channel good morning and welcome to the point on gb news with me, andrew pierce and bev turner, it is budget day . of course, one big budget day. of course, one big story in town the chancellor will unveil what he calls his budget for growth today with a full billion pound free childcare scheme making it part of his plan to tackle the country's continue labour shortages. good news for parents. we'll dig to what it might mean for you and all the drivers who want to see reduced prices, the petrol pumps, well, we already know that jeremy hunfs we already know that jeremy

hunt's going extend the five hunt's going to extend the five pe cut in fuel duty. it's not enough, though, is it, for motorists? it can't be all be good news. of course, there's a planned rise in corporation tax from 19 per cents. 25% is due to come in from the 1st of april. it could lead possibly to the closure of small businesses. we're going to look at exactly who will affect and why the who it will affect and why the tories putting taxes up. that's the question asking the the question be asking to the united states also has accused a russian jet recklessly bringing down an american drone over the black this causing real black sea. this causing real diplomatic fears between the two superpowers and also this morning, we're going to be having a couple of guests in the studio. charlie mullins is going to be here and you'll meet kevin. they were two great. and also adviser to donald also a former adviser to donald trump. i'm fascinated by that because up . to . and that because what's up. to. and that know your thoughts on the budget today got a special this afternoon. we are of course

building up to it and really focusing on what it might mean for people money in your pockets. yeah i don't. he can get too excited exit and it's going to be a lot for your pocket. email us at gb views. gb news uk . first though, here is news uk. first though, here is the news with bethany elsey . the news with bethany elsey. bevan, andrei , you. good bevan, andrei, you. good morning. it's 932. i'm bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom. i'm jeremy hunfs the gb newsroom. i'm jeremy hunt's first budget as chancellor include a major expansion of childcare support aiming to increase the workforce and, boost financial growth . and, boost financial growth. there are reports the plan will include 30 hours of free childcare for one and two year olds in england . the budget will olds in england. the budget will include a series of measures to deal with labour, such as encouraging the over fifties. the long term sector and disabled to get back to work . disabled to get back to work. announcements on benefits reform and pensions, allowances are also expected, but it's

understood the chancellor will resist from tory backbenchers to cut taxes . the energy price cut taxes. the energy price guarantee will extended for a further three months as part of the today's budget announcement , treasury has confirmed the support with energy bills will continue from april to june at its current level, it means average annual household bills will stay capped at £2,500 per year. thousands of will stay capped at £2,500 per year . thousands of workers are year. thousands of workers are walking out on what could be the biggest strike day this . biggest strike day this. teachers junior , doctors, tube teachers junior, doctors, tube drivers and bbc journalists are taking industrial over issues, including pay, jobs, pensions and conditions. schools nick cave is urging the national education union to pause the strike action. so serious with the government. can go ahead . the government. can go ahead. and the defence secretary says moscow should respect

international after russian jets with an american drone over the black sea. ben says the americans think the incident is very unprofessional, with the white house accusing russia of recklessly colliding with its drone. the incident raises fears of an escalation between the two superpowers with a senior russian calling it a provocation . europe date on tv online dab, digital radio and tune in. this is gb news. now it's back to the point with andrew and beth . point with andrew and beth. well, the challenge to jeremy hunfs well, the challenge to jeremy hunt's going to finally set out his first ever budget is at 12:30 pm. today. we're going to bnng 12:30 pm. today. we're going to bring you live here, of course, on gb news. we expect free childcare for working parents in england will be expanded to cover one and two year olds. the plans are part of a government

drive to encourage more people back to work to boost economic . back to work to boost economic. i'm not sure it's that simple, to be honest. no there's there might also a rise in tax free might also be a rise in tax free pension. in fact, there is going to be because we know it's going to be because we know it's going to go to one and to be can go up to one and a half million from 1.1 million. the increase their the chances increase in their lifetime allowance which means the chances increase in their lifetcan allowance which means the chances increase in their lifetcan allcmoree which means the chances increase in their lifetcan allcmore inrhich means the chances increase in their lifetcan allc more in your means the chances increase in their lifetcan allcmore in your pension you can put more in your pension pot for paying extra tax fuel duty. apparently is going to be cut. the cut could be extended on fuel duty . cut. the cut could be extended on fuel duty. it cut. the cut could be extended on fuel duty . it could be frozen on fuel duty. it could be frozen for a year. the government cut the tax. you're a member by a measly five pay in march, but it's to end on the 31st of it's due to end on the 31st of march. and of course, businesses are to be watching the are going to be watching the budget because he's going to announce 12 investments announce 12 new investments homes . will homes across england. each will be to it, £18 million of be back to it, £18 million of funding. and of course, that rise corporation tax is rise in corporation tax is looming . or will that be the looming. or will that be the white rabbit in the hat? okay, well, let's get to it . i didn't well, let's get to it. i didn't know we had that little graphic there. very nice. oh, you've splashed out today, gb news.

really? well, it is a big day. ben glaze is here. deputy political editor at the daily mirror join us. good morning, mirror to join us. good morning, ben . first of all, can i ask you ben. first of all, can i ask you and you and i were just discussing why is it that the days of the budget being announced when the bloke would come chancellor with come out, the chancellor with his and it his little red suitcase and it would be very exciting why would all be very exciting why do we know so much details so early these days. think in early these days. i think in years by there were lots of years gone by there were lots of announcements budget and announcements in a budget and only a headline and the only one made a headline and the government quite frustrated. government got quite frustrated. this as this is previous governments as well frustrated that lots this is previous governments as wethe frustrated that lots this is previous governments as wethe goodrustrated that lots this is previous governments as wethe good newsted that lots this is previous governments as wethe good news that1at lots this is previous governments as wethe good news that they lls this is previous governments as wethe good news that they were of the good news that they were in budget wasn't getting on in a budget wasn't getting on the news getting the teatime news wasn't getting on news and other on the 10:00 news and other announcements squeezed announcements are being squeezed out seen is a out. so what we've seen is a sort of drip, drip effect. now, if good announcements, as the treasury would say the treasury would say it in the days leading up a budget you days leading up a budget so you to dominate headlines and get those good news stories . i think those good news stories. i think that's is government that's what is government thinking the thinking as speaker of the commons whoever is current commons whoever it is current it's the lindsay—hogg. before that the completely that it was the completely ghastly john but ghastly john bercow but nevertheless they think parliament is sacrosanct and

major announcements relating to government business should done in the coming year sittings. you are going to be happy about this. well sir lindsay hoyle will not be happy about this whatsoever. you know, it's not just the budget. there are various government announcements that newspapers or in press leaks to newspapers or in press conferences or in set piece statements where the prime minister might go to a naval shipyard, for example, to announce something about shipbuilding do it to shipbuilding doesn't do it to parliament first. and certain parliamentarians, and particularly the gets particularly the speaker gets very upset that. so i think before the order prime minister's today when minister's questions today when sir lindsay hoyle be in the chair that, he might say chair for that, he might say something there or for the budget. actually his deputy budget. it's actually his deputy speaker who's the chairman ways and that's out in the line and means that's out in the line . time out in the line. she might say. and she's it. might say. and she's got it. she's even ferocious . yes. she's even more ferocious. yes. than if anything. than the speaker, if anything. so i think be so i think there will be a reprimand for the government today. but ultimately, there's not that the speaker can not a lot that the speaker can do that. they're do about that. they're sidelining and sidelining parliament and already a low already people have such a low bar parliament. the bar for parliament. and the

politician as and if you just diminish its role in major state occasions like the budget it's no people give hoot no wonder people don't give hoot about parliamentarians. well i tend with things tend agree with you things like this the parliament this be known as the parliament first. but then obviously as a journalist we do. yeah, there is that. so yeah. the hypocrisy would be well we would be manipulated so it would manipulated really. so it would be the press. be manipulated via. the press. yeah. to, to, you know to yeah. yes to, to, you know to head off the bits first. and i don't think that's particularly well with public. let's have well with the public. let's have a look, look at the detail of it. ben and what's your stand out. standout issues out. what the standout issues for because a bit for you because it feels a bit like a tinkering budget sort of messing with little messing around with the little micro there's no huge micro things. there's no huge announcements. that's there's not amount money to not a huge amount of money to play not a huge amount of money to play fact isn't. play with it. fact there isn't. but the two that the but the two things that the government want focus is government will want focus on is that of energy that extension of the energy price guarantee. so from april average annual bills due to go up to three grand, they're actually going be capped at two and a half thousand pounds. the energy price cap is 3280. so if it had gone up to 3000 over the course four years, you'd pay on average £500 more. so that's

going to be capped at two and a half thousand pounds for another three months. the other thing is expecting going on expecting that it's going on childcare. did come childcare. now, that did come sort of late afternoon yesterday, unclear whether that was or that was a deliberate leak or that was a deliberate leak or that was something the was something that the chancellor as chancellor wanted to reveal as the wrap in the hat this afternoon. but that's big deal. so it's going to be 30 hours a week for the parents of one and two year olds. free childcare . two year olds. free childcare. currently, that exists for three and four year olds. but to do it for one and two year olds, that's a big move to try and get parents back into work. but at least one of the parents has to be working 16 hours a week. that's right. yes all caveats. there caveats to it. the there are caveats to it. the idea is it'll get more people back into the workplace and address the labour address some of the labour shortages that have been hampering economy over the hampering the economy over the past so. i think past 18 months or so. i think there's 1.2 million there's still 1.2 million vacancies. thing not vacancies. the thing that's not going announced alongside going to be announced alongside thatis going to be announced alongside that is a move sort try that is a move to sort of try and of the over 50 back and get more of the over 50 back into it. now, we are expecting something on that. but dealing with the long term sickness, nhs, to

nhs, waiting list, that's key to getting back. getting some of those over back. you know some of the over you know why some of the over fifties aren't back at work? because they're doing the childcare. what this is childcare. this is what this is where there to be where i think there needs to be a bit more original with a little bit more original with this childcare this thinking on childcare because parents of because a lot of parents of newborn babies want to which they'll face the babies. they'll face the new babies. they necessarily to they don't necessarily want to put and i do put them nurseries. and i do wonder government wonder whether the government could something could have done something a little of little clever in terms of allowing you to pay a family member. granny. day—care member. granny. granny day—care is why a lot of is you. and that's why a lot of people 50 aren't going back people over 50 aren't going back to because they're helping to work because they're helping out feels out their youngsters just feels a bit unoriginal, but a little bit unoriginal, but just throw money at the problem. yeah, is. ithink just throw money at the problem. yeah, is. i think as well. yeah, it is. i think as well. one thing interesting is one thing that's interesting is it's take away from it's going to take away from labour because labour working for months on for months and months on a childcare richard childcare offering. richard phillips shadow phillips in, the shadow education secretary, did a speech last so storyline speech last week. so storyline think didn't give think tank didn't give any details what was actually details of what she was actually going and now course, going to do. and now course, any idea still and idea is my thing still and they're to overshadow they're going to overshadow we're about then that we're hearing about it then that cabinet is arriving at ten. so they're going to be told what's in even in the budget statement, even though of us know what's though most of us know what's in the statement, they've the budget statement, they've

been dont been reading the papers, don't know budget. so know what's in the budget. so the has just gone in. the problem has just gone in. apparently, they've. secretary andrew mitchell at the international aid minister and i'm think who i'm just trying to think who else been and we've seen else has been and we've seen going in i'm going back to going in but i'm going back to bridget phillipson in labour in the childcare. the problem about being if you come the childcare. the problem about beiwith if you come the childcare. the problem about beiwith good if you come the childcare. the problem about beiwith good plans, if you come the childcare. the problem about beiwith good plans, the)u come up with good plans, the government has government nick it, that has always problem with us. always been the problem with us. ten ed in ten years ago, ed miliband in the blank sheet paper. well, part of the reason it was blank was didn't want to was because they didn't want to write their rights, because write down their rights, because they'd this they'd be standing by this government. on the government. but then on the other should ideas other hand, should good ideas surely to surely want them to be implemented? that if implemented? does that mean if you don't, you've been in you don't, if you've been in opposition for 13 years and you think you've got a great vote when pesky minister when that pesky prime minister pinches the tax pinches it, you remember the tax on energy that on the energy companies that a labour nicked it. labour plan tories nicked it. well the lib dems would well actually the lib dems would have in dems have lived in the lib dems richard. and course they richard. and of course they don't get a look you. no they had they completely squeezed had so they completely squeezed out as third out the nature as to third party. think. what are we party. do you think. what are we expecting to sort of expecting him to do any sort of windfall tax on these fuel companies like you say they're going to supplemented, bill going to keep supplemented, bill

effectively is but there effectively what it is but there a of people say, well, a lot of people would say, well, hang we don't want hang on, maybe we don't want a taxpayer to funding this. taxpayer to be funding this. we've got massive profits we've still got massive profits with companies. with the oil and gas companies. the government to the the government point to the windfall already. windfall taxes already. i don't suspect see windfall suspect we'll see a new windfall tax today in fact, if anything, the government, you know, it's being budget for being billed as a budget for growth chancellor jeremy growth by erm chancellorjeremy hunt. think i want to do hunt. i think what i want to do is on particularly with is focus on particularly with the of corporate tax the lifting of the corporate tax rate angered so many rate that's angered so many backbenchers just backbenchers and it's just penned by penned in, it's just done by rishi when. he was rishi sunak when. he was chancellor, it's still going to rise 25% coming rise from 19 cent to 25% coming into effect next month. but really want to emphasise the government , the investment government, the investment breaks they're to companies breaks that they're to companies , whereas if they spend money, new machinery, better factories, they'll get 100% tax break on that investment is all right. but look the fact is we are saddled with the biggest tax burden in 70 years now. labour, you're doing a lot paper supports they normally like that but this is a government bent and they're now about to stick another great big tax on us.

well certain tory backbenchers are saying, you know, if the conservative policy is not for low tax welfare for we see patel, the former home secretary takes exact last week we takes exact notice last week we travelled to paris with the prime minister last week for imf for his uk french summit, president macron, and he was actually asked about low taxation and gave the answer taxation and he gave the answer we all expected expect in general supports general of course he supports low but now is not low taxes but now is not the right no of it. no the right no sign of it. no the irony of course, this irony is, of course, this morning hearing quite morning. i was hearing quite a few wing commentators. few left wing commentators. yeah, know. applauding but yeah, i know. applauding but it's. well, it's gone mad. the world has gone mad we saw in hancock whatsapps i call them boo the actual civil boo hoo the actual civil servants said this is a very servants who said this is a very conservative and used it as a pejorative but the pejorative term. i know. but the capital very conservative ideology . that was the cabinet ideology. that was the cabinet secretary, simon case. yes, it was simon. yeah. who said it would be used as a pejorative term. you know where has conservativism gone? i guess a lot . as one who struggles to lot. as one who struggles to support the tories at the polls though , have shown ben no doubt though, have shown ben no doubt a narrowing of labour's lead. i

the tories have had quite a good i think, i think he's done well on the windsor framework, he's done well i think on stop the boats . i done well i think on stop the boats. i had done well i think on stop the boats . i had a done well i think on stop the boats. i had a good meeting done well i think on stop the boats . i had a good meeting with boats. i had a good meeting with macron. sorry with the president. the united states. when you remember the shadow cabinet about that little later and the polls lead is now narrows by 11% now a few years ago tories 11 points i know would be a state of national mourning, but that's a lot better than where they've been before. they've really narrowed over months with over the past few months with rishi he came in five rishi sunak when he came in five months idea was boring months ago. the idea was boring government gently gently government and gently gently narrow that two point lead that labour had built up with all shambles of liz truss as prime membership. and he has succeed in doing that. i think what is key now in the 18 months or so before election is delivery before the election is delivery because yeah, he has talked. good sunak but good game rishi sunak but you haven't the effects of haven't actually the effects of anything yet. you we've had anything yet. you know we've had windsor we've had the windsor framework, we've had the deal stop illegal deal to stop all the illegal migration bill stopping the migration bill on stopping the boats . you haven't stopped any boats. you haven't stopped any boats. you haven't stopped any boats need see what

boats yet. you need to see what happens delivery or i happens in the delivery or i guess ben glaze, deputy politics at daily mirror. and now at the daily mirror. and now we're going to cross over to downing where the downing street, where the cabinet to cabinet getting ready to talk about the budget. political about the budget. our political editor darren mccaffrey that time. atmosphere time. what is the atmosphere going like in number 10? going to be like in number 10? they're the polls. they're still way in the polls. 11 points are still a long way behind in the polls. budget's got to start turning around pubuc got to start turning around public and it public opinion, and yet it doesn't appear too much doesn't appear to be too much apart childcare as a as apart from childcare as a as a sweetener sweetener . yeah, i've sweetener sweetener. yeah, i've been told essentially this budget is going to be a kind of steady as you go budget if you like it, that we're not expecting massive far works. but it is quite troubling for the government in that regard that this the last budget this is probably the last budget before election could before the election in you could have significant impact have a significant impact clearly it will be one more before that election which is probably could happen. it needs a or autumn of next year. but really you want some kind really if you want some kind of big events in properly, big events to kick in properly, it to happen today. as it needs to happen today. but as i say, given the economic situation we find ourselves in with inflation still relatively high, skulls that

high, with the skulls of that mini—budget. what, mini—budget. andrew just what, six ago or so , what six months ago or so, what jeremy hunt cannot to do is to spook the markets again or cause any sense of crisis . and that is any sense of crisis. and that is why he's going to stick to the pretty disciplined messages we've and indeed we've heard from him and indeed from government . i we've heard from him and indeed from government. i say from the government. i say really they over from really since they took over from liz just a little bit of liz truss, just a little bit of trivia or history if you like as well because chance is well, because the chance is going out of here is the going to come out of here is the ian wall by 2 hours time before heading to parliament. could heading to parliament. you could hold box as he does, hold up that red box as he does, you know, image when you know, that image when he holds up to show everyone holds it up to show everyone he's got the budget speech in his off to parliament that comes or to 1869 when or dates back to 1869 when the then chancellor i think was then chancellor who i think was pretty stone was a guy pretty one stone was a guy called george ward hunt had forgotten speech went the forgotten the speech went the whole way to parliament and realised the speech here realised it left the speech here in street . ever since in downing street. ever since then, chancellor got then, the chancellor has got into you like, to into this habit, if you like, to hold out of the box to prove that they've got the speech and they're way to parliament they're on the way to parliament and they haven't forgotten it. who's budget. is it though darren, is jeremy hunt's darren, is it is jeremy hunt's or rishi sunak's because

or is it rishi sunak's because he's a former chancellor is steeped the city all his life steeped in the city all his life he's written this budget he's really written this budget in you know what andrew in your you know what andrew that's always question isn't it you know when you look back kind of pull politics in the past about who really is in charge you know i think this time round it is fair to say that rishi sunak clearly will have a big impact and they sort of have a hunt. was chancellor before rishi sunak became prime minister. i mean, rishi sunak really needed jeremy hunt you couldn't afford him from couldn't afford to move him from that given the situation. that post given the situation. the without the uk in. but yeah, without shadow of a doubt. as a former chancellor you know rishi sunak will want to have his fingerprints all over this and both of them are relatively kind of similar people, aren't they? they're quite cautious in their approach to politics. i wouldn't say either of them or massively ideologically driven to large degree. and i think this budget will reflect kind of that in, the sense that it might be relatively boring. you've got to just be told, but we know hell just be told, but we know a hell

of lot of what is already in of a lot of what is already in it. i think the key thing for the politics in all of this comes around to taxation. what we're to we're we're going to see is we're going see since you go up, going see tax since you go up, particularly corporation tax to 25.the particularly corporation tax to 25. the chancellor and the probably will argue that's still the lowest in the g7 but it is going to be a jump. now the clearly going to mitigations clearly going to be mitigations to be enough for to that will that be enough for the right the conservative right will be enough the people supported enough for the people supported liz truss and also this is already in place. we know that millions more people are going to tax in year to stop paying tax in the year ahead. something going to be ahead. something is going to be dragged to those higher income thresholds because the thresholds because the thresholds being frozen and thresholds are being frozen and again. there'll be real concerns , the conservative party, that far from being conservative, that the tax burden on the entire population is only increasing again and about how sustainable are these, not just in terms of the economy, but also in terms of the politics of this, given the fact that this is going to be a conservative government who traditionally are to be the party of low taxation, not high taxation . and

not record high taxation. and we've got a few cabinet ministers arriving there. i ministers been arriving there. i think . ministers been arriving there. i think. darren yeah. on is on the way as is always the way here. as you say they will get a sense. they'll get to finally go the budget despite all the leaks and the questions you are having there about what happens in parliament and actually members of members of the cabinet of those members of the cabinet don't get to see the budget until now. literally a couple of hours before it is announced to try and prevent leaks. think try and prevent leaks. i think the question is, is going to the big question is, is going to be a rabbit that probably will not entirely sure where that's going land. maybe it will be going to land. maybe it will be in a substantial cut at a fuel duty cut by last year . duty was cut by 5% last year. but in the end, what the government trying to do here is to things focus on growth that big thing that you know conservative politicians talk about for a while being pretty stagnant country , those stagnant in this country, those investment zones. let's talk mitigating that corporation rise but at the same time also trying to tackle the cost of living crisis. so that's why you see changes childcare. the big

question is will it be enough and that a big question, will it be enough to turn around that angerin be enough to turn around that anger in order to convince people that actually things are going better? kind take going to be better? kind of take on though, when it on that mantra, though, when it comes to the next election. do you feel better off than you did in 2010 with the conservative party first come back into government? yeah, very good point. you, darren point. thank you, darren mccaffrey at downing street . now mccaffrey at downing street. now we're joined by somebody that knows or two about budgets knows thing or two about budgets and how to run a business. the founder pimlico plumbers, founder of pimlico plumbers, charlie us charlie mullins is with us in the studio. good morning, charlie. you sold your it was it october 21 and you did very well out of it and you worked hard build up that company. what is it like now for somebody running business like you and what would you have needed in the budget today? well, you certainly need some incentives, and more some incentives, more and more incentive. one, incentive. and the best one, i think not a senior is the think i'm not a senior is the childcare, which is going to allow many, many people to come in work and i think that's in to work and i think that's kind of solved , you know, really

kind of solved, you know, really people might you thought that that for me would have been the one that would have made a lot of difference because we employed many females, the employed many, many females, the office soles and it office and on the soles and it was issues with the was always issues with the childcare the cost of the childcare the cost of it the reliability of it. so i think that's going to be the biggest plus the downside on tablets increasing corporation tax that's that is just a crazy thing to do from 19 to 25. many many businesses will just not push forward on on the basis that they're going to be amateur labour and any incentive in in the budget is to be good. the other great one i think is the pension one to allow older people to carry on working. i think that's a marvellous move . think that's a marvellous move. i mean if i'm being honest. well maybe it was probably best budget a business point of budget from a business point of view, but other within the, you know, the one of the corporations , i wonder if that's corporations, i wonder if that's maybe the industry that you you came from providing a plumbing survey . i'm came from providing a plumbing survey. i'm thinking came from providing a plumbing survey . i'm thinking about what survey. i'm thinking about what have affected you. i'm thinking of a lot about the hospitality

industry. i'm looking all the time for what are we doing for bars? and restaurants and pubs who are struggling. they who are really struggling. they would see a vat. well, would love to see a vat. well, of course. mean, any incentive of course. i mean, any incentive any business. i mean, you know, i could write a list of things that be good it. that would be good for it. i mean, the tax rate for mean, lower the tax rate for many people certainly lower many people and certainly lower it for your side of i guarantee charlie he will freeze the duty on pint of beer and stick money on pint of beer and stick money on wine because he thinks that beer that's red wall won't satisfy stupid old fashioned cliche. yeah the kitchen table with the giving you the carrot. but the big stick is quite heavy and the i mean, i used to think that doing something, i'm thinking i think it's going to be a good budget for that because it's going to get so many more people back into work and what need to get and that's what we need to get the going. we've got to the economy going. we've got to get the economy going. and the only do that is to get only way do that is, is to get people into work. all that money comes so it comes from businesses, so it needs after businesses, needs to look after businesses, corporation, tax corporation, the corporation tax rates, think, to rates, we think, is going to only companies with a

only apply to companies with a turnover profits than turnover or profits of more than 250,000. will not impact 250,000. so that will not impact on businesses, but if on smaller businesses, but if you wanted to expand, well, it's the investment. i mean, you know, got to profits know, you've got to make profits reinvest the that reinvest in the fact that i think giving, you know think he's giving, you know andrew tax andrew mills whiff of tax deductions in investments. but you've the money you've got to make the money to invest money. so it's invest the money. yeah. so it's a catch 22 situation. i wonder why this investment in why this this this investment in terms of your infrastructure and your capital build within your company, it's turning company, whether it's turning out, you know , it is nuts and out, you know, it is nuts and bolts, whatever . but i was i bolts, whatever. but i was i just wonder whether he's putting enough people . i know enough money into people. i know that's a bit old fashioned that's a bit of an old fashioned thing to say in technological age. but, you know, giving a company breaks in order company massive breaks in order to amount of hard to build a huge amount of hard hard manufacturing industry , i hard manufacturing industry, i wonder whether we should be putting something to employ more people. well you know, to me, there's a there's a slight difference. and would say, difference. and you would say, well, you could well, you need people. you could those you could cut those machines you could cut the employer's insurance employer's national insurance contribution, on contribution, they might take on more , of course. i mean, more staff, of course. i mean, it's all it's all about it's all about it's all about employing more people. so

whatever can do to encourage whatever you can do to encourage people into the workplace is a good and penalise good thing and not penalise them, problem. you them, that's the problem. you get successful get penalised successful businesses encourage businesses rather than encourage them. we'll know them. yeah, well, we'll know soon too. after. so you're staying with us because i think you'll reviewing the papers with my old mate, kevin maguire. you're lot of my you're right. you're lot of my old magazines. you know, this year ish. and he's like having a rival . your colleagues isn't a rival. your colleagues isn't a bad guy. he's a bit of a daily takeover staple. i'm looking forward to. yeah, yeah. no other raffle. don't hold back. you won't help charlie. when won't help out, charlie. when you you're right. no, ben, you think you're right. no, ben, let let just ask you what let me let just ask you what obviously , to some extent, this obviously, to some extent, this is a cost of lockdown. budget is what we're dealing with here, isn't it? this is why we have this enormous hole that we have to had been in power to fill if had been in power dunng to fill if had been in power during pandemic, they during the pandemic, all they wanted lockdowns more wanted was more lockdowns more restrictions. more restrictions. schools, more schools closed, furlough schools closed, more furlough throw, more money. the problem have we'd be in a have more fraud. we'd be in a worse position . i'm sure worse position. we? i'm not sure that's necessary, leigh. how labour passed. the labour was have it passed. the idea that i think she's right. we've got a £400 billion across

the country you know, i think that would have been the case whichever party was in power because the measures that that were implemented, you know they were implemented, you know they were time. were necessary at the time. there's lots of lockdown revisions to think you know, well, have things well, we could have done things differently. he differently. well, you know, he didn't lockdown sooner and didn't us to lockdown sooner and he lockdown he wanted the second lockdown quicker . and when it wasn't quicker. and when it wasn't happening , was accusing the happening, was accusing the problems replaced problems of being replaced people's was labour people's health. that was labour leader . think of the leader keir. i think one of the things interesting when things that's interesting when you the international you look at the international comparisons is, a lot of countries obviously things countries obviously did things slightly in terms of how they implemented they did implemented lockdowns, they did it, lasted for, it, how long they lasted for, how tight and a lot of how tight they were and a lot of countries have come looking countries have come out looking quite britain, quite similar. well, britain, the biggest problem we've got, of is because a of course, is because we had a quick reopening after the third or fourth lockdown. boris made a big thing about us having the fastest growth in the g7. but the thing is we've now got that slowest growth in the g7 because we frontloaded us where we are lagging behind the rest of those industrialised all industrialised nations. all right, we're going to right, bankers, we're going to go to some of our emails that

are from viewers and are pouring from viewers and listeners. the listeners. i think with the first comes edward, who first one comes from edward, who says government spending says slash government spending and foreign aid. yes, and defund foreign aid. yes, we're there's a story in we're giving there's a story in the papers. i bet 250 million or 2 billion we gave to india over six years never reached any development why we development targets. why are we giving to india? the giving any money to india? the development space program development in space program that does crazy a law that does seem crazy isn't a law has said. i want to see a fuel duty reduction and as a lot of motorists would agree with that law, emily says green taxes and reduce corporation tax. and finally for now , neil says we finally for now, neil says we must have more suvs support for small businesses. well not sure that there's going to be much for that. i'll tell you what is quite good in. this is something again, should never to again, we should never have to be paying to keep be paying it. but to keep swimming open and leisure swimming pools open and leisure centres about 300 million quid because them hit so because so many of them hit so badly the pandemic. badly during the pandemic. obviously, may focus on obviously, they may not focus on that, rishi sunak story that, given rishi sunak story about swimming bank, he about his own swimming bank, he had it because had to do it because he's spending money, spending all that money, improving electricity improving the electricity supply to outdoor swimming to keep his outdoor swimming nice so there'll be

nice and warm so there'll be jokes from the labour benches about yeah, just about quite right. we're going have more from your budget bucket list . from your budget bucket list. excuse me before the end of the show. but up next, we're going be joined by the shadow secretary of for secretary of state for international. excited international. very excited about thomas—symonds about that. nick thomas—symonds . what want . and we'll see what labour want to budget. he's also to do in the budget. he's also much vexed what the much more vexed about what the prime was up to in the prime minister was up to in the united states with president what's his name? president doing a bargain got he was a bargain i've got no he was you're with bevan on and

good morning. this is to the point with me better and andrew pierce you've been getting in touch already this morning with your views on the budget moderates said child moderates who said child care should integrated should be integrated into primary why should the primary schools. why should the taxpayer have to pay for a private to private nursery? it's going to be getting bottom of all be getting to the bottom of all of that. so he's going to unveil jeremy hunt what he calls his budget with a full budget for growth with a full billion childcare scheme. billion pounds childcare scheme. how get budget for how do you get a budget for growth you're putting up growth when you're putting up taxes? child care taxes? but will that child care scheme news for mums and scheme be good news for mums and dads? is a bit of relief dads? there is a bit of relief for drivers not a lot, to be honest. jeremy hunt's plan also includes year extend into includes a one year extend into the cuts in fuel the poultry five p cuts in fuel duty . however, it can't be all duty. however, it can't be all good because that can drive good news because that can drive and corporation it. still, and corporation tax it. still, we going out with we think it's going out with certain going out for 19 to certain it's going out for 19 to 25. jeremy in 25. rememberjeremy hunt in a leadership last summer leadership contest last summer where last, said the where he came last, said the corporation tax should cut to corporation tax should be cut to 19.2 $0.15. so what's he up to? and also this morning, the

united states has accused a russian jet of recklessly colliding with an american drone over the black sea . it's over the black sea. it's a breaking story. it's developing all the time. this, but does it highlight the pressing need for more spending on our own . more spending on our own. defence and of course, we've got in the studio a former adviser to donald trump will no doubt have strong views on that . have strong views on that. absolutely. so i don't know what you gb at gbnews.uk you think gb views at gbnews.uk uk is the email address as always. but first let's get all the news headlines with bethany . beth and andrew . thank you . beth and andrew. thank you very much. good morning. it's 10:10, nine bethany elsey with your top stories from the gb newsroom. jeremy hunt's first budget as chancellor will include a major expansion of childcare support, aiming to increase the workforce and boost financial growth. there are reports the plan will include 30

hours of free childcare for one and two year olds in england. the budget will include a series of other measures to deal with labour shortages, such as encouraging the over fifties , encouraging the over fifties, the long term sick and disabled . to get back to work . . to get back to work. announcements on benefits reform and pensions allowances are also expected. but it's understood the chancellor will resist calls from tory backbenchers to cut taxes . as part of today's taxes. as part of today's announcements , the treasury has announcements, the treasury has confirmed the energy price guarantee will be extended for a further three months. the support with energy bills will continue from april to june at its current level. it means average annual household bills will stay capped . at £2,500 per will stay capped. at £2,500 per yeah will stay capped. at £2,500 per year. but shadow chief secretary to the treasury, pat mcfadden, says there are still holes in the budget . there's more that the budget. there's more that needs to be done on workforce with the reform of the apprenticeship levy and some other changes there. and i also

think that we need more certainty and stability in policy . we've got to fix some of policy. we've got to fix some of the holes in boris johnson's brexit deal. we've got to bring all these together in a big, ambitious, long term growth plan. and i think apart from the individus measures, that's the thing that seems to be missing from what's been leaked and pre briefed. about this budget so far . briefed. about this budget so far. thousands of briefed. about this budget so far . thousands of workers are far. thousands of workers are walking out on what could be the biggest strike date this year. teachers, junior doctors , cheap teachers, junior doctors, cheap drivers and bbc journalists are taking industrial action over issues, including pay, jobs, pensions and conditions. schools minister nick cave is urging the national education union to pause the strike action so serious negotiations with the government can go ahead . we government can go ahead. we could be having those talks about pay about teacher workload, about recruitment , workload, about recruitment, recruitment and retention. that's what we want to talk about. but the national education union, if they want to show good faith in those

negotiations, they to pause negotiations, they need to pause a action and it strike a strike action and it strike action. it's no way to conduct a pay action. it's no way to conduct a pay dispute . it inconveniences pay dispute. it inconveniences parents and families and it's disrupting children's education. after two years of having an education disrupted during the pandemic . the defence secretary pandemic. the defence secretary says moscow should respect international airspace after russian jets collided with an american drone over the black sea. ben wallace says the americans think the incident is very unprofessional with the white house accusing russia of recklessly colliding with its drone . the incident raises fears drone. the incident raises fears of an escalation between the two superpowers powers with a senior russian figure calling it a provocation . meanwhile, mps here provocation. meanwhile, mps here have urged the prime minister to get serious about enforcing sanctions against russian oligarchs . sanctions against russian oligarchs. former labour minister liam byrne says there were 147 reports of a breach of the sanctions last year , but

the sanctions last year, but only two fines were imposed totalling £86,000. but the us has issued 17 penalties since the start of the war, with a value of more than £35 million. a foreign office minister said the treasury will look at publishing a list of those who've been granted exemptions , who've been granted exemptions, some breaking news in the last half an hour. three men have been arrested after a drive by shooting outside a church in london in january. one of them, 19 year old american nelson martin, has been charged with possession of a shotgun with intent to endanger life and six other counts of intent . he'll other counts of intent. he'll appear at willesden magistrates court later today. the two other men have been arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to murder. they remain in custody . murder. they remain in custody. four women and two girls aged 11 and seven, were injured in the incident. a 48 year old is still undergoing treatment in hospital . a health regulator has criticised the ambulance.

handover delays at hospitals after one patient in the west midlands waited almost a day in the back of an ambulance. the care quality commission warned delays in handing patients over at hospital bills means paramedics can't attend other calls. it also warned long delays pose an increased risk for patients . west midlands for patients. west midlands ambulance service says they recognise the impact delays have on patient health and that there's been a significant improvement in tackling delays . improvement in tackling delays. more than 300 academics have signed a joint letter against what they call the government's unworkable migrant bill. the scholars claim the policy is not evidence based, workable or legal under current human rights laws. they're also warning the bill will not stop small boats from crossing the channel. but increase in calls , more deaths . increase in calls, more deaths. the queen council has met a young ballet dancer set to star in a disney documentary . camilla

in a disney documentary. camilla met the 13 year old when she visited elmhurst ballet school in birmingham. anthony mahdi from nigeria received a scholarship from the school after a video of him pirouetting in the rain went viral in 2020. good for him. you're up to date on tv news now, though. it's back to andrew and beth . back to andrew and beth. well, jeremy hunt conceded that that spring budget today , the that spring budget today, the cost of living crisis would dominate. of course, putting more pressure businesses and more pressure on businesses and households that's households finances. that's right. expect free childcare right. we expect free childcare for parents in england for working parents in england will be expanded in the budget to cover one and two year olds. it'll also be that rise in tax free pensions allowance and the chancellor going to increase chancellor is going to increase the lifetime allowance, the amount accumulate in amount you can accumulate in your before paying your pension pot before paying extra the fuel duty is extra tax. the fuel duty is likely to be frozen for another

year. likely to be frozen for another year . the government tax by five year. the government tax by five pay year. the government tax by five pay in march , but that's due to pay in march, but that's due to end on the 31st of march and businesses will be watching the budget because of course there's going to be 12 new investment zones across england, each backed with 80 million of public funding . now rushing into his funding. now rushing into his place on the frontbench , they place on the frontbench, they will be the prime minister rishi sunak because he's just returning from a trip to the united states where of course he met president joe biden and the australian prime minister and they deal the they signed the deal on the orcas, submarines delights, orcas, submarines and delights, say with me as the say in the studio with me as the international secretary say in the studio with me as the inter thomas—symonds. etary say in the studio with me as the interthomas—symonds.etary it's nick thomas—symonds. nick, it's class have you class. very good to have you here the studio with here in the studio with us. still labour toys to not the spots of each other. this is a good deal for britain. strategically, militarily and good for jobs with very supportive of the orcas deal. it really is a very, very important deal really is a very, very important deal. it's important, first of all, for securing sea specifically in the in the

pacific region. but secondly , pacific region. but secondly, this is also a very good deal for jobs here in the united forjobs here in the united kingdom, particularly , of kingdom, particularly, of course, in mintabie in barrow , course, in mintabie in barrow, in terms of the submarines now, these nuclear powered submarines that are going to be produced as a consequence of this agreement . so labour is very supportive of it and indeed the next labour government will continue to support this . so good support this. so good relationship between rishi sunak and biden. better, a lot better than the relationship between biden and boris and also the australian prime minister. she's still now perhaps a trade deal with the united states post—brexit is looming . well, it post—brexit is looming. well, it doesn't seem to be imminent, but clearly we should be open to that trade agreement. it could be transformative . the issue be transformative. the issue really has been one of conservative broken promises . conservative broken promises. that trade deal was originally promised by the end of last yeah promised by the end of last year. they also promised , by the year. they also promised, by the way, that 80% of all our trade

would be being conducted under free trade agreements . that free trade agreements. that promise has been broken . and how promise has been broken. and how much are we doing? where in the early sixties at the moment we're on a boat, 63. it's well below what was actually promised . but is it really any wonder when we've had all of the chaos of the past 12 months? i want to ask, can you build relations and ships on the international stage when you've had three prime ministers in the last 12 months? are all the different chancellors as well you need chancellors as well as you need that stability to be able to do the hard work necessary to secure trade agreements. are you doing of that work now in doing any of that work now in opposition? you've got plenty of time yes. and time on your hands. yes. and what we are seeking to do at the moment is to build those relation ships. already we of course, are looking at coming into government. we take up slightly nothing for granted. we will fight for every single vote. but we also in the post—war period was ahead in the polls. but we're also preparing so that if we come into government, we are in a position

to deliver for british, british people. that people. you're worried that polls shown contraction. polls have shown a contraction. the put the tories 11 the last poll put the tories 11 point set. now that's a big lead for labour, but there have been 20, 20 23 points ahead and 20, 20 to 23 points ahead and rishi is now almost even rishi sunak is now almost even stevens leader keir stevens with labour leader keir starmer he through your starmer as he cut through your man . i don't so. i do man. i don't think so. i do think polls will go up and down and different polling companies that they treat don't nose in different ways and things like that. you do end up with some variation across the pollsters, but keir starmer is seen very much someone who could be the much as someone who could be the prime minister. it's not often that someone who hasn't held the office has the ratings that the key does and i think that's because people look to him to lead that change. the people want, we're here with 13 want, because we're here with 13 years in to a conservative years in under to a conservative government, could we any government, could we name any pubuc government, could we name any public service a better public service in a better condition now than in 2010? don't push me on that because we're here talk to you. not we're here to talk to you. not for me to answer questions on behalf of this lot, but what of the labour on the the labour and trust on the economy? that's always a economy? that's always been a big helped

big problem. wasn't helped at all previous labour all by your previous labour leader, jeremy corbyn. do you think labour has managed yet to seal the public seal the deal with the public that trust you more than that they trust you more than the on economy? we the tories on the economy? we want the deal with the want to seal the deal with the pubuc want to seal the deal with the public day people go public until the day people go into to that voting booth and they put the cross next to labour and we win a general election. that would be the point at which people have put their trust in us. but do i think we've made enormous progress since 2019 on people trusting us with their money? absolutely. i think we've made a huge and that's happened huge strides and that's happened because we've been extremely clear that when we make promises, we will point to where they are funded. and we've seen if we look at an funded promises , unfunded tax cuts . that's one , unfunded tax cuts. that's one of the reasons that liz truss's premiership collapsed so spectacularly . you can't talk. spectacularly. you can't talk. you haven't found it. half the pledges you've made last time read. there's a £60 billion black hole labour's spending black hole in labour's spending plans. a black hole. plans. there's not a black hole. the key to frequently claim there is. but if you actually look at where we've made pledges

, so for example, we've talked about school breakfast clubs, expansion the nhs workforce. expansion of the nhs workforce. we that with a £32 we fund that with a £32 billion. we'd raise by abolishing the non—dom tax status. it's very simple, very simple that one, again, very simple that one, again, very simple principle. if you live in this country, should pay taxes. you better come in here. i mean, do you trust in what labour up to? do you think people have made the deal with labour on tax and spend? no, it don't really i don't i think there's don't think i think there's a lot people at the moment. lot of people at the moment. i was at the messages was just looking at the messages coming in from viewers coming in from our viewers as well. but there's a lot of well. but i was there's a lot of people who feel utterly people who just feel utterly politically homeless the politically homeless at the moment, politically moment, completely politically homeless, because we're still smarting from three years of what us see as what some of us see as ridiculous pandemic policies and all that we through that all that we heard through that time conservatives time when the conservatives were, as we now know, through hand making hand cuts, messages making decisions necessarily hand cuts, messages making decisiothe necessarily hand cuts, messages making decisiothe science |ecessarily hand cuts, messages making decisiothe science and.sarily hand cuts, messages making decisiothe science and the ly hand cuts, messages making decisiothe science and the data, led by the science and the data, but all we heard but by politics. all we heard from was keir from labour was from keir starmer. not doing starmer. you're not doing enough. more. we enough. you need to do more. we need restrictions, we need need more restrictions, we need more furlough. do we who more furlough. so who do we who did people vote for in the did those people vote for in the next well every vote

next election? well every vote we will fight for every single vote . whatever we need to stop , vote. whatever we need to stop, if not for what happened during the pandemic, for not holding back, how? i don't apologise at all for that, because we could have exploited things in the pandemic to party political reasons there times when reasons. there were times when the conservatives couldn't persuade their own backbench, and we quite easily , for short and we quite easily, for short term political reasons , could term political reasons, could have sided with the conservatives for our own party because it did. we didn't need it. we didn't. because it did. we didn't need it. we didn't . we supported the it. we didn't. we supported the government's central messaging dunng government's central messaging during the pandemic. it was the responsible thing for us to do if we'd started, for example, take on the public health messaging, if we'd started arguing, creating confusion on that, that wouldn't have been in the national interest to do. and at the same time, i do take issue with the argument that we didn't hold the government to account. we did hold them to account. we did hold them to account. we did hold them to account. we were the ones arguing about low sick pay when people to people weren't able to afford to stay at we were the people stay at home. we were the people

standing up for the self—employed, for example, who will often missed out terms will often missed out in terms of schemes that were of the support schemes that were available. we were the ones augmenting around augmenting early stage around test track and trace, and if you couldn't get system like that couldn't get a system like that into place quickly, you would end up with a long, major set of restrictions. and there are cases where we were all basically not true . now you only basically not true. now you only have to look at what happened in sweden to realise that they had a fatality us in a lower fatality rate than us in the of time. and people the fullness of time. and people like me who were watching it could see that there was a difference. a version events difference. a version of events that played out was so that was being played out was so frustrated not frustrated with labour for not holding the government to account, saying these account, for not saying these measures are not proportionate for a disease which has such a low infection fatality rate. those are the people who got to went back. but i take issue with that because , you know, i was that because, you know, i was part of it as well. i remember i was the person speaking in the commons when the coronavirus act went time and time went through. we time and time again the questions with again asked the questions with time when we had time and time again when we had access to the scientific advice

as those questions were asking the wrong scientists were asking one scientists and the one lot of scientists and the great barrington declaration and those particular immunologists who widely discredited, had who were widely discredited, had a of events a different version of events and nobody listened to them. and now now we see this now we know why. now we see this budget . this is a post—lockdown budget. this is a post—lockdown budget. this is a post—lockdown budget. this is why we've got this we to this massive hole we have to fill. but look, i'm not saying that aren't we that there aren't impacts we have to dealt with. we've argued, for example, for funding for catch for a proper school catch up plan, i think is plan, which i think is absolutely but look, absolutely necessary. but look, we heather hallett we will have now heather hallett will over the full will preside over the full inquiry . it's will preside over the full inquiry. it's going to take place on this and we will have a judgement as to whether the most appropriate decisions are made and we will see that. but labour was motivated by the national interest. i have to ask you one more question by next week. i have got another question and i hope you can with that. hope you can stay with that. should your colleague, the shadow culture secretary, lucy powell, for saying powell, apologise for saying in parliament to parliament that what happened to gary popular gary lineker, a popular man being bbc, was being suspended by the bbc, was like being in putin's russia deeply offensive. when you

consider putin persecutes people, has people murdered, homophobic allies and conducted an illegal invasion of ukraine? should you apologise and i've not seen and i wasn't i understand it maybe in the commons i wasn't there to see what precisely the context was. but look, you did in terms of what she said, in terms it terms, i don't know. the specific con has been the terms of my abhorrence for putin and indeed that view across indeed that view is across party. there is a consensus across parliament, both from benches, all parties in condemnation of what putin has done and indeed the regime that that so should apologise. i would need to see the specific context, david gallagher, to answer that. but you've done your best. that's nick thomas—symonds. i think he's going us a bit. going to stay with us a bit. right. we've also got in the studio with us now the former chairman of the council of economic advisers under presidents trump, tyler beck, good spade. beck, good good spade. tyler beck, good spade not the most spade is not is not the most american heard. american name i've ever heard. i don't know what it is. it is great to see you and thank you so much for coming in. give us a broad analysis. what are the

state of politics america state of politics in america at the biden joke as the moment? biden is a joke as far as we're concerned. just a moment ago, andrew and i just couldn't his name. now couldn't remember his name. now we an awful lot. we see him do us an awful lot. but the reason we don't remember his name is, is because he's not remotely impactful. other than for express despair. for people to express despair. how appears to be. how incompetent appears to be. well, the state the well, i think the state of the political economy the us political economy in the us right now is one in which inflation is increasingly dominating conversation, dominating the conversation, because we've let the inflation problem persist for long enough that now has become embedded in expectations . and one thing in expectations. and one thing in my research that i found is my own research that i found is that when inflation is low and stable, don't really that when inflation is low and stabattention don't really that when inflation is low and stabattention to don't really that when inflation is low and stabattention to very: really that when inflation is low and stabattention to very much. pay attention to it very much. but you let inflation get but once you let inflation get above of three a half, above sort of three and a half, then suddenly they react rationally recent inflation rationally to recent inflation news they're incorporating news. they're incorporating it into expectations . and i into their expectations. and i think the biden think that the biden administration made a big problem that 11 months into an economic expansion that was already underway, they embarked on a fiscal stimulus of $1.9 trillion. that was equal purely deficit financed , that was equal

deficit financed, that was equal to 10% of the annual output of the entire united states economy. and that is why we immediately in march, april 2021, we saw a surge in inflation. and then we then piled on top of that quite a few hundred billion dollars worth of additional subsidies, which poured poured fuel on the flames. what about the silicon valley collapse earlier valley bank collapse earlier this week? what in the last week? what does that mean for the american economy ? we hear of the american economy? we hear of chancellor stepped in and he seems to have helped those british companies that were invested in that was what were the impacts of that in america? well it's it remains to be seen . that was a badly run bank and there was a run on a badly bungled, badly run bank. there was a run on a badly bungled, badly run bank . we bungled, badly run bank. we actually saw a similar playbook in the early 1980s when similar situation we had high inflation and the federal reserve under paul volcker was jacking up interest rates. there were several banks that were badly run. they got caught out and what the feds did then was pretty much what they just did. now which stepped in the

now which is they stepped in the federal insurance federal deposit insurance corporation, over the corporation, took over the bad institutions and most cases institutions, and in most cases , not only did they safeguard the deposits of insured federally insured depositors, they also protected by various mechanism items the uninsured depositors as well. and i think this is what we've seen with signature bank and silicon valley bank. what everybody watching it wants know is, is watching it wants to know is, is donald going to be next donald going to be the next president united states? president of the united states? well, i probably i mean , well, i would probably i mean, if you look at the prediction markets, you at the markets, you look at the polling, i he's the polling, i think he's the frontrunner the republican frontrunner for the republican nomination . and if the nomination. and if he's the republican nominee , then i think republican nominee, then i think in the studio i can feel cringing to next me is still nick thomas—symonds seven. she's the shadow international trade secretary. labour secretary. how would labour react to the prospects of another donald trump american administration ? look, look, our administration? look, look, our sister parties of course, the democrats. but whoever the american people choose as their president in the next presidential election, there will be a very close transition , a relationship. what would , a relationship. but what would you donald trump you think about donald trump winning is

winning again? come on, give is your instinct. well, look, your gut instinct. well, look, if comedy if you could bear if i comedy if you could bear a second of it, if i was if i was voting, i'm obviously someone who would be a democrat. but the transatlantic relationship who would be a democrat. but the transatlanticrelationship so transatlantic relationship is so important precious that important and so precious that it is about much more than any single leader of either country. it's a deep, historic relationship and it will endure. i mean, look, on a personal level, of course, donald trump had a amount of criticism, had a huge amount of criticism, but often from but particularly often from women minorities, women and ethnic minorities, they a of what they didn't like a lot of what he for me, the he stood for. then for me, the pandemic happened and all politics went up in the air. right and left up in the right and left went up in the air everybody sort of landed air and everybody sort of landed in either libertarian or in either sort of libertarian or more of authoritative more kind of authoritative authoritarian view the world. more kind of authoritative autr situation view the world. more kind of authoritative autr situation inew the world. more kind of authoritative autr situation in american. forld. the situation in american. how does the hands of does it play into the hands of donald more and the donald trump? more and the republican coming off the republican party coming off the back the greatest race and back of the greatest race and the idea that the state could tell you to stay at home and not see your loved ones. to be honest, i think that there is a lot of and increasing nostalgia for the presidency and policies of donald trump. think about

three under three of the past four presidents. vladimir putin invaded sovereign countries. there was one president under whom he did not invade a sovereign country, and that was president trump. furthermore more we heard a lot of criticism about during about trump trade policy during the years of the trump the four years of the trump administration some of the administration. for some of the 301 on china, plus the 301 tariffs on china, plus the steel and aluminium tariffs which were undertaken for national , national security reasons, protectionism under the united states has increased since donald left the white donald trump left the white house. biden administration house. the biden administration has as impose hundreds of billions of dollars in subsidies . that is protection. and they have also carpet bombed us legislation with buy american provisions . and furthermore, provisions. and furthermore, i have also heard from a lot of counterparts in the uk that where as we were making great progress on a us uk trade agreement and my former colleague bob lighthizer was working very well with, with the then trade minister, liz truss. thatis then trade minister, liz truss. that is basically on, on, on ice now. right and well there we are isn't it. yeah. we've got to

move on. i didn't even get to ask you about ron desantis and what hero he is. he is a hero, isn't he? i think i think florida is a model for the rest of the country and around the world. joe desantis. right. thank guys, of you. thank you, guys, both of you. still come, a of still to come, a third of workers would forced workers would quit if forced back into the office, will be in the studio. let's about the studio. let's talk about this founder of pimlico this with the founder of pimlico plumbers, charlie mullins, our new statesman columnist and my nemesis, maguire , in his nemesis, kevin maguire, in his shiny smart suspension suit . you shiny smart suspension suit. you won't want to miss this. this is to point on

gb news fake commodities . 1027 your with fake commodities. 1027 your with to the point on gb news and andrew pierce and bev turner. small business across the uk they're very nervous about this budget . today they're calling on budget. today they're calling on jeremy hunt to save them from the cost of living crisis. many owners of small businesses fear that forced to close that they'll be forced to close this due the rising this year due to the rising costs. economics and business editor the and only liam editor the one and only liam halligan in the studio. and

halligan is in the studio. and you i hacks , have been in you and i as hacks, have been in that front row of the gallery in parliament for the budget. how much this i mean, there's much of this i mean, there's going to be about one thing we don't about. i was don't know about. and i was digging back in the digging going back in the history talking history was talking to nick thomas—symonds me thomas—symonds in which with me earlier the shadow cabinet earlier from the shadow cabinet good instinct and he's an historian. written very historian. he's written a very good wilson. he good book on harold wilson. he reminds 1947, the chance of reminds me, 1947, the chance of the exchequer henry harry dalton and sacked because he told and was sacked because he told a reporter on a paper called the star about a couple of tax cuts which got into the stock press on the back of the paper, seen by about three people, lost his job and career. look job and his entire career. look at now. you dalton. dalton, at it now. you dalton. dalton, i remember when we were a young cup reporters i well, i was young anyway and remember harsh the sun got hold of harsh the sun got hold of pot of golden. brown's budget is a massive inquiry and the whole budget was eclipsed by the fact that some of it had been leaked. well, now is there standing on a megaphone on a corner in whitehall, on a street corner in whitehall, telling us what's going to be in

the budget? it's like a public relations serious relations exercise for serious and massaging public and they're massaging public opinion massaging public opinion and massaging public opinion and massaging public opinion trying to opinion. they're also trying to massage financial markets. yeah, i think in financial i don't think in financial markets there's markets like this, if there's this news management around this much news management around what's to be quite what's meant to be quite a serious financial statement, particularly at the moment when financial markets have been skhfishin financial markets have been skittish in the wake of this banking insolvency, of over in california, in the wake of the mini—budget back in september, which of course led to lots of fireworks in financial markets . fireworks in financial markets. this good. the people this is not good. the people orchestrating this roll out of the budget news, i would say they think they know about politics, but they don't know much about economics and financial markets and do you think there's going to be if what we want to know, is there going to a white rabbit? going to be a white rabbit? i don't think there'll a rabbit don't think there'll be a rabbit out the hats. i think out of the hats. and i think jeremy will try and make jeremy hunt will try and make a virtue out of the fact that he is. jeremy, from accounts look we used boring we all know we we used to boring we all know we all know that the tories are nothing if they lose their

reputation for financial competence. the reputation they lost in 1992 when we crashed out of the exchange rate mechanism, took them over a decade get took them over a decade to get that reputation back. and of course, that decade was when tony blair and gordon brown eclipsed tories at the top eclipsed the tories at the top of the political tree. and they are on vulnerable ground because of the market gyrations we've had, because of the cost of living crisis, because of a sense of financial insecurity that lots of people are feeling, because interest rates are going up, not the government's fault, but they are overseeing that . but they are overseeing that. and so they will want to be dull and boring. they will want no reaction financial markets reaction from financial markets . they will want to turn to the government's backbenches. those tory backbenchers that are looking for tax cuts and say we can't do tax cuts now, we have to be steady as she boring. to be steady as she goes boring. jeremy accounts and then jeremy from accounts and then with big they'll say and with a big wink they'll say and anyway to save up the anyway we want to save up the tax cuts until next year just before an election. oh of course. because people aren't stupid. and our gb views of gb

news viewers are certainly not stupid because they do pick up on this stuff at this message. i'd like a government that stops lying to me. the budget does not mention paying over 6 million quid to keep people quid a day to keep people in hotels should be in the hotels who should not be in the uk. is interesting one. uk. this is an interesting one. where about what somebody where is it about what somebody got touch to say ? you can got in touch to say? you can stop the money that gets stop paying the money that gets paid to former prime ministers about the fact that the former prime ministers have have a kind of lifelong toleration of an £11,000 annual grant. plus they get a government driver and protection officer for life. how much is a government car and two to start trips ? it's hundreds of to start trips? it's hundreds of thousands a year. that was my case.i thousands a year. that was my case. i cross is entitled to the has got the driver and the protection officer and the car will she get her honours list and all you on it definitely no . but she was only prime minister. 14, nine days. it is madness. it is. it is madness isn't it. another one barrier said council tax hundred £92 a month energy bills £231 a month.

ihope month energy bills £231 a month. i hope there is something in the budget for care workers on low wages. this i did. everybody feels it . you know, we all feel feels it. you know, we all feel this individual. it doesn't look like there is a lot for people like there is a lot for people like that. look, when the light in the midst of a cost of living crisis which we are when the taxpayer burden the share of our national income taken by tax is a 70 year high, the highest since clem at the time . a few since clem at the time. a few dalton yeah, yeah . harking back dalton yeah, yeah. harking back to the immediate post—war era, then an awful lot of ordinary families feel really cash strapped. that's why the tories are breaking with their usual image by giving a bung for childcare by saying to hardworking young couples nicking labour's clothes, indeed, by saying to hard working young families, look, we're going to make childcare more accessible. we're going to extend the subsidy for childcare. 636 quid a month. that doesn't amount to 30 hours. by that doesn't amount to 30 hours. by the way, we're saying say always, once in the detail. we're going to we're going to extend that from three and four

year to and year year olds to one and two year olds well, trying get a lot olds as well, trying get a lot of young back to work, of young parents back to work, which of young parents which a lot of young parents want to anyway. which will want to do anyway. which will the young parents have to do if they've got any chance of getting house? so that getting on the house? so that will nurse to will go to the nurse to provider. just to clear, provider. liam just to be clear, see, provided goes see, provided the subsidy goes to the nursery provider, private nursery, yet most nursery nursery, and yet most nursery providers walloped providers are being walloped with this with corporations. right. this is thing corporation is the thing corporation tax isn't companies and isn't just for big companies and big the city of big buildings in the city of london you run london you know, if you run a plumbing company , you plumbing company, you pay corporation run a corporation tax. if you run a couple of kebab shop, you pay corporation. but we were talking to just that to johnny money, just that consumers will pay that corporation tax. i think that is the biggest mistake he's about to right. rising to make. right. rising corporation for almost 50 corporation tax for almost 50 years. liam, thanks for that. still come, do we need to still to come, do we need to spend more on defence? because we it's much as we will. but it's not as much as the generals won't. but after we will. but it's not as much as the gwe'llals won't. but after we will. but it's not as much as the we'll be won't. but after we will. but it's not as much as the we'll be talkinqut after we will. but it's not as much as the we'll be talking aboutar we will. but it's not as much as the we'll be talking about that that we'll be talking about that with morning news with with the morning news with bethany . good morning. it's bethany. good morning. it's 1033. i'm bethany elsey in the

gb newsroom. jeremy hunt first budget as chancellor will include a major expansion of childcare support, aiming to increase the workforce and boost financial . there are reports the financial. there are reports the will include 30 hours of free childcare for one and two year olds in england . the budget will olds in england. the budget will include a series of other measures to deal with labour shortages, such as encouraging the over fifties the long term sick and disabled to get back to work . announcements on benefits work. announcements on benefits reform and pensions. allowances are also expected , but it's are also expected, but it's understood the chancellor will resist calls from tory backbenchers to cut taxes . as backbenchers to cut taxes. as part of today's announcements, the treasury has confirmed the energy price guarantee will be extended for a further three months. the support with energy bills will continue from april to june at its current level. it means average annual household bills will stay capped at £2,500

per year . bills will stay capped at £2,500 per year. thousands of workers are walking out on what could be the biggest strike day this yeah the biggest strike day this year. teachers junior doctors, tube drivers and bbc journalists all industrial action over issues including pay , jobs, issues including pay, jobs, pensions and conditions. issues including pay, jobs, pensions and conditions . schools pensions and conditions. schools minister nick cave is urging the national education union to pause the strike action . so pause the strike action. so serious negotiations with the government can go ahead and the defence secretary says moscow should respect international airspace . after russian jets airspace. after russian jets collided with an american drone over the black sea, ben wallace says the americans think the incident is very unprofessional . the white house accusing russia of recklessly colliding with its . the incident raises with its. the incident raises fear of fears of an escalation between the two superpowers with a senior russian figure calling it a provocation . you're up to it a provocation. you're up to date on tv debate, digital radio, cheating and online. this

is gb news. now it's back to andrew and beth . we're a little andrew and beth. we're a little insensitive this morning . we're insensitive this morning. we're debating this budget that's coming in this month and we're wondering what's in it for you. let us know. gb views. gb news news dot uk you are with to the point on

gb news. very good morning it which it both is got a fresh cup of tea. we need it this morning. our blood is slightly boiling from the budget, but this is my first cup of tea. not a fresh one. it's you feel complaint? no complaint. mount you're not having you've got take having one. you've got to take yourself my place. yourself away from my place. really? yeah you do. really? you do? yeah you do. mark longhurst is with us. this is on news, if is to the point on gb news, if anything, on the radio, it's maybe bev turner and andrew pierce. mark, taking over pierce. mark, you're taking over from giving a from and you're giving us a short oh, very of you. short day. oh, very good of you.

it's right for some listeners. yeah what are going be yeah what are you going be doing? reveal exclusively. doing? i can reveal exclusively. this gb breaking news this is a gb news breaking news right? we are going to happy this is a gb news breaking news ritoastne are going to happy this is a gb news breaking news ritoast to are going to happy this is a gb news breaking news ritoast to toddler1g to happy this is a gb news breaking news ritoast to toddler class happy this is a gb news breaking news ritoast to toddler class in happy . toast to toddler class in hertfordshire lisa hartle hertfordshire with lisa hartle because this actually is one of the that clearly the the rabbits that clearly the chancellor putting out of the chancellor is putting out of the hat terms of this. if we hat in terms of this. if we can't work out, mark, if it was supposed to the today supposed to be the rabbit today or it leak yesterday or did or did it leak yesterday or did they yes. or is there they leak it? yes. or is there another it's just there's another it's just there's another there's another another bill and there's another rabbit come out on on rabbit waiting to come out on on on time. but also, on corporation time. but also, we're to the chatty we're going to be the chatty chums lunch club in gravesend with theo chikomba because of course it's the pensioners as well. you really knows how to live. i know. so we take you to gravesend and take you to gravesend and we take you to hertfordshire. going hertfordshire. we're going to be in glasgow maguire in glasgow with tony maguire covering sector covering the hospitality sector . mate takes yes have questions for that. just access manchester with sophie reaper will hollis and kettering are the hairdressers a butchers? not sure about the council make? we're going to be everywhere because it's not just obviously what the politicians are saying in westminster, how it is.

in westminster, it's how it is. and the is it's serious. and the point is it's serious. but does this impact you as but how does this impact you as listeners to gp news? how is it going to affect them in the pocket in all sorts of ways, yeah, clearly they're yeah, because clearly they're going to and deliver as going to try and deliver this as a growth. but you a budget for growth. but you know going to be the cost know what's going to be the cost for that going and for getting that going and where does happen and does the investment happen and is it going to really help in the short term cost of living crisis? because clearly we've got the extension on the extra three months on fuel which is three months on on fuel which is going make easier. going to make things easier. yeah, lot people are yeah, but a lot people are asking am to be asking when am i going to be better off, when i'm going to be feeling better and in terms feeling better off. and in terms of a bit of confidence. of getting a bit of confidence. yeah. are just yeah. and people are just getting their council it's getting their council tax. it's true. through. it true. mine just came through. it went the maximum amount. went up by the maximum amount. thank camden in north thank you. camden in north london, rail fares just gone up every tickets go up every season. tickets go up if they can to work because of they can get to work because of they can get to work because of the steel strikes the strike. steel strikes took them 9 hours to get hit. i them about 9 hours to get hit. i think up think they've actually set up last get it today. it last week to get it today. it did. it took me about one tomorrow. yeah but you know, london london is broken at london is london is broken at the i'm sure there the moment and i'm sure there are of other cities around the

country that like this. but country that feel like this. but london particularly our london is particularly is our capital works. the capital city. nothing works. the tubes on strike. the roads tubes are on strike. the roads are tell are full of roadworks. i'll tell you is on strike. no you who else is on strike. no one's ever work. it's the civil servants who are supposed to be delivering the details of the budget. just simply servants budget. you just simply servants on frankly on strike who frankly notice. well, mean, mark's well, actually, i mean, mark's walker of his walker saying that he's of his members this is actually members and this is actually quite interesting. the civil service civil service service union. civil service union, because got 40,000 union, because he's got 40,000 of actually of his members actually receiving in—work benefits because their pay is so low, which is actually quite interesting. well, why do they keep going strike, then? how keep going on? strike, then? how does help? well clearly he does that help? well clearly he is indicating that, you know, it's across board in terms it's across the board in terms of quite senior staff, about a 2% pay increase. and he's saying, look, food inflation, 16. do the numbers for you . they 16. do the numbers for you. they did a big march in london a few fridays ago as some tory mp commented , the most civil commented, the most civil servants we've in london servants we've seen in london since states back to work . since states are back to work. yeah, well, thank you mark. you'll be here many more notes just over. you've been getting in touch, kim says about childcare . one of the areas of

childcare. one of the areas of concern hospitality . work in concern is hospitality. work in the often requires the sector often requires evening late not evening and late hours, not aware of childcare providers offering support that offering hours that support that . completely kim is . i completely agree. kim is such a good and list of such a good point and list of the damage to businesses and paying the damage to businesses and paying and comparatively additional 30% the additional 30% in the corporation will the corporation tax will do the opposite intended to hit opposite intended is to hit growth. is a change growth. it is a major change directly small directly against small businesses smes . now the businesses and the smes. now the prime minister has vowed to increase defence spending. that presumably in the presumably going to be in the budget to by billion over the budget to by £5 billion over the next years because of next two years because of the course of the growing hostility in big wide world. we're in the big wide world. we're joined evening joined now by the evening standard's defence editor, robert can ask you, robert force. can we ask you, first all, what the first of all, what about the spending the vote to the spending but the vote to the drone that was ticked down by the american tone, that was ticked down by russian plane? how worried should we be by that? i think i'm quite worried . the consensus says with the two russian aircraft, they were obviously on a mission, but it was sheer incompetent in flying.

and that's where i think we could be in real trouble if we have to in like this. it could a confrontation between russia and nato. well indeed, this this was one it was over international waters . russia is trying to say waters. russia is trying to say no , nothing was damaged and so no, nothing was damaged and so on.and no, nothing was damaged and so on. and that that it was bad guidance by the drone pilots . on. and that that it was bad guidance by the drone pilots. i think i'm very sceptical about it. but then the americans have revealed is far from the first time that this has happened. it's a warning, it's a hint of how this can spread . i think, by how this can spread. i think, by the way, it's going to pay very, very big into the hotting up the election campaign already for the white house in 24 in the us because you have ron desantis saying, oh, we should have nothing do with ukraine and russia into regional war. oops there's a thing called nato involved and there's a thing called a leadership of nato, which is undisputed by the us

and i think it's a little storm cloud blowing up that could help a lot of trouble to come . and a lot of trouble to come. and robert, this this figure of £5 billion increase in defence spending from rishi sunak over the next two years. i know that number is in the last sort of three years have become like monopoly. we talk now in terms of trillions which was a number you never particularly used to heah you never particularly used to hear, 5 billion doesn't sound like that much . is it enough ? like that much. is it enough? and well, no, if you spend bullets now, it's not enough because he wanted twice that amount , but because he wanted twice that amount, but he wanted twice that amount, but he wanted twice that amount for a problem that they're going to have to address, which is reform of the shape of the armed forces. but particularly the army . there's a particularly the army. there's a lot of things have gone wrong and a lot of things have gone right with the army. and i think that we have to say that. but post afghanistan, post iraq , the post afghanistan, post iraq, the army, for example, when all all service is all full, all five of them, if you can lump of all

together with space and cyber and so on, they'll be asked to do so much more. but so much which doesn't get into the pubuc which doesn't get into the public eye, which is about pubuc public eye, which is about public security . you've talked public security. you've talked about the hike in the cost of food and food import. that is about the hike in the cost of food and food import . that is a food and food import. that is a big security question. and the security of supply , of security of supply, of communication, of fuel, of energy and of food . mhm. i think energy and of food. mhm. i think many people feel these days and particularly what i say to my children because actually a lot of people, a lot of young people are very worried by the concept of war now in a way that they haven't been until recent times. and i reassure them and say a war that you imagine that you learn in won't come learn about in school won't come back these shores. all back to these shores. it's all cyber cyber cyber war now. it's cyber security is what we have to worry about. i'm not being entirely honest with them when i say that, am i know? no, you're not. as we have seen in ukraine. and but you're also right about the war with a different and i

say with a different face, but the content of the essence of war sounds rather pompous to say this , but it goes back. it is this, but it goes back. it is the same , which people the same, which is people conflicting to conflicting and trying to destroy each other . and destroy each other. and unfortunately we have got a contact between the uk it with its allies on its side and russia which really is getting at our likelihoods and very strongly have have to break in there robert that was jeremy hunt driving into the commons in his chauffeur driven car. a long way from the treasury because security means he's escorted in. we probably saw him outside the commons that icon commons with that icon photograph clutching that briefcase with all the budget secrets, most of which have been displayed all over the media in the last few days. not really secrets all that well, but fox , secrets all that well, but fox, it's always a pleasure to talk to. i'm sorry we had to cut you off there. obviously, it's big off there. obviously, it's a big day joining us. it day forjust joining us. it is budget day. to see you, budget day. nice to see you, robert. we will be bringing robert. so we will be bringing you the budget, of course, as we said we the spring said at 11:00, we got the spring budget living

budget today, costs living crisis placing crisis continues, placing pressure businesses, household finances, now got finances, etc. and we've now got our back in studio as our guests back in the studio as bill bill mate, kevin maguire, star of the daily mirror and the new statesman. charlie new statesman. it was charlie managed to hear from him to compliment i remember compliment kevin. i can remember we've no we've been talking about no budget purdah. any more secrets . are all in the papers. what yearit . are all in the papers. what year it you broke the entire concept of the budget every year you were handed the whole thing by a source. yeah it was 1996, wasn't . ken clarke was furious . wasn't. ken clarke was furious. that would have been his last budget. yeah. and he was coming up a11 pay income tax up with a11 pay income tax election bribe because. because the was going be the the election was going to be the following spring, he following following spring, he went off for a curry in downing street, threatened to inject us because we had it so mortgage sensitive actually shows in sensitive but actually shows in those markets sensitive those days how markets sensitive things things didn't things were and things didn't leak now. and it leak like they do now. and it was you're was completely changed. you're talking i'm old enough talking earlier. i'm old enough to remember it you dalton to remember it when you dalton was i thought he said was sacked. i thought he said 1947. couple of secrets will 1947. a couple of secrets will beer and. we had the 2013 i remember the evening standard

newspaper was and tv stations used to be in advance in absolute detail on the morning and somebody put it online early. right. and george osborne , the chancellor, was still on his feet and nancy still appeared on line standard. so those briefings ended. but i can't recall all a budget being press released in this way it's not it's not just briefed it is pressed released in advance. so what is left anything we were saying earlier kevin the irony that this concert creative budget is being so warmly welcomed by the left am by you, why ? what they do is of course why? what they do is of course they brief the good bits, the little child care, fixing thing that's good. extended in the energy cut for three months. these are all good things. maybe 45 pee on a bottle of wine at less so, but will you use your mac? so you get this line, you take maxim with you pull your pork scratching nice rational no labour man nice pie. timothy taylor we are you see anyway. but they are massaging us. yeah

so we all think it's great when in fact actually it's a bit of a do nothing boggled because even that rising corporation tax which is charlie i'm sure is waiting to get illness going up you know 90 is it 1920 519 1925, 18 billion all rise because that's been pre—announced it's just coming force now he's not going to stop it but he wants to he's really going to be scrooge, but he wants to play asunder. it's the same with all chancellor charlie. you're not happy the corporation tax happy about the corporation tax rate he's going be rate as i think he's going to be a budget. i'll make me the a great budget. i'll make me the childcare the benefit of that it's to be a getting it's going to be a getting people work increasing people into work increasing things economy and the things in the economy and the other in the pension thing where they they're allowing them they where they're allowing them to work on and pay to not pay or work on and pay less tax. i we could good less tax. i think we could good things get people in the world as you know kevin all of all our money businesses like money comes from businesses like mine successful businesses mine. so successful businesses but you know, so should we encourage anything we can do to for success and? having walked past your debt several times

recently and we'll hear we'll see how successful you are. the number now keep up. he flogged it two years ago. it's all yours now. you know, you never expect kevin maguire to be up to date with the news. charlie. charlie business in october 2021. charlie the former pm of course. yeah. is the man. he's a gentleman of leisure . well, not gentleman of leisure. well, not quite. i mean, you've got a few other businesses, charlie. just get service. talk about get back to service. talk about people won't go to work. people who won't go to work. charlie is one of them. a third of workers would quit forced of workers would quit if forced back office . what do back into the office. what do you make of this, charlie, as a load well, well, load of rubbish? well, well, listen post—pandemic, listen, post—pandemic, obviously, people came obviously, a lot of people came up inventive ways of up with inventive ways of working from home. zoom blah, blah. a lot of parents, in fact, you even say it's more you support this childcare support a lot of working parents want to have a bit of flexibility. of course, i do but but what i'm saying from from a business point of load of rubbish point of view load of rubbish worse thing that ever happened was suffering. now generations worse thing that ever happened wapeople�*ing. now generations worse thing that ever happened wa people withoutv generations worse thing that ever happened wa people without workerations worse thing that ever happened wa people without work the ons worse thing that ever happened wa people without work the way of people without work the way we've gone then it's all about a

four day a week, you know. i mean, if, what if example was up to kevin with the free time week and when do we have a three day week in the seventies. oh you're going back then. yeah. when the tories power then teddy tories were in power then teddy got tour the country was got a tour and the country was terribly wrong. i mean, we need people go, we need to get the economy back on to allow for you know, things to go forward. i think you'll agree with neil, there's a there's a difference between saying work and a four day, working day, four day week and working from at the height of from home even at the height of the pandemic. i'm a journalist. if people didn't work from home, the national the office for national statistics report only one in four three four didn't four did. three and four didn't because lot of jobs can't because a lot of jobs you can't there's almost a class divide on whether at home or whether you can work at home or i'm because you doing i'm not because you be doing anything with your hands. you in transport, in transport, you're in hospitality. at the beginning hospitality. so at the beginning of i got fly out of the pandemic, i got fly out and said, you'll be and the pilot said, you'll be pleased i'm working pleased to know i'm not working from home. i had right. from home. i had he was right. but also something but there's also something shifted in the labour market because there's a million plus vacancies. people got vacancies. some people have got more so they more power now. yeah and so they can their employer, unless

more power now. yeah and so they can let their employer, unless more power now. yeah and so they can let me ir employer, unless more power now. yeah and so they can let me work ployer, unless more power now. yeah and so they can let me work from r, unless more power now. yeah and so they can let me work from home, 5s more power now. yeah and so they can let me work from home, if you let me work from home, if i'm screen worker for i'm a screen worker for instance. yeah, i'm. i'm going to for you. and employers to work for you. and employers let them down off the power they come in. you know, it's a knock on effects. it can be an option. go nice little go to quite a nice little italian cafe , greasy spoon near italian cafe, greasy spoon near the home before the the home office before the pandemic, he was selling 800 coffees a day. he had eight staff. he's now down to three staff. he's now down to three staff. lucky if he sells staff. he's lucky if he sells 150 copies day because all the civil servant in the home office, by the way, most office, by the way, the most useless, incompetent department office, by the way, the most uswhiteincompetent department office, by the way, the most us white incomphistory,3partment office, by the way, the most us white incomp history, work nent in white house history, work from destroyed. many from home is destroyed. many many i we many businesses. and i think we should encouraging builders many businesses. and i think we sho toi encouraging builders many businesses. and i think we sho to prosper,»uraging builders many businesses. and i think we sho to prosper,»uraging iifilders many businesses. and i think we sho to prosper,»uraging iif you�*s out to prosper, because if you don't a coffee in central don't get a coffee in central london, you might be getting a coffee in the town village of a city. no, because this is a city, know, city you city, you know, the city you live because you'll go out live in, because you'll go out and lunch hour, you'll go and your lunch hour, you'll go out because they long they'll go. the thing if you go go. and the thing is, if you go for with kevin maguire, for coffee with kevin maguire, just your wallet you just take your wallet with you because but you because he never pays. but you taught love, pay for taught him to love, to pay for this. half a million. a half million, you know, 2.5 million people of working age now should

be productive be economically productive who are nothing. need are just doing nothing. we need to why. yeah, well , i to work out why. yeah, well, i think they found during the pandemic and covid do you really want to work the way you did it? and also george osborne and try to try and inflate the economy, allow people to access their pension pots. earlier when he was i popular policy was a chance i popular policy very except people was a chance i popular policy ven all except people was a chance i popular policy venall spending except people was a chance i popular policy venall spending itcept people was a chance i popular policy venall spending it now people was a chance i popular policy venall spending it now nowle was a chance i popular policy venall spending it now now it's are all spending it now now it's going to be a problem down the line when you get to the late seventies. i know i have an accent, know, as know, accent, you know, as you know, i'm very andrew how do i'm very careful. andrew how do you they're actually the of you know they're actually the of job roles available second job roles are available second term less now for people term by 10% less now for people working so i think working from home so i think the trend starting change back trend is starting to change back to it should it's got to where it should be. it's got to where it should be. it's got to okay, now we've been to go to okay, now we've been putting together the people's budgets list morning budgets bucket list this morning . you've said so . let's see what you've said so far has sort out the far. nigel has said sort out the energy companies ripping us off. i agree. more dave has said i would like a government that stops liar ing to me. i don't vote labour then helen have said i'd like to see is i see foreign

aid abolished say it's all right. that's kevin and i. we didn't get along enough with you, but that's the end of a shorter version of on the point today, because we've got the budget and that's going to be all that with you today. beverley i will be with beverley and i will be back with you on at 930. we're you on monday at 930. we're going to go headlines now going to go the headlines now with bethany . i think know never with bethany. i think know never going to the weather. i mean right. stay with us. hello. welcome to your latest weather update from the met office. with me, shuttleworth . will me, annie shuttleworth. it will be much than be feeling much colder than yesterday through yesterday today through this afternoon . and rain will push afternoon. and rain will push eastwards and that's going to be pushed by this low pressure out in the atlantic, putting these weather fronts across the uk for this afternoon . as that this afternoon. and as that weather falls into the weather front falls into the cold in situ across cold air already in situ across the we will see some heavy the uk, we will see some heavy rain and some snow so that we've had a cold and start across eastern areas , some areas of eastern areas, some areas of yorkshire and scotland got down to minus nine last night, but it's going to be turning much wetter through the day. we've

got rain warnings two got rain warnings in for two parts ireland parts of northern ireland through as this through this afternoon as this rain turn quite persistent rain could turn quite persistent through this afternoon with a lot cloud around . and that lot more cloud around. and that rain, going feeling rain, it's going to be feeling cold than yesterday. many areas staying shy of double digits and then the rain will push up into parts of northern england and scotland bringing snow scotland, bringing some snow through this evening and tonight. so disruption on tonight. so some disruption on the particularly across the roads, particularly across these northern overnight these northern areas overnight and the early hours of and into the early hours of thursday morning . for the south, thursday morning. for the south, it will turn dry through the second half of the night, but quite with brisk quite breezy with a brisk suddenly wind. that does mean suddenly wind. so that does mean it be than last it will be milder than last night. then through the rest of thursday, an improving picture through the day, but at least a start. there will still be some pretty heavy rain around, particularly across wales and northern parts of england and southern scotland. but it's fair that rain warnings in force until early that early then until the early that early then by the afternoon we could see some sunshine starting to break out across northern ireland though that will be some hefty showers around with that

southerly breeze. it will feel milder but sunshine will milder by day, but sunshine will be fairly limited and through the evening tomorrow evening, we'll see a lot of cloud around and some a brisk breeze and some showers here and there through the rest of the week . and as we the rest of the week. and as we head to the weekend is staying on settled. but it will continue to feel fairly mild, at least to start later

and a very good morning and welcome to gb news live spring budget special on mark longhurst. and today we're bringing you full hours of live coverage of the budget and let us not forget finances questions too. so lots of number crunching and probably the odd political crunch too. so we're bringing you expert analysis and commentary whilst hearing from businesses and importantly perhaps households across the

country,