on iranian nuclear sites. welcome — you're watching bbc news — i'm karin giannone. a public inquiry in salisbury examining the 2018 poisoning of dawn sturgess is about to hear evidence from her mother. dawn's death was blamed on two russian agents after she came into contact with the nerve agent novichok. it had been hidden inside a designer perfume bottle. the inquiry is examining the circumstances leading to her death. russia denies any involvement and has described the inquiry as a "circus" today's hearing has started, but we're receiving it on a 10 minute delay, so we'll bring it to you shortly. in the meantime, we want to

play you an interview of prime minister sir keir starmer. he was speaking to our political correspondent henry sesemann on bbc breakfast this morning. and we started by asking the prime minister about the international investment summit. international investment summit-— international investment summit. ~ . ., , , summit. well, what happened esterda summit. well, what happened yesterday was _ summit. well, what happened yesterday was that _ summit. well, what happened yesterday was that we - summit. well, what happened yesterday was that we had - summit. well, what happened yesterday was that we had an | yesterday was that we had an investment summit where global investors from across the world came to britain. these are investors with a huge amount of capital to invest, but i could choose where they invested. we made the case that now is the time to invest in britain. and yesterday, we were able to and on £63 billion of inward investment into britain. for viewers, that means investment into projects that are secure jobs in every part of the country. i want economic growth, i want our economy to work better, but i also want it to be felt in the pockets of working people in all parts of the united kingdom. in the past, we had a project where they came into bits of britain, but not all of britain. this is aboutjobs

but not all of britain. this is about jobs across the but not all of britain. this is aboutjobs across the whole of the uk. about jobs across the whole of the uk. ., ., ~ ., the uk. you were talking about housin: the uk. you were talking about housing investment _ the uk. you were talking about housing investment today. - the uk. you were talking about housing investment today. one of those investments, £550 million, that is a lot of money. but one of those funds is talking about 500,000 social homes, but there are i million on the social housing waiting list for the beer?— on the social housing waiting list for the beer? well, half a billion pounds _ list for the beer? well, half a billion pounds was _ list for the beer? well, half a | billion pounds was announced for parts of the country. and thatis for parts of the country. and that is important because investors are choosing that now is the time to invest in britain. we have set as a government, we are going to fix the foundations, rebuild our country, and expressly saying now is the time to back us. companies and investors coming in today saying he was half a billion pounds. i want to raise that, by the way. but that is for houses around the country. for too many people and some people watching this, particularly young people, want to get on the housing ladder because they know that owning your own home is a base camp for their aspirations in life.

they haven't had that for many years because the last government failed. we are determined to knock away the obstacles on this, whether it is planning or anything else, but also take the opportunities. and these are the opportunities for housing for many people who can't afford to own their own home. another investment, pharmaceuticals. is it your view, like the health secretary's, that weight loss drugs could play a big role in solving worklessness and economic inactivity? i think these drugs _ economic inactivity? i think these drugs could - economic inactivity? i think these drugs could be - economic inactivity? i think these drugs could be very l these drugs could be very important for our economy and health. again, the story behind this is interesting. here is one of the biggest pharmaceutical businesses that had decided now is the time to put the investment into our country. this is consistent with our pitch, which is that now is the time to invest in britain, doing their research here. this drug will be helpful to people who want to lose weight, important forthe weight, important for the economy so weight, important forthe economy so people can get back into economy, and important for the nhs because, as i have

said, yes, we need more money for our nhs, but we have to think differently and reduce pressure on the nhs. so this will help in all of those areas, but whether it is the 63 billion or the housing half a billion or the housing half a billion pounds and pharmaceutical companies coming in, because we are saying we are going to fix the foundations, rebuild our country, stable economy, investors are hearing that around the globe and they are coming to britain to invest. this is so good that our country. this is so good that our country-— this is so good that our country. this is so good that our count . �* ., ., ., country. but if there are not a tension there? _ country. but if there are not a tension there? you _ country. but if there are not a tension there? you are - tension there? you are optimistic about the long—term, long—term housing, investment in pharmaceuticals. but what can you tell viewers about how in the short term, their lives will improve because of decisions you and your government are making? well, take that £63 billion worth of investment. i want to make sure that translates into well—paid, secure jobs that translates into well—paid, securejobs in that translates into well—paid, secure jobs in different parts of the country. so many people say to me, i want a secure,

well—paid and skilled job that is going to last for decades to come. and i want that for me and my family, my children and my children's children. so this is about rebuilding the country. but many times, if there has been investment into this country, and that hasn't been enough in recent years, it has only gone to some places like the north—east, the north—west, parts of scotland and others have not felt the benefit. we are getting investment in, but also being clear that it has to be in different parts of the country. so i was pleased with the 63 billion yesterday to identify, where are those jobs going to be in the country? for people watching and listening, they will want to know, how does this help me? one thing people watching will be thinking about is the budget, which is coming injust over two weeks. is the budget, which is coming in just over two weeks. i know i cannot ask about specifics, but i want to try on the manifesto. you had your sleeves rolled up on the front cover, so you are the best person to

clear up for us confusion. your manifesto rule out increasing any right of national insurance, employers or employees, or is it merely talking about ruling out increasing the employees' rate. we were clear in the manifesto that we wouldn't be increasing tax on working people. we expressly said that that was income tax nics etc. but nics just for employees? we said we would not raise tax for working people. and it wasn'tjust the manifesto, we said it repeatedly in the campaign. and we intend to keep the promises we intend to keep the promises we made in our manifesto. i'm not going to reveal the details of the budget. but where we made promises in our manifesto, we will keep them. this is going to be a manifesto that is going to be a manifesto that is going to be tough, of course. but the focus will be on rebuilding our country and ensuring we get the growth we

needin ensuring we get the growth we need in our economy, such as consistent with the summit yesterday and the money claiming in, which will be a game—changerfor claiming in, which will be a game—changer for our economy. standing on the street with me, which are slightly unusual and i'm gratefulfor it, by the way. and it is not raining! and it is not raining, nice that you have brought the sunshine. is the fact that you are here with me a recognition that in the first 100 days, you perhaps didn't communicate with the country in the right way? are you trying to change the way you trying to change the way you tell the public what you are doing?— you tell the public what you are doinu ? ~ ., are doing? what we did in the first 100 days _ are doing? what we did in the first 100 days was _ are doing? what we did in the first 100 days was take - first 100 days was take important first steps on change, whether that was the national wealth fund which we set up to get investment into the country, whether it was taking railways back into public ownership in setting up gb energy. we were getting on with the change we needed. we were also making the case for investment into our country. that is the important thing. we know the economy was broken by the last government. we know we

don't have never—ending public money, so we have to be smart, create the conditions in which global investors want to come to britain to invest in our country. i am so pleased that yesterday, the hard work of just over 100 days came to fruition with that £63 billion investment. that is realjobs investment. that is realjobs in the places where people watching this live, because i want those well—paid jobs to be in their place so that they and theirfamilies have in their place so that they and their families have a in their place so that they and theirfamilies have a better future. that was why i came into politics and that is why i am glad to be heading this government. sir keir starmer, talking to henry sesemann outside downing street. there is an independent inquiry taking place into the death of dawn sturgess in salisbury in wiltshire. dawn sturgess was the 44—year—old woman who was poisoned by the nerve agent novichok salisbury

in 2018. that inquiry opened yesterday. if you were watching yesterday, it was going to hear evidence about links between dawn sturgess' death and the attempted murderfour months attempted murder four months earlier of attempted murderfour months earlier of the former russian double agent sergei skripal and his daughter yulia. the uk security services blamed russia for the attack. the inquiry will hear some classified evidence in private. it is on a ten minute delay, as it started at ten, we are expecting it to come to us soon. but it's about the circumstances that led to the circumstances that led to the death of dawn sturgess in july 2018. she was fatally poisoned after spraying herself with the contents of a perfume bottle which contained a significant amount of the nerve agent novichok. her partner charlie rally told police he had found a perfume in a charity collection bin. we are looking at pictures from the

inquiry, everybody rising for the inquiry chairman to come in. 1522