start >> i opposed hsz from the start because it was always going to massively overrun. i mean , just massively overrun. i mean, just in terms of usefulness, it would. >> the cost has tripled by the way. oh it's crazy. >> i mean it's got up to 49 to 56 billion. and back in 2010 i was warning that this would happen. i got myself elected to the transport select committee to fight it . and i made all to fight it. and i made all these points. i was practically a lone voice because all the front benches agreed. and beware, the day that all the front benches agree and it was impossible to resist it. it's now we're getting into something called the sunk cost fallacy. billions have been poured into it and so people will keep spending good money after bad. what hsz spending good money after bad. what hs2 really does deliver as a benefit is capacity. if you get the passengers off the lower speed lines, that releases the lower speed lines for freight, and that's a good thing. but for me, if this was really if high speed rail was really going to have utility , it would need to have utility, it would need to run all the way to scotland. >> it's not going to, but also you can't even get wi—fi on a train. you know, the idea that you can get to manchester is like 20 minutes quicker than

from london. nobody needs that now when you can work. most people are working from home anyway. i do feel like this is maybe. maybe we just don't need this. time has moved on. it's become out of date. >> out of date. i think it is. yeah. >> good wi—fi on the trains. and we can work when we're on them. >> i mean, you're looking at two different issues here. this is so hs2 is national investment from the government in infrastructure wi—fi on the train is the private company that's that's running the train. and i mean, yes, there's a big debate to be had about that. and maybe we can have that. but the in terms of government investing, i think it's really sort of short termist to say, yeah, yeah, this is very expensive. so we're not going to bother with with it anymore. what i'd like to see is that saying this is very expensive and let's ask ourselves why infrastructure projects are always so expensive. one of the reasons is you get planning objections and for example, the chiltern part of hs2 took a different route because of objections . i different route because of objections. i think different route because of objections . i think that's objections. i think that's a good thing. i think that's local democracy. i think that's people being given a voice. another reason is because you get they use so many different companies , use so many different companies, different levels of companies

that each taking a profit at each each stage and that the, the overall cost goes up massively. and that's something i think is a bad thing. >> the billions spending on this i would say would be better. steve, investing in a rail line which goes from to east west and the north, because it would connect some of the amazing cities that we have in this country. >> yeah, this country does have amazing cities and some brilliant entrepreneurs in great places like manchester. i happen to know they tend to miss out because they're too far from, from from london. but we do need to do a lot better on infrastructure . that's very infrastructure. that's very clear, but i just just gently remind everybody that the great infrastructure that this country relies on was built in the victorian era and by the private sector, and one of the big problems here is we get massive distortions through the state land use planning system and massive distortions through the state being involved . and, you state being involved. and, you know, i think we ought to just take stock that it was the private sector in the great era of laissez faire that built the infrastructure that made this country great. >> right. steve baker, sam fowler, thank you so much . we'll

fowler, thank you so much. we'll be back in the next hour. but over to another sam. now the francis version with your news headunes. headlines. >> very good morning to you. it is just after 10:30. and first a round up of the news that liam payne has continued to receive tributes this morning as fans and fellow members of the celebrity circle continue to remember the former one direction singer after his death at buenos aires at the age of 31. his career soared during his time in one direction, but in recent years he spoke openly about his struggles with mental health and of addiction, admitting to hitting rock bottom . admitting to hitting rock bottom. social media has been flooded with tributes, with many sharing memories of his iconic performances and personal struggles. dermot o'leary among them, who hosted x factor during liam payne's time on the show. he's called him humble and said

he loved to sing. while fans have been seen lighting candles outside the hotel where he died . outside the hotel where he died. thousands of uk troops are being put on standby to deploy to estonia's border with russia, part of a crucial new agreement being signed today by defence secretary john healey. it means the army's fourth brigade will remain on high readiness to defend against rising tensions from the ongoing war in ukraine. currently, about 1000 british soldiers are in estonia and if called upon, the fourth brigade could arrive within ten days. equipped with advanced tanks and missile systems as well as nato ministers are gathering in brussels today. the defence secretary said that new deal will enhance the group's defences in the face of what he described as escalating and global threats . thousands of global threats. thousands of migrants could be granted asylum in the uk as the government is pushing to clear a huge backlog of applications. the refugee council is estimating the number of pending asylum claims could

reach almost 120,000 by january, following labour's decision to scrap the conservatives rwanda plan. new analysis suggests that processing the backlog could see over 62,000 more people recognised as refugees in the uk. it comes as downing street says that it's committed to ending the use of asylum hotels. despite recent reports, the home office may reopen some that were previously closed . kemi badenoch previously closed. kemi badenoch says that her bid for the conservative leadership is a grassroots campaign, taking aim at her rival robert jenrick more media focused approach as the two contenders compete to replace rishi sunak. the shadow housing secretary says the tories need to regain votes they lost to reform and the liberal democrats. meanwhile, robert jenrick has outlined his vision for the smaller state and lower taxes , arguing that returning taxes, arguing that returning the spend on benefits to pre—pandemic levels could help a tax cut . well, from 7:00 pm tax cut. well, from 7:00 pm tonight, they'll make their pitches to tory membership in a

special programme here on gb news, moderated by our political editor , christopher hope. you editor, christopher hope. you can catch all the action live here on gb news seven till 9:00 tonight in decision time. the race to lead new weight loss jabs touted as a potential boost for britain's economy by getting people back to work, may also help treat alcohol addiction . help treat alcohol addiction. researchers in chicago found that drugs like ozempic reduced intoxication rates by 50% in individuals with alcohol use disorder. experts believe the jabs, which target both appetite and brain functions related to addiction, could be a promising new treatment for both alcohol and opioid addiction . those are and opioid addiction. those are the latest headlines for now. up next, a quick break before we hand back to andrew and bev. first, though, a look at the markets for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone. >> sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code, or go to gb news .com forward slash

alerts . alerts. >> cheers! >> cheers! >> britannia wine club proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . report. >> well, let's take a quick look at the markets as they stand this morning. the pound will buy you $1.2982 and ,1.1961. the price of gold, £2,604 and one pence per ounce, and the ftse 100 is currently at 8350 points. >> cheers ! britannia wine club >> cheers! britannia wine club proudly sponsors the gb news financial report . financial report. >> so in just a minute, we're going to be a preview of the king and queen's trip to australia , and we'll tell you australia, and we'll tell you all about harry and meghan's new house in portugal. there's a twist to that tale. of course there is. you don't want to miss it. >> there's always a twist when it's with those two. >> don't anywhere. this is britain's on gb news.

conservative mps are finally chosen. their top two for the leadership and now it's over to the members. join me christopher hope tonight as kevin badenoch and robert jenrick are quizzed by conservative party members and myself at our gb news leadership event and afterwards join me patrick christys with a live studio audience and a star panel as we discuss what it means for the conservative party means for the conservative pa