in 2023. our correspondent been following proceedings in delaware. the first opening statement was from federal prosecutor derek heinz. he set out to penetrate hunter biden as a self—confessed habitual crack cocaine addict who lied in order to purchase a handgun in delaware in 2018. the prosecution alleges that hunter biden knowingly misled when he declared he wasn't a drug abuser, and the prosecution says that he clearly knew at the time that he was. mr hynes stirred the court, the jury, and started his statement, making a clear reference to the fact that the person they had to hear these allegations about was the son of the us president. he said that nobody was above the law, it doesn't matter who you are or what your name is. now, behind hunter biden for the second day, key members of the biden family in the public benches. among them, his stepmother, the first lady, jill biden, who is very close to hunter, sitting just a metre behind him. the family were talking to each other at various points during the proceedings. next up was mr biden pass lawyerfor during the proceedings. next up was mr biden pass lawyer for the defence, who set out to say that this case was all about the detail of what the form actually said, and the defence is that mr biden did not at the time consider himself as a user of drugs, or addicted to illegal drugs, because he said he had been in a rehab clinic in california before that period. when he tick that box to say that he wasn't a drug user, that was meant honestly. they are asking for the jury honestly. they are asking for the jury in that sense to throw out all of these charges. after that, we will be getting into another witness for the case, the first among those, a special agent for the fbi who was put under van the biden investigation last year, and further witnesses due to be called over the course of the next two weeks. the length of this trial is expected to proceed, as hunter biden, he denies all three felony counts against him. now we return to salford and rajini vaidyanathan. the debate is continuing there. it vaidyanathan. the debate is continuing there.— vaidyanathan. the debate is continuing there. vaidyanathan. the debate is continuin: there. , , ., ., continuing there. it is. they are on a commercial— continuing there. it is. they are on a commercial break— continuing there. it is. they are on a commercial break because - continuing there. it is. they are on a commercial break because it - continuing there. it is. they are on a commercial break because it is i continuing there. it is. they are on| a commercial break because it is on itv. this is a first head—to—head between keir starmer and rishi sunak. it has already been a lively 15 minutes or so that we have heard from both of them so far. they have been asked questions about the health service, cost of living crisis, and also about taxation. we are already seeing some of the dividing line between the two leaders and some of the similarities. let's go to vicky young. it has been pretty good so far in terms of understanding where both leaders come from, hasn't it? yes, they have been getting to some of the _ yes, they have been getting to some of the topics you would expect. tax was the _ of the topics you would expect. tax was the latest. there was a good moment— was the latest. there was a good moment when they were asked to put up moment when they were asked to put up their— moment when they were asked to put up their hands if there was something that wasn't true and they said they're like naughty schoolboys, thinking, what is going on here? _ schoolboys, thinking, what is going on here? the big ideas on tax, they agreed _ on here? the big ideas on tax, they agreed on — on here? the big ideas on tax, they agreed on. they have both ruled out putting _ agreed on. they have both ruled out putting up— agreed on. they have both ruled out putting up income tax and vat and national— putting up income tax and vat and national insurance. they do agree on that _ national insurance. they do agree on that what _ national insurance. they do agree on that. what has been striking is that from the _ that. what has been striking is that from the very beginning rishi sunak has been _ from the very beginning rishi sunak has been talking about labour putting — has been talking about labour putting up people's taxes by £2000 per family. putting up people's taxes by £2000 perfamily. i putting up people's taxes by £2000 per family. i was wondering why sir keir starmer was not denying this or getting _ keir starmer was not denying this or getting back on that. he didn't have it 25 minutes, and then when we got an attack— it 25 minutes, and then when we got an attack section, he said: this is nonsense. — an attack section, he said: this is nonsense, the tories have been putting — nonsense, the tories have been putting false policies in non—labour's behalf and trying to -et non—labour's behalf and trying to get officials to cost them. they were _ get officials to cost them. they were asked to be honest. in the last year. _ were asked to be honest. in the last year. the _ were asked to be honest. in the last year, the fact that the economic situation — year, the fact that the economic situation means that there has been a lot of— situation means that there has been a lot of money for public spending. in the _ a lot of money for public spending. in the current trajectory, lots of departments will face big cuts. neither— departments will face big cuts. neither of them really had an answer to all of— neither of them really had an answer to all of that. the other thing is buzzwords. her rishi sunak it has been _ buzzwords. her rishi sunak it has been a _ buzzwords. her rishi sunak it has been a labour taxes going up. the sir keir_ been a labour taxes going up. the sir keir starmer it has been: this trust~ _ sir keir starmer it has been: this trust~ he — sir keir starmer it has been: this trust. he clearly thinks that it, in their— trust. he clearly thinks that it, in their private polling, is a big negative _ their private polling, is a big negative for the conservatives. rishi _ negative for the conservatives. rishi sunak is not only having to defend — rishi sunak is not only having to defend its — rishi sunak is not only having to defend its own policies, but those of his _ defend its own policies, but those of his predecessor as well. that makes — of his predecessor as well. that makes it— of his predecessor as well. that makes it very difficult. he could easily— makes it very difficult. he could easily have been on the back foot. what _ easily have been on the back foot. what he _ easily have been on the back foot. what he has done is to come out very aggressively, much more aggressively than i _ aggressively, much more aggressively than i think— aggressively, much more aggressively than i think people realise, because he wants— than i think people realise, because he wants to — than i think people realise, because he wants to talk about the future, not the _ he wants to talk about the future, not the record. sir keir starmer really— not the record. sir keir starmer really wants a dog about what has come _ really wants a dog about what has come before the past 14 years. before — come before the past 14 years. before you go in, having covered a lot of political debates and quite of few uk ones, what struck me is how when you see politicians in front of an audience, they tried to show that they are relatable. with the question about the nhs, they were playing up their own personal connection. how do you think they are scoring when it comes to a late ability and empathy? thea;r are scoring when it comes to a late ability and empathy?— are scoring when it comes to a late ability and empathy? they have both talked about their _ ability and empathy? they have both talked about their parent's _ ability and empathy? they have both talked about their parent's jobs. - talked about their parent's jobs. pray that — talked about their parent's jobs. pray that their parents, some of them, _ pray that their parents, some of them, worked in the nhs —— both of their— them, worked in the nhs —— both of their parents. in the beginning they were trying to get the point of rishi — were trying to get the point of rishi sunak's wealth on the labour side without saying it, saying how can you _ side without saying it, saying how can you possibly understand somebody who has _ can you possibly understand somebody who has to _ can you possibly understand somebody who has to cook all of their food that we — who has to cook all of their food that we could be considered would put that we could be considered would but the _ that we could be considered would put the other nine during the week. they have _ put the other nine during the week. they have eight trying to do that. i think— they have eight trying to do that. i think it _ they have eight trying to do that. i think it is — they have eight trying to do that. i think it is hard for both of them. sir keir— think it is hard for both of them. sir keir starmer's background, yet he came _ sir keir starmer's background, yet he came from a poor background, a poor background, he talked about how telephone _ poor background, he talked about how telephone got cut off because they can do— telephone got cut off because they can do for— telephone got cut off because they can do for the bills, that isn't where — can do for the bills, that isn't where he _ can do for the bills, that isn't where he is a sir, he raced to the top of— where he is a sir, he raced to the top of his— where he is a sir, he raced to the top of his profession, so for a lot of people. — top of his profession, so for a lot of people, they might not be able to relate _ of people, they might not be able to relate to— of people, they might not be able to relate to either of them. i think that is— relate to either of them. i think that is always the difficult bit for politicians and it is where they look _ politicians and it is where they look at — politicians and it is where they look at the most uncomfortable. that debate has look at the most uncomfortable. “inst debate has resume to la vallette to go back in. we will be back with vicki young in a short while. when we look at what we're hearing from the debate, many people will be fact checking and trying to work out what is true and what is not true. has it been costed? has it not? earlier my colleague was taking a look at some of the immigration policies from the bbc verify hub. of the immigration policies from the bbc verify hub-— bbc verify hub. yes, the conservatives _ bbc verify hub. yes, the conservatives so - bbc verify hub. yes, the conservatives so that. bbc verify hub. yes, the i conservatives so that their bbc verify hub. yes, the - conservatives so that their visa reforms are already working, they are getting net migration down. there is an annual cap for the users. specifically, the home secretaryjames users. specifically, the home secretary james cleverly says the net migration has been cut by a tenth last year and that the existing restrictions will prevent 300,000 people from being eligible to come to the uk in the future. is that accurate? well, it is correct that accurate? well, it is correct that net migration fell by around 10% in 1923 to 685,000 from 764,000 a year before. however, this was largely due to a major drop in people coming to the uk from hong kong and ukraine via humanitarian rates, not the government's these are measures which only came into effect this year. james cleverly claimed today that the reason the government didn't deliver lower net migration before 2016 was at the uk within the european union, and was subject to freedom of movement rules. as you can see, the really big rise in net migration came after we formally left of the eu in 2021. now, the tories are also claiming labour would let their quota of 250,000 more people come to the uk from the eu every year as part of a supposedly sweetheart deal they want to negotiate with the european union. this is based on a think tank report which assumes a future labour government will have to accept a large eu migrant quota in order to get a deal where i could return some asylum seekers to the eu. the rest of this figure is based on the idea labour would reverse that new rule blocking care workers from being able to bring their dependents. that doesn't really correspond with anything labour and sir keir starmer have actually said. labour are seeking an eu returns agreement if they win power but have also said they win power but have also said they would not sign up to any pan— eu scheme with a migrant quota because the uk is not a member state. they also indicated it would not scrap the care worker visa rules. what about the wider implications of the new hard cap on visas? there are lots of people a desire for lower migration is not motivated by economics but rather the idea of the country changing. there is some evidence migration create additional pressure on public services. however, at the same time, there is evidence it helps to release net public service pressure. the shortage of doctors, nurses, social care workers have been filled by migrants in recent years. training domestic workers to replace nhs workers would likely come at a cost to taxpayers, and higher wages to attract domestic workers and social care would likely be reflected in care costs. the official forecaster also projects what would happen if the national debt if net migration. 350,000 a year to 150,000 a year. the black line becomes a red line. debt is still rising in five years' time. this means the government would not be on course to hit its fiscal rule. that implies a trade—off, is at least in the short—term, between lower net migration and the possibility of tax cuts. this doesn'tjustify higher net doesn't justify higher net migration. doesn'tjustify higher net migration. 0n longer terms, the impact on public finances is thought to be more neutral. and, many people will nevertheless feel that this is a price worth paying for what they see as the social cohesion benefit offer lower migration. a surprise it is worthy of... the offer lower migration. a surprise it is worthy of- - -_ is worthy of... the biggest driver of migration _ is worthy of... the biggest driver of migration last _ is worthy of... the biggest driver of migration last year _ is worthy of... the biggest driver of migration last year was - is worthy of... the biggest driver of migration last year was work. | is worthy of... the biggest driver i of migration last year was work. we have a worker from the university of oxford, they told us what the 0xford, they told us what the options were for filling the nearly 1 millionjob options were for filling the nearly 1millionjob vacancies options were for filling the nearly 1 million job vacancies across uk. migration is certainly one way of filling vacancies across the economy. it is not the only way that they can be filled. things that implies and policymakers can do include improving pay and working conditions to makejobs more attractive to workers who are already in the uk. they don't need to have labour at all, in fact, and they can automate processes. they can use machinery rather than workers.. migration is one of the options available, but these are just two examples of the other things it can be done instead. the migration advisory committee, when it recommended that care workers were added to the skilled worker route, so migrant care workers are able to get visas, they also recommended that pay and working conditions in the sector where improved, because that is what they consider to be the underlying issue. so, really, this comes to a bit of a trade—off in thatjobs can be made more attractive by improving pay and conditions, but that may be difficult for some employers if the profit margins are quite tight. 0r, profit margins are quite tight. or, in the case of public services, it comes with a financial cost, which obviously, there are many priorities for the government, and so, spending money in one area means not spending money in one area means not spending money in one area means not spending money in another area. we see quite an interesting difference in opinion surveys between people who, at least until fairly recently, said that they were going to vote for the labour party, and people who said fairly recently that they were going to both the conservative party. so, among labour voters... as a whole, they can be quite ambiguous about migration. no real strong feelings positively or negatively. and it was fairly low down on the list of issues in terms of how important migration was. but, for people who recently said that they were going to vote for the conservative party, it is one of the biggest issues among these voters, and they had to be more negative about issues. so, it is certainly not the case at all voters think the same way about migration, something about it as a more important issue than others to —— something about it. it is more important issue than others to -- something about it.— -- something about it. it is a tear since may. _ -- something about it. it is a tear since may. a — -- something about it. it is a tear since d-day, a turning _ -- something about it. it is a tear since d-day, a turning point- -- something about it. it is a tear since d-day, a turning point in i -- something about it. it is a tear| since d-day, a turning point in the since d—day, a turning point in the war as allied troops landed on the coast of northern france and began the liberation from the nazi obligation. we have this report. for many of these veterans, their departure from the shores 80 years ago, all as very young man, was their first venture overseas. cheering. excitement and a sense of celebration will, in coming days, turne to commemoration. stan ford survived as his ship was sunk by a mini submarine, but many other members of the group were killed. as you know, john, i have 32 reasons for going back, 32 guys who never came home. i made that promise to myself that every opportunity i would go back and pay my respects and honours those guys. and honour those guys. as they left portsmouth, their modern day counterparts flew overhead in a royal air force transport plane and stood to attention, saluting on the deck of the aircraft carrier hms prince of wales, respect between the generations. john has been back to normandy before but never to the british memorial. it was very emotional and i am afraid that will probably be a bit emotional when we get there, to see the actual thing. we will rememberthem. as the ferry approached the french coastline, the engine slowed and the veterans paid tribute. so, a short, poignant, but highly symbolic ceremony as the reefs were thrown over the side of the ferry. ceremony as the wreathes were thrown over the side of the ferry. the idea is to pay tribute to those who died before even reaching the french shores and beaches they had come here to liberate. and so to france and two full days of ceremonies and commemorations for those who can tell the story of what happened here 80 years ago first—hand. the number may be dwindling, but their commitment today, as it was then, remains immense. john maguire, bbc news, normandy. applause and return to that election debate. rajini vaidyanathan isn't offered to us this evening. it is going to start wrapping up soon, retuning vardy and alan? —— rajini vaidyanathan? vardy and alan? -- ra'ini vaidyanathan?�* vardy and alan? -- ra'ini vaidyanathan? vardy and alan? -- ra'ini vaid anathan? ~ . ., vaidyanathan? we have had 45 minutes. vaidyanathan? we have had 45 minutes- it _ vaidyanathan? we have had 45