glastonbury looks dry this year. here in kew gardens, lots of sunshine. i will have the weather for you later. it's wednesday the 26th june. with just over a week to go until polling day, the prime minister rishi sunak and labour's sir keir starmer are preparing to go head to head in their final leaders debate of the election later. it comes as members of both main parties continue to face difficult questions about betting allegations. our political correspondent iain watson reports. the second and final head—to—head clash between rishi sunak and the man who wants hisjob — keir starmer — takes place tonight on the bbc. and it's worth a bet that one of the topics might just involve gambling. the conservative campaign has been buffeted by allegations that two candidates, two party officials, and now a member of the welsh senedd had bet on a date of the general election, and were facing inquiries from the gambling watchdog. it's an independent process with the gambling commission. this candidate and close aide to the prime minister, craig williams, lost the support of conservative hq yesterday, nearly two weeks after admitting he'd taken a flutter on the general election date. he's being investigated by the gambling commission and he said in a campaign video that he'd clear his name. i committed an error ofjudgement. not an offence. he turned down the offer of a bbc interview. this candidate, laura saunders, has also had support withdrawn by the conservatives. and now russell george — a conservative member of the welsh senedd — has stood down from a front—bench role when the gambling commission told him he was being investigated. but labour are not immune from the attentions of the gambling watchdog. i'm kevin craig. kevin craig was swiftly suspended by his party when it emerged that he'd placed a bet on the conservatives to win the seat he was contesting. he apologised, said he'd no prior knowledge of the result, and he'd fully comply with a gambling commission investigation. and it's widely expected at westminster that more allegations could emerge. here's what the main party leaders actually want to talk about today. keir starmer says he'll improve access to gps in england to end the 8am scramble for on—the—day appointments. is this an election—winning budget? the conservatives say if they're re—elected they'd cut national insurance rates further in their first budget, and lift most first—time buyers out of the tax they pay when buying a home. but will some bigger questions be asked at tonight's debate? with independent experts suggesting there'll be tough choices for whoever occupies number 10 after the election, they could face having to cut some public services or raise a tax burden or increase borrowing. polling day is getting ever closer. out of government for 14 years, labour needs to build support to win. the party's ahead in the polls, so tonight, rishi sunak will use this platform to try to convince voters he deserves to stay on in downing street. iain watson, bbc news. our chief political correspondent henry zeffmanjoins us now from nottingham, where tonight's debate will take place. good debate will take place. morning to you. question a surrounding good morning to you. question again surrounding those gambling allegations, including around the scottish secretary alisterjack. irate scottish secretary alisterjack. we are two scottish secretary alisterjack. - are two weeks into the story now and the story just scrolls and are two weeks into the story now and the storyjust scrolls and grows. questions, as you say, about alister jack, the scottish secretary. he stood down as a member of parliament at the general election and he has disclosed that he did place a successful bet on the general election taking place injuly. he says he placed that bet back in april. that was a month before the general election was called. he says he had absolutely no knowledge until the day rishi sunak walked out into the day rishi sunak walked out into the rain in downing street, that the election would be injuly. as evidence he points to the fact that the month before he lost two bets because he incorrectly guessed when the general election would be. alisterjack says he is not under investigation the gambling commission. but the risk for the conservatives and for politicians generally is that the perception is now that people in westminster are inveterate we gambling on what is happening at westminster, and whatever the legal position of that, people mightjust begin to think that that is a little bit odd, and i think those are questions that are going to be posed to party leaders, whether they should be new rules about how people can gamble at westminster. and i think those questions are almost certain to be posed at the debate tonight. it you posed at the debate tonight. if you are at the location, _ posed at the debate tonight. if you are at the location, the _ posed at the debate tonight. if you are at the location, the stage - posed at the debate tonight. if you are at the location, the stage is . are at the location, the stage is clearly set. what else can we expect from the debate tonight? weill. clearly set. what else can we expect from the debate tonight?— from the debate tonight? well, the staue here from the debate tonight? well, the stage here at _ from the debate tonight? well, the stage here at nottinghamshire - from the debate tonight? well, the stage here at nottinghamshire at i stage here at nottinghamshire at trent university is stunning, i have to say. you havejust trent university is stunning, i have to say. you have just two leaders on stage tonight, keir starmer and rishi sunak. one of them, i'm not sure who, will be standing here and when you are here you get a sense of how intimate it will be between the two of them. this is of huge national significance for both of them because we know what strategy each has. rishi sunak will be trying to find a way to seize the political agenda, to get this debate back onto his turf. he only has eight days to do so. sir keir starmer doesn't want to mess up but he does want to seal the deal that labour, people are starting to hope they are reaching with the british public. the last set piece moment of this campaign. we will see tonight.— we will see tonight. henry, thank ou. and you can see the final head—to—head between rishi sunak and keir starmer tonight at 8:15 here on bbc one and iplayer. jon has the rest of the day's news. the wikileaks founder, julian assange, has walked out of court a free man for the first time in 14 years, after reaching a plea deal with the us government. the 52—year—old is now on his way home to australia following the hearing in the us territory of saipan, from where our south east asia correspondentjonathan head sent this report. the last stage of a very long journey. julian assange walked into the courtroom on this remote pacific island to hear whether the agreement he'd struck with us prosecutors would stick. after two hours of very careful consideration by the judge, it did. he pleaded guilty, and she agreed to a sentence equal to the time he'd already served in britain. but his lawyers still insist his prosecution for breaking an espionage law was unjust. we firmly believed that mr assange never should have been charged under the espionage act, and engaged in exercise thatjournalists engage in every day. and we're thankful that they do. it is appropriate, though, for this fight to end and it is appropriate for what the judge, as she did today, to determine that no additional incarceration of mr assange would be fair, would be appropriate, and it is time for him to be reunited with his family. his decision to leak thousands of classified documents and videos like this one — showing a us military helicopter killing two journalists in iraq — infuriated the us, which said his actions endangered the lives of its soldiers. assange sought asylum in the ecuadorian embassy in london, after sexual assault charges were filed against him in sweden, which were later dropped. and he stayed there seven years before being thrown out. by then, he was wanted in the us, and held in belmarsh high—security prison, awaiting extradition. pressure from activists and from his home country, australia — a close us ally — finally paved the way for a deal. so for his family, elation that all their campaigning has paid off. i mean, doing cartwheels is a good expression of the joy that one feels thatjulian is returned home — well, about to return home. after the verdict, there was a rush to getjulian assange back on his plane for the long flight home. this had been the briefest of stays in us territory, which he'd fought so long to avoid. but it did deliver perhaps the best possible outcome. so after an extraordinary ia—year—long saga, julian assange has left this courtroom on his way to australia a free man. the deal he had to make with the us government divides opinion — as will his legacy. he is still a hero of free speech to some, an unapologetic assailant on national security for others. jonathan head, bbc news, saipan. our sydney correspondent katy watson joins us now. what sort of reception is he going to receive from the wider australian public when he gets back, do you think? ~ , , . . ~ think? well, he is expected back here in about _ think? well, he is expected back here in about four _ think? well, he is expected back here in about four and _ think? well, he is expected back here in about four and a - think? well, he is expected back here in about four and a half- think? well, he is expected back. here in about four and a half hours. his wife, who flew to australia ahead of his departure from the uk, has travelled here. she has been posting updates. his father, as well, has been thanking australians because so many people here have said it is because of the australians, because of the australians, because of the australian government that we have seen him finally return to australian soil. the prime minister, anthony albanese, who has fought for him to return, said himself that this is not aboutjulian assigned, his activities or what you feel about them, it is about this case going on forfar too long and about them, it is about this case going on for far too long and that is what most australians feel, that he was an australian citizen and he belonged back here. of course after 14 years, that is finally coming to an end. ., ~ ,, four men have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass at rishi sunak�*s constituency home in north yorkshire. north yorkshire police say the men remain in custody. they were detained within one minute. the prime minister has thanked the police for their swift response. at least five people have been shot dead by police in kenya after protesters stormed the country's parliament in nairobi. demonstrators are protesting across the country against an unpopularfinance bill, which includes several tax rises. kenya's president william ruto has vowed a "full response" to the violence. specially trained dogs havejoined the search for the missing british teenagerjay slater. the 19—year—old from lancashire went missing after attending a music festival with friends on the spanish island of tenerife 10 days ago. his family have travelled to the island to join the search. the former fujitsu engineer garethjenkins will return to give evidence to the post office inquiry today, the second of four days of questioning. he played a pivotal role in helping the post office defend its faulty horizon software in court, including in the trial of sub—postmistress seema misra, who was pregnant when she was jailed in 2010. our reporter, zoe conway, has more. former sub—postmistress seema misra came to the inquiry because she wanted to come face—to—face with the man who helped put her in prison. i'm here to hearfrom mrjenkins — why did he do what he did? that's what. .. that's what i wanted to hear. journalists clamour. garethjenkins, a former fujitsu engineer, gave evidence against her in 2010 on behalf of the post office. in his written statement to the inquiry he said sorry. but seema misra, still traumatised by being imprisoned — and on her release electronically tagged — did not accept his apology. i was sent to the prison! i was sent to the prison. i was the one who was there in the four months. five years ago, sub—postmasters won their stunning victory against the post office at the high court. thejudge, mrjustice fraser, said that problems with the horizon software could cause discrepancies in sub—postmasters' accounts. garethjenkins told the inquiry he didn't agree with the judge. and you don't accept his findings that bugs, errors and defects could result in — ie cause — discrepancies or shortfalls in branch accounts? they... they could cause discrepancies in branch accounts, but not at the sort of levels that are being talked about. and in general, the systems, i believe, were operating as they should. do i take it that you accept his first finding that legacy horizon was not remotely robust? i don't accept that finding. seema misra was wrongly convicted of theft. at her trial, garethjenkins failed to tell the court about a software bug that should have been disclosed. he says no—one told him about his legal duties as an expert witness. all i thought i had to do was answer the questions that i was being asked to answer, and that they had — obviously, the answers had to be truthful. garethjenkins is considered to be so central to this inquiry that he's giving evidence for the next three days. zoe conway, bbc news. there will be full coverage of that evidence across bbc news today. england have topped their group at the euros but some fans booed. topping the group is good news but the fans were not happy. yes. topping the group is good news but the fans were not happy.— topping the group is good news but the fans were not happy. yes, it was this auoin the fans were not happy. yes, it was this going to — the fans were not happy. yes, it was this going to be _ the fans were not happy. yes, it was this going to be the _ the fans were not happy. yes, it was this going to be the moment - the fans were not happy. yes, it was this going to be the moment that. this going to be the moment that england's tournament finally sparked into life, when the fans would be singing and swaying to sweet caroline in the stands? in a word, no. a rather underwhelming performance from england, the positive being that they still top the group and will go on to play one of the best placed third placed sides on sunday. that is where they have won their only game in this tournament so far but it was very flat once again and when gareth southgate went over to applaud the watching fans at the end of the game, boos were ringing out, empty cups being thrown towards him. he said it was a strange environment for himself and the players. very few positives, one good note, i suppose, were some of the substitutions he made, changing the game for england in the second half but that was really it. it was flat once again and i guess the england fans showing their frustration in gareth southgate's positions with a structure and style and personnel they feel are just not bringing about the performances and results they feel this side are capable of achieving. they have topped the group, that is the important thing, but as the fans would often say, in gareth southgate we trust but evidence last night that that trust is certainly being tested at the moment. it is certainly being tested at the moment. ., , , ., is certainly being tested at the moment. . , , ., ., moment. it really is. roll on, sunday- _ moment. it really is. roll on, sunday. maybe _ moment. it really is. roll on, sunday. maybe there - moment. it really is. roll on, sunday. maybe there will- moment. it really is. roll on, sunday. maybe there will be l moment. it really is. roll on,| sunday. maybe there will be a moment. it really is. roll on, - sunday. maybe there will be a change in mood. thank you, speak later. a new portrait of sir david attenborough has been unveiled, marking the broadcaster's a0 years as a fellow of the royal society. it is rather beautiful, isn't it? the oil painting byjonathan yeo — the artist behind king charles' first official portrait since the coronation — shows a seated sir david holding his hands, and looking towards the viewer. you can see the similarities, that was very much red and this is very much green. sir david said it was "extraordinary" to have his portrait included in the collection. it is green. thank you for that guidance. it it is green. thank you for that guidance-— guidance. it is looking really colourful at _ guidance. it is looking really colourful at kew _ guidance. it is looking really colourful at kew gardens - guidance. it is looking really| colourful at kew gardens this morning. one of my favourite places. another one day, carol, it is beautiful. it certainly is. there are lots of wee beastie surround _ yesterday we had the hottest day of the year _ yesterday we had the hottest day of the year so — yesterday we had the hottest day of the year so far, 30 degrees in chertsey— the year so far, 30 degrees in chertsey in surrey. wales also had the hottest day of your year so far. 27.7 the hottest day of your year so far. 277 in_ the hottest day of your year so far. 277 in usk~ — the hottest day of your year so far. 27.7 in usk. all four nations have at this_ 27.7 in usk. all four nations have at this hottest day so for this week — at this hottest day so for this week. here in kew gardens, a week. herein kew gardens, a beautifui— week. here in kew gardens, a beautiful start to the day, the forecast — beautiful start to the day, the forecast will be another hot one across _ forecast will be another hot one across england and wales. for scotland — across england and wales. for scotland and northern ireland, we find it— scotland and northern ireland, we find it is— scotland and northern ireland, we find it is a — scotland and northern ireland, we find it is a bit fresher because you have _ find it is a bit fresher because you have a _ find it is a bit fresher because you have a hit— find it is a bit fresher because you have a bit more cloud. we are starting — have a bit more cloud. we are starting with some sunshine across north—western parts of northern ireiand, — north—western parts of northern ireland, north—western scotland, central. — ireland, north—western scotland, central, southern and some eastern parts _ central, southern and some eastern parts of— central, southern and some eastern parts of england, but a lot of cloud elsewhere — parts of england, but a lot of cloud elsewhere. we have a lot of murk coming _ elsewhere. we have a lot of murk coming in — elsewhere. we have a lot of murk coming in from the north sea overnight. that will be pushing northwards through the day, could produce _ northwards through the day, could produce the odd shower across the pennines— produce the odd shower across the pennines come into scotland, some of those _ pennines come into scotland, some of those could _ pennines come into scotland, some of those could be heavy. an outside chance _ those could be heavy. an outside chance of— those could be heavy. an outside chance of the odd rumble of thunder, as welt _ chance of the odd rumble of thunder, as welt and — chance of the odd rumble of thunder, as well. and later, cloud will thicken — as well. and later, cloud will thicken in _ as well. and later, cloud will thicken in the west heralding the arrival— thicken in the west heralding the arrival of— thicken in the west heralding the arrival of a — thicken in the west heralding the arrival of a weather front. temperatures