also tonight i want to ask that? also tonight i want to ask you. get this. only i that? also tonight i want to ask you. get this. onlyi in that? also tonight i want to ask you. get this. only i in 10 streets are litter free. i think this is a problem. and i'm asking, do you think we've lost pride in our communities? and if so, how do we bring that back? alongside me, to get into all of that and more, my panel tonight, ben habib, the former deputy leader of reform uk, and aram bastani, the cofounder of novara media. but before we get stuck in, let's cross live and get you your 6:00 news headlines. >> michelle, thank you very much. the top stories. the chancellor has backed the expansion of heathrow airport. in a speech outlining her plans to boost economic growth. rachel reeves claims the new runway will connect the uk to the world and open up new opportunities, including creating 100,000 jobs.

she also announced plans to create a european silicon valley by developing a so—called growth corridor between oxford and cambridge. but the chancellor acknowledged the plans to grow the economy will not come without a fight. >> i have always been clear that a third runway at heathrow would unlock further growth, boost investments, increase exports and make the uk more open and more connected. and now the case is stronger than ever. so i can confirm today that this government supports a third runway at heathrow and is inviting proposals to be brought forward by the summer. >> however, deputy leader of the liberal democrats, daisy cooper, says the government are undermining growth. >> the government has got a blinkered approach to europe, which is holding back british businesses and undermining growth at the moment. if the government was serious about turbocharging growth in the economy, they would start with a commitment to renegotiate our

trading deal with the eu this year and make sure that a bespoke customs union that works for british business is right at its heart. >> sir keir starmer was challenged over the government's plans for growth at prime minister's questions. kemi badenoch mainly focused on the employment rights bill, repeatedly asking if it would be dropped because it fails. his tests for delivering economic growth. the prime minister, in a reference to liz truss, warned miss badenoch she'd become the next lettuce, claiming the conservatives left the economy in a mess. she accused sir keir of being anti—growth and of misleading the house. >> it is business that creates growth. our economy is built by entrepreneurs, risk takers and the hard graft of working people. they know that you can't tax your way to growth. you can't borrow your way to growth, you can't legislate your way to growth. other countries are serious about freeing business from red tape. president trump is doing it in america. argentina is taking a chainsaw to regulations. even the eu is

not going as far as this left wing government. this bill will put us at the bottom of the pack. add it to the jobs tax, the family business tax. it's no wonder wealth creators are fleeing britain in droves. >> the prime minister hit back, saying the tory leader doesn't know what she's talking about, sir. >> mr speaker, i understand she likes straight talking. she is talking absolute nonsense. she knows that anybody who understands anything about the bill or any employment law will know. you can't start in the morning and go to the tribunal in the afternoon. now, mr speaken in the afternoon. now, mr speaker, we know she is not a lawyer. she's clearly not a leader. if she keeps on like this, she is going to be the next lettuce. >> in other news, pensioners and members of the unite union are protesting in london against the winter fuel payment. they are calling on the government to reverse the recent allowance cuts. unite says almost 6000 of its retired members have had to turn their heating down this yean turn their heating down this year, with a significant amount taking fewer baths or showers. 1

in 6 people have had to visit libraries to stay warm. elsewhere, the king and queen have welcomed hundreds of newly elected members of parliament and ennobled peers from across the house of lords to buckingham palace for a reception in the state ballroom. the duke and duchess of edinburgh and the duke and duchess of gloucester joined their majesties at that reception. the prime minister and the leader of the opposition were also in attendance, and dunng were also in attendance, and during the reception their majesties and their royal highnesses met the elected mps. following last year's general election and peers who have been appointed to the house of lords following the coronation of the king and queen in may 2023. and buckingham palace says princess beatrice has given birth to a baby girl named athena several weeks prematurely. the royal was due to give birth in early spring, and was told in december not to travel long distances. in a statement, buckingham palace said her royal highness and mr

edoardo mapelli mozzi are delighted to announce the safe arrival of their daughter. mr mozzi posted a tribute calling her tiny and absolutely perfect. those are the latest headlines. for now. it's back to michelle. >> for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone. sign up to news alerts by scanning the qr code or go to. gbnews.com/alerts. >> thank you very much for that, tatiana. my name's michelle dewberry and i'm keeping you company until 7:00 tonight alongside my panel, ben habib, the former deputy leader of reform uk, and aaron bastani, the co—founder of novara media. good evening to you, gents. our bastani has already won the programme tonight because before we went on air, he said to me, michelle, have i got one button to low undone on his shirt? i mean, how do you even answer

that question, ladies and gents? is it? i love society and all the double standards, because you won't be able to ask a woman that kind of thing. or should i say a woman won't be able to ask a man. i've said he's fine. you've got your buttons. >> it's a strange shirt. i think i think that kind of looks quite strange. but if i do this one, then it looks like i'm sort of like, you know, trussed up chickens. >> no. if you do that one, i think you're going to look like you're getting suffocated or something. live on air. and we don't want that to be going red and passing out by the time we even get to debate number two. so i think he's absolutely fine as he is. you have no such issues because you come out with a tie, don't you? >> it's all by design. >> it's all by design. >> properly dressed. i don't want to be rude, but in case you're listening on the radio, he is. benhabib is properly dressed. he's got his tie on and everything. i like that it's not enough. people wear full on ties and all the rest of it. these days. i've noticed that if you go to a show at the theatre or anything, people used to get dressed up. >> now they did. >> now they did. >> they just wander in wearing whatever it was that they had on throughout the rest of the day. anyway, look, i massively digress. we've got lots of stuff

to talk about tonight. join the conversation all the usual ways. email me gb views @gbnews. com you can go to the website gbnews.com/yoursay and talk to me and each other. and of course you can tweet or you can text me. penny gb news member. thanks for that. penny. you say you're so pleased that you're going to be discussing the litter problems in this country. she says, my area is an absolute disgrace, but you don't tell me where your area is. and yes, i do want to talk about litter. some people might think that's a trivial subject, but absolutely, i don't think it is, because i think if you have litter all over your streets, if you don't value your streets enough to put your rubbish into the bin, then what does that say about pride in our own local communities and how do we restore that pride if we can at all get in touch and let me know your thoughts. but of course, today it's all about growth. let's listen to our chancellor. >> for the very latest gb news direct to your smartphone. sign up to news. >> that's not our chancellor. that's a gb news. i don't know what it was. i don't know if it was a giveaway or what, but look i'll tell you what she was saying. long story short, she was in oxfordshire. she was giving a big speech at a siemens

factory. she's saying that she's going to go further and faster when it comes to growth. there's a whole lot of information, a whole lot of policy ideas that she's got, and i will get into them all in detail. but for now, broad strokes. ben habib, what do you think to 1511 00:08:12,936