♪ it is 8:00 good to see you this morning all eyes will be on the chance today to see whether it will put a spring in everyone's step by helping hard-pressed families. he's faces calls find out what the mp mark harper told us why that will be difficult in a couple minutes. i'll be speaks to the shadow chief patrick hatton

plus, i'll be joined by the ukrainian ambassador vladimir push chenco. it's the 23rd day of march opening with new inflation numbers a 30-year high affecting prices at the pump and our kitchen tables all that, as the chancellor prepares to review his spring statement. will he help families by cutting fuel duty, or does the plan to hike national fuel insurance the plans from labor this morning. >> people want to help the fuel rising >> i would like the national insurance rise scrapped. but you have to say where else you can find the money in social care missile attack russians far off the coast

as the pentagon warns of increased activity in the black sea. a city destroyed ukraine's president says 100,000 people in mariupol are without food, water or medicine. and under near constant bombardment. >> reporter: i'm in central ukraine where the human cost of this war is evident on every single street corner a game of two halves william and kate all smiles in jamaica. protesters there accuse the royal family of benefitting from the blood, sweat and tears of slavery. >> mr. william, i see you like to dance with the black people and you love to frolly but speak some truth on this trip speak truth for what it's worth. two years on from the first covid lockdown

we ask the w.h.o. what the future holds >> the barty party is over world number one tennis star ash barty at retirement age 25, to follow her dreams. also ahead on the program, could your local chippy be under threat i'll be speaking to the national federation of friscish friers, h warnings far too close in the travels. and, gullivers' travels. i'll speak to the couple set to cycle around the world for children's hospital. morning, all it is a very big day today, as the chancellor prepares to reveal exactly how he's going to help hard-pressed families, survive the cost of living crisis it comes as the country enters a

record 30-year high. and sadly facing calls, a chancellor told me a few minutes ago, a wealth tax would help a bit more on that in just a moment first, let's speak to our business correspondent helen ann smith. of course, prices have skyrocketed. morning. let's reflect on the inflation figures, i want something, certainly, but with the promise of more to come, frankly >> reporter: yeah, that's right. i think really a sense that the statistics are starting to back up what a lot of people are feeling in their own lives, that prices are rising very quickly and in a very, very worrying way. certainly, that has people talking this morning filling up their cars with petrol, hugely expensive inflation in 12 months of february, rose by 6.2%

that's actually higher an economists predicted, and remember the bank of london likes to aim at more than 2% it's based on standard goods and services and a look at how much of those increases same time last year. 6.2, that's a new 30-year high there's a couple of key drivers to that. household costs are a big one. the price of fuel, energy, gas and electricity. but also transport costs, the cost of petrol, the cost of diesel actually, the cost of second hand cars as well. this will be extremely concerning for the key reason you mentioned in your instruction, that it's going to unfortunately get worse. this has been this way since february people are speaking about the war in ukraine and of course, that absolutely has pushed up the wholescale price of oil and gas and we know that will feed down to most. but that won't happen until

march and april. things are to get worse, chancellor under huge pressure statements to do something for people to ease this pain, he's very aware of that. he's expanded what he's going to expand to fiscal updates to a more broad event, if you like. so big pressure on him, big pressure on families with these costs. >> sad news. helen-ann, many thanks a statement of the director general, tony danka. tony, lovely to see you this morning. and to start with, what do you want to see from the chancellor? >> i think you got it right at the top. hour, niall at the top. you're right about the energy and cost of living crisis. what we need the chancellor to do today is to shore off

confidence in the economy to make sure we keep growing, if we don't, the problems get worse. >> what do you make of the rise in cpi to date people are talking about hitting 8% and a possibility, double figures in the not too distant future as doesn't seem beyond the realms of possibility. that makes his job a lot more difficult, i'm sure. but what does it make the lives of your members like >> yeah, it's a very hard business climate i think businesses started the year being positive. we cannot go back to brexit. we cannot go back to covid and there are in the economy lots of good reasons to invest but you're right, in the last few weeks with the war and inflation figures this morning there's a reason it waivers. businesses stop investing and inflation at home. the bank of england, is not the chancellor, but what the

chancellor can do today, to use your words, is to mutt a spring in the step of the economy so we keep growing through this. if we don't have tailwinds in the economy, then the headwinds overwhelm us so the chancellor has to double down on growth he has to hit hardest hit households with the cost of living he has to help households already. he needs to encourage businesses to be confident and invest and grow that's the only way we really get through the year ahead >> what if the international, and everything that we should, it seems to suggest that's going nowhere. but exists the possibility of it being tinkered with. first and foremost, what is the view of your members at the moment in terms of that particular rise? i suspect it will be similar to those taken by the right wing press this morning, now is not the time >> yeah, i think that's right.

let's be honest, i think he's going to stick with it and if he does, then it just makes it even more important that he measures in place to counter the downside effects of it that's measured in place to help people cope with the cost of living that's measured in place to say the businesses and firms around the country, many who are thinking right now, do i invest, do i grow, do i hold back yet again, he has to send a signal, it proceeding with the national insurance increase, he has to send the signal now is the time to invest now is the time to grow we need that more than ever given the year ahead >> tony i wand if you see, the chancellor has a bit of wiggle room there's a surplus being run. the tax has been high. frankly, the only light in cost of living is the exchequer or that be used, the rise, it's

the consumer that ends up paying it or you think as some tories are to save it or pay done the debt? >> look, i think it would be high risk for the chancellor to not take action to help those hardest hit in the economy and help stimulate growth. to turn around and say, listen, we don't need to do anything for six months, we can wait for the budget, i think that's a high-risk statement to make. here we are in the middle of multiple eye crises, i think he can do something today to help consumers hard hit by the cost of living and recommitment to growth if he doesn't, that's a bit of a riskia step given the economic headwinds we face right now. >> tony we're just about done, we're two years from the very beginning of the covid lockdown in the united kingdom. businesses have been through the wringer. we all know that i just wonder if your members

starting to feel that freedom there all the rest of it, if we are perhaps moving out of that period of the public health response to covid, as we do feel like we're getting slightly back on even keel >> you're right. demand on the economy has been very high. and there are still a lot of growth opportunities, despite everything that's around us. but confidence is a fragile thing. and confidence is the elephant in the room at the dispatch box today. i'd say to the chancellor double down on british confidence, double down on economic growth show everybody, that you the government, alongside we in business, want to tackle the headwinds you describe with real opportunity and growth it's the only way to deal in the long run with cost of living, rising inflation and rising energy prices. >> tony danker good to have you on this morning. ahead of the spring statement later today, the

chancellor, you've you've been hearing, facing calls to ax the planned hike families facing cost of living crisis i asked the conservative mark harper whether there were any p plans to tanker or unpitch >> perhaps with what's happening with the ukrainian situation, i think anyone who can forecast what's going none the autumn is wrong. i think what it does do, is the chance you've got competing chances today. if in the future, you've got to say whether you're prepared to not put that in the health savings or social care people want to put off the rises and still go ahead with the spending increases are just not being serious. >> and now from downing street, outside of number 11 good to see you, tamara.

of course, that is where all the action is and all the big questions will have to be answered we were just hearing there from mark harper. but the chancellor is in a difficult position with some the competing pressures. we should note that some of the pressure is coming from members of his own side? >> reporter: that's right, he'll leave number 11 here and go to parliament and deliver his spring statement at lunchtime. all eyes will be on what he can do to alleviate this cost of living squeeze a lot are concerned about that ride, the 10% rise, which is due to come in 1st of april. coming in with rising inflation and rocketing energy bills what they acknowledge is a real cost of living squeeze. now, while some conservatives say there's no need to bring in the national insurance tax this year, it could be scrapped because the chancellor has got more tax revenue that he expected to play with, you heard mark harper there saying, if you

don't want to raise taxes to pay for the nhs and social care and that hugely important cost of tackling that long nhs backlog you have to say where else the money will come from i think most will say what the chancellor will now do is tweak it, so perhaps he raises the pay threshold of those who have to pay it to protect those who earn the least. that may be where he goes today. bus also widely expected that he'll cut fuel duty, given how much prices have gone up as to see whether he has any other rabbits to come out of his hat or the chancellor has spent two years spending very hard on the covid pandemic, he wants to try to get the finances under control now. yet, he's got conservatives, one cabinet member told me it would be suicidal to raise it at this point. he wants to keep the tax revenue

to have a more severe economy to prevent against more price spikes later in the year >> tamara, thank you we will, of course, have full coverage of the chancellor's spring statement throughout the day. and that full coverage properly starting around 11:00 a.m. still to come on the show, on the second anniversary of the first covid lockdown, i'll be speaking to a 13-year-old girl who lost her family to the virus. ahead of the grip, representing chip shortage how the cost of living is affecting chippies and i'll be speaking to the former england steven engelland, how he's eping refugees in ukraine. let's stick with that topic. ukraine's president is accusing russia of sabotaging civilians from the besieged city of

mariupol russia's foreign minister sergey lavrov will be meeting ahead at moscow tomorrow, according to the russian front-runnerry it comes after ukraine's deputy prime minister said they will be able to to meet by transport the mission defense says the forces remain static in northern of ukraine and likely be reorganizing before launching a large-scale offensive. and russia is also developing ukrainian forces in the east of the country. the ukrainian agency responsible for chernobyl, that the russian forces have destroyed a laboratory at a nuclear power plant is responsible for management of radioactive waste. president biden is expected to announce fresh sanctions against russia, as he visits brussels and the nato summit

sky news has verified this video taken of the serve vast poll, the lavest city in crimea. and a spokesman said that the u.s. has seen increased naval activity in the northern black sea. while, these are the latest satellite from maxar technologies the southern ukraine force has become a fortress of president putin's due to its strategic significance sky's john parks is in dnipro this morning. john, good to see you again. bring us up to date with latest. we were discussing in the last there, the foreign minister saying perhaps the russians have

stalled. but the war that clearly will be continuing >> reporter: yeah, good morning, niall. from a sunny dnipro, in some ways, i think the defense is right, the russian offense has slowed we've just got back from kharkiv, very close to the russian border what we saw is the russian military essentially parked in the second largest city in ukraine, with both sides basically taking pop shots with each other of artillery in the woods. we also saw that russian forces have taken heavy losses in terms of personnel heavy losses in terms of equipment as well. it's really important to say there is intense fighting going on right around the country. there is a city 200 kilometers

to the east calleed eisen really defense fighting there. a river that slices through the middle of the city and ukraine forces trying to hold the western bank of that river. we understand intense fighting and reports of high number of casualties these are unconfirmed reports. there are numbers in circulation of 400 russian servicemen losing their lives. again, treat that figure with caution, it is unconfirmed, but clearly very intense fighting there. down in mariupol, in the southeast, i mean, the horror continues there. the name of the city will live long in infamy, i believe. 100,000 people still in the center of that city. according to president zelenskyy, the ukrainian leader. these are people without food, without water, without services, with fighting raging around them as a small number of ukrainian troops especially fight to the death. the situation there very bleak, very difficult to get out of

that city. >> john, many thanks well, let's take you now to moscow where you're about to see the russian foreign minister sergey lavrov speaking to students and professors at the institute of international relations. a bit of translation, so let's listen in. >> translator: in dialing in the logic, they can see everything that exposes them. agreements and ignorancies, and they dismissed the eu, and at last, there was a referendum in crimea, because the russian people in crimea, there was a direct threat to their lives but that's how it started. and what led to the referendum which they call annexation, they're not interested in that there are many examples like that in history. the same as the current events, they state from -- they date from the 24th of february, not

from november, when the president presented an initiative of the european directives not from december, when we formulated proposals to nato, not from between the meetings of nato and the u.s. when they rejected our proposal to qualify the guarantees of the instability of guarantees when no state would reinforce its security at the cost of other states they forgot all that and they also forget that the ukrainian authorities have concentrated 120,000 -- 120,000 of their military on the front line in the east they intensified shelling. they started talking about plan

"b." and there was such plan "b." there are documents which we have now which show the concern that our fears were justified. that there was a direct aggression that they were trying to capture donbas by force. they say russia invadeds on the 24th of february the west is good at playing with words like this. they use the couch, cancelled couch, and cutting up periods of history, even recent history, like in this case. i said after the push of 2014 -- and other neo-nazis said that the russians would never speak ukrainians would never --

therefore, russian people should be compelled from crimea and when we quoted this example with our colleagues, they said this is just marginal, marginal figures, not the ukrainians. >> the russian foreign minister sergey lavrov there. if you were playing ukraine, you got a few hits there neo-nazi invasion in donbas and the west being bullish there with the russian foreign minister there and william and even kate greeted by protesters in jamaica, demanding apology just a warranting from this report from our correspondent in jamaica does contain some flash photography. >> reporter: for four days, they've been cleaning up trenchtown to waiting for william and kate to walk into

the place of reggae. and questioning what the relationship with the royal family should be looking in, it's not the debate at the front of everyone's point. >> yeah, people are looking. to have jamaica get independent. i want -- my representing here >> yeah, feel great about it coming to churchtown, so that's it >> reporter: many indifferent for kate to enjoy the spectacle. and other jamaica stars. and how does jamaica relate with the royal family, and do you have much to say about the debate going on? >> like, you never think, you know, some people it might be a bit frustrated for things. but i think on the whole, i

think there's a lot of love for the royal family a lot. >> reporter: these are the royals and the fact that they got involved with the big debate going on they understand prince william is going to address in coming days before they even landed, protesters gathered outside of the british commission demanding that prince william apologize for the role played by the royal family until slavery >> mr. william, i see you love to dance with the black people, and you love to frolic but speak some truth on this trip speak truth for what it's worth. ♪ >> reporter: on his first trip here, william is expected to acknowledge the painful past that stopped short of an apology. we'll wait to see if that in any way can satisfy it

sky news, churchtown before they headed to jamaica, the duke and duchess of cambridge took the plunge to swim with sharks it shows the royal couple visiting the world's second largest barrier reef to see the ocean work being done there. in the video, prince william praises the belize government and indeed the local community and let's go back to the spring statement a little earlier i spoke to the former chancellor john mcdonald. he believes the national insurance right should be scrapped but he did admit that the money needed to fund public services would have to come from somewhere. >> i would like the national insurance rise scrapped. but you have to see where else you can find the money in nhs and social care. a number of think tanks including the teams did

recommend to the chance lllor a the time, basically tax the rate at the same rate of income in other words, tax capital gains tax at the same rate as income tax that would bring in the estimate of 17 billion so actually it would be ideally suited to cover the amount that the chancellor would want to raise. >> better stick with labor and inflation. mr. mcfadden joins us. i wonder what you make from your colleague in the labour party john mcdonald. clearly, if you're going to scrap it there needs to be money from elsewhere what do you make of the same gains and tax income >> no doubt seeing that tax suggestion over the next couple of years, the truth is, it's not the usual, for the sensible time for opposition to the tax proposals when it comes to the

election the reason i say that, you just have to look at the last couple years to look at how much things have changed not even the last couple of years. since the chancellor announced the tax increases are about to come in, in april, the public finances have changed. debts are significantly lower than expected. tax receipts are coming in significantly higher than those expected so he's got more room for maneuver to date than he expected with the tax rise that's just in a matter of months that's why it's sensible when it comes to setting stalling taxes to do so at the time of an election >> you might not be unveiling that, but we are starting to see it get along political lines for example, it does seem like labor is positioning itself as a tax party. you've been looking at the last couple of years. >> indeed we have.

the context is the cost of living crisis that people are living through they're being hit with huge energy bills, up 700 pounds over the next years i don't have to tell you how much petrol and diesel at the pumps, 65 per liter. and what makes britain's standard among similar country this decision to impose these tax increases right now. so, we've said a better place for the chancellor to raise revenue right now would be a wind fall levy on oil and gas companies that are making the most from the current situation. the chief executive at bp described the current account marker as a cash machine for his company. that's something that the chancellor all the way since we've been suggesting several months ago >> with a windfall tax one short, you can't do it again. we're going to see the price cap

rise in april. we're going to see the price cap again, we could be paying on average 3,000 pounds by the end of the year. with the potential continuing next year. it's a short response, isn't it? >> it is a one-off thing but will help with energy prices this coming year and it was done by george osborne ten years ago in a similar situation, where you had particularly high oil and gas prices and right now that would mean you could get more help to families who are struggling with high energy bills. so it could be of real help this year and it says something about where you want to leave revenue. here are people who no one disputes are doing very well in the current situation. in fact, even the former chief executive of bp lord john brown said such a windfall is justified. >> you may want to be chancellor in the future, but i'm not sure you want to be chancellor now. you will admit that the chancellor has all sorts of problems to deal with. the latest at 7:00, that rise in

cpi inflation. 8 perhaps, perhaps, come april, in couple figures. what can be done about that? >> some of this is global. >> yeah. >> you know, inflation is increasing in other countries, too. i would say what marks the uk it's really the only country in the g7, and that's what makes the cost of living cries the long term, on the energy front, for example, we're going to have to make a transition away from hydrocarbons to cleaner, predictable fuels one of the thoughts going into dependencies on skyrockets which should be a lesson and the planet needs it, too >> just a word on what it is the chancellor may have issues pensions, we know, of course, their income has been significantly hit. many of them will be very hard

and hardet hit by rises in energy prices. if you give additional money to pensioners, isn't it a strong argument that you need to do that across the board in terms of benefit >> the secretary of state for pensions said something about a triple lock this week. and going to come back next year there has been speculation about the position on benefits because they're going up by less than the new inflation rising that you spoke about a few moments ago. we'll see what the chancellor says, but there has been some speculation that he might give a higher increase in some of those benefits this year, and a lower one next year. so it would be almost like a two-year settlement if you like for benefits we'll have to see what he says in a couple hours' time. >> another question, do you think that boris johnson and other relevant cabinet members, do you think they have been as honest as they could be with the public as straightforward that the

public could be, about just how glum the next 12 months could be >> i do. and here's the reason, we hear a lot about tax increases for public services but at the same time, constantly the mps, to cost taxes by the next election. by the election grid, that's not a good reason to pare payment to families now >> thanks for joining us it's two years on since the first time the prime minister told us to stay at home. it is being remembered across the uk after this, i'll be speaking with some of those who lost loved ones

this is a hero, walking his youngest down the aisle, which to his bladder, feels like a mile. yet he stands strong, dry, keeping the leaks only to his eyes.

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♪ welcome back just a reminder, as to our top story, the chancellor will soon deliver his spring statement eye with the uk facing the greatest cost of living crisis in a generation. ukraine's president accuses russia of trapping thousands of civilians and inhumane conditions in the besieged city of mariupol. push to turn the times, the

royals are met with more protests on their jamaica tour and talk that the queen has endorsed slavery there now, you might remember, two years ago today this happened. >> from this evening, i must give the british people a very simple instruction you must stay at home. because the critical thing you must do to stop the disease spreading between households that is why people will only be allowed to leave their home for the very limited purposes. >> yeah. it doesn't feel like two years, does it? i remember driving into work the next day no one on the streets no traffic. it was very, very strange indeed of course two, years on, we will speak to the world health organization dr. david nabarro was on the program earlier. he told me people should continue to remain vigilant when

it comes to covid. >> the virus is the problem, people are the solution. you can't solve the problem and live with covid if you don't know where the virus is. so if there's one thing that you'd like to ask all governments to try to maintain that is easy access to testing the virus is continuing to move. there are still an awful lot of people getting sick and dying each week. and we not be complacent joining us now sky's reporter katie bonfield. i know that very well, that's the hospital behind you where my son was born that is the wall directly across parliament, the wall of amendment. >> reporter: it is indeed. it's just one of the places where people will be gathering what's being called a national day of reflection today. it's the second year running that's been organized by the charity. we are exactly two years on from

the start of that first coronavirus lockdown of march 2020 people will be gathering here, a minute of silence midday to remember everyone who has lost their lives during the pandemic. for people who can't attend in-person events there's also going to be an online map with virtual wall of those who can pay tribute to their loved ones. people can shine a flight, put flowers in the window, 8:00 this evening, to join in, remembering those who have lost their lives. later, there's going to be landmarks across the uk, lit up in yellow, to mark the day including the world senate and the station, with groups of families just around the corner here on westminster bridge to tie a yellow ribbon that represents the people they've lost we've heard from the prime

minister boris johnson and also the leader of the opposition to show their support for events today. we have been told they're going to mark them in private, not to attend any public events giving many people a chance to remember people who lost their lives. >> katie, many thanks. literally that wall is directly from the studio. the other side of where we are if you're ever in london, i would suggest, certainly something to see let's stick with that topic, this day of remembrance, the two years since the first lockdown of the uk. i'm joined by evelyn griffiths and bailey griffiths, they both sadly lost their family in 2020. evan, bailey, a lot more, edwin, i wonder if i can start with

you, just tell us about the man your father was. >> my father was a very, very happy chap you could say he really enjoyed singing. and then which absolutely -- and trapping down on it. he didn't care kind of what -- and very comfortable, a huge example to bailey and i and the rest of our family what in fact the man he was >> bailey, you've obviously got a few years on evelyn. your stories about your dad may not entirely all be relevant for breakfast consumption. tell us your perspective i'm darn lucky enough to still

have my father do. i don't know why we do i'm surprise your age right now if i were to lose my dad right now. you clearly loved him an awful lot. >> oh, yeah, we did. we're very much -- i mean, it's not been the same as it used to be so, yeah -- yeah, there's so many memories, we can't really bring up the memories we've had. we come up with little stories just what happened, it's a reminder, it's a spark of a memory of him and discuss that a lot. >> yeah. it's nice. >> it's nice >> it is >> a very wise person once told

me when i was grieving for a loss, they're never gone as long as you remember them that is part of the point of this day of remembrance, isn't it sitting down, talking, sharing memories, laughing although it's incredibly, incredibly sad that these people have gone, they are still with you. >> yeah. >> absolutely. >> so what will you guys be doing today to kind of remember your dad >> today, we're going to participate in the -- and we're going to see the 8:00 light, to shine the light, light a candle. and i actually -- different from what we had last year, we've now been able to bury my dad's ashes. so, we actually have a place to visit my dad which is also quite a spot to mark him with.

-- so i think we're going to try to -- >> the weather obviously helps as well. and tonight, we'll do the light later. have some dinner >> and -- definitely just picking up what we said, i think grief is something, it's a very difficult thing to try and manage i think lots of different people can manage it in lots of different ways and i think -- i remember one time asking that you have to -- because as long as you're able to -- that person can always be

with you, whether you feel that spiritually or whatever. and that's how people can connect with loved ones. to try to be with you rather than put it to the back of their mind >> evelyn, bailey, i didn't know your dad clearly, i didn't know your dad. but from what you've just been telling me, in a way you've just spoken as well he'd be hugely proud of the fine people you made an old man very upset thank you very much. i hope you and the rest of the family get to spend a good time remembers a chap that, frankly, sounds remarkable, must have been to produce you, too evelyn, bailey, thank you for talking to us. we appreciate it >> thank you right, the world number one ash barty, she has announced her retirement from tennis at the

age of just 25, and australian at the top of her game, of course, after winning both wimbledon and the australian within the last eight months said she's retiring to chase other dreams stepping back while way out in front, ash barty has dominated women's tennis in recent years she was world number one for 114 weeks, one of the longest stints in history at the australian open she became the latest champ in 44 years but now a time to step down >> i'll be retiring from tennis. that's the first time i actually said it out loud, and, yeah, it's hard to say i'm happy, and i'm so ready. i just know at the moment in my heart, for me as a person, this is right >> barty's left the sport before, saying she was burnt out and overwhelmed by the pressure. that was back in 2014.

she took up professional cricket. she returned two years later and has won the three grand slam titles her decision to put down her racket this time looks more final. >> i know, i've done this before, but in a very different feeling. and i'm so grateful to everything that tennis has given me it's given me all of my dreams, plus more, that i know that the time is right now for me to step away and chase other dreams and, yes, to put the rackets down >> reaction has been coming in from the world of tennis andy murray tweeted happy for ash barty, gutted for tennis what a player. a two-time champion simona halep put it, my friend, i will miss you on tour. you were different we shared amazing moments. what's next? golf barty said winning wimbledon was the one true dream, she leaves

the game the reigning champion sky news the cost of living crisis is affecting people and businesses up and down the country. and the group representing british fish and chip shops is warning that the industry has been significantly threatened by rising prices. as the head of that group, at the national federation of fish friers andrew crick joins us now on the program andrew, good to have you on. i've got to say the national federation of fish fryers is the best organization i've had on the program. thank you. for those aficionados of fish and chips, just exactly where the rising costs are putting the pinch on at the moment >> well, we're already seeing the effects of the pandemic. post-pandemic inflation hitting us and we've seen the highest prices we've ever seen for fish. obviously, with the support of the government to the pressure

to the russian regime to try to put this to an end, it affects my industry. all of hospitality has been asking for increase. even the old parliamentary group. so really have the chance -- >> absent moves like that, just how difficult are things going to be for you and the rest of your members? >> we still don't know the full extent we're seeing shops closing down now. but that's just the start of it. the effects haven't really hit us and coming from as far as out as ukraine. fish comes in and fertilizer is affected this isn't a short-term problem. this really is going to be medium to long term, we definitely need support. and we may have to choose as well, we might have to make a few changes in the industry. fortunately, the species, we'll

try to get through in a great industry and see it through to the other side >> when you say changes, of course, changing the fish that you're frying. i suspect for a number of chip shops, bumping up the prices may be inevitability >> unfortunately, prices are really going through the roof. and for the survivors, stilting the businesses, 820 businesses are for sale at the moment across the country so this really is a crisis there's probably more on the market that aren't with the business transfer agents unfortunately, yes, some businesses are going to pass on the cost but we can't afford to lose fish and chips for this nation. if you asked anybody abroad, what they think about the uk, they'll say the queen and fish and chips without the support of the nation hopefully, we get the support today. >> if you find a picture of the queen eating fish and chips that

would do you absolute good andrew crook, growing organization, thanks for joining us >> thank now, more than 3.5 million people have now fled ukraine since the start of the russian invasion almost a month ago. of that number, 2.1 million are seeking shelter just across the border in poland at the former england cricketer stewart mika is currently on the polish border with a group of volunteers helping to process these applications great to have you on the program, steward a bit of a change. sel tell us what it is you're actually doing out there >> well, look, originally, it started with bits and bumps seeing where i could be helpful i was at an animal shelter at one stage. helping at a kid's refugee shelter at one stage then i stumbled across these

guys at a place near przemysl, which is a place where people are walking across medyka, i went there basically by myself ended up meeting some guys in a car park went up to the british desk as it were to see if they needed a hand i essentially ended up stumbling across these volunteers who are single-handedly, i might say, providing these applications in przemysl for refugees to head back home in the u.s just basically helping them out. >> sorry to interrupt here, we're pinched for time you have seen then the visa process, the uk visa process up close. how does it look from your perspective? >> to say simply, we're asking 3 year olds whether they've got military background. >> wait, say that again. >> we're asking 3-year-olds if

they've got military backgrounds or prior convictions it's all part of a nine-page document that's being sent through on the hope office that we are required to ask these people we're asking them for mortgage statements, property deeds, all for proof of, you know, address and residency in the ukraine they're standing there with nothing but a teddy bear and their life possessions at no point did they think, what i really need to pack is my mortgage deeds or applications to support the visa applications it's taken us five to six hours on average to process some applications for the refugees here and in that time, we're waiting, we still haven't had any visas come back from being granted and in that time, they still have to find out where they're going to stay. they're only allows at przemysl

for a maximum of 24 to 48 hours, then they've got to move on. we've subsequently spoken to some connections in a place call s called serble, i think, there's been no communication with us, no communication from the home office how to do this properly these guys are volunteers. they can't be sleeping in the building site. and they're doing it off their own back and i have to say, they're doing a remarkable job with what they're handed but it's not enough. we're struggling to connect with people with families in uk it's not working it's almost like we don't want them to come because they're drowning them with bureaucracy >> i'm going to share your details for people to get in touch if they can.

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♪ breaking news overnight. nbc news confirms that ukrainian president volodymyr zelenskyy will address tomorrow's nato summit president biden departs for brussels in just a few hours from now where he is expected to announce new sanctions against russian lawmakers. we'll set the stage for this critical meeting of allies and today's other big story, day three of confirmation hearings for judge ketanji brown jackson. pressed with questions of immigration and that she's soft on crime