. and on this part of their five—mile route, the horses have slowed down, but you can see here what looks like blood, although that's not been confirmed. three horses went past me at full gallop without riders, which obviously was quite extraordinary. so i nudged out to check

it was safe to pull out, and then another horse came round the corner with a rider on it and just missed my cab. the animals were brought under control several miles away in limehouse in the east of the city, and are now being looked after by vets. the household cavalry is one of the most senior regiments in the british army, used to dealing with big events like the king's coronation. why they'd be spooked by a noise, albeit in london's rush hour — unknown. frances read, bbc news. 0fcom has strengthened its rules using broke out partitions as newsreaders or reporters. it followed a decision which found that five episodes of gb news post about serving tory mps, including philip davies at esther mcvey and so jacob rees—mogg, broke its rules. the watchdog says broadcasters must

maintain the highest standards ahead of the election. there is a warning that the government might struggle to deliver free childcare from september, families of preschool children over nine months will be entitled to 30 hours of government funded childcare. the national audit office has a pilot of the scheme was cancelled and it's not clear that childcare providers can find enough staff. a chair. at this moment may be script. from septemberfor working parents, there will be more free childcare, for babies from nine months old, 15 hours a week in term time. in wakefield, they're big worry has been getting places. ianthem worry has been getting places. when i not worry has been getting places. when i got pregnant. _ worry has been getting places. when i got pregnant. i— worry has been getting places. when i got pregnant. i put— worry has been getting places. when i got pregnant, i put us _ worry has been getting places. when i got pregnant, i put us on _ worry has been getting places. “mien i got pregnant, i put us on the waitlist. i believe the nhs gives priority but there was no guarantee

i'd get a place. i got a newjob when i was pregnant and it was clear it was a full—time role that i'd need to take up. if it was 15 hours, i have had to look for part time. wakefield is an area that could struggle for childcare staff. today was not a report warns it will need to manage a big increase in hours and already most mums look for a place before their baby arrives. because tomorrow i'm going to be going back to look for a job around the necessary availability. i've just got monday and fridays. i’m just got monday and fridays. i'm auoin to just got monday and fridays. in going to have to look forjobs where i can work on a ten friday for it's going to be tricky to tip it feels a bit panicky, to be honest. the urowth bit panicky, to be honest. the growth in _ bit panicky, to be honest. the growth in government funded childcare in england by september 2025 means 662,000 children will become eligible in the next year

a0,000 additional staff will be needed, £5.9 billion of government funding will be going into childcare. in sheffield, this nursery is looking ahead to the offer for autumn nursery is looking ahead to the offerfor autumn next year, 30 funded hours for working parents with children nine months upwards. tara has been in charge of the baby room for years. she is worried because it's becoming harder to recruit and keep staff. it’s recruit and keep staff. it's brilliant but _ recruit and keep staff. it's brilliant but they - recruit and keep staff. it�*s brilliant but they have not thought about oh, 0k, we'll give them all this fruit —— all these free child places but there are no staff. you can't take on any more children with no staff. that's really annoying for parents, because they have just come in, they can have this free childcare, which is brilliant, but it can't work because we can't fit them in. is

it can't work because we can't fit them in. , . ., ., ~' them in. is children of working arents them in. is children of working parents get — them in. is children of working parents get more _ them in. is children of working parents get more hours, - them in. is children of working parents get more hours, the i them in. is children of working - parents get more hours, the awarding today that more vulnerable children could be squeezed out. the government says it will make sure there are enough places for them, that its increasing funding and new apprenticeships in childcare. floella benjamin is to receive the bafta fellowship for her contribution to television over the last half—century for the actress and presenter, who was the face of children's tv programme playschool 50 years ago, spent decades campaigning for diversity and inclusion in the media. she will be presented with bafta highest accolade at the annual ceremony next month. so accolade at the annual ceremony next month. ,., ., , ., month. so thrilled at being an actress, month. so thrilled at being an actress. a _ month. so thrilled at being an actress, a presenter, - month. so thrilled at being an actress, a presenter, a - month. so thrilled at being an | actress, a presenter, a writer, independent producer, a regulator, a legislator now. someone

predominantly from the children but a word, children's television has been given this honour and i hope it will be an inspiration for other people coming forward today. breaking news, three people have been injured in a stabbing at a school in south—west wales. it happened in ammanford. 0ne school in south—west wales. it happened in ammanford. one person has been arrested and police say that emergency services remain at the scene at the school has been closed while investigations continue strip they are working with carmarthenshire county council. three people have been injured, one is receiving treatment at one person has been arrested. more breaking news, three people have been arrested on suspicion of immigration offences after five people, including a child, were killed as they tried to cross the channel. the national crime agency said investigators are questioning two men from sudan, aged 19 and 22 and a

that 22—year—old suspect from south sudan over the tragedy. they are arrested on suspicion of facilitating illegal immigration and entering the uk illegally. the 55 surviving passengers have already been interviewed and are expected to been interviewed and are expected to be spoken to further in the coming days. plenty more on that and the rest of the news on our website. now it's time for a look at the weather. there is little sign of the weather warming up much in the next few days was dubbed we stick with this unusually chilly feel for the time of year. there will be some sunshine and discussion of showers, some of which will be wintry over high ground in the north. we keep this cold air mass, that chilly air being drawn down from the north, you can see the blue colours, which takes us through thursday and into friday. for the rest of today, still some

showers around, particularly affecting eastern areas, where there will be a brisk breeze and it will feel particularly cold. the best of the sunshine further west, highest temperatures up to around 12 or 13. this evening overnight, areas of cloud drifting south, bringing showers. some of them wintry over high ground, especially in scotland and even above 200 metres we could see some snow mixed in with the showers. staying windy in north and at eastern coasts. temperatures drop and close to or even below freezing in some spots, so a touch of frost for some tomorrow morning. tomorrow will bring areas of cloud south across england and wales with bits and pieces of showery rain. it should brighten up across northern england. sunny spells for northern ireland and scotland sing a mix of sun and showers, still some winteriness in those showers. just 8 degrees for aberdeen, winteriness in those showers. just 8 degrees foraberdeen, nine winteriness in those showers. just 8 degrees for aberdeen, nine for newcastle at hole, perhaps 13 in cardiff and plymouth. through

thursday night and friday, another frontal system gracing the south of the uk, so more cloud, perhaps some showers in southern england and south wales. further north, sunny spells and showers, still hints of something wintry in those showers high up, and still particularly cold in the north—east, eight for lerwick at aberdeen. further south, 11 or 12. forthe at aberdeen. further south, 11 or 12. for the weekend, some signs of something a bit less chilly, but only a little bit. these yellow colour trying to spell north, but the reason for that is an area of low pressure. certainly not a heatwave and certainly not completely dry for the weekend. there will be outbreaks of rain, particular four includes wales, and perhaps a better chance of sunshine in northland and scotland, being a bit less chilly.

live from london. this is bbc news. three people have been arrested to the deaths of five migrants in the english channel on tuesday. president biden confirms that more military assistance will be sent to ukraine within days after the us senate approves a long awaited aid bill. the former leader of the dup sirjeffrey donaldson appears in court charged with sexual offences including rape. four people are injured after it escaped horses both through central london.

welcome to the programme.