your local your opinion to your local councillor, apart from maybe oxford where _ councillor, apart from maybe oxford where there was a spate of mainly muslim _ where there was a spate of mainly muslim councillors resigning over the gaza — muslim councillors resigning over the gaza war. some of those are up for re—election. overall, i would say it_ for re—election. overall, i would say it is— for re—election. overall, i would say it is not_ for re—election. overall, i would say it is not something that is being — say it is not something that is being brought up on the doorstep, that is_ being brought up on the doorstep, that is what the labour candidates are telling — that is what the labour candidates are telling me. is that is what the labour candidates are telling me.— are telling me. is the israel gaza war playing _ are telling me. is the israel gaza war playing into _ are telling me. is the israel gaza war playing into what _ are telling me. is the israel gaza war playing into what people - are telling me. is the israel gaza war playing into what people are| war playing into what people are sent to you there? it war playing into what people are sent to you there?— sent to you there? it certainly is in the bedfordshire _ sent to you there? it certainly is in the bedfordshire police - sent to you there? it certainly is in the bedfordshire police and l sent to you there? it certainly is - in the bedfordshire police and crime commissioner contest where the candidates for the workers party of britain has been using a leaflet that appears to suggest that a vote for the labour party is about four genocide. the labour party are trying to get him to stop using that leaflet. mr akbar was a prominent luton councillor for 25 years, but

he did resign from the party because of sir keir starmer post—match stance on palestine. you of sir keir starmer post-match stance on palestine. you mentioned other candidates, _ stance on palestine. you mentioned other candidates, and _ stance on palestine. you mentioned other candidates, and particularly i other candidates, and particularly interested in the conservative candidates and how they are dealing with being with associated with the government on a national level. that is interesting — government on a national level. twat is interesting because last year we saw in milton keynes that the conservatives were all granting themselves as local conservatives. it didn't really help them, they lost five of the seats in milton keynes last year, but they are having a go with that again this year, defending nine seats this time and we are in a situation in milton keynes it is looking very likely that milton keynes will become a fully run labour council after 18 years of there being no overall control. in stevenage, because of boundary changes, there was a full election this time. there are 39

seats up for grabs and the labour party is the only one with a full slate. party is the only one with a full state. the conservatives are only putting up 21 candidates in those seats. . ~' , ., putting up 21 candidates in those seats. . ,, , ., , putting up 21 candidates in those seats. . ~' , . �* seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, seats. thank you both very much. a reminder. you _ seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can _ seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can get _ seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can get a _ seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can get a full- seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can get a full list - seats. thank you both very much. a reminder, you can get a full list of. reminder, you can get a full list of the candidates that are running in the candidates that are running in the local elections for england and the local elections for england and the police and crime commissioner is in england and we is on the bbc news website. it is really straightforward, all you have to do is type in your postcode about the local elections on the web page, and you will find all the details about the candidates that are running for mayor is an police and crime commissioners. you're watching bbc news. very shortly where are expecting a news conference about

humza yousaf, the first minister of scotland. we are expecting mr yousaf to announce he is stepping down as first minister. let us go live tribute house and our correspondent alexander mackenzie. what we have seenin alexander mackenzie. what we have seen in the last half an hour, humza yousaf go into bute house. what is the latest your hearing? this yousaf go into bute house. what is the latest your hearing?— the latest your hearing? this is bute house. — the latest your hearing? this is bute house, the _ the latest your hearing? this is bute house, the official - the latest your hearing? this is i bute house, the official residence of the first minister in scotland. i'm not sure if you can see behind me, there is a huddle of media just outside the door. a media and members of the public gathered here, a lot of interest in what is happening at bute house in edinburgh. everyone is gathering for what is expected to be a press conference at around noon. it is

expected that humza yousaf will announce his resignation as first minister here at bute house at around 12 o'clock. we saw him come down from dundee, from his family home, slightly earlier to arrive at bute house with his wife. they did go in the back door here in preparation for what we expect to be that major announcement. humza yousaf has just been first minister of scotland for just over yousaf has just been first minister of scotland forjust over a year. this is all unravelled quite quickly since thursday. over the weekend, on saturday evening, humza yousaf said he was confident that he could win that vote of no confidence. even as recently as saturday it did look like he would keep going and go ahead with the two votes of no

confidence. yesterday, things began to change. there was an understanding that he was considering his position, considering his position, considering his options and that resignation was one of those options. this morning we have been here for several hours now, and this morning the expectation was growing that he would resign as early as today, and that is likely to happen in a short time. it today, and that is likely to happen in a short time.— in a short time. if he does resign, alexandra. _ in a short time. if he does resign, alexandra, what _ in a short time. if he does resign, alexandra, what are _ in a short time. if he does resign, alexandra, what are the - in a short time. if he does resign, alexandra, what are the next - in a short time. if he does resign, - alexandra, what are the next stages? 0k, alexandra, what are the next stages? ok, there has been a lot of discussion, things move very quickly in politics, and there has already been a discussion over who might take over. parliament would have 28 days to vote for a new first minister or there would be an early election. kate forbes is one of the names in the frame. she was narrowly

beaten by humza yousafjust last year and up to now she has insisted that she is backing the first minister. john swinney has also been another name that has been mentioned. the education secretary, jenny goldsmith, the culture secretary angus robertson, and neil gray. these names are already in the frame. the discussion has moved on to who could be next. we are still awaiting that announcement by the first minister. it awaiting that announcement by the first minister.— first minister. if he does resign and we have — first minister. if he does resign and we have a _ first minister. if he does resign and we have a new _ first minister. if he does resign and we have a new snp - first minister. if he does resign and we have a new snp leader, first minister. if he does resign - and we have a new snp leader, they are going to have to work with the other parties at holyrood because they don't have a majority of seats. yes, that's right. there had been the agreement with the scottish

green party. that's agreement came to an end quite abruptly on thursday, so since then it has been a minority government. they would look for support on a case—by—case basis. the green party have said that they were very much against the first minister, they wanted the first minister, they wanted the first minister, they wanted the first minister to stand down and not necessarily be against the snp. they have lots of common but the snp including beer —— being a pro—independence party. they may work with the snp on a case—by—case basis to give them support.

he isa he is a decent prospect. he has been urged by senior people in the snp to throw his hat in the ring. i think it is slightly different this time. speaking to some of his allies, they sound confident he could be persuaded. he is at an event in westminster this morning and he was asked whether he would rule out standing. he didn't. it will be interesting to see what he says once we have this announcement from humza yousaf that he is quitting. kate forbes, i think she is weighing it up forbes, i think she is weighing it up this lunchtime. nobody will say anything until humza yousaf has made his announcement but there is a decent prospect of her standing if she can find a way to get the support of another party to stay in power. i don't think the westminster

leader stephen flynn will stand, there was some speculation he might fancy doing it this time. i don't think that is the case, too hard to do thejob when think that is the case, too hard to do the job when you are in westminster. if few other potential candidates from a group of snps. it candidates from a group of snps. it is onlyjust over a year ago that humza yousaf became first minister. it has been a disaster. it is quite hard to escape that because on numerous occasions, humza yousaf has tried to seize the political initiative to get back on the front foot, to announce big policies he hoped would capture the political imagination. he has failed to do it. a lot of snp politicians would tell you and they have a point he was dealt a pretty bad hand. he came in at a time when the snp were starting to see a few issues in the polls, there was then that police investigation into snp funding which led to the arrest of nicola

sturgeon. she was released without charge but her husband was later charged. that was all going on in the background but speaking to senior people in the snp over the past 2a hours, they acknowledge humza yousaf hasn't done himself any favours. the biggest mistake potentially is that decision he made on thursday to get rid of the greens from that power—sharing agreement. the argument doesn't go he was wrong to get rid of them, there were a lot of people in the snp who thought that was a longtime coming, it was the way he did it that people were uncomfortable with. they think he alienated the greens in the way he did. it is no doubt announcement last thursday, that that power—sharing agreement was going to bejunked, that was power—sharing agreement was going to be junked, that was designed to be a powerplay by humza yousaf, trying to type control of the scottish government. it had the opposite

effect and is leading to his downfall. i effect and is leading to his downfall-— effect and is leading to his downfall. ., ., , �* ., downfall. i want to bring in brian ta lor downfall. i want to bring in brian taylor who _ downfall. i want to bring in brian taylor who is _ downfall. i want to bring in brian taylor who is a _ downfall. i want to bring in brian taylor who is a political- downfall. i want to bring in brian| taylor who is a political columnist at the herald and a long—time former bbc political editor in scotland. brian, nick was saying it was last week and that moment when he pulled out all of the green power—sharing that has done it for him. do out all of the green power-sharing that has done it for him.— that has done it for him. do you auree? i that has done it for him. do you agree? i do- — that has done it for him. do you agree? i do- i— that has done it for him. do you agree? i do. i understand- that has done it for him. do you agree? i do. i understand his i agree? i do. i understand his motivation, he was trying to get on the front foot, get control of the agenda, talk more about the economy and less about the gender issues that seem to have dubbed his party and his government. he wanted to get on the front foot, he has ended up shooting himself in the foot and losing hisjob shooting himself in the foot and losing his job as shooting himself in the foot and losing hisjob as first shooting himself in the foot and losing his job as first minister and having to stand down as leader of the snp. i appreciate what he was trying to do, he thought he was taking control but he has ended up losing control entirely stopped it has been an exercise in self

immolation.— has been an exercise in self immolation. . , , ., , has been an exercise in self immolation. . ,, ., , , immolation. assuming he does resign in the next few— immolation. assuming he does resign in the next few minutes, _ immolation. assuming he does resign in the next few minutes, who - immolation. assuming he does resign in the next few minutes, who is, - immolation. assuming he does resign in the next few minutes, who is, in i in the next few minutes, who is, in your mind, likely to take over? it the snp had a completely free position, i think kate forbes would be a very strong contender. she almost defeated humza yousaf last year when the vacancy was created by a nicola sturgeon standing down. the reason she fell short was she raised more questions were raised about the gender recognition reform bill, that was to enhance trans rights. she also said she was sceptical about same—sex micro—marriage. that caused a real problem for her. she lost supporters in the campaign to become leader and it was probably that which meant she didn't win or fell short of defeating humza yousaf. it is that that still dogs her because if there are members of the snp

disquieted about her moral standpoint, the greens are absolutely vigorously against it and they say they simply could not do a deal with kate forbes. when she was standing for the leadership, she said she wanted to review the bute house agreement with the greens. the greens say they wouldn't cut a deal with her. i don't think any of the unionist parties would cut a deal so they would be reliant on ash regan but that is not a stable basis. the greens are hinting that they could do a deal with another snp member, perhaps another member of the cabinet, perhaps perhaps another member of the cabinet, perhaszohn swinney. these things are possible but the snp will be very unhappy about the greens appearing to have some degree of control over their choice of leader but that is politics and its arithmetic, they haven't got the numbers. it arithmetic, they haven't got the numbers. , ., ., , arithmetic, they haven't got the numbers. ., , ., arithmetic, they haven't got the numbers. . , ., , numbers. if you are 'ust “oining us on bbc numbers. if you are 'ust “oining us on sac news. h numbers. if you are 'ust “oining us on bbc news, it h numbers. if you are 'ust “oining us on bbc news, it is h numbers. if you arejust joining us on bbc news, it is mid-day - numbers. if you arejust joining us on bbc news, it is mid-day and i numbers. if you are just joining us| on bbc news, it is mid-day and we on bbc news, it is mid—day and we are looking at bute house in edinburgh. this is where we are

expecting the first minister, humza yousaf, to make a statement shortly. the bbc understands he will resign as first minister. talking to brian taylor, political commentator in scotland and long—time bbc scotland political editor. we mentioned john swinney, do you think that is a possibility? it swinney, do you think that is a possibility?— swinney, do you think that is a possibility? it is. john has been lookin: possibility? it is. john has been looking to _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a _ possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a step - possibility? it is. john has been looking to take a step back- possibility? it is. john has been| looking to take a step back from politics. he was leader of the party at the beginning of the scottish parliament from 1999. it was an extremely turbulent period but when the snp gained power in 2007, he became the finance secretary and was regarded as an extremely stable and secure finance secretary. during that 2007 period, he managed to cut deals on getting the budget through with the conservatives. those days are gone, the days of a deal between the snp and tories over the budget are gone. it would had to be the

greens.