BuzzFeed
BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed reports that the Liberal Democrats will pledge to legalise cannabis, external in what it calls "one of the most radical drugs policy manifesto commitments ever made by a British political party".

Tim Farron's party would allow cannabis to be sold from high street shops, and spend the tax raised from sales on public health efforts, according to BuzzFeed. 

The Conservatives support the existing drug prohibition policy and Labour remains opposed to legalisation of cannabis. 

BBC News Channel

Jeremy Corbyn is expected to say he is "not a pacifist" and accepts that military action is needed "as a last resort" in a speech in London shortly.

But will he set out in detail what a "last resort" would be?

BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith says the Labour leader has been "deeply critical of successive military interventions abroad" and would "only countenance" military action sanctioned by the UN and if there "is no other alternative".

Mr Corbyn's team think that "in the aftermath of the Iraq War", there is a feeling that "Mr Corbyn called that right".

Looking back at Jeremy Corbyn's record as an MP, Norman says: "I cannot honestly think of any military conflict he has supported."

Norman adds that a Labour source told him that Mr Corbyn would consider UK military action "if a Nato country is threatened".

Former UK PM Tony Blair tells the press in the Republic of Ireland that he is "extremely anxious to make sure that Brexit does not impair" the Good Friday Agreement.

Speaking in County Wicklow, Mr Blair says the Common Travel Area between the UK and the Republic of Ireland is "vital" and there is a need to do "all we can to minimise any potential disruption".

He proposed making "Northern Ireland a special case" in order to preserve an open border with the Republic.

The European Union's chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, has been visiting the Irish border region as part of a two-day visit to Ireland ahead of the beginning of Brexit negotiations.

Addressing a joint session of the Irish houses of parliament in Dublin, he said that he would work to avoid a hard border but emphasised that there would have to be some form of customs controls as a result of Brexit.

Image source, PA

BBC Radio 5 live

BBC Radio 5live is discussing Theresa May's recent attempts at more of a personal touch, with appearances on The One Show and on an LBC phone-in. 

Matt Chorley from the Times gives his verdict: "She doesn't really do warm and gooey - during her leadership campaign she said 'I don't wear my heart on my sleeve' and that was part of her appeal. She stood at lecterns and gave serious speeches."

He finds her forays into intimate interviews "undermining and a bit weird", as "not trying to pretend she's your mate" is one of her strengths.

Ultimately, however, he predicts "an awkward conversation about taking out the bins won't make any difference" to her overall popularity.

Victoria Derbyshire

"Next week we get the manifestos," says BBC assistant political editor Norman Smith - or at least we expect to.

"There will be no hiding place from now on in. We will know exactly what they're promising [and] who's going to have to pay for it.

Victoria Derbyshire

The BBC's Norman Smith gives his round-up of the week to the Victoria Derbyshire programme.

"It's been remorseless," he says. "I'm feeling worn out and it's just week one. We've had the parties going at each other like the clappers, trying to land killer blows."

Norman thinks there is a pattern emerging: Labour has been "desperately pumping out big policy announcements" while the Tories have been "remarkably silent".

The Conservatives' strategy seems to be to give Labour "enough rope" as they are "miles ahead in the polls and... hoping that Mr Corbyn will trip up".

While there have been some "dismal headlines" in the press, Norman adds, team Corbyn will be hoping that increased exposure "may begin to cut through a bit more with the electorate".

With UKIP and the Greens deciding not to field candidates in the race for North Norfolk, the Labour candidate Stephen Burke says he's surprised at the Greens' decision to help the Lib Dems' Norman Lamb hold his seat.

Mr Burke said: "Particularly because of Norman Lamb's record - he's voted for fracking, for the sell-off of forests, the culling of badgers and for fox hunting - and none of these are Green agendas - they ought to be reconsidering."

Image source, Labour party

Mr Burke (pictured) says Labour was the only party in North Norfolk to be out on the streets, which campaigned for the Remain vote, and is the only party fighting for a better deal when Britain leaves the EU.

"Norman Lamb, judging by the action of his words, actually abstained on the Brexit vote on Article 50, so he's in no position to tell us which way to go at all."

North Norfolk's general election is down to three parties.

Earlier this week, UKIP said they won't stand, to boost the chances of the Conservative candidate James Wild. 

Yesterday, the Green Party decided not to put up a candidate, saying it wanted to help Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb hold his seat.

Mike Bossingham, from the Greens, said they had been impressed by Mr Lamb as a constituency MP.

In response, Norman Lamb said he believed it was very clear that we're heading towards a landslide Conservative victory, and nothing will stop that.

He says he's spoken to many Conservatives who have anxieties about absolute power.

"It was a Conservative cabinet minister under the Thatcher government that talked about the dangers of an elective dictatorship... you need another voice in Parliament, a check on the use and abuse of power."

Because the election nationally is a "foregone conclusion", he adds, people in North Norfolk are saying "let's just focus on electing the MP that we want".

The party which came third in Wales in the 2015 general election will not contest all seats in June.

Laura Kuenssberg
BBC political editor

Image source, AFP

As we reported a couple of weeks ago, rather than scramble to cover up his past views for fear they would be unpopular, Jeremy Corbyn was planning to double down, to outline proudly his views on foreign affairs.

Well, today that's exactly what he'll do.

In a set-piece speech on foreign affairs he will express his view that the war on terror has "failed"; that the interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan were mistakes.

And he will take direct aim at Theresa May, saying there must be no more "hand holding" with Donald Trump (remember THAT picture?).

It's more "let Jeremy be Jeremy", a plan to show who he is, in part to shore up his base support.

Read more from Laura.

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

"While we're part of the Union, big decisions get made [in Westminster] about Scotland's future," says SNP Europe spokesman Stephen Gethins, and the party is "campaigning very hard for a strong group of SNP MPs".

"I don't think it's a great secret" that the SNP backs independence, he adds.

Presenter Nick Robinson points out that former SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond said the UK general election was about "the right of the Scottish Parliament to hold a referendum".

In March, the Scottish Parliament backed a call for a second independence referendum. The minority SNP government in Edinburgh was backed by the pro-independence Scottish Greens in the vote, with the Conservatives, Labour and Lib Dems opposed.

Mr Gethins says the move followed the UK government's rejection of the SNP's proposed Brexit compromise - including continued single market membership for Scotland - and the SNP's MPs would "urge them to respect the will of the democratically elected Scottish Parliament".

Today Programme
BBC Radio 4

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn will tell an audience at Chatham House later today that he is "not a pacifist" and accepts that military action is needed "as a last resort". 

Barry Gardiner, shadow international trade secretary, says that he can think of "circumstances" in which Jeremy Corbyn would use military action and the Labour leader is "absolutely committed to the security of this country". 

Mr Gardiner also criticised the Today programme for reading out the Sun headline of "Crash, Bang, Wallies," saying that level of debate was beneath it.