hello and welcome to our look ahead to what the papers will be bringing us tomorrow. with me are martin bentham, home affairs editor at the evening standard, and broadcaster matthew stadlen. welcome to both of you. good to have you with us this evening. let me bring you up—to—date with the front pages as we have them so far this evening. the metro. as many rush to submit meter readings ahead of that energy price rise, it reports how providers websites crash trying to cope. the mirror leads with this, too, describing it as "april cruel day". water bills, council tax and national insurance — among others — all rise from tomorrow. on the i, the chancellor's colleagues accuse him

of being "politically naive" as his cost of living crisis hits homes across the country. the rising cost of energy bills leads the front of the guardian, too, with it reporting how customers will likely be online submitting metre readings until the very last second tonight. fortu nately you fortunately you can watch the paper review while you're trying to get through. meanwhile, in the us, president biden orders a record release of around 180 million barrels of oil out of an emergency stockpile to keep fuel costs down, reports the ft. and international cricket is set to return to headingley, reports the yorkshire post, after a vote in favour of some key government changes. let's plunge straight in with martin and matthew. martin, do you want to kick us off tonight, the guardian, please? kick us off tonight, the guardian, lease? , , ., kick us off tonight, the guardian, lease? , , . w please? this is featuring the race to net please? this is featuring the race to get peeple _ please? this is featuring the race to get peeple out _ please? this is featuring the race to get people out of _ please? this is featuring the race to get people out of mariupol, i please? this is featuring the race i to get people out of mariupol, which is something everybody has been talking about for weeks. this

southern city that has been suffering this horrific bombardment forfour or suffering this horrific bombardment for four or five, virtually the whole war, and absolutely relentless bombardment, some horrific things that have happened, the shelling of the theatre being one of them most recently, and all those people, a approximately, trapped inside mariupol —— 170,000 approximately. it mariupol——170,000 approximately. it seems to be, russian shelling of people when they've tried to leave, and so there is now another attempts to... 45 coaches, which will only take out a small proportion of people in there, to get those people out, and to have a new evacuation corridor, to help people. we can only hope that happens. clearly, the plight of those people is ever more desperate. they have been without lots of amenities for a long time, i think you are teaching —— were

featuring somebody earlier getting water, and obviously food supplies and so on have begun to run out or have already went out for people, let's hope everybody can get out. does not take away the horrific situation itself. mariupol may fall within a few days, according to american intelligence. the whole . uestion american intelligence. the whole question of— american intelligence. the whole question of russia's _ american intelligence. the whole question of russia's strategy, - question of russia's strategy, matthew, is at the heart of this, because even as it says it is easing the pressure on the rest of the country, mariupol, it is hard to imagine this is a city, regardless of how people felt before this invasion, that it would have a great deal of affection for russia afterwards.— deal of affection for russia afterwards. , , afterwards. indeed, it is very stranue afterwards. indeed, it is very strange way _ afterwards. indeed, it is very strange way of _ afterwards. indeed, it is very strange way of trying - afterwards. indeed, it is very strange way of trying to - afterwards. indeed, it is very - strange way of trying to convince a country _ strange way of trying to convince a country that they are part of greater _ country that they are part of greater russia, to bomb it to bits, and variable condenses so much of the wickedness, the evil of putin's

attempt _ the wickedness, the evil of putin's attempt -- — the wickedness, the evil of putin's attempt —— mariupol. we have seen the pictures. — attempt —— mariupol. we have seen the pictures, it is like a ghost town, — the pictures, it is like a ghost town, and _ the pictures, it is like a ghost town, and to think there is something like a people suffering in that city, _ something like a people suffering in that city, you cannot imagine the condition. — that city, you cannot imagine the condition, psychic we have to laud the international red cross for their— the international red cross for their bravery. ——170,000 people. as many— their bravery. ——170,000 people. as many people — their bravery. ——170,000 people. as many people as possible get out, because — many people as possible get out, because it — many people as possible get out, because it is very interesting — i am sure — because it is very interesting — i am sure we'll move onto the front page _ am sure we'll move onto the front page of— am sure we'll move onto the front page of the — am sure we'll move onto the front page of the times, this headline of britain _ page of the times, this headline of britain urging ukraine not to give up, britain urging ukraine not to give up. and— britain urging ukraine not to give up, and there is government sources cited in_ up, and there is government sources cited in the _ up, and there is government sources cited in the article, that perhaps germany, — cited in the article, that perhaps germany, france and america may put pressure _ germany, france and america may put pressure on _ germany, france and america may put pressure on president zelensky to -ive pressure on president zelensky to give in _ pressure on president zelensky to give in when they are not in his strong — give in when they are not in his strong position as they might be. and don't— strong position as they might be. and don't forget, headlines also today— and don't forget, headlines also today that the head of the british armed _ today that the head of the british armed forces is basically think putin— armed forces is basically think putin has— armed forces is basically think putin has already lost in some sense, — putin has already lost in some sense, so—

putin has already lost in some sense, so there seems to be a real initiative _ sense, so there seems to be a real initiative on— sense, so there seems to be a real initiative on the part of boris johnson _ initiative on the part of boris johnson and his team to encourage ukraine _ johnson and his team to encourage ukraine to — johnson and his team to encourage ukraine to push back further against russia, _ ukraine to push back further against russia, not— ukraine to push back further against russia, not to trust putin, and to make _ russia, not to trust putin, and to make sure — russia, not to trust putin, and to make sure they're in a strong position— make sure they're in a strong position possible so that the biggest gains can be made and that they don't— biggest gains can be made and that they don't waste all of this extraordinary loss of life and all of this— extraordinary loss of life and all of this heroism that we have seen in recent— of this heroism that we have seen in recent weeks. of this heroism that we have seen in recent weeks— recent weeks. martin, it is a difficult line _ recent weeks. martin, it is a difficult line to _ recent weeks. martin, it is a difficult line to dock, - recent weeks. martin, it is a difficult line to dock, that? i recent weeks. martin, it is a - difficult line to dock, that? after all, the ukrainians are quite entitled to say, look, we are paying the price for what you want to achieve. it means that we are going to accept the compromise that means fewer of our people die, that i'm sorry you don't like it, but you weren't prepared to send troops, weren't prepared to send troops, weren't prepared to give us a new fly —— no—fly zone. basically, go away? there would be no point if there was likelihood of doing that, personally

because he don't want to give this territory and give recognition to russia's seizure of the crimea and four the donbas completely, some of the things that are feared could be part of a compromise solution, so of course i think you are right. if you ukrainians want to make that sort of compromise and feel they have to, who consider should not do that? but i think what that story in the times is suggesting, from an international point of view, various international countries, us being one of them, we are trying to argue that other countries should not put pressure on the ukrainians to do something they may not want to do... the ukrainians to do something they may not want to do. . ._ may not want to do... sorry to interrupt- — may not want to do... sorry to interrupt- is— may not want to do... sorry to interrupt. is there _ may not want to do... sorry to interrupt. is there a _ may not want to do... sorry to interrupt. is there a risk - may not want to do... sorry to interrupt. is there a risk that l may not want to do... sorry to i interrupt. is there a risk that line could fracture as we get closer to some kind of potential deal? it is hard to know. — some kind of potential deal? it 3 hard to know, isn't it? but clearly we have seen the threat of gas be cut off from vladimir putin, and of course europe depends, including ourselves, but europe in the

mainland even more, on russian gas, and there is lots of international trade licks between germany in particular, one of the most prevalent countries in that respect, between them and russia, and so there's a lot of economic harm inflicted on western countries as well as on russia by what is happening at the moment, so of course the risk of that, but on the other hand, hitherto, that has not happened. hitherto, the west has stayed fairly united in terms of applying the sanctions to russia and recognising, as was just cited there, the horrific nature of what has been going on and the fact that, really, it seems unconscionable. any germans have always been fairly soft on russia historically, been much more robust in this conflict, and this crisis, and i think they recognising the rift nature what is been going on, vladimir putin's actions are so intolerable that that has to predominate over every other

interest there is. you wanted to come back on that? i there is. you wanted to come back on that? i think — there is. you wanted to come back on that? i think it — there is. you wanted to come back on that? l think it is — there is. you wanted to come back on that? l think it is an _ there is. you wanted to come back on that? i think it is an important - that? i think it is an important moment over _ that? i think it is an important moment over the _ that? i think it is an important moment over the last - that? i think it is an important moment over the last 24 - that? i think it is an important i moment over the last 24 hours. that? i think it is an important - moment over the last 24 hours. it seems _ moment over the last 24 hours. it seems for— moment over the last 24 hours. it seems for the time being as though germany— seems for the time being as though germany and france have withstood the pressure, the bullying, from blood _ the pressure, the bullying, from blood recruiting because he wants them _ blood recruiting because he wants them to— blood recruiting because he wants them to buy his oil in roubles, that would _ them to buy his oil in roubles, that would involve the west raking his own sanctions and that really might involve _ own sanctions and that really might involve therefore a fracture in the west _ involve therefore a fracture in the west alliance, which as martin says has hitherto been pretty robust. don't _ has hitherto been pretty robust. don't forget there's a very strong argument — don't forget there's a very strong argument for germany not using, not buying _ argument for germany not using, not buying russian oil at all upon which it is so— buying russian oil at all upon which it is so dependent. we are far less dependent — it is so dependent. we are far less dependent in this country, so the idea that — dependent in this country, so the idea that putin is threatening to withdraw— idea that putin is threatening to withdraw oil from the west, from countries — withdraw oil from the west, from countries like germany, is a bit perverse. — countries like germany, is a bit perverse, but as i say, it is encouraging just over the last few hours _ encouraging just over the last few hours that— encouraging just over the last few hours that germany and france at the moment—

hours that germany and france at the moment are — hours that germany and france at the moment are holding the line.- moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutelv- — moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutelv- 0n _ moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutely. on the _ moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutely. on the front _ moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutely. on the front of - moment are holding the line. yeah, absolutely. on the front of the - absolutely. 0n the front of the ft... we are looking at the paper of tomorrow tonight. do you want to take us onto the ft�*s story, martin? this is about president biden, drawing on his reserves, really, to try and mitigate some of the price rises? he has got an electoral consent to do this, but he has got these midterm elections, which are six—month away, but as always with these things, the camping has been going already for quite a time. i think the history of all politics is nothing hits harder in terms of a politician's popularity than consular crises, and we will talk about that in this country in relation to the other front pages, but clearly in america as in other countries, fuel prices are going up, this would president biden is trying to do to mitigate that. it will achieve some of that, by the looks

of the scale of what he is talking about doing. at the same time, putting pressure on countries like saudi arabia to increase production for the same purposes. yes, it is entirely understandable why any country would see to do that, it would make sense, wouldn't it? if you can release your reserves, replace them at a time theoretically that he prices are cheaper, that makes entire sense, even at the price impact on people, by reducing it now and restocking later —— even out. spending the money then to replenish those stocks. a lot of sense in that, i think. whether it is sufficient to bring prices down when you're against all the headwinds of what we have just talked about, the ukraine war, the gas supply changes and so on, and all those problems, is a different point, but at least if you take some of the worst elements out of it, take some of the impacts off that hit that people are going to take,

thatis hit that people are going to take, that is obviously going to be plenty advantageous, and you can therefore understand what he is doing it. i am sure we would do the same if we were in a position to do it.— sure we would do the same if we were in a position to do it._ i - in a position to do it. matthew? i think it is really _ in a position to do it. matthew? i think it is really important - in a position to do it. matthew? i think it is really important to - think it is really important to stress — think it is really important to stress that micro i was one of those people _ stress that micro i was one of those people who — stress that micro i was one of those people who stayed up all night maybe two or— people who stayed up all night maybe two or three nights in a row, hoping desperately— two or three nights in a row, hoping desperately that trump would not get a second _ desperately that trump would not get a second term, and i do not regret he did _ a second term, and i do not regret he did not— a second term, and i do not regret he did not get one at all, but it is true _ he did not get one at all, but it is true that— he did not get one at all, but it is true that so— he did not get one at all, but it is true that so far biden's presidency has been — true that so far biden's presidency has been very rocky to say the least. — has been very rocky to say the least. and _ has been very rocky to say the least, and wouldn't would not want to underestimate how big a cost of living _ to underestimate how big a cost of living crisis— to underestimate how big a cost of living crisis this could be for bidens— living crisis this could be for biden's presidency, as well as for low and _ biden's presidency, as well as for low and middle, and people read across— low and middle, and people read across america. america is built on the car. _ across america. america is built on the car. and — across america. america is built on the car, and over the past 12 months. _ the car, and over the past 12 months, fuel prices have risen by more _ months, fuel prices have risen by more than — months, fuel prices have risen by more than 50%, so this is a measure notiust_ more than 50%, so this is a measure notjust related to more than 50%, so this is a measure not just related to dealing with putin— not just related to dealing with putin and ukraine and trying to solve _ putin and ukraine and trying to solve the — putin and ukraine and trying to solve the international crisis, but saving _ solve the international crisis, but saving the — solve the international crisis, but saying the voters, listen, i hear

your— saying the voters, listen, i hear your pain — saying the voters, listen, i hear your pain and i'm gonna put this unprecedented amount of oil, 1 million — unprecedented amount of oil, 1 million barrels a day for six months. _ million barrels a day for six months, into the system, to kind of make _ months, into the system, to kind of make things — months, into the system, to kind of make things easier for you, and in a moment. we — make things easier for you, and in a moment, we will come to the crisis here. _ moment, we will come to the crisis here. but— moment, we will come to the crisis here, but let's not underestimate what _ here, but let's not underestimate what a _ here, but let's not underestimate what a potential pitfall this is for biden— what a potential pitfall this is for biden across the pond it. | what a potential pitfall this is for biden across the pond it.- what a potential pitfall this is for biden across the pond it. i have a feelin: biden across the pond it. i have a feeling republican _ biden across the pond it. i have a feeling republican presidential. feeling republican presidential candidates, perhaps mr trump aside, scanning the history books, looking at how scanning the history books, looking at hoinmmy carter went wrong in the late 70s and how reagan triumphed, not a small part of that was to do with the energy crisis, wasn't it, back then? we will leave that one. do you want to take us onto the front of the metro, matthew? energy firms metre fiasco. everybody try to get there metre readings in. this might be the best public city for smart metres! ——

publicity. i public city for smart metres! -- ublici . . . public city for smart metres! -- ublici . . , , , public city for smart metres! -- ublici . . , ,,, . publicity. i have been less switched onto the news _ publicity. i have been less switched onto the news headlines _ publicity. i have been less switched onto the news headlines as - publicity. i have been less switched onto the news headlines as i - publicity. i have been less switched onto the news headlines as i have i onto the news headlines as i have been _ onto the news headlines as i have been this— onto the news headlines as i have been this week, because i'm posting 16 been this week, because i'm posting to events. _ been this week, because i'm posting 16 events, but i got a message for my dad _ 16 events, but i got a message for my dad saying, for goodness' sake, take a _ my dad saying, for goodness' sake, take a picture of your metering today— take a picture of your metering today so — take a picture of your metering today so you can pay as little as possible — today so you can pay as little as possible tomorrow! this is what happens — possible tomorrow! this is what happens in a pandemic. huge numbers of us have _ happens in a pandemic. huge numbers of us have been desperately trying to get— of us have been desperately trying to get in_ of us have been desperately trying to get in touch with their energy companies, to make sure they don't pay as— companies, to make sure they don't pay as much— companies, to make sure they don't pay as much as they might otherwise do, pay as much as they might otherwise do. and _ pay as much as they might otherwise do. and this— has led to websites crashing. 0ne has led to websites crashing. one website _ has led to websites crashing. one website said it had 2500 people on call waiting, another company said it had _ call waiting, another company said it had 40,000 calls an hour instead of the _ it had 40,000 calls an hour instead of the regular 2000, and this is a massive _ of the regular 2000, and this is a massive jump, and the companies clearly— massive jump, and the companies clearly have not been able to cope, whether— clearly have not been able to cope, whether or — clearly have not been able to cope, whether or not they foresaw it. and

that's— whether or not they foresaw it. and that's her— whether or not they foresaw it. and that's her member but this is all about _ that's her member but this is all about. according to one charity, one organisation, i think, about. according to one charity, one organisation, ithink, 6.5 about. according to one charity, one organisation, i think, 6.5 million of us _ organisation, i think, 6.5 million of us are — organisation, i think, 6.5 million of us are already in fuel poverty —— let's_ of us are already in fuel poverty —— let's remember. according to the front— let's remember. according to the front page — let's remember. according to the front page of maybe the i, 2.5 million — front page of maybe the i, 2.5 million people will be plunged tomorrow into you'll stress and a potential— tomorrow into you'll stress and a potential further 2.5 million to come — potential further 2.5 million to come in — potential further 2.5 million to come in october with that expected hike again. — come in october with that expected hike again, so this is a 54% hike in this price — hike again, so this is a 54% hike in this price cap, in ofgem's price cap, _ this price cap, in ofgem's price cap. and — this price cap, in ofgem's price cap, and this affects those... 22 million — cap, and this affects those... 22 million households roughly not unfixed — million households roughly not unfixed terms. this is absolutely massive. — unfixed terms. this is absolutely massive, prices going up to on average — massive, prices going up to on average 1900 quit or something, soak millions— average 1900 quit or something, soak millions of— average 1900 quit or something, soak millions of us will be really, really— millions of us will be really, really struggling from tomorrow —— i900 _ really struggling from tomorrow —— i900 guid — really struggling from tomorrow —— 1900 quid. we know already people have been— 1900 quid. we know already people have been choosing between heating and eating, so this is a massive problem — and eating, so this is a massive problem for the government and rishi sunak. _ problem for the government and rishi sunak. and _ problem for the government and rishi sunak, and we are already seeing headlines— sunak, and we are already seeing

headlines suggesting, commentators saving. _ headlines suggesting, commentators saying. if— headlines suggesting, commentators saying, if you bought shares in rishi _ saying, if you bought shares in rishi sunak, sell them now. martin, in case people _ rishi sunak, sell them now. martin, in case people did _ rishi sunak, sell them now. martin, in case people did not _ rishi sunak, sell them now. martin, in case people did not know, - rishi sunak, sell them now. martin, in case people did not know, there i in case people did not know, there is an election campaign in full flow, and the mirror is doing its bit to put the pressure on the conservatives and rishi sunak in particular. i suppose you always attack the person you are most afraid of, so presumably this tells you something about what the view is on the left about the risk of boris johnson being replaced by somebody who might have more electoral appeal. we'll see. it is quite a good front page, isn't it? although, i don't know, do think april cruel day works? i i don't know, do think april cruel dav works?— i don't know, do think april cruel da works? ~ , ., , day works? i think it is a very good front page, actually! _ day works? i think it is a very good front page, actually! it _ day works? i think it is a very good front page, actually! it is _ day works? i think it is a very good front page, actually! it is a - day works? i think it is a very good front page, actually! it is a very - front page, actually! it is a very powerful front front page, actually! it is a very powerfulfront page. all front page, actually! it is a very powerful front page. all credit for coming up with that, because it sets it out, doesn't it? the bills rising across the board, really, and as we just sat there, some people in particular... some people will be

able to cope with it.