good evening, and welcome back to our special bbc election coverage. this has been our home nearly for 2h hours now, monitoring all the election results, and as they come in, most of them have come in, we have been looking in detail at some of the english council election results which have taught as a great deal about the various related positions of the parties in england at the moment. the wheels i , most of them in —— wales results, showing a different pattern, conservatives having a tough time there. in scotland, the snp all—powerful, but labour having moved into second place ahead of the conservatives, and in northern ireland, lots of the results still to come, but sinn fein have made

history in northern ireland because they are the top of the poll. the results are not all in, but we will talk a little bit more about that in a moment. with me in the studio, a new guest, and it isjohn stevens of the daily mail. we will talk tojohn in a second, and we will also be joined by nancy fielder, the editor of the sheffield star. we will be chatting to you in a moment, so let's just pause there for a second, catch up with the day's news with shaun, and then talk more about the day's results. hello, here is a summary of the other news. the prime minister says it's been a tough night for the conservatives — as the party lost hundreds of seats. labour took some of the tories flagship councils in london but made few significant gains elsewhere.

it was a good night all round for the liberal democrats and the green party. in scotland, the snp have once again finished as the biggest party, labour have come second, the conservatives suffered heavy losses. here's our political editor laura kuenssberg. her report contains some flashing images. ok, this is going well. trademark optimism, despite shedding councils and losing nearly 400 councillors too. from the safety of a primary school classroom in his constituency, the prime minister didn't seem downcast. that's very good, that blue there. he lost iconic london councils, giving away comfortable conservative ground. and what are we going to have when we have the party? yet anger at downing street parties and his fine for breaking the law... there you go. ..did not translate to the catastrophe some conservatives had feared. its mid—term and it's certainly a mixed set of results. and we've had a tough night in some parts of the country, but on the other hand,

in other parts of the country, you're still seeing conservatives going forward and making quite remarkable gains in places that haven't voted conservative for a long time, if ever. not in london, where his labour rival had big reasons to smile this morning, winning over territory held by the tories for decades. we've just done it! westminster! wandsworth! steps forward, but outside london, perhaps not the big bold strides labour needs. this is a massive turning point for the labour party. from the depths of 2019, we are back on track now for the general election, showing the hard change we've done in the last two years, what a difference it has made. have you heard from - durham police, sir keir? any comment on - the police investigation? yet, as he travelled to celebrate success elsewhere, allegations over lockdown chased the labour leader.

durham police will now investigate claims keir starmer broke the rules, having beer and curry with colleagues during lockdown. anything to say about - the investigation, sir keir? have you heard from durham police? he's always said nothing went wrong, but they are questions keir starmer will have to answer. voters' response to the lib dems was warm in many places, grabbing seats from labour in the northern city of hull, from the tories in kent's tunbridge wells, somerset and pockets of affluent london. the message to the tories from some green suburbs will cause tory nerves. they are saying they've had enough of this prime minister. and i think the tectonic plates of british politics are shifting. now it's up to conservative mps to shove the prime minister into the abyss.

remember, your votes stitch together a giant patchwork. not a picture that's the same in every corner of the country. cheering there was striking labour success in london... ..that will hurt for the tories, who broadly fell back further in the south than in the north of england. their coalition fraying more at its traditional end. but labour's jubilation in the capital wasn't always matched by enthusiasm elsewhere. the greens picking up pace too, with dozens of gains. but while results in england perhaps confirmed much of the status quo, the scene is set for a genuine moment of change in northern ireland. applause look at this — for the first time, voters seem poised to make sinn fein the biggest party. that would be a moment of history and a moment of challenge and uncertainty for the uk.

i'm very grateful for all of those people that came out and engaged in what was a very positive campaign. leaders whose dream is leaving the union for a united ireland would be in charge. that could also shift the political conversation in scotland, where the snp, who also want to leave the uk, continue their years of dominance. crucially, labour moves up into second place — the scottish tories in a slump — and grew in wales too, the biggest party profiting at the expense of the tories. yet spin back a few weeks, many tories there feared a complete calamity. they've had a terrible time in some parts of the country, but this hasn't been a wipe—out. and labour has moved forward but not far or fast enough to be sure of power. remember, these elections give us clues, not concrete convictions of what's coming next, but it seems the two big parties are somehow locked in an uncomfortable status quo. that is very good.

no dramatic breakthrough for his main rival, no total breakdown for the conservatives. borisjohnson has taken knocks today, but still stands to carry on. laura kuenssberg, bbc news. as laura was reporting there, durham police are investigating whether labour leader sir keir starmer broke lockdown rules on a visit during which he drank beer in an mp's office. the force initially decided that no offence had occurred in april last year but said it had since received "significa nt new information". here's what the labour leader had to say on the matter this evening. as i've explained a number of times, we were working in the office, we stopped for something to eat. no party, no breach of the rules. the police, obviously, have got theirjob to do. we should let them get on with it. but i'm confident that no rules were broken. meanwhile, we've had a really good set of results today.

the snp has emerged as the winner of the elections in scotland. labour have overtaken the conservatives to become the second biggest party for the first time in six years. with all results declared, the snp have gained 23 seats, while labour have added 19. the conservatives have lost 62 councillors. in wales, labour made gains, while the conservatives suffered significant losses. the latest results show labour has gained 50 seats and now controls six councils. plaid cymru has gained three seats and now oversees two councils. in northern ireland, sinn fein is on course for its best ever result in a northern ireland assembly election after receiving the most first—preference votes. with counting for the 90 stormont seats continuing tonight, the party has won 16 seats so far, well ahead of the alliance on four and the dup and uup on three. if you want to find out the election results in your area, head to the bbc news website or bbc

news app and enter your postcode. you'll also find lots of election analysis and the latest reports from our teams around the country. now back to election 2022. many thanks to shaun, and we will be back for more news a little later on. we're going to catch up now with the latest on the state of play in northern ireland, were lots of the results are still to be declared, and they will go through to tomorrow. we had a note from the electoral commission just a short while ago, to say that there was a lot of work still to do in terms of verifying votes and then processing the actual counting of the votes there as well, and for that reason, we won't get the complete list

northern ireland until tomorrow, so we will do that, we have logged that fact, but we can still talk about the fact that as things stand sinn fein, for the first time, our topping the poll in northern ireland on 29% of those first preference votes. and then we can also note, then, that the alliance party's in third — that is the party that is not taking any kind of stance on the constitutional framework and structure of northern ireland. it takes an neutral stance on that. the dup, the most powerful group in the unionists, is in second place now, pushed into second by sinn fein, so already we can say the election in northern ireland has broken new ground, but as i say, it is quite a distance to go yet with just 29 of 90 seats declared. so let's go straight to belfast and join annita

for some more conversation there. thank you very much, and as you were saying, the counting of votes going, i think it is safe to say, not as speedily as the electoral officer would have liked. at last count a few seconds ago, we had not reached the 30 mark. that would be one third of the 90 seats, so not quite at the 30 mark yet, a lot of time to go. but as the polls have suggested, it does look as though sinn fein, the nationalist party that wants to see a united ireland, will emerge as the biggest party in this election, and joining now to discuss that and other aspects of this election is the dup mp kevin robinson. thank you very much for your time today. if sinn fein as production suggest to emerge as the biggest party, that is usually summ bolick —— gavin robinson. how does it make you feel

is a unionist? does it make you feel uncomfortable? i is a unionist? does it make you feel uncomfortable?— is a unionist? does it make you feel uncomfortable? i think as you know, olitics is uncomfortable? i think as you know, politics is in — uncomfortable? i think as you know, politics is in a _ uncomfortable? i think as you know, politics is in a difficult _ uncomfortable? i think as you know, politics is in a difficult position - politics is in a difficult position in northern ireland, it has been impacted by the northern ireland protocol, — impacted by the northern ireland protocol, so one of the big challenges after the selection your respective of the result is, how do we get _ respective of the result is, how do we get a _ respective of the result is, how do we get a firm foundation for our institutions and stormont? that is going _ institutions and stormont? that is going to _ institutions and stormont? that is going to be the immediate term, prior to _ going to be the immediate term, prior to the establishment of any executive, — prior to the establishment of any executive, we need to rebuild the institutions that is beneficial for every _ institutions that is beneficial for every committee in northern ireland. that is_ every committee in northern ireland. that is challenge one. challenge do is to recognise that our system cannot operate on that you have support — cannot operate on that you have support from both of the traditional communities in northern ireland, so that means — communities in northern ireland, so that means there cannot be any executive — that means there cannot be any executive without sinn fein or dup, and that— executive without sinn fein or dup, and that is— executive without sinn fein or dup, and that is right regardless of the results _ and that is right regardless of the results today. that and that is right regardless of the results today.— and that is right regardless of the results today. that is the essence ofthe results today. that is the essence of the power-sharing _ results today. that is the essence - of the power-sharing arrangement set of the power—sharing arrangement set “p of the power—sharing arrangement set up in the belfast agreement, but unionists have held that position of first minister since then. if this

was the first time sinn fein was in the position to be first minister, to come back to my initial question, how uncomfortable would that be for unionism, do you think? i don't think that _ unionism, do you think? i don't think that today's _ unionism, do you think? i don't think that today's results - unionism, do you think? i don't think that today's results or - think that today's results or anything i am will decelerate or jump— anything i am will decelerate or jump for— anything i am will decelerate or jump forjoy over. i know we have had a _ jump forjoy over. i know we have had a difficult day in some seeds, but i _ had a difficult day in some seeds, but i think— had a difficult day in some seeds, but i think some of the duper addicted _ but i think some of the duper addicted for democrat unionism or unionism _ addicted for democrat unionism or unionism as a whole has not come to pass -- _ unionism as a whole has not come to pass -- the _ unionism as a whole has not come to pass —— the doom predicted. you can see there's been a consolidation of the growth — see there's been a consolidation of the growth of the centre and you see that the _ the growth of the centre and you see that the sdlp and ulster unionists have been— that the sdlp and ulster unionists have been squeezed today. but we're in a difficult _ have been squeezed today. but we're in a difficult place, but we are still— in a difficult place, but we are still having a good showing, and as you know _ still having a good showing, and as you know and you mentioned earlier, this is— you know and you mentioned earlier, this is a _ you know and you mentioned earlier, this is a marathon, not a sprint, so it is going — this is a marathon, not a sprint, so it is going take until tomorrow untit— it is going take until tomorrow until we — it is going take until tomorrow until we see where all those seeds fall. ., . ., ., fall. on that functioning of the executive. _ fall. on that functioning of the executive, when _ fall. on that functioning of the executive, when i _ fall. on that functioning of the executive, when i was - fall. on that functioning of the executive, when i was talking | fall. on that functioning of the i executive, when i was talking to voters through the day on tuesday in antrim, all of them, irrespective of

what their political tradition was, said they wanted to see the government working, the power—sharing executive functioning, making decisions to try to help to ease the cost of living crisis, to deal with health care. those are the two biggest issues that were mentioned to me. your party leader sir geoffrey donaldson has said to rge that the dup will notjoin a power—sharing government led by sinn fein first minister if the british government and the european union have not secured a breakthrough in post—brexit trade talks. so that has to come first — is that the bottom line for the dup? or is there any possibility that you would reenter the power—sharing executive and work towards an accommodation of the protocol? towards an accommodation of the rotocol? . �* , towards an accommodation of the rotocol? ., �* , ,., ., , protocol? that's the point i was makinu. protocol? that's the point i was making- we _ protocol? that's the point i was making. we need _ protocol? that's the point i was making. we need to _ protocol? that's the point i was making. we need to have - protocol? that's the point i was making. we need to have firm l making. we need to have firm foundations for political ability in northern— foundations for political ability in northern ireland. the protocol has shattered... northern ireland. the protocol has shattered---_ shattered... you're saying the -rotocol shattered... you're saying the protocol has undermined - shattered... you're saying the protocol has undermined the l protocol has undermined the foundations of the friday agreement?

it has, and a whole essence of it, is it was— it has, and a whole essence of it, is it was supposed to protect the good _ is it was supposed to protect the good friday agreement. north— south relations— good friday agreement. north— south relations has not been working. if you snap — relations has not been working. if you snap one strand, the others will start to _ you snap one strand, the others will start to fray~ — you snap one strand, the others will start to fray. they have frayed and they need — start to fray. they have frayed and they need to be fixed... but start to fray. they have frayed and they need to be fixed. . .— they need to be fixed... but can you ro erl they need to be fixed... but can you preperly deliver. — they need to be fixed... but can you properly deliver, sorry _ they need to be fixed... but can you properly deliver, sorry to _ properly deliver, sorry to interrupt, they can improperly deliver on this bread—and—butter issues, cost—of—living, health care and so on, unless you're in a functioning executive —— can you properly deliver? are all those positions not put on hold if you do not have an executive first? you need to dial it _ not have an executive first? you need to dial it back. _ not have an executive first? you need to dial it back. the protocol and the _ need to dial it back. the protocol and the european commission rules we remain— and the european commission rules we remain under... we are elected in an assembly— remain under... we are elected in an assembly that has no say whatsoever into the _ assembly that has no say whatsoever into the rules and laws of this province _ into the rules and laws of this province. if a vote were to happen, stormont _ province. if a vote were to happen, stormont would not matter, because it is a _

stormont would not matter, because it is a literat— stormont would not matter, because it is a literal deficit. you are talking _ it is a literal deficit. you are talking about an executive that has no power _ talking about an executive that has no power to do with the cost—of—living crisis, to take measures— cost—of—living crisis, to take measures from westminster on electricity and so on, so need to deal— electricity and so on, so need to deal with— electricity and so on, so need to deal with the financials first. do ou deal with the financials first. you regret deal with the financials first. up you regret the dup position on brexit, your relationship with the conservative government, theresa may and then borisjohnson, because aouar the conservative government... there is no point saying brexit is done _ there is no point saying brexit is done with— there is no point saying brexit is done with northern ireland has been subjugated from the rest of the united — subjugated from the rest of the united kingdom, when he seems rules don't apply. _ united kingdom, when he seems rules don't apply, when there is a democratic deficit at the heart of our political institutions, and something introduced to protect the institutions is damaging the institutions is damaging the institutions in northern ireland... isht— institutions in northern ireland... isn't there — institutions in northern ireland... isn't there a — institutions in northern ireland... isn't there a simple majority northern ireland of parties, and that includes units parties like the ulster unions party, who say they

don't exactly love the protocol but they say they can work with it. isn't there a simple majority of politicians here who say they can work with the protocol?— work with the protocol? you're talkin: work with the protocol? you're talking about _ work with the protocol? you're talking about people _ work with the protocol? you're talking about people who - work with the protocol? you're talking about people who have| work with the protocol? you're - talking about people who have been elected _ talking about people who have been elected to an assembly today who have no— elected to an assembly today who have no say whatsoever on trade rules _ have no say whatsoever on trade rules in — have no say whatsoever on trade rules in northern ireland, none. if there _ rules in northern ireland, none. if there was— rules in northern ireland, none. if there was a — rules in northern ireland, none. if there was a vote today, it would not count. _ there was a vote today, it would not count, because these things are dealt with— count, because these things are dealt with at the european parliament. every party northern iretand _ parliament. every party northern ireland will now say that, yes, we recognise — ireland will now say that, yes, we recognise there is a problem and it needs to _ recognise there is a problem and it needs to be solved, we need to get on and _ needs to be solved, we need to get on and do _ needs to be solved, we need to get on and do it — needs to be solved, we need to get on and do it— needs to be solved, we need to get on and do it. gavin williamson, dup mp, dinky very _ on and do it. gavin williamson, dup mp, dinky very much. _ on and do it. gavin williamson, dup mp, dinky very much. as _ on and do it. gavin williamson, dup mp, dinky very much. as you - on and do it. gavin williamson, dup mp, dinky very much. as you can i on and do it. gavin williamson, dup i mp, dinky very much. as you can see, the protocol here is still a thorny issue —— thank you very much for savants or people on the doorstep may have said other issues were more important, but clearly as you heard from the dup, as far as they are concerned, until the protocol is sorted out, there cannot be any progress in the northern ireland assembly. back to you.- assembly. back to you. annita, thanks very _ assembly. back to you. annita, thanks very much _ assembly. back to you. annita, thanks very much again, - assembly. back to you. annita,

thanks very much again, annita mcveigh with the results in northern ireland. 20 of the 20 authorities declared in wales, so we are nearly at the end —— 22. what can you tell us? i at the end -- 22. what can you tell us? .., at the end -- 22. what can you tell us? . ., , ., at the end -- 22. what can you tell us? ,., ., .,, us? i can show you how many councillors — us? i can show you how many councillors each _ us? i can show you how many councillors each of _ us? i can show you how many councillors each of the - us? i can show you how many councillors each of the main | us? i can show you how many - councillors each of the main parties have won and lost. labour has had a good night in wales, has gained 64 councillors, by contrast, plight, he has lost councillors. —— plaid cymru. the conservatives losing 75, thatis cymru. the conservatives losing 75, that is getting on for half of their councillors in wales, so a poor showing for conservatives tonight. lib dems, in keeping with a good performance, and look at that, the greens, gaining eight councillors from zero. that is all the councillors that have been elected for the greens in the selections. in

the councils, labour has gained one, plaid has gained three. a couple controlled by the independents no longer so and the conservatives have lost one council. let's look at some of the individual results, the latest results. bridgend is eight labour again, cardiff is a labour hold, but what i can tell you is the majority has increased at the expense of the conservatives, so similar voting patterns. blaenau gwent is a labour again. wrexham remains a plaid council. all three of these hung councils before fulsome in the

conservatives have lost monmouthshire, and let us look at what happened there in the more detail. this was a conservative council five years ago, when these seats were last of her election, and they won several seats back that. let's have a look and see what's happened to the complexion of the council. there you go, a straightforward handover, straightforward ha ndover, relu cta ntly, straightforward handover, reluctantly, from the conservatives to labour, so a good result for labour, they did not win the council, they have not gained control of it, but they have inflicted real damage on the conservatives there.- inflicted real damage on the conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much. — conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much. and _ conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much, and as _ conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much, and as i _ conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much, and as i understand - conservatives there. reeta, thanks very much, and as i understand it, | very much, and as i understand it, just to add to those welsh results, labour have lost control, against the trend we are seeing in other parts of wales, of... let's have a look at the figures, i have just been given them now. let's take a look. neath port talbot, industrial

south wales, 25 seats to labour, 18 to the independents, a big increase, and 12 to plaid cymru. let's look at the change. labour are down 13, independents up 17. we will ask a few more questions about that, because that certainly blocks the trade and is clearly a local issue going on there with that big independent group in neath port talbot, plaid cymru down five in neath port talbot, the former parliamentary constituency of peter hayne, who at one time was secretary of state for wales. in one of his successors joins us now, conservative secretary of state simon hard. thank you forjoining us, and as i understand it, you are in we have some hints behind

you. what went wrong for you in these elections? ear; you. what went wrong for you in these elections?— you. what went wrong for you in l these elections?_ what these elections? say again? what went wrong _ these elections? say again? what went wrong for — these elections? say again? what went wrong for you _ these elections? say again? what went wrong for you in _ these elections? say again? what went wrong for you in these - went wrong for you in these elections? it went wrong for you in these elections?— went wrong for you in these elections? , , . elections? it reminds me very much of 2012, elections? it reminds me very much of 2012. when _ elections? it reminds me very much of 2012, when we _ elections? it reminds me very much of 2012, when we were _ elections? it reminds me very much of 2012, when we were dealing - elections? it reminds me very much of 2012, when we were dealing with | elections? it reminds me very much. of 2012, when we were dealing with a very turbulent situation. we got a pretty stern taking off from the voters back then, with an instruction to get our stuff together by the next election back in 2012. we were able to do that, and our task in 2012. we were able to do that, and ourtask and in 2012. we were able to do that, and our task and our instructions from the electric is to do the same again. there has been a thicker number of things... the figures you have given are quite interesting, insofar that it is quite a mixed picture and parts of wales. some contrary numbers which don't match the national pattern, but i am not going to sit here and deny the fact that we have got a job to do to restore confidence, to restore trust. i think we can do that and thatis trust. i think we can do that and that is our task.— that is our task. can i 'ust take one good example _ that is our task. can i 'ust take one good example of h that is our task. can i just take

one good example of what - that is our task. can i just take - one good example of what happened for you, which was monmouthshire? he lost control of monmouthshire. you will have been campaigning there, i know that, so what were people saying there to you about their reluctance to vote conservative this time? i reluctance to vote conservative this time? ~ . , reluctance to vote conservative this time? ~' ., , ,, . , time? i think in many respects, althou:h time? i think in many respects, although there _ time? i think in many respects, although there was _ time? i think in many respects, although there was never - time? i think in many respects, although there was never a - time? i think in many respects, l although there was never a single thing, it was often a combination of issues, it was very much a warning rather than a terminal separation, separating of the way. people were saying, this is my only chance to express my frustration and exasperation in between elections, so i'm either going to stay at home or might opt for an independent or different party if the mood takes me, but that doesn't mean i am not quinny back in the full by the next election, but you've got to demonstrate to me that the faith i putting you in 2019, 2017, 2015, even so far back as 2010, was not ill—founded and you can prove to me that you are the party that i

supported. some of that is around cost of living, some of it is around the background noise around party great partygate, there was a bit of a mixture, but the message is consistent and clear —— around partygate. in some places, we did better than others. here, we started with 11 and finished with 11, so it has not been absolutely case everywhere, but nonetheless it is still an important situation. can we talk about cost _ still an important situation. can we talk about cost of _ still an important situation. can we talk about cost of living? _ still an important situation. can we talk about cost of living? because l talk about cost of living? because you mentioned that. and maybe we'll talk a little about what you call background noise on partygate. on cost—of—living, the message has been very clear when talking to colleagues of yours over the night and today, some of them were saying, more in sorrow than in anger, some angry, saying the help from government for people who are really struggling at the moment is simply not enough, there needs to be more, and it needs to be delivered rather

more quickly than, let's say, in a winter budget, needs to be happening much more quickly than that. is that the message you are going to be taken back to borisjohnson? i the message you are going to be taken back to boris johnson? i think that is a message _ taken back to boris johnson? i think that is a message which _ taken back to boris johnson? i think that is a message which i _ taken back to boris johnson? i think that is a message which i have - taken back to boris johnson? i think that is a message which i have been receiving. i think the chancellor has one of these impossible balancing acts, which is to try and keep as far as possible a lid on inflation, interest rate variation as much as he can come at the same time as providing as much intervention as we can. what we don't want is for the interventions to put such pressure on public finances that inflation runs away from us and thereby undoes all of the things which we might be able to do by way of intervention. that is a very narrow path to tread and i think the thing which maybe we need to get to more locally, the chancellor has said right from the start, as he did during the pandemic, which is, nothing is ever ruled out. we have to see how the

ukraine conflict unfolds, because thatis ukraine conflict unfolds, because that is having a profound impact on our national finances, we that is having a profound impact on our nationalfinances, we need that is having a profound impact on our national finances, we need to see how quickly we can get behind the impact of the pandemic. so there are lots of moving parts in this which, as i say, nothing is ever complete the off the table, and i absolutely know what people are saying, particular around energy costs, that it is no good just saying, we will revisit this in a year's time. we need to make sure we are very fixable, very adaptable and very empathetic to the concerns being raised. very empathetic to the concerns being raised-— very empathetic to the concerns bein: raised. ., , , , being raised. people listening very carefull to being raised. people listening very carefully to what _ being raised. people listening very carefully to what you're _ being raised. people listening very carefully to what you're saying - carefully to what you're saying footnote you are not really saying that needs to be action very urgently. you are saying that to be very careful about public finances and all the rest of it and that is understandable, but you don't seem to be signalling, even after this set of results, that you want the chancellor to be taking action in short measure and in a matter of,

let's say, weeks rather than months. i would contest that as politely as i would contest that as politely as i can, because i think that the assumption there is the chancellor has not sent anything at all and has no intention of doing anything. actually the interventions which have been made, while in some people's estimation may be not enough soon enough are nonetheless part of the... every week when the cabinet meets, we discussed the cost of living and what we can do. the pm is set to chair 8pm cabinet committee, not the first time that has been done. —— a p.m. . some of this is in control of the welsh government, so looking forward to hearing what their views on all of this. on some of this, we are at the mercy of international trends, which is not to make excuses, just to adapt where we need to, and i have heard the chancellor say on numerous occasions, as no doubt you have, our

ambitions to make sure we help as many people in the most generous way we possibly can as soon as we can. sometimes it works, sometimes it is not as successful as we all like, but one of many messages coming out of this set of election results is a very stark line, a very clear reminder, that as ever in politics, we remain terminally on probation. there was never a moment when we could say, that is sorted. we are neverin could say, that is sorted. we are never in that position. we are as good as our last game and we have... these election results remind us just how important it is we never lose sight of that. you just how important it is we never lose sight of that.— lose sight of that. you cannot esca -e lose sight of that. you cannot escape one — lose sight of that. you cannot escape one thing, _ lose sight of that. you cannot escape one thing, can - lose sight of that. you cannot escape one thing, can you, i lose sight of that. you cannot - escape one thing, can you, which is that the cost crisis has been approaching and actually come upon people when they have looked at their fuel bills in the weeks before these elections took place? and the fact is that as far as you as a

party are concerned, the message you brought to voters on the measures that you already have taken, which the chancellor has already taken on cost—of—living, have not convinced people and you have not convinced them either that you have got measures in the pipeline which will help them down the road. that is the message of these elections, surely. i am going to make one very trite sounding comment here, which is that we have been trying desperately to talk about this issue every week for some weeks, but, and i say this with the greatest of humility, some of our colleagues, opposition colleagues have been rather more anxious talk about partygate and all that kind of stuff, which, very important though that is, as to some extent clouded the news landscape. as i say, i don't want to overplay that, because you are absolutely right, but today's results show us is that we have got more work to do

to demonstrate that part of the response and not the whole response to the cost of living crisis is not necessarilyjust by to the cost of living crisis is not necessarily just by way of government intervention, important though they are, it is about creating the right circumstances for job creation and well—paid sustainable, skilled jobs across wales and the rest of the uk, and we must not lose sight of that. our ambition remains leveling up and all of those other initiatives. absolutely to make sure we remain as a growing economy, internationally competitive, internationally attractive, as we heard from airbus, the newjobs created in north wales. those are the kind of think that will help us through the house cost—of—living crisis, just as much as what the uk government is able to do to intervene when people are hit with moments of hardship. just a final point. _ with moments of hardship. just a final point, simon, _ with moments of hardship. just a final point, simon, if— with moments of hardship. just a final point, simon, if i _ with moments of hardship. just a final point, simon, ifi may. - with moments of hardship. just a final point, simon, ifi may. arel final point, simon, if i may. are you concerned, are you prepared to share whatever concern you have that

where the conservatives have been