Have used common sense and left the building, instead of listening to the fire brigade. The lib dems launch their election campiagn and claim the uk would get a remain bonus of £50 billion over five years if brexit was stopped. Cheering five years if brexit was stopped. And in south africa, a triumphant return home for the springboks, who won the Rugby World Cup in great style. And coming up on sportsday on bbc news, all the action from a big night in the champions league. Good evening. One the eve of the launch of the conservative Election Campaign, a member of borisjohnsons cabinet, alun cairns, the welsh secretary, has been urged to resign by a victim of rape. The victim, who cant be named, says mr cairns should step down because of his links to a man who sabotaged her trial. Ross england, who served as an aide to the welsh secretary, was heavily criticised by a judge for his role in wrecking the trial last year. Mr england was subsequently selected as a conservative candidate for the Welsh Assembly. Mr cairns had denied knowledge of the events, but bbc news has seen an email sent to him mentioning the issue. Our wales Political EditorFelicity Evans has the story. Alun cairns arriving at the last Cabinet Meeting before the election, just hours before he faced calls for his resignation. He has been under pressure over what he knew about this man, ross england, a former aide who was a witness in a rape trial in april last year. Mr englands evidence caused the trial to collapse. Thejudge, Stephen Hopkins qc, told him. Eight months later, the conservative party in wales selected ross england as a candidate for the Welsh Assembly elections in 2021. Alun cairns endorsed him as a friend and colleague with whom it will be last week, when his role in the collapse of the trial came to light, the party suspended ross england and alun cairns said he became aware of the collapse of the trial some considerable time afterwards, and had no knowledge of the role of ross england. But it has emerged that last summer mr cairns special adviser sent him an e mailwhich said. How do you feel we can best do that . That was four months before mr cairns endorsed him as a candidate. Alun cairns has not given an interview or a Statement Today but the conservative party in wales has issued a statement. They said, there is no new information in this leaked document confirming an informal conversation which took place a considerable time after the trial collapsed and is consistent with statements made. But the woman who was raped has called on mr cairns to step down. She told us. Speaking last week, she spoke of her anger that the party had selected mr england as a candidate. For them to make him a candidate in a target seat for the Welsh Assembly proves to me how little respect they have for me, how little respect they have for the criminaljustice system. Why would you notjust give the victim a fair chance of actuallyjustice to prevail . Why wouldnt you just let a jury decide on the facts . With a general election under way, mr cairns political opponents are echoing calls for his resignation. It is time for alun cairns to look at his position and to think about whether he should step down now, for the sake of the country and for the sake of his party. But senior conservatives are trying not to get drawn in. The person who was involved has been suspended. Alun is a fantastic secretary of state, deeply respected and effective. I do not have the full details on this. Obviously it is a very, very sensitive issue, i dont want to speculate. For the moment, mr cairns is digging in. But with a Campaign Launch tomorrow, the party will want this row settled, and fast. Felicity evans, bbc news. And felicity is in cardiff tonight. You have been talking to welsh conservatives today about mr cairns position but what are they telling you . No one is willing to go on the record but off the record a great deal of concern. The conservatives are optimistic of their chances in this campaign, particular hoping to ta ke this campaign, particular hoping to take seats in the north east of wales but one source said earlier the toxic nature of these revelations could bring down the whole conservative campaign in wales put it another senior party figure said of mrcairns, put it another senior party figure said of mr cairns, i personally think he is in serious trouble. Tonight and that said there was increasing anger and alarm among election candidates as the story has unfolded and added that it looks very difficult to see how alun cairns can lead the campaign in wales without fully explaining the circumstances of this case. Another source just commenting saying, our three priorities in the National Campaign outside brexit ah law and order, the nhs and schools. He is undermining one of those. There is no doubt that tonight alun cairns is facing increasing pressure, including from within his own party here in wales, to explain exactly how much he knew about ross englands involvement in the colla pse englands involvement in the collapse of that trial and perhaps most importantly, when he knew it. Felicity, thank you very much. Felicity, thank you very much. Felicity evans, our Political Editor in wales. In another Development Today involving a cabinet minister, the leader of the commons, jacob rees mogg, has apologised after suggesting that People Living in Grenfell Tower might have used common sense on the night of the fire two years ago and left the tower block, despite the fire brigades advice to stay in the building until help arrived. 72 people died in the fire in the summer of 2017. Our special corrspondent lucy manning reports. If theres one tragedy its easy to show sympathy with and be sensitive about, its grenfell. The inquiry finding just last week residents shouldnt have been told to stay put in their flats for so long, yet one government minister has managed to upset the survivors. The more ones read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what youre told and leave, you are so much safer. And i think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. Itjust seems the common sense thing to do. Marcio gomes, his pregnant wife, and two daughters were trapped on the 21st floor. They filmed the smoke and the darkness that made it almost impossible to escape. Their son, logan, was stillborn after the fire. There is no way you can get out . Floor 21 . Theres no way theres no way. We have tried three times already. The fires here you know, i lost my son and, yeah, it was hurtful. Its not very nice for the survivors, the families, or even the community, as well, what he said. He certainly needs to start thinking a bit more about what hes saying. And if he wants to talk about common sense, then i can quite. You know, turn around and say its common sense not to build houses or flats with flammable material. As he left cabinet, mr rees mogg was asked if he thought Grenfell Residents lacked common sense. Thats not what i said. Not what i said. Do you regret your comments . Thats not what i said. He later said. Do you accept his apology for those comments . No, not really. I think it was just very insensitive. It shows how out of touch he is with everyone. At any time, Jacob Rees Moggs comments would be seen as insensitive, but at the start of an Election Campaign, they suggest a government minister lacking empathy at the very time politicians are trying to connect with people. Grenfell survivors again feeling let down by those in charge. Lucy manning, bbc news. The liberal democrats have launched their Election Campaign, claiming theyre the only party with a clear cut promise to stop brexit. The party leaderjo swinson said this election could bring about a seismic change in british politics and that the economy would benefit from a so called remain bonus an extra £50 billion to spend on Public Services over the next five years. Brexit was also a prominent feature of both labour and conservatives campaigns today, as our Political Editor, laura kuenssberg, reports. There are some flashing images coming up. 0ur liberal democrat candidate for Prime Minister, jo swinson. A liberal democrat candidate for Prime Minister . Could jo swinson really transform a dozen from 2017 into a group who could govern . This is not a normal election. It is not a typical choice about whether you want the red team or the blue team to be in government. Her ranks have grown as brexit has rippled through the two big parties. But, as a tribe who unashamedly wants to keep us in the eu, the lib dems believe their best chance is now. I never thought that i would stand here and say that im a candidate to be Prime Minister. But when i look at borisjohnson and Jeremy Corbyn, i am absolutely certain i could do a betterjob than either of them. Honest whispers suggest number 10 is out of reach so, if no one got a majority, would she could she prop up one of the others . Im absolutely, categorically ruling out liberal democrat votes putting Jeremy Corbyn into number 10. You said this morning you want to bring the country together. How would you do that if your plan is to disregard the vote of millions of people in the referendum of 2016 . As liberal democrats, we are standing up for what we believe in and being very honest and straightforward about that. I recognise there are differences of opinion on this issue. Its a new politics now and i do think they really have a chance to form a government. Very optimistic and its a really good feeling, actually, going out on the doorstep. Very, very positive feedback. If they get more than 50 to 80 plus, id be happy with that. Labour will come knocking with a different proposal for brexit. After months of internal agonies, they are suggesting, if they win, they would negotiate a different deal with brussels and then, within six months, give you another choice of leaving or staying in. A Labour Government will get brexit sorted within six months. It wont be a rerun of 2016. This time the choice will be between leaving with a sensible deal, or remaining in the eu. That is the policy. It really isnt very complicated. Im a believer. Believe it or not, the official campaign has not started but we are speeding through those kodak moments already. The snp refrain familiar, too. This is an election about who decides the future of scotland. If we allow westminster to do that, we risk being taken out of the eu against our will. Of course, more than a third of people in scotland did vote to leave. And he has sent everyone to the polls because it hasnt happened yet. Do you feel up for the campaign . Yeah i think you do, you look as though youre full of beans. However bouncy any of our politicians appear now, some of them have chosen this to be their last day. For those who want to stay, this election is a gamble that the grins cannot hide. Laura is here. The campaign now moving up a few gears. From todays evidence, what are we looking forward to . Boris johnson has even gone through the formal ceremonials. He will officially go to Buckingham Palace tomorrow to speak to the queen for the actual monarchs rubber stamp that this Election Campaign will be under way but a tricky day for the conservatives, not just under way but a tricky day for the conservatives, notjust calls under way but a tricky day for the conservatives, not just calls for a serving cabinet minister to quit and stand out but also a really toxic reminder for the conservatives after Jacob Rees Moggs remarks about the tragedy of Grenfell Tower. He has clearly apologised very sincerely but it is an absolute reminder for the conservatives of how vulnerable they are to the charge made repeatedly by their critics, that in some ways they just repeatedly by their critics, that in some ways theyjust dont relate to millions of ordinary people who find life difficult, who struggled to get by, who live vulnerable lives. That is something conservatives, wise conservatives, are absolutely aware of. But what we saw today, of course, gives all sorts of fodder for their critics in the other parties to throw at them repeatedly through this campaign, and already spreading all over the place online. Its spreading all over the place online. Its also a reminder to all of the parties, whether the lib dems today wanting to talk only about stopping brexit or labour wanting to push their policies, try as they might, they do not control the agenda of they do not control the agenda of theissues they do not control the agenda of the issues that will pop up. But in the issues that will pop up. But in the end, however bumpy and however varied this campaign is, in six weeks time, the outcome will determine one huge thing if the conservatives get majority, we will leave the European Union may be in a matter of weeks at the beginning next year. If they dont, we might be on the path to another referendum and that is why people talk correctly of this election being one of the most vital in modern times. Laura, thanks. Laura kuenssberg our Political Editor with the latest analysis. The former conservative chancellor Philip Hammond says he will leave parliament with Great Sadness after deciding not to stand as an independent candidate in his surrey constituency. Mr hammond lost the conservative whip after defying borisjohnson over plans for a no deal brexit. He said he wouldnt run as an independent as that would be a direct challenge to the party he loved. The outgoing head of the European Commission, Jean Claude Juncker, has told the bbc he believes the uk will leave the eu by the end of january, the end of the current extension period. Mrjuncker admitted he regretted not speaking out at the time of the european referendum, so our europe editor, katya adler, has put to him some of the promises made by the parties in the run up to this election to get his reaction. If we start with boris johnson, because hes still our Prime Minister. I like him, by the way. 0k. So, he says if he wins the election and the withdrawal bill is passed, then he thinks its possible to get a new trade deal negotiated by the end of 2020. So, you know, in less than 12 months. Is that possible . I dont want to be a prisoner of this tight framework. But is it even possible, it took seven years to negotiate a deal with canada, for example . It takes time to negotiate a free trade agreement. Sometimes, i have the impression that in britain, people. Parliamentary representatives, governmental representatives do think that this is an easy thing to be done. Its not easy, because we are negotiating for years with canada. It will take time. Can i have a look now at some other claims being made . So, the labour party, for example, says if it wins the general election, it will renegotiate once again. So, a third brexit deal. I will no longer be in office when this happens. So, it will be up to the next commission to decide if yes or no there is room for manoeuvre of a new deal, a new treaty. Honestly spoken, i dont think that this is a realistic approach. Would you like there to be another referendum and the uk to give brexit another thought . The question if yes or no there should be a second referendum. Is a british issue. I dont think that there will be a second referendum. The brexit party says the new brexit Withdrawal Agreement is not brexit, they say, its just brexit in name only. Is that a fair thing to say about Boris Johnsons deal with your commission . No, its brexit. Im not a supporter of mr farage. You made a bet at the time of the referendum. Yes. With the uk commission, and you pointed out that you thought that remain would lose the referendum, you bet him £1. Yeah, yeah. So, just going back to the 31st january, this latest brexit extension, would you bet the £1 that the uk will be out by the 31st january, no more brexit extensions, you think . I do think that it will happen but this is a too long story. It has to be brought to an end. You know, youve been in this job for a long time. Would you be tempted to stay in your office until brexit is done, or at least this phase of brexit . No, no, no. I had brexit enough in my life. President juncker, thank you very much for your time. Thank you, it was a pleasure. Thank you, thank you. The outgoing head of the European CommissionJean Claude Juncker speaking to katya adler. Thousands of scientists from around the world have joined forces to declare a Global Climate emergency. They say that without deep and lasting change, the world is facing untold human suffering and that governments are failing to address the crisis. So, how important will the issue of Climate Change be in this uk election and what can the next government hope to do about it . 0ur science editor David Shukman reports. With a new series, David Attenborough is, once again, attracting huge audiences with revelations about the natural world. Climate change now has a profile like never before. So, do people care about it . Protests by Extinction Rebellion were annoying for some, but inspiring for many others. We love you and the school strikes sh