From China to Crewe

Last Modified: 20 May 2008
By: Newsroom blogger

Inside the morning meeting...

After two weeks of hefty foreign coverage, our headline focus turns to domestic issues. Twenty minutes of tonight's show will come from Crewe, ahead of Thursday's by-election.

Senior figures from each of the main parties are lined up for debate in front of a panel of voters - Tory higher education spokesperson Michael Gove, Lib Dem treasury guru Vince Cable, and the chief whip, Geoff Hoon.

Jon Snow is arriving "as we speak" to take the temperature of the mood on the doorsteps - how have the recent economic troubles affected voters?

Another bad poll for Labour - putting the Tories 13 points ahead - is the top line at the moment, but that could all change given the big Channel 4 News presence on the ground.

In Westminster, two more votes are due tonight on the controversial Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill.

The first, on the need for parents to consider a father figure in IVF treatment, has implications for lesbian couples.

The outcome of the final vote, on whether to reduce the abortion limit from 24 weeks, despite no changes in scientific evidence since the current limit was set in 1990, will just be speculation until we are long off-air. The debate may not have started, or just have started, during our time.

It's still an interesting - and important - topic - shall we do it as "a science story, a politics story, or a politics story with a bit of science in there?"

Our science correspondent argues the case for another significant science story - which is embargoed until 6pm, and so will be fresh when we go on air. It would normally be a shoe-in, but how much space can we give it today?

We also have good material from Moscow, where Chelsea and Man U fans are heading before the Champions League Final, including interviews with Russian "hooligans" and supporters' groups. "The preparations, the threat of violence, and what it will do for English-Russian relations" look like the likely angles.

Outdoor drinking is banned, and Russia has lined up a hotel boat - "a prison ship?" someone jokes - for any ticket-less fans.

We will, of course, be watching events in China and Burma, where we have reporters on the ground. "Unless they have new stuff or some big dramatic development, it feels like the day we should give both those teams a rest," says the programme editor.