channel hello and welcome. i'm stewart and for the next 2 hours i'll be keeping you company on tv and radio with. the stories that really matter across the country. and as always, we coming up. the budget's just a fortnight away. what do you most fear what do you most hope for.7 plus farmers and food shortages and prices, rail fares rising. your thoughts as always please on that or anything that's on your mind. gbviews@gbnews.uk or . on any of our social media platforms. stay with me for the next couple of hours. but first, let's get you underway as always

with a full summary of today's news. here's tatiana sanchez . news. here's tatiana sanchez. alastair thank you and good afternoon. it's 1:00. this is the afternoon. it's1:00. this is the latest . the former health the latest. the former health secretary wanted to frighten the pants off . everyone, according pants off. everyone, according to leaked messages sent during the covid pandemic. the to leaked messages sent during the covid pandemic . the latest the covid pandemic. the latest whatsapp conversation in the sunday telegraph shows matt hancock discussing to use another strain of the virus to scare the public shadow work and pensions secretary jonathan ashworth told gb news mr. hancock's career is over. i think the key thing is that he is a counsellor himself, think the key thing is that he is a counsellor himself , front is a counsellor himself, front of an inquiry . is a counsellor himself, front of an inquiry. it comes back to this point, isn't it.7 why need this point, isn't it.7 why need this inquiry to take quickly? a lot of people lost their lives. there's a lot of people who think that the way in which lockdowns operated has had long term implications on kinds of

fronts. everybody wants an inquiry because everybody wants to be able to put see the evidence, to be able to debate it properly and calmly. it's why we need to get on with it. train passengers are being hit by the largest hike in rail fares. for more than a decade and it comes record cancellations and strikes . ticket prices across england , . ticket prices across england, wales are increasing by an average 5.9% from today, which could add hundreds of pounds to annual season . rail minister annual season. rail minister hugh says the increase is below inflation, but labour has called it savage. the independent's correspondent simon calder says the increase isn't fair when it comes to the services being provided. the taxpayer who really doesn't want to pay for what frankly quite a lousy . we what frankly quite a lousy. we heard last week for example, that that that the number of cancellations on the day is at

the highest it's ever been since records began. so people , quite records began. so people, quite frankly thinking, yeah, it's we're paying more and we're less . prince harry has defended previous use of drugs, saying some of them helped him mentally. during an interview, he spoke to trauma expert dr. gabor , who diagnosed him with gabor, who diagnosed him with attention deficit disorder . in attention deficit disorder. in his memoir, spare harriet taking drugs on a regular saying he used marijuana 2015 whilst living in the grounds of kensington palace . now clashes kensington palace. now clashes have broken out in athens between and demonstrators over a train crash that killed 57 people in fair city students and railway workers took to the streets to voice their anger over safety standards on the network. more than 350 people were on board the train when . it were on board the train when. it crashed head on into a freight train last tuesday. it's the deadliest crash in greece's history. its government has

vowed to investigate and fix the ailing rail networks . now vowed to investigate and fix the ailing rail networks. now more than 100 nations have completed an historic pat to protect the world's oceans. the legally high seas treaty aims to put 30% of seas into protected areas by 2030. very of the high seas are subject to any protection with pollution and overfishing, posing a growing threat. environmental groups say the agreement will help reverse losses and ensure sustainable development . notorious prisoner development. notorious prisoner charles bronson will make another bid to out of jail this week in, a public parole hearing. he's behind bars for most of last 50 years for crimes such as hostage taking and armed robbery proceedings be live streamed on wednesday with a final hearing behind closed doors on friday. he he wants to be released to enjoy left of his life . the prince's foundation

life. the prince's foundation founded by the king has partnered with luxury fashion brand chanel to launch embroidery course for students . embroidery course for students. six university graduates will be selected receiving bursary fees for living costs during the tough week programme held the king's highgrove home in gloucestershire . it aims to gloucestershire. it aims to equip and prepare aspiring designers . venues across england designers. venues across england . wales will be opened later the king's coronation weekend in. may pubs, clubs and bars will serve customers for an extra 2 hours between the fifth and the 7th of may. the home secretary says it's so that people can have the time to enjoy an extra pint or two. this is a gb news will bring more news as it happens. now it's back to alastair stewart& friends .

alastair stewart& friends. scotland, thank you very much indeed. scotland, thank you very much indeed . and a very good indeed. and a very good afternoon to all of you. today, we're going to preview budget, which, believe it or not, is just a fortnight away. the chancellor's room for manoeuvre in what government objectives may be. what do business want? whether they're big businesses or whether they're medium enterprises and terribly importantly, what do you in that budget and, what do you fear most? do tell me and i'll share the best ideas back with everybody else who's got enough to be watching and listening. and we may even put a little of them together and send them off to 11 downing you to number 11 downing street. you never too late never know. it's never too late to up with a particularly to come up with a particularly good idea. now the budget is of those events that really can those big events that really can make or break governments. the speech on the 15th of march follows pm key's, which itself increasingly is a bit of a cabaret these days in. political terms and with the uk economy, however flirting precariously with recession and a general

election very close, it makes this spring even more interesting . well, the sunday interesting. well, the sunday telegraph pretty optimistic today with . our own and their today with. our own and their own liam halligan talking about celebrating those green shoots. those of you with a memory will recall norman lamont having used that expression himself , recall norman lamont having used that expression himself, and lo and behold, it came true . liam and behold, it came true. liam says he thinks that the weather is beginning to change positively on the economy and he says the key thing is not to tread on those shoots , kill them tread on those shoots, kill them off they have time , take off before they have time, take root into spring into root and really into spring into all of the glories that those of us who care about the economy want to happen. there's another thing in the sunday telegraph worth reading that suggests that the uk is why wide open for business. and the consensus is that things a little better for the chancellor. there has been a little of growth despite the proximity of recession and of course with taxes that you and,

i and businesses pay at their highest in decades . that means highest in decades. that means that the money flooding in to the treasury cutting borrowing but not debt but it does reduce need to add to that debt . and need to add to that debt. and the institute for fiscal studies , it's independent and it's probably the key organisation . probably the key organisation. most people on whatever side of the political divide they are respect to give an objective appraisal of the state of the economy. they reckon the borrowing will be around billion pounds less the next year than previously . but the office of previously. but the office of budget , the official watchdog of budget, the official watchdog of what it says budget responsibility has also warned that jeremy hunt is limited in his headroom to just as little as £9 billion. not much that you do with that. you might argue. well see. sunday times goes big on getting people back to work who've retired . some of the who've retired. some of the popular papers are talking about

building a bridge back to work. it's estimated, as i was just saying, to arlene foster, that there about 5 million people who are economically . some are are economically. some are students . some are too old to students. some are too old to work . some have just decided to work. some have just decided to call it a day a little earlier . call it a day a little earlier. theideais call it a day a little earlier. the idea is to try and get them back into work because there's also about a quarter of a million vacancies in economy. and if you're politically interested, then it adds up as well that if you're economically active, then of course you're paying active, then of course you're paying tax and national insurance and not living on benefits. so for all of us, whether we're taxpayers or hope that the best happens , the that the best happens, the economy, it would be good to build bridge back to employ . build bridge back to employ. there's also the long seek and it's interesting to see that the government are briefing on that. even about trying to persuade small and medium sized enterprises is to have occupational therapists available within the business. there may be some money in some

grants available for that. but basically just people who may be inching towards becoming not well and whether or not there are some of those who've been out work due to health for a long whether they can long time, whether they can perhaps helped into perhaps be helped back into work. intrigue that it's an area of between the conservatives and the labour party so what that one giving us of income we carved up between food and energy housing etc. and we do our budget. the chancellor can vary the level of government income via taxation and of course makes choices on what government wants to do and what it does not want do. the prime minister is the first lord of the treasury and he has said that he wants his five five pledges. new years to include inflation, restore ing growth and reducing government debt . and reducing government debt. well, a lot of that is already taken through. so that's probably quite good news for him , but it will provide the background to whatever jeremy

hunt does in just a couple of weeks time. as i say, inflation is falling but not prices , only is falling but not prices, only the rate at which prices are going up. so is employees. business owners, retirees . as business owners, retirees. as you may be at home. what do you want from the chancellor email me at gb views at gb news. .uk or on to any of our social media outlets. and we'll share the best ones back with you and with the treasury and number 11 downing street. well, all of that in just a moment. but i'm delighted to bring you right to speed with how what's already been a busy week in politics is drawing to a conclusion this weekend . and i'm delighted to weekend. and i'm delighted to say that once again olivia utley is here political correspondent sitting here with me live in the studio having hot footed it back from windsor. that was great stuff. it absolutely intriguing there. so this amuse me slightly because the sudden go with it in a big splash on page two suella

braverman the home secretary re on a migrant's call quote enough talk we must boats with a talk , talk we must boats with a talk, no pun intended of new laws to block illegals . her choice of block illegals. her choice of language there , the political language there, the political pressure on the government and particularly her to get this done. particularly her to get this done . massive all the focus done. massive all the focus groups, all opinion polls, absolutely huge political pressure. and i think interestingly , what's heaped interestingly, what's heaped even more pressure rishi sunak to sort this small boats is the fact that keir starmer seems to be pretty much sweeping the issue under the rug. i was at his speech yesterday where he laid out his five plans to what he would do in government if labour get in the next election and small boats wasn't on that , and small boats wasn't on that, which was very interesting and we had some journalists, male journalists questions about that. so know we're asking the male, we're asking interested , male, we're asking interested, you know, because we were talking about this before he

came. i hope that came. but i just hope that that's page of email that's the front page of email that's the front page of email that is referring to that olivia is referring to there that brings the there and that that brings the prime into the prime minister into the discussion whereas the sun is discussion. whereas the sun is just quoting the secretary just quoting the home secretary suella braverman ricci quotes make , no mistake. all deep make, no mistake. all deep channel migrants yes. and he sees this is a big area differentiation between himself keir starmer that's what he's saying. that's what they want him to address. that's an easy way to get his backbenchers on side because as you say focus group after focus group shows that is something that that this is something that people care and this people really care and this piece legislation which piece of legislation which suella braverman and rishi sunak have cooked up , which suella braverman and rishi sunak have cooked up, which is going to be put forward on choose day, will essentially mean that all asylum seekers who come via small boats that . claims simply small boats that. claims simply won't be considered be sent back to rhondda or , another safe to rhondda or, another safe third country so it gets the modern slavery legislation which we know has essentially acted a blockade in the immigration process. so you've got people who come here claiming modern

slavery under a current law. it's pretty it's almost impossible to question that claim modern slavery until they've been held in a waiting area in hotels, etc. and the average time for them to be held there is 424 days, which just shows the extent to which this is blocking the immigration process . all the people who want process. all the people who want come by so clearly blue water. again, as i'm neutral, mr. portillo used to refer to you mentioned the starmer speech yesterday but but he and his would be chief of staff sue gray come in for hostility in the newspaper is today. dan hodges, who has no time for keir starmer and is a former labour , is and is a former labour, is particularly brutal. the other one that caught my attention i was camilla long in the sunday times who said that this episode proves that sir keir starmer is not the messiah he's just silly boy. yes i'm actually naughty but quite clever and quite clever. absolutely. so the same point actually, that all people

panel were picking up on this morning and quite possible that sue gray dream of letting her political opinions interfere with her work in the civil service but the of it are just so bad and it gives fuel to the fire of someone like boris johnson who says that sue gray can't be trusted and her report can't be trusted and her report can't trusted. so it is beginning look as that beginning look as though that was bit of an own goal for was a bit of an own goal for keir starmer and if he thought that would that this would somehow disappear the headlines disappear from the headlines or not picked up on, it does not be picked up on, it does feel as though it's more political through , as they political cut through, as they say, than you might expect. sure also, and this is also, not going away and this is the front page of , the sunday the front page of, the sunday telegraph , that even give it telegraph, that even give it a kind of headline flash that the lockdown files they refer to it now, this quite extraordinary thing. i mean, i find it slightly offensive and ridiculous that government and policy seem to be conducted via whatsapp for so long but for a very member of that government, the health secretary himself to

talk about frightening the pants the public by telling them you better abide all of the rules all this new variant in kent is going to come up and do for you and do for us all. the language is childish and pathetic. the politics demeaning, the politics is very demeaning. and i think what i found the most about that is the episode where matt hancock talks , about when hancock talks, about when they're going to release the new variant. so essentially the news that there was a new variant was being from us until the moment of most political for matt hancock and he wanted to pick his time when he felt that people were complacent to release this news that a new variant here and it does feel a little bit as though the people were kind of played as children almost over this whole lockdown period. so i think these stories are going to keep on coming and it's to heap pressure on that inquiry, which many people have said shouldn't be dragged out

for as interesting going back to the labour tory thing thing had just in the news bulletin there that labour's former shadow health secretary saying that this draws line under hancock's political career , which i rather political career, which i rather thought had been drawn anyway. but it also emerged from these leaks that he thought covid was to relaunch his political career and was told by close friends that this would project him up to the very, very top, presumably leader or trump of the exchequer or home secretary. i mean, nothing could be further from the truth. absolutely. and it was quite alarming seeing that right at the beginning of that right at the beginning of that pandemic. when you think the secretary might have some other things to think about. he was to this close about was talking to this close about how the crisis might helped propel up to greater heights propel him up to greater heights quite , alarming thing to see, quite, alarming thing to see, really. so i think it's easy with of these comments with all of these comments coming out at the same time it's easy to forget the weight of them really but it is as the

former house of former shadow health secretary said it very much draws a line under. health secretary said it very much draws a line under . matt much draws a line under. matt hancock's political career. am i a bit puritanical or do i agree with me perhaps that this whole episode just slightly damaged the perception of how we do politics in this country ? i politics in this country? i think it definitely has. and i think it definitely has. and i think the politics by whatsapp must consigned to the history must be consigned to the history books fascinating stuff books soon. fascinating stuff always a great pleasure . and always a great pleasure. and again, as i said, congratulations on the people's session down in windsor and thy civil servant as well, who has been for pennies on on sue gray, i thought he was absolutely on the money. have a great what's left of sunday and see you again later, rob. thank you very much indeed. of the indeed. live out of the political for gb political correspondent for gb news. us return to the news. let us return to the budget and to get the discussion underway . i'm budget and to get the discussion underway. i'm delighted to say that. joining me now is helen thomas. helen is the ceo of blood and money and is also former adviser to george osborne , which i must confess i didn't

know until we were preparing for this item , because you were very this item, because you were very good enough to on the program quite often talking about some savings and tips for people and what have you. so the big picture , there's a little bit of picture, there's a little bit of growth as falling inflation. there's lower borrowing than fed the backdrop . chancellor jeremy the backdrop. chancellorjeremy hunt could be considerably worse . it is , yes, which isn't . it is, yes, which isn't necessarily the best political background you might want. you want to really be able to pull all the rabbits from the hat or want to save from some some terrible nightmare . and terrible nightmare. and actually, unfortunately, we've been through the terrible nightmare. we've got a dreadful last few months , not just the last few months, not just the weather, but the cost of living crisis, which is just dragged on and on have been so painful for everybody. and, of course, know this, these energy prices that thatis this, these energy prices that that is still with us. so it's a

bit of a strange time to be having this budget. and i think the message is actually going to be steady as she goes . don't be steady as she goes. don't frighten the horses from . the frighten the horses from. the unked frighten the horses from. the linked briefings about back into work and what have that this may be more of a supply side budget than a demand side it. there are very few briefings that that is going to put any money back in our pockets but simply try and find a way if over a certain age to get back into work . well, i to get back into work. well, i think what we'll see is lot of very detailed policy prescriptions on specific areas where there is a problem. and we have heard for months and months now about this inactivity in a large part of the labour force, people just, you know, unable or unwilling to go back to work and what can be done about that. and there's been a of work done on there's been a of work done on the conservative side about this from what we hear. as you say from what we hear. so as you say , there may well be some tweaks or changes made. you talked in

your preview earlier on that we might well be getting an occupational health check and even businesses might be even small businesses might be incentivised to be able to provide that the but provide that the people. but it's not just long term sickness that's the issue . there are that's the issue. there are other factors that why people aren't to it could aren't going to work. it could to childcare and how to be with childcare and how expensive could be expensive that is. it could be our pension . i'd be fascinated our pension. i'd be fascinated by your view is i bet they've got real hand experience got real first hand experience of that which make it just pointless actually to return to work because of the huge tax rates , the loss of allowances, rates, the loss of allowances, says a lot of little did detailed stuff going on and we know from we've seen this with that brexit deal he loves that detail he wants to go in and solve those problems to try and get everything back on track, which means you do slightly miss the big picture message . sure. the big picture message. sure. and the cost of in crisis is very clearly from the sector centre . what we normally talk centre. what we normally talk about when you're kind enough to come on to the programme and what a lot of people come to

website to seek advice guidance on but again call me old fashioned the best way of deaung fashioned the best way of dealing with a cost living crisis is to put more money in people's pockets and let them make their choices about how they spend it . well, that's the they spend it. well, that's the debate. the age wrecking its way through the conservative party course. you know, you kind of alluding there to potential for tax cuts, which of , you know, tax cuts, which of, you know, having been thrust massively in the spotlight in october september last year within pulled yanked back because of violent market response to the previous prime minister and her plans that front and i think that still going to rage on i think there will certainly be some conservative mps and possibly even just people in the country who do think the answer is just look, put more money into our pockets and we can figure out what to do with it. so what? as with all things, how do you pay for all of this and thatis do you pay for all of this and that is still hanging over this budget because of what happened

at the end of last year. they are unable escape that. well not long to wait and perhaps you'll be good enough to come back and reflect on what actually does happen that . let's hope there happen in that. let's hope there are no pasties which will bring back headaches from time. back headaches from your time. when working with when you were working with george? ceo of george? helen thomas, ceo of blood money. great to see you again and thank you very much indeed for your wisdom and your guidance through and as guidance through that. and as i the budgets 15th of march. so we'll be talking to a range of people reflecting upon it as when it does unfold. helen, thank you very much indeed . next thank you very much indeed. next up, i'm delighted to welcome back to the programme again with a different of hat on this time, but it's the great anthony seldon. the renowned political biographer and he is . good to biographer and he is. good to see you, sir. and thank you for breaking into your weekend. i mentioned the bit about modern historian and political biographer anthony . do you think biographer anthony. do you think anyone out there, let alone the occupants of number 10 or number

11 downing street, know what a fiscal conservative. any more ? fiscal conservative. any more? no, not alistair. and i think . no, not alistair. and i think. the interesting thing about this budget, there'll be many interesting things is, is it going to be the chancellor as jeremy hunt, who is you were pointing out is second lord the of the treasury or the first order of the treasury, the prime minister. and it's always very interesting where prime minister has been a chancellor like gordon brown because know all prime ministers stick with what they know best. so in the same way theresa may was a home secretary prime minister and bofis secretary prime minister and boris johnson was a city who prime minister so pretty sunak is really at the moment he needs to move away from it actually, but he's a chance so it's going be fascinating who who is taking the big decisions . but look it's the big decisions. but look it's going to be a very budget . their going to be a very budget. their eyes are on one prize only. and

thatis eyes are on one prize only. and that is the general election , that is the general election, the end of next year. and giving away too much now letting inflation rip is not going to do it so expect this to be a cautious lots of micro initiatives but just playing it cool and safe with the eyes on big prize of a. unprecedented in history six general election victory . do you rate either of victory. do you rate either of them ? i do i do victory. do you rate either of them?idoido.i victory. do you rate either of them ? i do i do . i mean, i think them? i do i do. i mean, i think them? i do i do. i mean, i think the rishi sunak he's learning a lot and he probably needs to listen to some different people . but he is really unbelievably hard working up there in the thatcher class. he's prudent, he's cautious , sees moral. i he's cautious, sees moral. i think he has to . the question think he has to. the question is, it takes a prime minister three or four years to learn how to do the and history was

strongly suggests he's going to have two years and jeremy hunt clearly i mean goodness how many chancellors history have taken over at a more desperate moment and the way he he grip the reins and the way he he grip the reins and just showed that steady bringing the economy back from the absolute abyss of this truss's wild dreams and steadied the ship. i mean you know that that stuff of history joe the final one if i may i talking to olivia about the lockdown files and this one the hancock plan to frighten the pants the public with policy being debated and even resolved . whatsapp do you even resolved. whatsapp do you think as modern historian and political biographer , this is political biographer, this is all pretty demeaning ? our all pretty demeaning? our politics and chair of the national archive trust to wear a

q all our wonderful documents archive . i mean look i agree archive. i mean look i agree with olivia said until the end when she said got to move beyond whatsapp politics we know going to do that any more than we can invent any other modern innovation we might not like. but i absolutely chris demeaning and way this whole thing is played out over such an incredibly important issue as covid where many will have lost loved ones and have hugely strong views about it. i mean, it's undignified and you know, it's undignified and you know, it matters. i mean, i'm talking as as as a school leader and a former university leader. we need politicians. this is where i think, sunak and hunt do very well. we need them to behave to and grown ups. i and they are i think whether we their politics or not but i think this is so demeaning and gives such a

terrible example to people who might want to come into politics. politics should a very high calling, indeed said that they indeed . great to see you they indeed. great to see you and thank you for breaking the week. i'd love to. you both have what's left of the weekend. i hope you enjoy it. and as a mutual friend of ours said to me recently, why would anybody of our generation want to go into pubuc our generation want to go into public life or let alone politics given all of this nonsense? they are the nonsense? but they are the thoughts of great sir thoughts of the great sir anthony seldon always a pleasure thoughts of the great sir antiwatching on always a pleasure thoughts of the great sir antiwatching andlways a pleasure thoughts of the great sir antiwatching and listeningleasure thoughts of the great sir antiwatching and listening to sure you watching and listening to alastair and friends with lots more on today's programme more coming on today's programme with inflation and, with food inflation and, security hitting the country . security hitting the country. we'll be finding out what farmers doing to adapt to that . farmers doing to adapt to that. but first, a quick.

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afternoon. it's 130. break afternoon. it's130. i'm break afternoon. it's 130. i'm tatiana afternoon. it's130. i'm tatiana sanchez in the gb newsroom. the former health secretary wanted to frighten the pants off . the to frighten the pants off. the public. that's according to leaked messages sent during the covid pandemic. the leaked messages sent during the covid pandemic . the latest covid pandemic. the latest whatsapp conversation published in the sunday telegraph both shows matt hancock discussing how to use another strain of covid virus to scare the public . shadow work and pensions secretary jonathan ashworth told gb news mr. hancock's political career is over. i think the key thing is, is that he is a councillor himself in front of an inquiry . it councillor himself in front of an inquiry. it comes back to this point isn't it why we need this point isn't it why we need this inquiry take place quickly . a lot of people lost their lives. a lot of people who think that the way in which lockdowns operate has had long term implications on all kinds of fronts . everybody wants an fronts. everybody wants an inquiry because . everybody wants inquiry because. everybody wants to be able to see the evidence , to be able to see the evidence, to be able to see the evidence, to be able to see the evidence, to be able to it properly to be able to debate it properly and calmly. and it's why we need

to on with it train passengers are hit by the largest hike in rail fares for more than a decade and it comes amid record cancellation fines and strikes regulated ticket prices across england and wales are increasing by an average of 5.9% from today, which could add hundreds of pounds to annual season . rail of pounds to annual season. rail minister hugh merriman says the increase is below inflation, but labour has called it savage and the clashes broken out in athens between police and demonstrators over a train crash that killed 57 people. university students and railway workers took to the streets to voice their over safety standards on the rail network. more than 350 people were on board the train when crashed head on into a freight train last tuesday as the deadly train last tuesday as the deadly train crash in greece's history . its government has vowed to invest against and fix the ailing rail networks . tv online

ailing rail networks. tv online and dab+ radio. this gb news that was tailored to . that was tailored to. tatyana. thank very much indeed . you will know a little of this least due to our rural spotlight where we're trying to look at food and farming pretty well in every programme and we've on the fact that food inflation and food security are now at the top of the news agenda and of course it is affecting farmers across the united kingdom . well gb news the united kingdom. well gb news is northern ireland. reporter dougie beattie has been talking to farmers who have retail interests and are adapting to the future. here's what he found out from northern ireland. farmer well your main costs are coming out of fear.

farmer well your main costs are coming out of fear . your coming out of fear. your butter's in your milk and your flours and sugars just right across the board. unfortunately . in this last six months, we've seen a big rise and everything . seen a big rise and everything. gareth carr explaining the problems around in the bakery sector . but gareth has business sector. but gareth has business interests and they're all linked to food production. well also do farming, dairy farming and butcher shops as well. and especially in the bay farm. and it's gotten very tight because of the cost of mainly labour costs . just the actual purchase costs. just the actual purchase price , the actual animal. it's price, the actual animal. it's very hard to make a living out of . the food very hard to make a living out of. the food chain is very hard to make a living out of . the food chain is a very hard to make a living out of. the food chain is a costly thing . it starts with the grind thing. it starts with the grind , the seed , all that have to be , the seed, all that have to be bought and then fed with raising interest rates, cash flows are being pushed. it's an ever

growing issue. you know the costs are going into production. they just keep rising . now they just keep rising. now whether that is electricity the labour being a major and fuel and fertiliser all those things they just keep creeping up and that's true across the board of food production . emily mcgeehan food production. emily mcgeehan is , that director of meadowbank is, that director of meadowbank farm shop and most of its produce, is from her family's . produce, is from her family's. she says direct retail lessens their risks and, gives additional income . well it's a additional income. well it's a it's a tricky market you know you're all your you're relying on the weather. you're relying the land. and it's know that's farming and. now we have a farm shop now so we're able to, you know, spread that risk and be to supply the shop not only other wholesalers , as with most of the wholesalers, as with most of the uk produce prices to the farm gate are bain capital. so and

farms are now cutting back on large retail productions. the business we are. slowing down on more or less stop buying large scale vegetable production and because just not viable unfortunately anymore for us the importation of food is a risk and while future generations might take the gamble , it's might take the gamble, it's a very volatile market for supermarket cuts are the spanish farmers going to plant the tomatoes in the peppers year if they're not getting the for the produce. well, i'm a young farmer and there many other young farmers coming into the industry, which is very exciting for. the industry that there's a future , but there is only going future, but there is only going to be a future if farmers get the right money for what we are producing to keep it. gb news and i'm delighted to say that do get can join me live now from

northern ireland to reflect just a little further on what, if i may say it was a fantastic package and a fantastic report . package and a fantastic report. does the windsor framework or the old protocol have any impact this? i mean, input costs, presumably it does matter . well, presumably it does matter. well, it does. and in northern ireland has been right in the middle of that storm. of course because because the red lines that we would be held and still affect us with live livestock, if you like, going across the irish and we are held inside regulations and as i was yesterday i spent a bit of time in holland over the last couple of and of course they are being with methionine and up to 3000 farms looking at closing and they're going to try and do the same thing here in the republic of ireland and that may well come to northern land and if you take it that the irish dairy sector is worth

about £6.8 billion per year, it is quite a concern for this industry . but is quite a concern for this industry. but the is quite a concern for this industry . but the mcgeehan industry. but the mcgeehan family and the corrie family very, very highly respected inside northern ireland. and how many mcgeehan there are saying that? well, they're really not going to be supplying super any more they're going to more or they're going to continue with their retail trade and trade and that and wholesale trade and that says a lot of why they're not being paid the farm gate . and being paid at the farm gate. and if look at the asked of if we look at the asked of agriculture, just their projections for this year for us. dairy products, people are u.s. dairy products, people are saying this is part of brexit normal. yes. isn't part of that. and they are saying that us dairy sector will lose if 18.2% of its income this year. that's about $30.5 billion. that is some hit . and when you take some hit. and when you take that, holland is the next biggest producer of agriculture the both of those together will cause a shortage within 2020 425 and dairy products because of

course right across the uk where the dairies are now paying in this last month, about $0.05 a litre less , which means they litre less, which means they will put less on their land and produce less milk that to go into our food . and i would just into our food. and i would just say via you and i know you won't contradict me for a moment to anyone listening to us on radio or watching us on if you've never been to farmers market, you have missed out. they are a wonderful and the produce is just brilliant and you can support men and women who are doing their very best for all of us dougie thanks for sharing that with us from northern ireland. dougie beattie there on northern ireland reporter i thank very much indeed you take care and enjoy the rest day. care and enjoy the rest of day. thank very much indeed. and thank you very much indeed. and are listening to are watching and listening to alastair friends with alastair stewart& friends with kenny to come this kenny moore. still to come this afternoon, including more on british farming as british growers urge the government to put warm words into action and invest in the whole culture sector. i'll asking what can be

done precisely to tackle the fruit and vegetable shortage? but first, let's bring you right up to date with the weather . up to date with the weather. hello there. i'm to greg welcome to our latest broadcast, hello there. i'm to greg welcome to our latest broadcast , the met to our latest broadcast, the met office turning colder as we move into next the increased risk of frost and ice and some snow in the forecast, too. looking at the forecast, too. looking at the bigger picture we can see, yes, it's been relatively cold this weekend for many parts, but from monday onwards, these darker blues, the colder air filter southwards we head through the beginning of next week and increase increase the risk of snow and that's also evident as we go through the next 24 hours. so through the rest of sunday, it is a cloudy out there. we do see some showers parts of wales up showers across parts of wales up into and scotland into northern and scotland perhaps bit over the perhaps a little bit over the highest temperatures highest ground temperatures overall on the chilly side, 5 to 9 celsius. so a lot of cloud giving me light winds, but starting to come down from the north into the evening time, we see an increased risk of snow

developing across parts of aberdeenshire into shetland. stronger develop into so stronger winds develop into so an increased risk of ice here as we move into the early hours metservice warnings in force of snow and ice as we through into monday morning generally across england and wales though temperatures low single figures a cloud to start monday a lot of cloud to start monday morning with some showers from the word go . we do have the word go. we do have a weather front sinking south. this band of weak rain here behind it. much colder air filtering it and turning brighter, though, with sunny spells wintry showers . snow spells and wintry showers. snow starting accumulate to starting to accumulate to relatively low levels across parts of scotland as this weather system sinks south, breaks into showers across , breaks up into showers across, the the far south, the midlands, the far south, temperatures nine or ten celsius, but temperatures falling as the day goes on to get much above freezing in the afternoon across northern parts of scotland, frequent snow showers which continues into monday evening as well. some frontal across southern parts of wales south—west england could see the return of some rain and hail, snow later on in the evening. but overall, it looks

like over the next few days it stays rather cloudy in the south, showers in the south, snow showers in the north, staying very cold, particularly night. you particularly at night. see you again .

soon hello again. welcome back and. you are watching and listening to alastair and friends here on, gb news tv and radio and thank you very much indeed for so doing. thank you. also getting in touch which you have been doing in profusion on our big topic of the day and that the chancellor's forthcoming budget in just about a fortnight's time. roger gets us underway by saying, i implore you to implore the hunt not to fuel jury duty on the 15th. well picked up on that it's been brief read the newspapers at the treasury are saying to him, yes, you must do it. and one of the reasons that they're saying should do it is

because they, say it would yield enough for him to give the nurses a decent pay rise their language, mine . and language, not mine. and therefore, a little therefore, by a little industrial peace in the national health service. but of course, it would, as you imply be inflationary and not at all popular with . those who drive popular with. those who drive using petrol or diesel joins the debate and cuts to the chase. the chancellor should resign all he has done is tax the poor. cutting the taxes would be getting the economy moving , he getting the economy moving, he says. morgan says to keep order, people in work or to tempt back into work. the answer is simple those who've paid full national insurance to reach the full government pension age over the required years and should cease to it after that . do keep your to it after that. do keep your views coming in. i will share the best fact with you. the other thought i had on that is that one of the best ways to getting people into work is to let them keep more what they

let them keep more of what they earn, which of course would mean reducing not in national insurance, but income. it's insurance, but also income. it's just worse the thought just the worse the thought i throw there. do you throw it out there. but do you give thoughts as well? give us your thoughts as well? we from you. we always love hearing from you. now the uk is likely to be grappling with a shortage fruit and vegetables for quite some. it's prompted producers to call for a horticultural growth strategy . now in response, the strategy. now in response, the national farmers has published a point plan on just how to boost the production of fresh british produce. the nfu says that the strategy , if backed by the strategy, if backed by the government, could minimise future supply chain disruption . future supply chain disruption. and i'm delighted to say that joining me now is the chair of the nephew's horticulture and potatoes board, martin emmett, and there he is. martin great to see you. and thank you very much indeed. do the government get because i know you had a big conference recently and you have

the environment secretary there. you had farms ministers you also had the farms ministers there. i do believe a friend there. and i do believe a friend of mine told me you had the leader of the opposition as well, sir keir starmer starmer . well, sir keir starmer starmer. thank you, sir, and thank you for having me on the program. and the government do get it in such that they published a food strategy back in june last year and that food strategy realised that we need to develop our resilience and that we needed to grow more food in uk. so they talked about having a growth plan for the sector. but as we've not seen very much evidence of that. so that's why as the nfu, we've actually prepared this ten point plan. it covers not just fresh produce but also ornamental and garden plants as well. so the approach put your whole production horticulture and we do hope they are now going to to are now going to start to listen. i'm and if you've been kind to see this programme or don't do any of your jobs you have i've echoing that it is an industry it just fruit and veg.

it's horticulture right across the piece nfu is also briefing andifs the piece nfu is also briefing and it's picked up in the broadsheets today that the supermarkets have not played a bunder supermarkets have not played a blinder over this and dougie beattie our northern ireland reporter just saying that in northern ireland and awful lot of farmers there are seeking to cut out the supermarket which they're going direct to the to they're going direct to the to the consumer farmers markets their own retail outlets and what have you . and what the nfu what have you. and what the nfu is saying this morning is that it's price between the supermarkets that have really hurt as well and getting silly infinitely about specification of the very, very precise size of the very, very precise size of an apple or whatever might be. and if it doesn't fit that then they won't buy. they need to get their act together as well, don't they? they do . and i well, don't they? they do. and i mean, to be fair british supermarkets is in a very good job at delivering very high quality produce at the lowest possible prices to uk customers

. but this shortage that we now have, for example, inside to be were predicting and obviously there's a difference response that we're seeing europe compared to what we're seeing here in the uk. so the issue really from the industry point of view is that what we need is yes, we long term contracts, but we need the flexibility and that growers know and can be confident they get a fair return because without that confidence that they're going to get a fair return, that they can renegotiate when for example, we get an expected cost price inflation. without that confidence, we're not going to be making the level of investment that we need. and we need to be really we do need to grow more food . this country, we grow more food. this country, we climate change with a shortage of water. happening of water. it's happening worldwide and with the resilience of british resilience of the british climate. where we should climate. this is where we should be a lot of our be growing a lot more of our food . does that mean that you food. does that mean that you need more glass and more plastic 7 need more glass and more plastic ? growing areas because . they ? growing areas because. they are very costly to run , aren't

are very costly to run, aren't they? with the energy prices that they are ? yes. i mean, it's that they are? yes. i mean, it's interesting. the government state strategy put a lot of focus on what they're calling industrial farming by, which i think they meant sort of vertical urban farms, but actually , we to look at the actually, we need to look at the whole range of production in the uk. yes, there is going to be a at a benefit from having greenhouses and polythene tunnels and yes, they are expensive to run, but they can be very efficient in terms of water use and management. some again to a new generation of the industry now where using a lot more renewable energies, where we're using technologies like heat and power, which gives us the most efficient use of gas so it doesn't just generate electricity can go and to electricity which can go and to national grid, but it also can heat our greenhouse. yes , is heat our greenhouse. so, yes, is cost, actually it's a cost cost, but actually it's a cost worth paying . absolutely. and worth paying. absolutely. and it's an industry we're celebrating , which i always seek celebrating, which i always seek to do on programme. and we at gb

news do as well. martin first time we conversed thoroughly , time we conversed thoroughly, enjoyed it. i hope you'll keep in touch with us. best of luck with the government in your ten point plan. let's let's let's get cracking on it and sort out a whole number. problems all in one go. martin i'm at the national union, the horticulture and potatoes board joining me for the first time. always a pleasure to talk to frontline farmers as well as the nephew . farmers as well as the nephew. now, formula one is back and the dutchman verstappen has put down a very clear early of his intention to retain the drivers world championship . no recovery, world championship. no recovery, however , yet in form for however, yet in form for mercedes with both drivers talking down the team's prospects on their own . so if prospects on their own. so if you are a and like a bit of patriots which red bull say they get punished for by the british

audience because they've never employed a british driver , maybe employed a british driver, maybe aston martin is one to watch this season . fernando alonso, this season. fernando alonso, that blast from the past driver raised a few eyebrows during practise, putting in some quite truly extraordinary timings. and i'm delighted to say that joining once again now is his brilliant formula one correspondent, philip duncan, and there he is. and a couple of hours away from the start , the hours away from the start, the race in bahrain. so aston martin, do you reckon it's one to watch ? i think that's to watch? i think that's certainly one to watch, sir. for that's sure. i mean, they've turned up here and they've they've sort of turned the formula on its as it were, formula on its head, as it were, and in fairness to last season, where they struggling over the last years, where they've last two years, where they've been in we wanted been back in in form, we wanted really struggled. but they've turned winter turned a corner over the winter they've got fernando alonso there as you say and it's double world champion. a young man at the of 41. but he's still the age of 41. but he's still able to do the business and certainly with that that

machinery , the car which is machinery, the car which is improved as as we say, from from from last year's version, that certainly in the mix. he starts fifth today and he says will be in contention for a podium , in contention for a podium, which is news for the which is great news for the sport. great that we've got sport. it's great that we've got team in there amongst the top three. obviously we've got red ferrari, mercedes aston ferrari, mercedes to have aston martin. is quite martin. that is quite a i couldn't with more. couldn't agree with you more. it's a great british brand , not it's a great british brand, not unlike bentley in the touring car area of activity as well. so i genuinely wish them well . do i genuinely wish them well. do you think that lewis hamilton and lando norris will get ticked off by toto and the backers of mercedes for having so talk down the team's prospects and? their own . yes, it's a bit of a own. yes, it's a bit of a disaster for me. say this is not a story. i mean, obviously we had they had a very difficult year last year as we as we know, lewis hamilton, the seven time world champion, the who's world champion, the man who's used winning, win one used to winning, didn't win one race last season, which race at all last season, which is the first time that's ever

happened to him in his career. so have liked to have so he would have liked to have turned here bahrain with turned up here in bahrain with with with a machine. this with a car, with a machine. this is able to take him to that record eight world championship. but doesn't look but as you say it doesn't look as he's got the machinery as though he's got the machinery there to do it. he there to be able to do it. he said here that the car said here on friday that the car is and isn't up to scratch, that it's the wrong concept that they've fallen behind. and toto wolff, the team principal, echoed sentiments last echoed those sentiments last night and basically said he's going this season's car going to throw this season's car in bin and again, she's in the bin and again, she's obviously terrible news for lewis hamilton , team—mate george lewis hamilton, team—mate george russell , lewis hamilton, team—mate george russell, ahead of this new season. so yeah, troubling times again for hamilton and for his mercedes team even before we've had one race. i mean, george, not lando, my apologies and thank you for that delicate correction . i'm grateful that correction. i'm grateful that mercedes looked a little bit like ferrari once. great now in the wilderness . yeah. as you say the wilderness. yeah. as you say , great. but it's been a best part of 16 years since they last

won a drivers world championship . two thousand and seven was when they last won drivers title with kimi raikkonen, the finnish driver . they were there or driver. they were there or thereabouts last year, but had a number of strategic and driver errors, a mechanical mistakes that really plagued their season . you know, they started the second row today with their drivers. charles leclerc and carlos sainz. so fact that they i mean, they could certainly be in the mix, but they're going to be red bull to have be relying on red bull to have some problems in today's race max. looks really out max. verstappen looks really out of an and in the course of his own here this weekend which is rather ominous how he rather ominous given how he dominates it last season, winning 15 of the 22 races and winning 15 of the 22 races and winning his second championships. he's obviously the to take his title going into today's race for the pits always a pleasure genuinely thank you very much indeed for fitting us into what i know is a tremendously day for you not only with the race but the first of the season . the press of the season. the press association's formula one correspondent, the great philip duncan there sharing his

thoughts mercedes, ferrari, thoughts on mercedes, ferrari, red and aston martin, red bull and aston martin, a great british team . we wish them great british team. we wish them well. and that race starts in a couple of hours time . you're couple of hours time. you're watching and listening to alastair stewart& friends with lots more coming up on the programme this afternoon . we'll programme this afternoon. we'll be looking forward once to the budget in a couple of weeks time and finding out the hopes and fears of business. but first, let's you up to date with the what's up? hello there. i'm you host welcome to our latest broadcast from the met office. turning colder as we move into next the increased risk frost andice next the increased risk frost and ice and some snow in the forecast too. looking at the bigger picture , we can see, yes, bigger picture, we can see, yes, it's been relatively cold this weekend for many parts, but from monday onwards, these darker the colder air filter southwards as we head through the beginning next week and increase increase the risk of snow. and that's also evident as we go through the next 24 hours. so through the next 24 hours. so through the rest of sunday, it is a cloudy picture out there. we do

see some showers across parts of wales into northern ireland wales up into northern ireland and scotland, perhaps a little bit wintry over highest bit wintry over the highest ground temperatures on ground temperatures overall on the chilly 5 to 9 celsius. so a lot of cloud around giving me light winds but starting to come down from the north into evening time, we see an increased risk of snow developing across parts of snow developing across parts of aberdeenshire into of aberdeenshire up into shetland. winds develop shetland. stronger winds develop too. so increased of ice here too. so an increased of ice here as we move into the early hours. metservice warnings in of snow andice metservice warnings in of snow and ice as we move through into monday morning . across england monday morning. across england and wales though low single figures, a lot of cloud around to start monday morning with some showers from the word go . some showers from the word go. we do have a weather front sinking south. it's band of sinking south. it's this band of weak here behind it much , colder weak here behind it much, colder air filtering it and turning brighter with sunny spells and wintry showers of snow starting to accumulate relatively low levels across parts of as this weather system sinks , breaks up weather system sinks, breaks up into showers across midlands, the far south, temperatures reaching nine or ten celsius. but temperatures falling as the

day goes on, struggling to get much above freezing in the across northern parts of scotland with frequent snow showers , which continues into showers, which continues into monday evening as well. some frontal linkage across southern parts of wales. frontal linkage across southern parts of wales . west england parts of wales. west england could see the return of some and hail later in the evening. hail snow later in the evening. but overall it like over the next few days it stays cloudy in the south, snow showers in the north, staying very cold, particularly at night. see you again soon .

soon hello and welcome. if you've just joined us, i'm alison stewart and we are in the second and final hour of our program today keeping you company here on tv and radio on gb news with many more still to come on the program, including continuing our preview of the budget is

just over a week away set to place in 15th of march. we will also be discussing stricter laws announced by the prime minister today in a bid to stop people arriving in the uk illegally . arriving in the uk illegally. all of that and even more . but all of that and even more. but first, let's bring you right up to date all of the latest news on a busy news day. here once again , tatiana sanchez. on a busy news day. here once again , tatiana sanchez . alastair again, tatiana sanchez. alastair thank you and good afternoon. it's 2:01. this is the latest from the gb newsroom. the former health secretary wanted to, quote, frighten the pants . quote, frighten the pants. everyone, according to leaked messages sent during the covid pandemic , the latest whatsapp pandemic, the latest whatsapp conversation published in the sunday telegraph shows matt hancock discussing how to use another strain of the covid virus to scare the. shadow work and pensions secretary jonathan ashworth us mr. hancock's

political is over. i think the key thing is, is that he is a councillor himself in front of an inquiry . it councillor himself in front of an inquiry. it comes back to this point , isn't it, why we this point, isn't it, why we need this inquiry to take place quickly ? a lot of people lost quickly? a lot of people lost their lives . there's a lot of their lives. there's a lot of people who think that the way in which lockdowns operate it has had long term implications on all kinds of fronts. everybody wants an inquiry. everybody wants an inquiry. everybody wants to be able to see the evidence , to be able to debate evidence, to be able to debate it properly and calmly. and it's why we need to get on with it. frail passengers could their season ticket go up by hundreds of pounds from today ? and in the of pounds from today? and in the largest train hike for more than a decade . ticket prices across a decade. ticket prices across england and wales are rising by average 5.9, despite strikes and cancellations that have brought parts of the uk to a standstill . rail minister hugh merriman says the increase is below

inflation. labour has called it savage . the independent's travel savage. the independent's travel correspondent simon calder said it isn't fair with the level of services currently being provided . a taxpayer who really provided. a taxpayer who really doesn't want to pay more for what frankly quite a lousy service we heard last week for example that the number of cancellations on the day is the highest. it's ever been since records began . so people are records began. so people are quite frankly thinking yeah, it's we're paying more and we're getting less less . prince harry getting less less. prince harry has defended his previous use of drugs, saying some of them helped him mentally. during an interview, he spoke to trauma dr. gabor motty , who diagnosed dr. gabor motty, who diagnosed him with attention disorder in. his memoir, spare. harry admitted drugs on a regular bafis admitted drugs on a regular basis saying he used marijuana in 2015 whilst living in the grounds of kensington palace . grounds of kensington palace.

covid vaccine manufacturer mcdonagh has announced his new base will be built in oxford . base will be built in oxford. share the moderna innovation and technology centre will based in harwell to help develop mrsa vaccines for respiratory diseases . future variants of diseases. future variants of covid. the move is set to create hundreds of jobs in construction as well as within the manufacturing facility, which is expected to open in 2025 . while expected to open in 2025. while clashes have broken out in athens between police and demonstrators , a train crash demonstrators, a train crash that killed 57 people. protesters held objects, including bombs, while police responded with tear gas and hand grenades following protests over the past three days. thousands university students and railway workers took to the streets to voice their anger over safety standards on the rail network. more than 350 people were on board train when it crashed head on into a freight train last

tuesday . it's the deadliest tuesday. it's the deadliest train crash . greece's history train crash. greece's history while the government has vowed to investigate and fix the ailing rail networks . now, more ailing rail networks. now, more than 100 nations have completed and pact to protect the world's oceans. the legally binding high seas treaty aims to put 30% of seas into protected areas by 2030. very little . the high seas 2030. very little. the high seas is subject to any with pollution and posing a growing . and posing a growing. environmental groups . the environmental groups. the agreement will help reverse losses and ensure sustainable development . notorious prisoner development. notorious prisoner charles bronson will make another to get out of jail this week in a public parole hearing. he's behind bars for most the last 50 years for crimes such as hostage taking and armed robbery . proceedings will be live streamed on wednesday with a final hearing behind closed doors on friday. he says he

wants to be released to enjoy what's left of his life . the what's left of his life. the prince's foundation founded by the king has partnered with the luxury fashion chanel to launch an embroidery course for students. 16 varsity graduates will be selected receiving bursaries for living costs dunng bursaries for living costs during the 24 week programme held at the king's highgrove home in gloucestershire. it aims to equip , prepare aspiring to equip, prepare aspiring designers . and venues across designers. and venues across england and wales will be open later over the king's coronation weekend in may . pubs, clubs and weekend in may. pubs, clubs and bars serve customers for an extra 2 hours between the fifth and the 7th of may. the home secretary says it's so that people can have the time to enjoy an extra pint or two. this is gb news will bring you more news. it happens now. it's back to alison stewart and friends .

to alison stewart and friends. tatiana thank you very much indeed. let's return to our top story now with the budget just a couple of weeks away before jeremy hunt addresses the house of commons and. of course the rest of us, because it will be covered live across all broadcasting outlets. i'm sure. including here at gb news with full analysis on this it's a major event in the political calendar but it's also a major eventin calendar but it's also a major event in the economic calendar and has a direct and immediate impact on the economic prospects of the country at and all of us as individuals. of the country at and all of us as individuals . we're mulling as individuals. we're mulling over what he may or may not have planned for us to improve the economy and hopefully seek growth. we want to hear from you on what you want and what you most. those of you who are on the front line trying to hold a business together or , trying to

business together or, trying to hold your own budgets together from those who are, of course, the backbone of economy , what the backbone of economy, what would they do if they were chancellor? joining me first is the owner of and beauty salon , the owner of and beauty salon, someone who's been on the program several times before. so it's always a joy to see her again. that beauty salon is called serenity loves and her name is joe bevilacqua , which i name is joe bevilacqua, which i got completely wrong. first time, but i think i've just about now at third time of drying got it about right. two very simple questions. drying got it about right. two very simple questions . what do very simple questions. what do you most want to hear jeremy very simple questions. what do you most want to hearjeremy say you most want to hear jeremy say in budget speech and fills you with horror and keeps you awake at night ? that he might say and at night? that he might say and what i think the first thing that we would love to hear is more support for people in as it is and to help get more people into work. our industry , the into work. our industry, the hair and beauty industry is one

that contributes billions to the economy every single year. but we need more targeted help for sure. we've had people not just my business, but up and down the country who have reduced their because actually they're back to us. so we need more health care with childcare . obviously, our with childcare. obviously, our industry is primarily female , industry is primarily female, but i think this is a national thing that i'm having women and families all over the country. we need way more help with childcare. it's not feasible for a lot of people to go back to work. full stop or go back to work. full stop or go back to work in the capacity that they want to because . that's probably want to because. that's probably going to be more of pocket. and so that is definitely something that i want to see. i feel like the whole system around childcare, supporting families that want to work is something that want to work is something that a massive refocus and that needs a massive refocus and relaunch and the i don't want to hearis relaunch and the i don't want to hear is more taxes for small

businesses . we have had a rough businesses. we have had a rough ride over the last three years. we many are clinging on with our fingertips, trying hold on to keeping our businesses trading and growing is just something that they think the government keep talking about . small keep talking about. small businesses, right just seems so far off set , so businesses, right just seems so far off set, so many of us, it's really still about survival, mate . and i have a community of mate. and i have a community of thousands of women who have i speak to people . you are men speak to people. you are men running businesses. so many have already thrown this holiday and everything about promoting the charities that just stand out and they are fed up of the and see and just how it is to try to do something for your clients so your staff or the community as a whole say yeah i think more targeted and less taxes on. those people that are trying to create these jobs and create

services that, like you say, are of our community address this famously are people who your clients confess and bare their souls to and you're sitting there and chat away about. have you? i've got your point on. childcare loud and clear and. thatis childcare loud and clear and. that is a very strong , powerful that is a very strong, powerful argument . how high up the list argument. how high up the list is income tax and the idea that people that you employ to work the salon can keep more of what actually earn . how important is actually earn. how important is that to your customers and to your staff ? i that to your customers and to your staff? i think it's at that to your customers and to your staff ? i think it's at the your staff? i think it's at the moment i feel like people being hit every time they open their phone or they're looking at their bills or they're leaving house. and what do me and fashion has forced the prices of everything to go . i think we all everything to go. i think we all feed it when we go into a food shop or we go and try and a service, buy a product we love

and so i think keeping more money in the pockets of the people that are working so hard and trying so hard day to day to survive is answer for me . survive is answer for me. unfortunately, hair and beauty a luxury. so the less income that people have the last they're going to spend in places like us which then means that they're not spending that money. do we have to let people guide me, not give staff their wage increase that they so desperately need provide for their family. it just feels like a bit of a mess at the moment. and as business owners are doing everything we can to do the right way and covid hair and beauty salons up and down the country did everything it was supposed to do. we came back with teams. we invested thousands, if not tens of thousands in ppe . we worked of thousands in ppe. we worked at less capacity than what we could . that demand is there, but could. that demand is there, but we followed government and not back to full capacity and we're

still feeling the effects of that. still feeling the effects of that . so yeah, still feeling the effects of that. so yeah, i think having more in the pockets of people to allow them to buy the things that they need to buy but then also have some disposable income , enjoy that life. then you have things that would be dormant in their and to spend to have the choice of where they want to spend it and at the end of the day, you're spending money in, your local community. so i'm always to be a positive impact . always to be a positive impact. absolutely you've just demonstrated perfectly why it's always such a joy to talk to you clear, crisp analysis . disagree clear, crisp analysis. disagree with a word that you said that particularly income particularly a disposable income and people making their own choices . best of luck to you and choices. best of luck to you and all work with you to keep in all who work with you to keep in touch with us. you're always welcome on program. joe welcome on the program. joe bevilacqua, who runs the strand. he loves iphones. so reggie loves beauty salon making really good sense on childcare and on income tax . well, i'm delighted income tax. well, i'm delighted now to move from the small business sector . the now to move from the small business sector. the big, big

business sector. the big, big business sector. the big, big business sector , but to be business sector, but to be joined again by another regular who began life as a business writer and co—founder of a new business. it was called cobra bear. business. it was called cobra bear . it is business. it was called cobra bear. it is lord karen billy. he is also vice president of , the is also vice president of, the cbi. karen, it's always pleasure to see you . cbi. karen, it's always pleasure to see you. i'm cbi. karen, it's always pleasure to see you . i'm going to start to see you. i'm going to start off by waving an article which you or may not have seen, but folks at home, if you don't the sun newspaper , it's entirely a sun newspaper, it's entirely a matter for you. but today is a good day to read it because there's a bit in it written by simon clark, who is a former treasury . chief secretary, i.e. treasury. chief secretary, i.e. number two in the treasury, who says, right, brexit's done now give us a budget to boost britain. can jeremy hunt and rishi sunak that must jeremy hunt and rishi sunak do that of ? course they can as the reality is, they're not. the reality is

that we have the highest tax burden in 70 years the is that we've just had one of our largest pharmaceutical giants that's headquartered cambridge that's headquartered cambridge that worked with oxford university, the astrazeneca vaccine deciding to invest hundreds of millions pounds, not here, but in ireland because they have tax rate of five and a half % the reality is that we half% the reality is that we have arm a company a high tech company that every one of us as a technology and our mobile phones started in cambridge that has decided to list in new york and not in london. that is the reality we're avoiding a recession . we have no growth recession. we have no growth approach has flatlined and we are putting up taxes. and the government, i'm afraid , say, is government, i'm afraid, say, is just not listening. and i said to the chief rishi sunak , he was to the chief rishi sunak, he was chancellor from february 2021. i said , rishi, do not put up taxes said, rishi, do not put up taxes you put up taxes. we don't know

when this pandemic is going to end. people are struggling to survive . they need help. and if survive. they need help. and if you put up taxes, it will stifle the recovery and, will hamper growth. did he do and growth. and what did he do and what is jeremy doing ? they what is jeremy hunt doing? they just up taxes to just keep putting up taxes to the highest level in 70 years. this hugely damaging the this is hugely damaging the corporation going up from 19% to 25. massive. i mean, that's one third in one swoop and. then you're removing at the same time the super deduction , which is the super deduction, which is 130% deduction, where you get a deduction from your income tax if you invest in your that's being taken away in a book. so it's a double whammy. this is did you have you seen the have you seen the report in the papers from the kpmg g documents suggesting that many multinationals , not least multinationals, not least american multinationals , are american multinationals, are avoiding the uk, not only because of the corporation tax that you've just very eloquently dismantled and the damage of it. but also because of continuing

red tape and government level air quotes a lack of drive that's. kpmg quoting companies. this is what has really me we in britain with this tiny country of less than 1% of the world's population is still the sixth largest economy in the world. you've just overtaken by india , you've just overtaken by india, but we have always been a magnet for inward investment . for inward investment. historically we have either been the second or third largest recipient of inward investment in the world. and when we are part of the european union, we were seen as the gateway europe as well into 27 other countries. well, we haven't left europe. we're still part of europe. we've got to make the most of our biggest trading partner at doorstep, 45% of our trade. but the good news this last week was the good news this last week was the northern ireland protocol hopefully resolved. now i'm just hopefully resolved. now i'm just hope that the dup agree to this and, that we can actually get on with with something practical ,

with with something practical, enable northern ireland to the heel of brexit to be resolved. so can get on with all the other important things. our biggest trading partner, including horizon the collaborative research, so much more research, including so much more to enhance trade , business to enhance our trade, business and between our biggest trading partner. all been held up for seven years so we were looking in at us when i travel around the world as it is actually i find it very upsetting what people say, what is this great country to itself? and we have much potential. we have a laboun much potential. we have a labour, we have a 1 million vacancies is good news. i believe at long last we've been crying out for the government saying activate the labour shortage, occupation so that we can bring in labour where there shortages, hospitality construction jobs where every sector has labour shortages if the government listens that will help getting people back to work people who have not come back to work after the pandemic, whatever we can do to encourage people to come back to encouraging self—employment, the route was going to be route 35, it was going to be a reformed that was that is now

not going happen so we need not going to happen so we need bafic not going to happen so we need basic things like that encouraging . investment in r&d encouraging. investment in r&d and invest 1.7% and innovation. we invest 1.7% of gdp america , germany invest of gdp america, germany invest almost 3. so that's a whole percentage point more. that's more than £20 billion more per year that we should be investing in r&d and innovation to power ahead our productivity and our growth are the sort of things that need to be done. i asked our mutual friend anthony seldon a moment ago on the programme if he understood or if he thought anyone understood what it means nowadays to a fiscal conservative. and he said he rather doubted it. and you remember, i think we talked about it in the wake the liz truss kwasi kwarteng there was a leading article in the telegraph that said the tories need to have a fundamental debate about what the tory approach is to growth because it is not just going to come along, it does policy . absolutely. and the sort policy. absolutely. and the sort of things that i'm talking to

have a competitive tax system and by the way of texas not just corporation. i'm giving you one or two other examples, but freezing the tax thresholds means that every individual in this country , their taxes are this country, their taxes are going up because we've got inflation. inflation has hit 10% and you've got frozen thresholds . that means you're getting taxed more . it's as simple as taxed more. it's as simple as that. so everyone is being affected this and, you can't affected by this and, you can't have an economy growing when have an economy growing when have mean, you just heard from have i mean, you just heard from previous interviewee how she said, we know we're burnt out in business. how much more in business. how much more in business take two years of pandemic one year ukraine more that exacerbates creates inflation supply issues inflation great supply issues creates an energy crisis . how creates an energy crisis. how much more can businesses and then you whack extra taxes business as well is absolutely the wrong thing to do. and then you say we can't afford it we're borrowing. if you look at the obiora report after this price, kwasi kwarteng, they had a good plan. they just went about it the wrong way through irrational exuberance. for exuberance. their plan for growth absolutely this growth was absolutely this country but they didn't

country needs, but they didn't do properly afterwards. you do it properly afterwards. you no buy our report. what jeremy hunfs no buy our report. what jeremy hunt's plan. if you look at that report, you know what borrowing is going still to be is going to be. it's still to be 100% of gdp. absolutely under karimov have to leave it there but but thank you as it's but but thank you as always it's a pleasure to have you on the program . i'm so pleased able to program. i'm so pleased able to hear what joe was saying from the hairdressing salon just before because i like you. before that, because i like you. i thought he was absolutely spot on indeed i. you were too, on as indeed i. you were too, karen, but maria, thank you very much indeed. have a great sunday afternoon and i look forward to talking again very, very talking you again very, very soon. great run of if you soon. so a great run of if you missed any of them. i want to catch on them. it'll all be catch up on them. it'll all be on our youtube channel. just subscribe at news on youtube subscribe at gb news on youtube and you can hear antony seldon, you can hear karen bennett maria there again and also joe from there again and also joe from the hairdressing salon. adding to that glitterati of commentary is and people kind enough to join me on the programme like to say is another new friend and

that's kim currently there he is kim is the chief executive officer of the cornwall chamber officer of the cornwall chamber of commerce. what are you picking up from your members what do they most want jeremy hunt to do? and do they most fear he might do to make things even worse ? well, we'll get off even worse? well, we'll get off to the last of what we most want is a budget of how unclarity really are the you heard, lord calabria , joe therefore say of calabria, joe therefore say of the sort of examples where we can encourage prosperity, jobs , can encourage prosperity, jobs, skills development and so on in the private sector. so i don't think it's rocket out of this beyond the chance to up with a series of things which give clarity around what help research and development confidence for small businesses and invest open to the sort of things which are going to encourage the sort of economy of which we want to the uk going forward. so what i call growth,

not just any old growth really, and think practical and i think some practical childcare as joe saying, is definitely one of them. i'd like to see we heard burma's this week about the government being able to do something for energy and homes beyond april and i would like see some clarity up in govan for a while around businesses that also needs some to the energy security issues. i'd like to see something around that we lacking in this country at the moment innovation on the confidence to innovate and as you heard from noble about that you heard from noble about that you know investments going overseas that is absolute be shameful we've now told since brexit that we can control our own destiny and we've got to make sure we are doing with the things which are going to big up our private sector demonstrate that skills development jobs prosperity across the uk with a continued strong levelling up agendais continued strong levelling up agenda is really going to be

part of what this government is going to do without that confidence, the region are really not going to be able to the sort of security of going forward that this levelling up actually that we're going to get the sort of support that will for the public sector which will enable entrepreneurs . and the enable entrepreneurs. and the sort of smaller growing enterprises in these renewable energies and solve which are so important to call at the moment, to really give us a chance to prosper. i don't think that's beyond them. i really do agree with lord gilmore. it's not it's practised economic . theory. plus practised economic. theory. plus looking at the circumstances, we're we can't we can't ourselves affect the war. so let's concentrate on the things we can affect. and let's have some policies which address those head because it struck me when i knew that you and i were going to be talking for the for the first time and you coming and i'm speaking on of and i'm speaking on behalf of the cornwall chamber of commerce, the west country

generally is an amazing example of a part of the united kingdom thatis of a part of the united kingdom that is absolutely rich . that is absolutely rich. innovation has a traditional industrial history , mining, all industrial history, mining, all sorts of stuff like but embraces the future one of the most inventive and imaginative in hospitality and tourism . also hospitality and tourism. also spaceports and the rest of it . spaceports and the rest of it. men and women out there who've got great ideas and they just need the government to get out of the way or to get in there and help the more directly, i think, create the create the aura of and hope for this economy , that the entrepreneurs economy, that the entrepreneurs that could then pile into you've touched on some of the things that the is huge for cornwall renewable energy. cornish these are things which pick up on cornwall's rich industrial heritage and turn them into 21st century. we're on the cusp of something really great in coal where those i can see lots of innovation trying to happen and for example hospitality , it's for example hospitality, it's not just those high tech

businesses . innovation could businesses. innovation could happen hospitality construction , creative sectors like we've got a very powerful of software coding and developing cluster in redruth in cornwall. so these are the sort of areas which need the government to show they care about these things and come help put the entrepreneurs are lead in these things onto a world stage. i'm just not getting that confidence to other things. what we need to see some help with housing for workers. that's a big problem . the south—west of big problem. the south—west of england and a little bit of bofis england and a little bit of boris at staff shortages. what we need to have investment in automation and so on as well as well as making sure that in rural places people are having access to the skills development which are going to give them, you know, well—paid into the future because we still have a problem. cornwall of average wages less than the national average and that's that's not a great message an area which is indeed rich and the federation forget forgive me one cheeky

comment at the end and that is other thing they might do, whether it's risky sunak or jeremy hunt and that is to listen to people like you and karen and joe in the hairdressing salon because it strikes me that folk at the at the cutting edge at the front end at the coalface do know what's going and do is what's going on and do what is required . great to meet you came required. great to meet you came and thank you for your time this this afternoon i hope very much indeed we can continue the conversation some stage in the future that's kim country that he's the chief executive officer of the cornwall chamber of commerce and how well they are served by. thank you very much indeed sir. we've plenty more to come this afternoon alistair stuart and friends after the gb news political reporter will be back here with . all of the back here with. all of the latest political stories as the government pushes their drive to tackle illegal immigration and people crossing the channel in those small boats like that. what we're talking to olivia about that plus anything else

that she found out while she's been out and about on the fire and chatting to people because it's she does and does so brilliantly. but before all of that, let's bring you up to date with what remains of the weekend weather a hello there and great to host welcome our latest broadcast the met office broadcast from the met office turning colder as we move into next week the increased risk of frost , ice next week the increased risk of frost, ice and some snow in the forecast . looking at the bigger forecast. looking at the bigger picture, we can see, yes, it's been relatively cold weekend for many parts, but from monday onwards, these dark leaves, the colder air filter southwards as we head through the beginning of next week and increase increase the risk of snow. and that's also evident as we go through the next 24 hours. so through the next 24 hours. so through the rest of sunday, it is a cloudy picture out there. do see some showers across parts of wales into northern ireland wales up into northern ireland and perhaps a little and scotland perhaps a little bit over highest bit wintry over the highest ground temperatures overall. on the chilly side to nine celsius. so a lot of cloud around. give me light winds starting to come down from the north into the

evening time. we see an increased risk of snow developing across of aberdeenshire, up into shetland , winds developing to so an increased risk of ice here as we move into the early hours warnings in force the snow and ice as we move through into monday morning activity across and wales low temperatures low single figures, a lot of cloud around to start monday morning with showers . the word go. with some showers. the word go. we do have a weather front the sinking it's this band of sinking so it's this band of weak rain here behind it. much colder air filtering in and turning brighter, though, with sunny spells and wintry showers. some starting to accumulate some snow starting to accumulate to relatively low levels across parts scotland as this parts of scotland as this weather system south, weather system sinks south, breaks showers across the breaks up showers across the midlands, the south, temperatures reaching nine or ten celsius. but temperatures falling the day goes on, falling as the day goes on, struggling get much above struggling to get much above freezing in the afternoon across northern scotland with northern parts of scotland with frequent showers , which frequent snow showers, which continues into monday evening as well. some frontal linkage across southern parts of wales, south—west england could see the return of some rain and hail

snow later on in the evening but overall like over the overall it looks like over the next few days it stays rather cloudy the south, snow cloudy in the south, snow showers the very cold showers in the staying very cold particularly night. see you again .

soon good afternoon. it's 232. i'm tatiana sanchez is the latest from the gb newsroom. the former health secretary to, quote, frighten the pants the public. that's according to leaked whatsapp messages sent during the covid pandemic. the whatsapp messages sent during the covid pandemic . the latest the covid pandemic. the latest whatsapp conversation published in the sunday telegraph shows matt discussing how to use another strain of the covid virus to scare the public . virus to scare the public. shadow work and pensions secretary . jonathan ashworth secretary. jonathan ashworth told gb news mr. hancock's political is over. i think the

key thing is, is that he is account himself in front of an inquiry . it account himself in front of an inquiry. it comes account himself in front of an inquiry . it comes back to account himself in front of an inquiry. it comes back to this point isn't why we need this inquiry to take place quickly . a inquiry to take place quickly. a lot of people lost their lives. there's a lot of people who think that the way in which lockdowns operate it has had long term implications on all kinds of fronts . everybody wants kinds of fronts. everybody wants an inquiry . kinds of fronts. everybody wants an inquiry. everybody wants to be able to see the evidence , to be able to see the evidence, to be able to see the evidence, to be able to debate it properly , be able to debate it properly, calmly. and it's why we need to get on with it . rail passengers get on with it. rail passengers could see their season ticket go up could see their season ticket go ”p by could see their season ticket go up by hundreds of pounds from today and the largest train fare for more than a decade. prices across england and wales rising by an average of 5.9. that's despite strikes cancellations that have brought parts of the uk to a standstill. minister hugh merriman says the increase is below inflation, but labour has called it savage . clashes

has called it savage. clashes have broken out in athens. police and demonstrators , a police and demonstrators, a train crash that killed 15 seven people. thousands of university students and railway have taken to the streets to their anger over safety on the rail network. more than 350 people were on board the train when it crashed head on into a freight train last tuesday . if the deadliest last tuesday. if the deadliest train crash in greece is history, its government has vowed to investigate and fix the rail networks . tv online and rail networks. tv online and dab+ radio with gb news. that was. i went to . was. i went to. tatiana. thank you much indeed. so she's back having been on phone and pottering around, olivia utley has joined me again. gb news medical correspond delighted say i've had some lovely conversations since you've been out there doing doing your.

since you've been out there doing doing your . and one thing doing doing your. and one thing that struck me particularly forcefully with karen biltmore he of cobra but also vice president of the cbi the confederation of british industry is that he agreed absolutely with the criticism that's made by clients that kpmg quoting this morning and that is that many investors fear that this is a government that lacks drive . it just hasn't got the drive. it just hasn't got the factor. well and i shared with my guests what, i also shared with you, although i know that you've seen it already, simon and clark former number at the treasury back the day saying right brexit start now give us a budget to boost britain and contribute it. maurya also said in our conversation that truss and quoting were wrong in that infamous budget that just got the presentation of it wrong and the briefing of it wrong . is the briefing of it wrong. is there still quite a constituency within the conservative party ?

within the conservative party? may even the government for the kind of truss approach and what simon's writing about here. yeah, there certainly is. and a few weeks ago we saw the conservative coalition for growth, as they're calling themselves form, and simon clarke is at the head of that. and it's essentially a big caucus of , conservative mps caucus of, conservative mps getting together, sort of coalescing together and forming a group of the same sort model is the ideology and what they're hoping to do in the lead up to this budget is put lots and lots of on the prime minister and chancellor to enact those sort of pro growth measures which were the budget. they feel as though essentially the baby was thrown out with the bathwater. again, liz truss and kwasi again, when liz truss and kwasi kwarteng left government. it'll be interesting to see how much of an impact that has because of course we know that the chancellor has been given more fiscal budget by bigger fiscal in this budget by bigger than expected tax receipts over the last few months. and the pressure is ramping up to enact

at least some of these measures. there is a lot pressure on the chancellor to delay or scrap the planned rise to corporate tax, which is considered by conservatives as a more said it absolutely dreadful. and he said that to. to resist face. absolutely. and we've seen the that's already had with astra's think for example moving to ireland rather than setting up new headquarters in britain. so it'll be interesting to see if jeremy budges on that at all a couple of other measures the freeze on fuel duty will he keep that going? he's obviously under pressure on both sides there, but you would have thought that given the slightly easier economic climate than he might have been expecting, we know that inflation is also going down now would the moment down that now would the moment to cutting taxes. but from to start cutting taxes. but from what we've seen, jeremy hunt is pretty reluctant to do that how are the backbenchers feeling about what we talked about an hour that is a big hour or so and that is a big piece in the sun newspaper front

page of the mail, piece in the sun newspaper front page of the mail , the suella page of the mail, the suella braverman brabham and the home secretary and rishi sunak the prime minister are saying we will stop the talking now and, get something done about illegal and people crossing the channel on a daily basis in. small boats and push back against that within the party. no, i mean the message very positive and is being greeted as welcomed by pretty much in the conservative party. the worry i'm seeing, which we've seen again , again, which we've seen again, again, is that backbenchers are concerned that they the government just won't be able to get this legislate over the line, that if they manage to get through the commons, which is quite likely there will be lords who sound of it, and who don't the sound of it, and then that far, then of then if it that far, then of course got these groups of human rights lawyers so have rights lawyers so far have managed to pretty much . nullify managed to pretty much. nullify the rwanda plan. so that's the worry is that it work. but the idea it would work if there was

a bill of rights and it would work. we withdrew from the european convention . human european convention. human rights, yes. but that is that is an area where conservative backbenchers diverge quite a bit. of course they're huge supporters of the british bill of rights, but people robert buckland, former justice secretary, has big issues with it and he has his own sort of core caucus of like minded and the great green on this very programme. well, absolute only so there's, there's a bit of there but general message of there but the general message of stopping the boats is one that is extremely popular and that backbenchers see could be a really important point of divergence rishi sunak divergence between rishi sunak and keir starmer at the next and we in no doubt at all because of our people's polls that out there whether they are kind enough to be watching us or listening on radio it's what the overwhelming majority of gb news and listeners think as. overwhelming majority of gb news and listeners think as . well, and listeners think as. well, get it done. absolutely always a great pleasure. thank for breaking into a weekend to . do breaking into a weekend to. do another shift so hard working that british approach to life

thank you very much indeed. you have a lovely evening thank you very much indeed so that's and if you're lucky that gb news been legal correspondent with views the budget on a new views on the budget on a new rather than and the promise of legislation to kerb small boats crossing the english channel. you're watching listening to alastair stewart friends here on gb news tv and radio more still to come this afternoon before we slip elegantly off am . and as slip elegantly off am. and as you heard in the news bulletin train fares are indeed to rise in england and wales by 5.9. but what this mean for services and passengers . and it's not just passengers. and it's not just season tickets , it's individual season tickets, it's individual tickets as well . that's coming tickets as well. that's coming up next. but first, a quick.

break hello. and back. you're watching and listening to . alastair and listening to. alastair stewart& friends here on gb news

tv and radio. and thank you very much indeed for so doing . well much indeed for so doing. well from today, millions us and i say that with pain in my heart will be facing the prospects of paying will be facing the prospects of paying more for our train tickets . as the government tickets. as the government introduces . the biggest tickets. as the government introduces. the biggest annual price hike in over a decade regulated fares in england, which include season tickets and offers peak tickets, will cost 5.9% more in the coming year. but the government says that they are shielding passengers for even higher prices . from for even higher prices. from nottingham, our east midlands will hollis has more . this time will hollis has more. this time pay will hollis has more. this time pay care platforms rate rail fares are heading one direction but . a 5.9% increase awaits but. a 5.9% increase awaits passengers buying tickets from today. it's the biggest rise in a decade at a time when are being squeezed to pulp . it's

being squeezed to pulp. it's a hard reality to swallow . you hard reality to swallow. you kind of reconsider using an alternative such as i a bus so you know of a different transport than getting on the train. it does put me off a bit. i'd probably since the existing price over the last three or four years have already done that anyway. every single year it's gone up and this is the biggest increase. but now i think it's gone too far. it's getting too . the for transport getting too. the for transport says fares for a number of regulated tickets including season and peak a season ticket from nottingham to london for five days costs over £10,000 a year but today that ticket will rise by more than £600 usually. fares go up by july's retail pnces. fares go up by july's retail prices. index measure of inflation. last year it was 12.3. the government's says it's shielding passengers the brunt

of the costs by keeping rise closer to 6. rail minister hugh merriman said i understand it has been a difficult year and people are feeling the pinch , people are feeling the pinch, which is why through the biggest ever government intervention we kept rise well below inflation and it coming into force . it's and it coming into force. it's been a rough time . the railways been a rough time. the railways from strikes to pandemic. subsidies kept trains running to the tune . £31 billion. well, no the tune. £31 billion. well, no one likes prices going up for anything , one likes prices going up for anything, and it's certainly no different when it comes to rail fares. mike hewitson is head of policy at transport focus . the policy at transport focus. the independent watchdog says passenger confidence is . it's passenger confidence is. it's hard for people to accept having to pay more if they're not getting more in return , paying getting more in return, paying more for a longer service isn't good. so i think the important thing for the railway is the passengers are going to have to pay passengers are going to have to pay so they get a better service in return. by that i mean the service they can on while the cap only applies to some. rail

operators to follow the trend when all prices seem . hiding is when all prices seem. hiding is wiser than standing out for the wrong reason . well. gb news wrong reason. well. gb news nottingham . well there you have nottingham. well there you have it. the background to it and the coming out of i'm delighted to be joined now by lisa mino who is the travel editor at the sun newspaper . and just to underline newspaper. and just to underline one thing that was made very clear in that report, but it's so important this is a government decision. this isn't the train companies or network rail desperately trying to make up some the millions that they've lost as a result of strike after , strike after strike after, strike after strike. mr. merriman minister, there at least has the courage go on the record and say no, this is my decision . yeah, this is my decision. yeah, that's right. i mean and it was obviously a very good decision we could have been faced with far increases. normally the fares, regulated fares go up by the retail price index from the

previous july. now, that was pruning 12.3% last july. previous july. now, that was pruning 12.3% last july . that pruning 12.3% last july. that would have been a huge shock to the system for people. so this is a huge intervention the government have made ensure government have made to ensure that. fares go up by as that. fares don't go up by as much. but everyone has said much. but as everyone has said know with the pretty poor service that we've been having is regular a regular train commuter . is regular a regular train commuter. i'm pretty poor. so as you've been having over the last few you do find it very few months, you do find it very difficult to justify that increase. totally with you and increase. i totally with you and i put my cards on the table as well. i do. i'm a regular commuter, at least i think i am. but i do. i lost a several hours. was lost days work during the strikes as well. so there go. labour say it's savage . i'm go. labour say it's savage. i'm going to float another word. i think it's stupid when you've had all these strikes at general conditions of the service is up and down the country as simply not what they should to raise pnces not what they should to raise prices in these conditions is hardly aimed to attract anybody

back on to the railway . that is back on to the railway. that is a very good point . yes, of a very good point. yes, of course, it isn't going to encourage to go back on the roads when it is so more expensive, and especially when you think of the fact that people's habits changed throughout the pandemic. you know need to perhaps know they don't need to perhaps get that peak time train anymore. can do a zoom call anymore. they can do a zoom call or change the they're working altogether. but that's of the problem. we've got far less people using railways than people using the railways than did the pandemic. and so what to happen now is that the government, the companies government, the rail companies have to look at attempting a different type traveller onto the . as you say, it's the railways. as you say, it's a different type of traveller going to be tempted onto the railways when they see the kind of they have. of price rises that they have. but something to be but something has to be done because finances , the rail because the finances, the rail industry as a whole are in an awful state. we know now because of course , it's the taxpayer of course, it's the taxpayer that's actually you a the revenue by you know billions in terms of trying to get that privatisation and nationalisation system . we've nationalisation system. we've got at the moment to try to work

the travelling public . so and the travelling public. so and it's interesting note that if you take a service that does actually work and do a good job like the heathrow express out of paddington which is in my humble opinion reasonably priced with good trains like the javelin one's going down into kent, good trains like the javelin one's going down into kent , then one's going down into kent, then customers will use it and customers will use it and customers embrace it. well, that's right. yes. and this is where the crux is. got to invest in all railways. you know, we've got one of the oldest railways systems in the world, but on top of know, not huge of that, you know, not a huge amount of investment has been put it over the years and put into it over the years and there's decades of there's decades worth of investment to be into investment needs to be put into them services more them to the services far more reliable so that people are actually able to rely on the railway and use it and railway system and use it and feel can use it without feel they can use it without worrying about ever getting to that destination quite that point of destination quite . so at least. great to see again. thank you very much indeed for breaking into your afternoon us. that's afternoon to talk to us. that's lisa, who is the travel editor at newspaper with her at sun newspaper with her thoughts and reflections on 5.9%

increase. in most rail fares now , talking of which, the cost of living crisis here for the long haul and households up and down the are still struggling to make ends meet but also many are concerned about money management and are failing to put money aside and to save not just for pensions but also for when socks arrive . it may be your next arrive. it may be your next railway season ticket. a new study , the financial budgeting study, the financial budgeting platform hypogeum, reveals that almost one in six british parents are concerned their children's money skills as households to grapple with the cost of living crisis. mount meghan's joins me now to discuss of that is personal finance and founder of the money management platform . hi pj and there he is platform. hi pj and there he is with his brilliant daughter as well. hello and welcome to both

of you . so is it a question that of you. so is it a question that children don't know to how their own money? whatever. you and i are good enough to give them is pocket money or earnings or whatever or that they just don't get the concept of budgeting, period. first up, i think a combination. so in this day and age, we especially with social media, there's all this temptation to buy things, to purchase things. but as money has become digital, it's has become more digital, it's also to understand for a also hard to understand for a child, is that it child, money actually is that it has, you know, scarcity money will disappear at some point if you it all. so for children trying to connect the fact that this money has a limited supply you have to do stuff to earn more of it when you spend it more of it and when you spend it to be careful about how you spend it because once it's gone, it's gone. it's all those it's gone. so it's all those things combined, teaching things combined, just teaching kids, this money kids, you know, use this money because gives you things. but because it gives you things. but when you use it, it's gone. so think carefully about how you spend daughter spend that your lovely daughter is hanging your every word.

marilyn, you tried the app marilyn, have you tried the app yourself and i know quite rightly you will say what a brilliant person your daddy is. i'm sure your mummy is as well, but did you learn from the app that that that will help you . that that that will help you. i'm so . you should like not i'm so. you should like not spend money like every day so you don't more money like and any money lost should like keep that so can get lots of . money that so can get lots of. money well, i think that's very sound advice as well . and matthew what advice as well. and matthew what was it the fact that you're a dad, that you to create the app ? give me a quick thumbnail sketch . what else the app does sketch. what else the app does beyond , what your lovely beyond, what your lovely daughter just described described . so i think the child described. so i think the child part of it was almost side

effect of what we built. the main the reason why i was inspired to build hypercar was especially a few years ago a lack of savings options for the average british consumer, especially when interest rates were 0. yeah, lots of options to go into debt or to spend money so the originally a tool to try and help people spend more thoughtfully and then as thought about that i realised that half of my spending is involved in children so we give children that similar to and all all the bafic that similar to and all all the basic lessons of money management adults use management that adults use children and learn. so children can use and learn. so it just became sort of evolved into what is today, but into what it is today, but basically it's trying help basically it's trying to help people spend money better people spend their money better not impulsive not be so impulsive and hopefully not into debt , hopefully not get into debt, which is crucial in the cost of living crisis. not getting into debt. do you give guidance to people if they do face consumption patterns what they're used to? what are good sources of credit , and what are sources of credit, and what are dangerous and very expensive sources of credit? do you go into that sort of stuff as well

so we don't provide any official or financial advice? we're definitely not licenced to do that. however we do with social media. my posts, we topics about different types of debt for different types of debt for different types, behavioural patterns where you may be. so it's more trying give people a framework to incentivise that savings and make it easy and fun . but beyond that, we advise to speak to an expert or speak to a close friend or family. if you're or have any kind of specific trouble with debt, for example, how worried are you or 7 example, how worried are you or ? how optimistic? let's be positive as well because it may be that about the forthcoming budget . no be that about the forthcoming budget. no i it's you know it's been quite tricky these days to try and guess what what will happen? what will not happen ? i happen? what will not happen? i guessi happen? what will not happen? i guess i am i'm that you a nation because have been a lot of difficulty recently. we're going to have some some measures to and help the average you know the average in this the average consumer in this country so you know i'm hopeful

i'm hopeful there will be measures to try and i can help people keep more of their money help help their money go further for the basics, the basic necessities, that people can necessities, so that people can also look beyond enjoy also look beyond that, enjoy life i said i'm life. so, yeah, i said i'm hopeful, i do think next hopeful, but i do think the next year a tough year and year will be a tough year and people will to individually people will have to individually try crack down because try to really crack down because there's solutions to there's no easy solutions to what we're facing right now . joe what we're facing right now. joe there's a briefing in one there's also a briefing in one or two of the papers this morning that chancellor may morning that the chancellor may with premium bonds and national savings . is with premium bonds and national savings. is that the with premium bonds and national savings . is that the best place savings. is that the best place if a child has a little of money, whether it's christmas money, whether it's christmas money or pocket money, whatever it is, that's still a good i think it's i think it's maybe nice for a small portion of a child's savings, but with interest rates now, there are almost better options in terms of a fixed interest rate bonds, but also for a child to learn about markets, to have some amounts in some kind of market instrument, just to learn about how things . but then i think the how things. but then i think the

bulk the money should more bulk of the money should be more in a fixed bond because just interest so high days interest rates are so high days that absolutely it's yeah and that's matthew , we have to leave that's matthew, we have to leave it there sorry my thanks, it there i'm sorry my thanks, both you and lovely to meet both of you and lovely to meet both of you and lovely to meet both matthew both you. that's matthew mechanism. she's lovely daughter. matthew is the founder of management app of the money management app hyper a look , hyper agile. give it a look, give it a whirl and. as he said, it's not only for little people , it's for big people like us as well. that allows is all that we have time for. i hope you've enjoyed it. i will be back next weekend from midday. enjoy the rest of your weekend and from all here at gb news for all of us here at gb news for now very good afternoon to you now a very good afternoon to you bye hello there. bye bye. hello there. i'm correct welcome to correct you host. welcome to our latest broadcast, the met office turning cold as into turning cold as we move into next the increased risk of frost andice next the increased risk of frost and ice and some snow in the too. looking at the bigger picture, we can see, yes, it's been relatively cold this weekend for many parts, but from monday onwards, these darker as the colder air filter southwards . we head through the beginning of next week an increase

increase the risk of snow and that's evident as we go through the next 24 hours so through the rest of sunday it is a cloudy picture out there. we do see some showers across parts of wales into northern ireland and scotland a little bit scotland perhaps a little bit wintry highest ground wintry over. the highest ground temperatures on the chilly side, 5 to 9 celsius. so lot of cloud around. give me light winds. but starting to come down from the north into the evening time, we see an increased risk of snow developing across parts of aberdeenshire up into shetland, stronger developing to so stronger winds developing to so an increased risk of ice here as we move into the early hours . we move into the early hours. metservice force of metservice warnings in force of snow ice we move through snow and ice as we move through into monday morning. activity across england and wales. low temperatures low single figures, a cloud around to start a lot of cloud around to start morning with some showers from the word go. we do have a weather front sinking so weather front the sinking so it's band of weak rain here it's this band of weak rain here behind it. much colder air filtering and turning brighter, though, with sunny spells and wintry showers. some snow starting to accumulate to relatively low levels across

parts scotland as this parts of scotland as this weather breaks up weather sinks south, breaks up showers across the midlands, the south, temperatures reaching nine or ten celsius. but falling as the day goes on. struggling to get much above freezing in the afternoon across northern parts of scotland , frequent snow parts of scotland, frequent snow showers , which continues into showers, which continues into monday evening . well, some monday evening. well, some frontal linkage across southern parts of wales, south england could see the return of some rain, hail, snow later on in the evening . but overall, looks evening. but overall, it looks like over the few days it stays rather cloudy in the south, snow showers in the north staying very cold, particularly at night. again .

soon hello and welcome this . is