chancellor that you are constrained. these are rules that governments decide _ these are rules that governments decide to — these are rules that governments decide to have, you don't have to have _ decide to have, you don't have to have them — decide to have, you don't have to have them. we could change them, some _ have them. we could change them, some countries do not have them, the reason _ some countries do not have them, the reason we _ some countries do not have them, the reason we have them as to give confidence _ reason we have them as to give confidence to the british people and the world _ confidence to the british people and the world that we are a country that pays back _ the world that we are a country that pays back our debt. if we do not have _ pays back our debt. if we do not have them — pays back our debt. if we do not have them people would worry that britain _ have them people would worry that britain was going to go on an endless _ britain was going to go on an endless borrowing binge and we are sort of— endless borrowing binge and we are sort of country and i have taken a difficult _ sort of country and i have taken a difficult decision as chancellor to show— difficult decision as chancellor to show the — difficult decision as chancellor to show the world that we are a good for the _ show the world that we are a good for the money you borrow.- for the money you borrow. people watchin: for the money you borrow. people watching the _ for the money you borrow. people watching the memo _ for the money you borrow. people watching the memo what - for the money you borrow. people watching the memo what they - for the money you borrow. people - watching the memo what they happened in the autumn when your predecessors did the br and promised billions of unfunded tax cuts. which you undid. let's talk about some of the specifics. i know you are not going to confirm any specific tax cuts, not this morning, let's not do that dance.

however, we should tell our viewers... we are going to do a different dance, are we? i know you are a keen ballroom dancer. there is a widespread expectation you are likely to cut national insurance, there is a widespread expectation you are going to nick labour's policy of tightening up the rules for so—called non—doms, people who earn huge fortunes abroad. but aren't permanent residents. you said these are foreigners who could leave easily in ireland, france, portugal, or spain, they all have these schemes, i'd rather they stayed here and spent their money here. do you want to take that back? as i said, laura, i'm not going to talk about individual taxes. 0h, oh, i'm asking on principle. out of principle do you agree withjeremy hunt from 2022? i don't disagree withjeremy hunt from nearly everything i said in the past, but sometimes... let me say this, the country sees

through gimmicks and we are not going to do gimmicks on wednesday. it's going to be a budget for responsible, long—term growth. when it comes to labour, this is an election year and people will see a contrast. we have a plan for growth that has seen us grow faster than any large european economy. that has just abandoned their plan for growth... hang on, jeremy hunt, we are speaking to labour later in the programme. no, but you mentioned labour's policy. rachel reeves will be here next week so we are not discussing labour's economic policy. the contrast with labour is we have halved unemployment. their plans will destroyjobs because they want to give more additional burdens to employers. their plans... we have plans to bring taxes down, they want to spend more, so there is that contrast with labour but it's not going to be about gimmicks. your plan on non—doms and making it harder for non—doms to pay avoid paying tax here, perfectly legally under

the current rules, you would be carrying out a screaming u—turn. do you deny that that is your plan? wa nt to want to talk about any individual taxes. i thought that was a dance we won't have. i want to bring down the tax burden. as a conservative. that would be the right way to unlock growth in the economy but i will do so in a way that is responsible, not through borrowing, not through gimmicks, iwill do through borrowing, not through gimmicks, i will do the right thing in the long term interest of this country because my economic growth. what about doing the right thing for the tourist industry in this country? should he be feeling... looking forward to wednesday? i country? should he be feeling... looking forward to wednesday? i want to do everything _ looking forward to wednesday? i want to do everything i— looking forward to wednesday? i want to do everything i can _ looking forward to wednesday? i want to do everything i can to _ looking forward to wednesday? i "grant to do everything i can to support the tourism industry.

i will not talk about wednesday but in the autumn statement we cut business rates on retail, hospitality and leisure businesses by 75%. i think it has boosted an important sector. in principle, anything i can do to help business, i want to because this will be a budget for long—term growth. what a lot of people watching are concerned about is notjust how inflation has eaten away at wages. everybody knows when they go to the shop things have gone up and up. it has slowed down. you have made that point. but a strong sense shared by many that public services are creaking, not nearly good enough. maybe, if you have spare cash, that is where money should go. a viewerjonathan hughes said joe and jill citizen do not want lower taxes, they would rather services of all sorts are provided and improved. what would you say to him? i say to jonathan is what most people want is better public services and a lower tax burden. it is the old thing, can we have european public services and american levels of tax?

the only way we have a chance of delivering something like that is by spending money we spend on public services more efficiently. i know we will talk about productivity later. if i could give an example. typically nurses will say they spend up to a third of their time filling out forms rather than looking after patients and police officers say they spend eight hours a week on unnecessary paperwork. we have to think not about money we put in but whether we can do things more efficiently. so that we get more out. people working on the front line, who work extremely hard, they would find theirjobs more rewarding if we rethink the approach to public spending. successive chancellors have promised on productivity which in normal language is spending taxpayers' money properly and it does not seem much, ia years into power, to spend it properly. when you now say the answer is to spend cash better...

it's not what we're saying. ia years in power and violent crime has halved. our reading standards in schools were behind france, germany, and sweden, they are now ahead. we have more than 40,000 additional doctors in the nhs. ahead of the pandemic between 2010 and 2019, productivity in the public sector was increasing 1% a year. we need to get back to that. the pandemic stopped it. if we are going to square this circle of better public services and reducing the tax burden, we need to restart the programme of public service reform we had before the pandemic. so that is one of the things that has gone wrong, the pandemic put the brakes on government looking to make taxpayers' money be spent better? not everywhere. i'll give you one example. the passport office,

a couple of years ago there were huge problems with people getting passports. they have completely turned that around, i think it is one of the most efficient passport services anywhere in the world. when you make those kind of changes, it is more rewarding for those delivering services and better for the public and cheaper for the taxpayer. that is what we have to restart and that is why improving the way we spend money, the efficiency of money, is key if we want to reduce the tax burden. let's talk about the efficiency of a plan you announced last year, to huge fanfare, plans for child care in england. you said working parents would get 30 hours of free childcare for under fives by september, 15 hours for under twos. ina in a matter of weeks. labour has spoken to childcare providers. lots of childcare providers. they have claimed it is not ready on the ground and providers are worried about going out of business.

a viewer, julia ford, is like many others told on the ground it will not happen. she was told this week, my daughter is trying to get childcare for her two—year—old and the nursery said it has not had information from the government yet. it is meant to be happening in a few weeks. can you guarantee people watching today, parents and nursery providers, places will be there and no providers will go out of business as a result of the changes? i believe we are on track. it is the biggest expansion of childcare in a generation. what we said a year ago was that we would expand the 30 hours of free childcare to every parent when the children are nine months or older. a huge change, particularly for women, it means many women can go back to theirjobs without interrupting their career. but it is a big change. it may mean we need to employ 40,000 more people in the sector. that is why we are bringing it in in stages. the first step is

two—year—olds in april. the next is september and finally be brought in the following september. i am not hearing you giving a guarantee and you were told at the time it was a big change. but it was going to be important. you will understand why i don't want to give an absolute guarantee but am i confident we are delivering and it is on track for this april? yes, iam. is childcare going to be for ever part of the welfare state? i do not believe in for ever expanding the welfare state because it is not compatible with bringing the tax burden down and a society that makes work pay. this is different. let me explain. if we are going to have a model for growth in the economy that is not based on unlimited migration but is based on increasing notjust gdp but gdp per head. people are in betterjobs, earning more, ratherthan

just higher numbers? exactly. if we are to change that model we need to break down barriers for around the 10 million adults of working age who are not in work. childcare is one of the biggest reasons why young parents say they are prevented from going back to work. we have extraordinary talented young mums and dads who find they are prevented from going to work because of the cost of childcare. this measure means those parents can continue to progress in their careers, which is good for the economy and therefore the right thing to do. by 2028, it is projected to cost more than £8 billion. some in your party are concerned about the size of the state and the state has been growing and growing. is it a good idea, compatible with your ambition to be a lower tax country if you keep growing what the state office? what the state offers? it is because that is the gross cost.

not the net cost. if you look at the economic impact of having more people in work, higher gdp, more taxes paid, you find this is cost effective as a measure. as an example, if we had the same female participation rate, i am sorry, let me put it in better language... the same number of women working as they do in holland, we would have more than 2 million extra people in the workforce. that would mean a much bigger gdp, less talent wasted and a more prosperous country. let's talk about the prosperity of the country and i want to show viewers something important. sometimes it is hard to get your head around. this is the size of the country's debt. 2019 - about 80%. already high. by by historic proportions. now it is almost the size of the whole economy. a lot in your party and a lot

of people probably watching, look at that and think it is horrifying. and i know of course the books have been battered by covid and the shock of the conflict in ukraine, liz truss' adventures with the financial markets did not help the situation. as a conservative chancellor, how can you be comfortable with that level of debt? i'm not. when i became chancellor, debt was projected to reach 100% of gdp. now it is... 98. over the forecast, it will go down to more like 94%. but you are right to talk about covid and the cost—of—living crisis. we spent hundreds of billions supporting families. i think that was the right thing. since 2010, we have 800 more people in work for every day the conservatives have been in office. we have kept unemployment at historic lows because of those decisions.

now the pandemic is behind us we have to start bringing down debt prudently and responsibly and that is what you will see on wednesday. when you talk about bringing down the debt, by the end of the five—year forecast, you try to avoid the technical term, at the end of the period, it is projected to come down by a whisker. do you think perhaps you need to do something more radical to confront the scale of that? it is coming down significantly compared to the levels predicted when i became chancellor. the balancing act i have is that as i know andy haldane will agree, one of the most effective ways to bring down debt is to grow the economy. we have a plan that people like the international monetary fund say will see the british economy growing faster than any large european economy over the next...

it's still looking pretty anaemic. it will grow faster than france, germany, italy, orjapan, over the next five years. we need to stick with that plan. it is not the time to go back to square one. it is how we bring down debt, bring taxes down, create more jobs and create the high—wage, high—skill economy everyone wants. will you be chancellor by the time of the election? absolutely and i hope to be chancellor after the election because i think people will look at the fundamental choice and they know we have been through a difficult period but they know they have a government with a clear plan for the economy that is creating jobs, bringing in investment, and have seen us grow faster than similar european countries. the choice between that and a labour party that has abandoned its economic plan... i know you will talk... we will talk to rachel reeves next week and people watching might feel differently about what you have said. it's a very stark contrast. she will be with us in the studio next week.

before we leave you, rishi sunak made a surprise speech about extremism on friday night after the election of george galloway in rochdale. this time last week, the former conservative mp lee anderson was booted out of the party for comments that many believed, and we heard in the studio, were islamophobic and anti—muslim. the former pm, liz truss, turned up at an event with him a couple of days ago. if she was happy to appear alongside him, should she face consequences? even though he has been booted out. that is a matter for the conservative party. you are part of the conservative party. yes, i know. the conservative party has been clear and decisive that what lee anderson said was wrong. it was interpreted by many as fuelling anti—muslim hatred and divisions. he was given the chance to apologise and did not and we took clear action. i think people know where the conservative party stands. 0k, thank you. we will see what happens

on wednesday and good luck in the london marathon. i'm not sure if that is easier or harder than delivering a budget. good luck for the budget, as well! that is the chancellorjeremy hunt talking earlier to laura kuenssberg. it's was british music's big night last night with the brit awards. the after show parties went well into the early hours. and someone who was certainly celebrating is singer—songwriter, raye. she swept the board at the event making history winning six — breaking the record for the most awards in a year. she was also the first women to win songwriter of the year. we will hearfrom raye in a moment, first if you missed the ceremony here are the best bits in 60 seconds. she's real, she raw, she's raye. she's real, she is raw, she's raye. # a little context if you cared to listen...# the winner... . . raye. raye! l raye. raye! what the hell is happening?! i'm an artist with an album of the year!

# knowsjust how to take control...# # we disconnect # we ain't gotta be...# # ijust can't get you out of my head... # boy, your lovin' is all i think about... # padam, padam, when your heart goes padam... # no, they don't compare to you, to you, to you...# cheering. kylie minogue who got the global icon award. well, after the show finished, our music correspondent, mark savage, caught up with history making, six time brit award winner, raye. you're going to need two tesco bags. i know, i am going to need two tesco bags! notjust raye any more, six times brit award winner raye. don't do that yet, i'm not ready for that yet! do you know who got six in their entire career?

who? michaeljackson. you know who else got six in their entire career? who? david bowie. you're equal to them now in terms of brit awards. what even?! nah. yeah! wow. so, it's a big night and after having years of your dreams being frustrated, tonight they've come true. tonight, this has been the night of my life. the best night of my life, hands down, without a shadow of a doubt. the best night of my life. will it ever get better than this again? mate... but luckily they've got it all on camera, so i'll be able to relive it. that's true. will you watch it back? oh, yeah, 100%. what? i didn't plan anything i was going to say. i just went up there. i was so shocked. it also feels so weird, like, in that moment, it's so, like, feels like floating and you're just... what?! what is happening, you know? it's quite out of body vibe.

and in that room, all of those stars, like, you could see how much they were admiring you and feeling happy for you. really? yeah, the reaction shots in the crowd... shut up! i think everybody knows what you've been through. a lot of them have been through it themselves and it's just great. it's a happy ending, right? it really is, tonight. ijust don't... i don't really know... what?! like, i don't know... i don't know how this happened. but i'm just so so grateful. 0h! 0h, exactly. tell me about your grandma, agatha. isn't she beautiful? she went up on stage with you. she's amazing. listen, that woman raised me. my parents worked full—time, so she took me to school. she lived with us. she moved from ghana to come and raise us. i owe her everything. so that was raye talking to mark

savage after she won six brit awards. joining me in the studio is our culture reporter noor nanji who was at the ceremony last night and entertainment journalist daniel rosney. they have had a few hours sleep. what was the atmosphere like inside when she kept winning? there what was the atmosphere like inside when she kept winning?— when she kept winning? there was a sense of losing _ when she kept winning? there was a sense of losing track. _ when she kept winning? there was a sense of losing track. she _ when she kept winning? there was a sense of losing track. she is - when she kept winning? there was a sense of losing track. she is making| sense of losing track. she is making history, she had one, two, three, four and there was a weird mass because she already won songwriter of the year going into the award —— weird maths. you were trying to add that up and keep track on the night. there was a lot of amazement at what was unfolding before us. she was gaily overwhelmed, she was in tears towards the end. she said she couldn't believe this was happening and you got that sense of this being and you got that sense of this being a real vindication for her. it has been such a comeback for her over the last couple of years. everyone was really appreciative of that. she took her grandmother up on stage with her, that was such a touching moment and you heard mark ask her about that. so lovely to see her pay tribute to her grandma who she says raised her. the audience was really

just appreciative of her performance. i went into once the back as she was performing and she really blossomed, started out slow and by the end, everyone was just, like, wow. and by the end, everyone was 'ust, like, wow.— like, wow. daniel, were you surprised — like, wow. daniel, were you surprised she _ like, wow. daniel, were you surprised she won _ like, wow. daniel, were you surprised she won all six? l like, wow. daniel, were you i surprised she won all six? not reall , surprised she won all six? not really. this — surprised she won all six? not really, this was _ surprised she won all six? not really, this was her _ surprised she won all six? not really, this was her year. in the build-up— really, this was her year. in the build-up to _ really, this was her year. in the build—up to the brit awards, everyone _ build—up to the brit awards, everyone who has been talking about the fact _ everyone who has been talking about the fact that she was the most nominated artist at any single brit awards— nominated artist at any single brit awards in— nominated artist at any single brit awards in the history, 44 years the brit awards— awards in the history, 44 years the brit awards have been going on for. it brit awards have been going on for. it was _ brit awards have been going on for. it wasjust_ brit awards have been going on for. it wasjust her night. what i thought— it wasjust her night. what i thought was really interesting. sometimes, the brits can be quite similar— sometimes, the brits can be quite similar to — sometimes, the brits can be quite similar to the sometimes, the brits can be quite similarto the grammys sometimes, the brits can be quite similar to the grammys in the us. that was— similar to the grammys in the us. that was only a couple of years ago. last year. _ that was only a couple of years ago. last year, harry cleaned up both the brits and _ last year, harry cleaned up both the brits and the grammys but this year because _ brits and the grammys but this year because raye is so british, so quintessentially british, and her music— quintessentially british, and her music reflects culture in this country. _ music reflects culture in this country, it was quite a surprise to some _ country, it was quite a surprise to some that — country, it was quite a surprise to some that she wasn't nominated for any grammys. but i think this shows that the _ any grammys. but i think this shows that the british music industry is in a healthy position. if that the british music industry is in a healthy position.— in a healthy position. if you are not u- in a healthy position. if you are not up on _

in a healthy position. if you are not up on raye's _ in a healthy position. if you are not up on raye's music, - in a healthy position. if you are not up on raye's music, have l in a healthy position. if you are not up on raye's music, have a listen to this. # make you feel like it'si a 19605 hollywood trailer # old—school, i like # classic like cars, - classic like elizabeth taylor # taylor, taylor, taylor # need you to romance me, yeah # i need a giver, not a taker # but baby boy, i could love you # if i really wanted to this could make her go global now, daniel? h this could make her go global now, daniel? ~ . �* . daniel? i think what we're seeing her, daniel? i think what we're seeing her. tiktok _ daniel? i think what we're seeing her, tiktok really _ daniel? i think what we're seeing her, tiktok really helped - daniel? i think what we're seeing her, tiktok really helped bring i daniel? i think what we're seeing l her, tiktok really helped bring her to the _ her, tiktok really helped bring her to the charts. she had this whole story— to the charts. she had this whole story where she left her record label. — story where she left her record label. she _ story where she left her record label, she released heralbum independently, got to number two in the uk _ independently, got to number two in the uk charts, she's had huge success— the uk charts, she's had huge success not only with some escapism, which _ success not only with some escapism, which charted at number one in the but also _ which charted at number one in the but also has — which charted at number one in the but also has some prada which was rereteased. — but also has some prada which was rereleased, remixed by someone who saw it— rereleased, remixed by someone who saw it on— rereleased, remixed by someone who

saw it on tiktok. she started

last night she was queen of pop. how did she do that? four costume changes. she looks like she is really enjoying it, she sparkles and everyone enjoys what she is doing. i everyone enjoys what she is doing. i love to know how she decided what songs she is doing. she has such a massive back catalogue. the song went viral last year, and when and took everybody by surprise, that is one thing that is somewhere between the brits and the grammys but what i thought as the audience had been a bit loud, some of these pop performances on stage which we

didn't really get any more, top of the pops and x factor and i wanted the pops and x factor and i wanted the crowd to enjoy it a bit more. there was something about the audience, eyesight social media asking if he didn't have any wine delivered. i asking if he didn't have any wine delivered. . . ~ asking if he didn't have any wine delivered. , a ., . ,, ., delivered. i snuck into the back of some performances _ delivered. i snuck into the back of some performances and - delivered. i snuck into the back of some performances and i - delivered. i snuck into the back of some performances and i thoughtj delivered. i snuck into the back of. some performances and i thought it was a _ some performances and i thought it was a bit _ some performances and i thought it was a bit flat, i'm not sure why, ntav— was a bit flat, i'm not sure why, may be — was a bit flat, i'm not sure why, may be the _ was a bit flat, i'm not sure why, may be the host not managing to get the spark— may be the host not managing to get the spark but it felt like on social media _ the spark but it felt like on social media people were competing it to the witt— media people were competing it to the will one cut experience which has gone — the will one cut experience which has gone viral and asking white was not working out so saying it was boarding — not working out so saying it was boarding and dry, i do not know why. might _ boarding and dry, i do not know why. might it— boarding and dry, i do not know why. might it be _ boarding and dry, i do not know why. might it be down to the host? they try something different.— try something different. normally the blitz was _ try something different. normally the blitz was on _ try something different. normally the blitz was on men _ try something different. normally the blitz was on men to _ try something different. normally the blitz was on men to be, - try something different. normally the blitz was on men to be, it - try something different. normally| the blitz was on men to be, it was try something different. normally i the blitz was on men to be, it was a saturday night and the viewers went up saturday night and the viewers went up but i think probably it is to do with the layout of the room, too many tables on the floor, need to

packin many tables on the floor, need to pack in more fans, they have a lot of people who go to the blitz school on the floor as part of the bonus for going there, fans and up and the gods a bit and people buy tickets to the brit awards but before the line—up is announced and two is performing so maybe in future kylie fans could buy tickets.— fans could buy tickets. thank you for 'oinin: fans could buy tickets. thank you forjoining us— fans could buy tickets. thank you forjoining us and _ fans could buy tickets. thank you forjoining us and you _ fans could buy tickets. thank you forjoining us and you can - fans could buy tickets. thank you forjoining us and you can get - fans could buy tickets. thank you l forjoining us and you can get more if you want on the bbc news website including some of the highlights. hello. some of our rain—sodden fields will get a little bit of respite later this week, a sign that things could turn a bit drier and even today, drier than it was yesterday. fewer showers around and a little bit more sunshine. the big picture, though, does show a few complications as this weather front, which stretches all the way from the mediterranean to the north of scotland has been producing heavy rains, gusty winds in northern scotland and it's very close to parts of eastern england, especially east anglia. still the chance of some rain falling from that across parts

of norfolk and suffolk. come further west, well, the sunshine is a bit more there in abundance, but a few showers around western scotland, northern ireland and more especially south wales, south west england and the channel islands, mainly of rain, a little bit of sleet over the hills. but for many of you, actually, it's going to be a shower free day and it will stay largely dry and not as cold as yesterday. into tonight, lose the sun and the temperatures will drop quite markedly. some dense patches of fog forming east wales and into parts of the midlands in particular and a widespread frost tonight to take it into the monday morning commute. so a chilly morning out there, but it should be a bright one. changes afoot, though, towards the southwest, this next weather system pushes its way in. this will bring some wet weather, probably the wettest stage and wettest day of the week at the moment on monday. a dry start for many, lots of brightness, except where you've got those dense patches of fog for the morning commute, they will gradually lift and clear, rain quickly spreads into the channel islands, southwest england and through much of wales morning and early afternoon, outbreaks of rain and strengthening winds to northern ireland too. many though across scotland away from the far northeast and of course

much of northern eastern england will stay dry during daylight hours. and again, temperatures lift a little bit, but more breeze around that rain then spreads its way across other parts of england into southern scotland, it starts to fragment. and that's because we're going to see a battle this week between high pressure in scandinavia, low pressure in the atlantic. we're sandwiched in between. that means it's not a completely dry week. certainly as we go into tuesday. still plenty of cloud around from that weather front. on monday, a few showers but brightening up as we go through the day as high pressure starts to exert a bit more influence. still a few showers to come here and indeed a few more showers throughout this week. but the general pattern is fewer showers, more, longerspells of drier weather. great news, of course, for the ground out there at the moment. and temperatures will liftjust a little bit above average and the nights still rather cool. take care.

live from london, this is bbc news. mediators start arriving in cairo, to try to reach an agreement on a temporary ceasefire between israel and hamas. meanwhile, the us carries out its first airdrop of humanitarian aid for gaza — with more than 30,000 meals parachuted in. parliament in pakistan has elected shabaz sharif as prime ministerfor a second term.

chancellorjeremy chancellor jeremy hunt has chancellorjeremy hunt has said he wants to find a way to bring down the tax burden ahead of the spring budget this week. —— uk chancellor. and it's a record—breaking night at the brit awards, raye picks up six prizes. best night of my life, hands down, without a shadow of a doubt. will it ever get better than this again? hello. we start this hour in the middle east. mediators have arrived in the egyptian capital cairo to try to reach an agreement on a temporary ceasefire between israel and hamas. there are reports that hamas says a gaza truce is possible "within 24 to 48 hours," if israel accepts demands. it comes as a top us official says

israel has "basically agreed" to a framework for a six—week ceasefire.