i think gordon brown summed _ what he was like? i think gordon brown summed him _ what he was like?ed him up - what he was like? i think gordon brown summed him up there - what he was like? i think gordon | brown summed him up there with what he was like? i think gordon - brown summed him up there with his wry humour. he came with his wife maggie, that sense of humour, that sense of encouragement and that sense of encouragement and that sense of encouragement and that sense ofjust being a thoroughly decent human being will be some in that i'm sure most people will remember alistair buy. he was in the neighbouring seat of edinburgh south—west and i was in edinburgh sell. i remember he was the first person to congratulate me in 2010. he couldn't quite believe that there was a hint that we may have held on in south edinburgh and he was the first person to congratulate me and for every second a moment beyond that, he has been hugely supportive and encouraging.— that, he has been hugely supportive and encouraging. woody described him as a auide and encouraging. woody described him as a g

former prime minister gordon brown led the - minister gordon brown led the tributes.., ., ., minister gordon brown led the tributes. ., ., ., , ., tributes. he was a man to be in a room at a — tributes. he was a man to be in a room at a time _ tributes. he was a man to be in a room at a time of _ tributes. he was a man to be in a room at a time of crisis _ tributes. he was a man to be in a room at a time of crisis because l tributes. he was a man to be in a| room at a time of crisis because it was calm — room at a time of crisis because it was calm and considered judgment during _ was calm and considered judgment during the — was calm and considered judgment during the fannish financial crisis from _ during the fannish financial crisis from which the whole country and i particularly — from which the whole country and i particularly benefited. an from which the whole country and i particularly benefited.— particularly benefited. an ever - resent particularly benefited. an ever present in _ particularly benefited. an ever present in the _ particularly benefited. an ever

it is very hard for any prime minister, gordon brown _ to do? gordon brown in a - to do? it is very hard for any prime | minister, gordon brown in a similar position taking over after tony blair, it is hard to come in at the tail end of a long period of single party government. no party has won five general elections in a row ever in british history and that is what the conservatives have been asked to do, so he will try to make his mark make something distinctively tory, distinctively sunak, while at the same time very mindful of the impact of everything he says on voters, particularly floating voters. it will be necessarily a political speech, thinking very much of the impact of actually of every word he has. i think it is tough, i think he has. i think it is tough, i think he has restored credibility to the prime minister and the prime minister's office after the tumultuous years of borisjohnson and liz truss, he will be mindful of that event also.— that event also. anthony, we are 'ust that event also. anthony, we are just looking _ that eve

lord darling became a household name when gordon brown appointed him chancellor after taking the keys treasury throughout the global banking crisis and stayed in the post until mr brown lost the election in 2010. a statement on behalf of his family said he died after a short spell in western general hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team . the care of the cancer team. the labour leader, sir keir starmer, has said he's deeply saddened to learn passing . musician learn of the passing. musician and singer shane macgowan. best known as the frontman of the pogues , has died at the age of pogues, has died at the age of 65. macgowan led the irish punk band after elvis costello bet the rock misfit he couldn't. he wrote and sang the christmas classic fairytale of new york. he'd been receiving care in hospital for an infection, but was discharged last week. he died peacefully with his wife by his side . rmt members have voted his side. rmt members have voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal to end their long running dispute over pay and conditions. it's understood to include a back

he was the work and pensions secretary and seemed very much as gordon brown's ally .e was tough and he was decent. he was straightforward . we knew that straightforward. we knew that the blairites felt they could talk to him and he was very funny in his dry way. i remember he had the committee in and he said pension reform ? yes. he said pension reform? yes. he said, it's not exactly a conversation. and he said this in a much drier and funnier way than i'm saying it is. it's not a conversation you have every night at the dog and duck. and he had a way of in his understated dry way of dealing with a subject very nicely and strai ghtfo rwardly. >> straightforwardly. >> and, nigel, you must have known him quite well. >> i did, yeah. >> i did, yeah. >> and his influence in the scottish referendum, the independence referendum was very important because he bound labour into that and protecting the union. >> yes, it was something he really believed that keeping really believed in, that keeping the together was something really believed in, that keeping the importantr was som

that gordon brown paying tribute to alistair _ themselves.decent man who brought civility, reason and intelligence to politics, adding, he was an a of follows the net parliament, both in government... he'll be very much missed across the pisco spectrum. i want to take you to downing street, as we head towards christmas, the lights in downing street are being lit. you can see the prime minister and his wife are there. looking like they are taking a drink of something. the christmas tree in downing street has been lit up and a market has been set up in downing street. earlier on, the whole of downing street was cleared of all the journalists so that they could set up this market and there. it looks like, of course, across the country, there are lots of christmas markets and in the rest of europe, a tradition that people go around picking up, having a mulled wine as we head towards christmas. there you can see the prime minister and his wife, i don't know if we have any sound to hear what is going on. is everything going well? yes. it looks like

gordon brown came in for a of particularly a lot of flak, particularly gordon brown, towards tail gordonail end new labour end of the new labour government. did oversee government. but they did oversee a major existential crisis for this country in the two thousand and seven 2008 financial crash . and seven 2008 financial crash. and i do wonder if the politicians we've had since then if somebody like a johnson or a theresa may or a rishi sunak , if theresa may or a rishi sunak, if they'd been at the helm or even david cameron, how different would things have been? that's an open question. i'm an open question. maybe i'm being unfair, but i think being very unfair, but i think actually further time that actually the further time that passes since 2008, the more obvious it is to me at least, that they did a half decent job. >> what do you think society would be if those people would be like if those people were at the helm? would it have been we'd be sitting here been better we'd be sitting here now position or now in a better position or worse? me know all of your worse? let me know all o

s landslide 1997 election win, darling served in the cabinet for 13 years under tony blair and gordon browne financial crisis in 2008. the ex edinburgh mp also led the better together campaign in 2014 in the scottish independence referendum. a statement issued on behalf of his family called him a much loved husband of margaret and loved father to callum and anna. labour leader sir keir starmer said alistair darling lived a life devoted to public service and will be remembered as the chancellor whose calm expertise and honesty helped guide britain through the tumult of the global financial crisis. former prime minister gordon brown, who appointed alistair darling as chancellor, said he would be remembered as a statesman. i am so sad and very sorry about the death of alistair darling, who was a good friend of mine. he had unimpeachable integrity. he showed great wisdom in everything he did. he had a wry sense of humour, and i think his politics was driven by a very strong sense of social justice, a desire to help people. he showed it as a member of parliament for edinburgh central, a job he l

he became a household name alongside gordon brown when he became chancellor after gordon brown took the darling around the treasury throughout the global banking crisis remained in the post crisis and remained in the post until mr brown lost the election in 2010. a statement on behalf of his family says he died after a short spell in western general hospital under the wonderful care of the cancer team . rmt care of the cancer team. rmt members have voted overwhelmingly to accept a deal to end their long running dispute over pay and conditions. it's understood to include a backdated pay rise of 5% for last year and a guarantee not to enforce compulsory redundancies in the till the end of next year . train drivers represented by the aslef , a union, though, are the aslef, a union, though, are still set to strike. the rmt general secretary, mick lynch , general secretary, mick lynch, says the campaign proves that sustained and strike action and unity gets results . and the lead unity gets results. and the lead singer of the pogues , shane singer of the pogues, shane macgowan, has died at t

sir tony blair is also there, the right honourable gordon brown . he's alongside david brown.e david cameron . we just saw theresa may cameron. we just saw theresa may she's on the second row next to bofis she's on the second row next to boris johnson . liz truss also boris johnson. liz truss also there. despite her brief moment in office. s and then behind them, we're going to be seeing key members of the cabinet. we're going to be seeing the secretary of state for defence grant shapps and others. as well find . ray . to ray.to >> hello there. good evening . >> hello there. good evening. i'm jonathan vautrey here. your gb news weather forecast provided by the met office. many of us will be waking up to a very unsettled start to the new working week and that is due to storm of low storm debby. this area of low pressure is very quickly pressure that is very quickly going to deepen overnight and into tomorrow, producing some very strong winds, particularly directly flank directly on the southern flank of northern of of that for northern areas of england, the england, coastal area

memories of debates like that but in terms of his effectiveness as a politician, because he annoyed gordon brownf the financial crisis was clear, according to a newspaper we had arguably the worst economic challenges in 60 years, it infuriated vern brown at the time but it proved to be correct, didn't he? he but it proved to be correct, didn't he? , ., ., he? he did, you mention in the introduction _ he? he did, you mention in the introduction his _ he? he did, you mention in the introduction his status - he? he did, you mention in the introduction his status as - he? he did, you mention in the introduction his status as a - introduction his status as a survivor in the cabinet, his work during the financial crisis, a few politicians can say they run it camping that nonchalantly change the country but making sure it still exists. running through all of that first michael was a man of integrity, he took the long view of things he was cautious and thoughtful in his response to absolute everything and anything that comes from within, people talk about politicians having a hinterland, for him his hin

the labour government, but he will be before his role between 2007 and 2010, as chancellor under gordon brownad to steer the economy through the global financial crisis, of course, the bailout of rbs, the collapse of northern rock, a hugely turbulent time for the northern rock, a hugely turbulent time forthe uk, northern rock, a hugely turbulent time for the uk, and northern rock, a hugely turbulent time forthe uk, and he northern rock, a hugely turbulent time for the uk, and he was at the helm in the treasury during that time. but his family this morning released, well, in the last few minutes, released a statement announcing his death, saying that he had died after a short spell at the western general hospital, under the wonderful care of the cancer team, so, his family confirming in the last few minutes that alistair darling had been suffering from cancer and died at the age of 70 after a short illness. we have also had a trip from sir keir starmer, the labour leader, who has described the labour leader, who has described the loss to the labour party as immeasurable, paying tribute to his

when i worked for gordon brown in 2080 made great progress with israel and the saudis that wider agreement worked for gordon brown in 2008 he made great progress. we have to keep at it. fin 2008 he made great progress. we have to kee at it. ., 2008 he made great progress. we have to keep at it— to keep at it. on the final point about what _ to keep at it. on the final point about what comes _ to keep at it. on the final point about what comes next, - to keep at it. on the final point about what comes next, what i to keep at it. on the final point i about what comes next, what do to keep at it. on the final point - about what comes next, what do you make of benjamin netanyahu saying israel should have a definite security responsibility over gaza? the gazans would not accept israeli troops coming back in, they would see it as a reoccupation of some sort. it's not a realistic scenario that israel would have some sort of military or security control over gaza —— is that a realistic scenario? 0r gaza —— is that a realistic scenario? or does there need to be a combined arab control, as has been m

landslide 1997 election win, lord darling served in the cabinet for 13 years under tony blair and gordon brownign in 2014's scottish independence referendum. a statement issued on behalf of his family called lord darling a "much—loved husband of margaret and beloved father of calum and anna". labour leader sir keir starmer said: "alistair lived a life devoted to public service" and that "he will be remembered as the chancellor whose calm expertise and honesty helped to guide britain through the tumult of the global financial crisis." live now to the former first minister of scotland, alex salmond. vetera n veteran labour politician of course, mr salmond. veteran labour politician of course, mr salmond-— mr salmond. how will he be remembered? _ mr salmond. how will he be remembered? very - mr salmond. how will he be remembered? very sad, - mr salmond. how will he be - remembered? very sad, because alistair has died at a relatively young age. two things about alistair. one, when he became chancellor, they had reached the summit of uk politics, it was during the period of the financial crisis, an

he was chancellor of the exchequer from 2007 to 2010 under gordon brown.ock is continuing to give evidence —— covid inquiry. continuing to give evidence -- covid inuui . . , . continuing to give evidence -- covid inuui . ., , inquiry. there was an obvious understanding _ inquiry. there was an obvious understanding of _ inquiry. there was an obvious understanding of the - inquiry. there was an obvious understanding of the impact i inquiry. there was an obvious i understanding of the impact on inquiry. there was an obvious - understanding of the impact on the nhs of— understanding of the impact on the nhs of this— understanding of the impact on the nhs of this scenario _ understanding of the impact on the nhs of this scenario eventuate - understanding of the impact on the nhs of this scenario eventuate in? | nhs of this scenario eventuate in? they could — nhs of this scenario eventuate in? they could not _ nhs of this scenario eventuate in? they could not have _ nhs of this scenario eventuate in? they could not have been- nhs of this scenario eventuate in? t

, you're always going to see dividing _ gordon brown, you're always going to see dividing lineszero the parties -- just as they were. is net zero the right _ parties -- just as they were. is net zero the right place _ parties -- just as they were. is net zero the right place for— parties -- just as they were. is net zero the right place for them? - parties -- just as they were. is net zero the right place for them? i'm| parties -- just as they were. is net | zero the right place for them? i'm a fervent supporter— zero the right place for them? i'm a fervent supporter of _ zero the right place for them? i'm a fervent supporter of the _ zero the right place for them? i'm a fervent supporter of the net - zero the right place for them? i'm a fervent supporter of the net zero target, _ fervent supporter of the net zero target, and that has not changed with the — target, and that has not changed with the prime minister but he is a more _ with the prime minister but he is a more pragmatic answer on how to get to that _ more pragmatic answer on how to get to that switch. yourjob is to a

he seven cabinet for years under tony blair and gordon brown.nnot of the global financial crisis. guide britain for the cannot of the globalfinancial crisis. gordon brown said, he will be remembered as a statesman of unimpeachable integrity. in a statesman of unimpeachable inteuri . , ., a statesman of unimpeachable inteuri . . ,, integrity. in times of crisis, alistair was _ integrity. in times of crisis, alistair was the _ integrity. in times of crisis, alistair was the person - integrity. in times of crisis, | alistair was the person you'd integrity. in times of crisis, - alistair was the person you'd want on the room. he had a strong sense of what was right and wrong, he had great integrity, he was a person could and depend upon and i think we saw that, notjust during the financial crisis but when he chaired the better together campaign which was a difficult thing to do. it is quite a tense time in scottish life but i think you gain a respect not only of his supporters but his opponents in that crisis and he came out of that as a man whose a

joining us is gordon brown, he is currently the united nations special envoy for global education.britain's chancellor for more than a decade before

gordon brown, i think unsuccessfully on the whole, tried to define what they are, but we all know whatakistani muslim immigrant saying these things. yes. now, do you go as far as suella braverman did and say multiculturalism was a misguided dogma that allowed people to live parallel lives? no. i don't. there is very little, i think, that in recent terms that i would find that is helpful to that debate and that's not a helpful way of phrasing it. i don't subscribe to that and i wouldn't go along with it. you have sometimes backed things that were seen as deeply provocative. borisjohnson said that women who wore the veil or the burka looked like they were letterboxes or that they were bank robbers. and you surprised some people in saying you thought that was an argument that should be heard. on the face of it, it wouldn't have been an article that i would have written. i still stand by the fact that sometimes we are excessively liberal in our perspectives on allowing people to live too much of the lives that they're accustomed to living, which don't take into account the cultures of the

gordon brown, i think unsuccessfully on the whole, tried to define what they are, but we all know what pakistani muslim immigrant saying these things. yes. now, do you go as far as suella braverman did and say multiculturalism was a misguided dogma that allowed people to live parallel lives? no. i don't. there is very little, i think, that in recent terms that i would find that is helpful to that debate and that's not a helpful way of phrasing it. i don't subscribe to that and i wouldn't go along with it. you have sometimes backed things that were seen as deeply provocative. borisjohnson said that women who wore the veil or the burka looked like they were letterboxes or that they were bank robbers. and you surprised some people in saying you thought that was an argument that should be heard. on the face of it, it wouldn't have been an article that i would have written. i still stand by the fact that sometimes we are excessively liberal in our perspectives on allowing people to live too much of the lives that they're accustomed to living, which don't take into account the cultures of th

gordon i mean gordon brown , no gordon i mean gordon brown, no one can fault his ideology in labour andnse within the labour movement . i'm struggling. yeah aren't we all? >> chris, i don't want you because the tories have brought back their former leader . back their former leader. >> yeah. doesn't mean labour have to as well, do you? >> let ask you just one quick >> let me ask you just one quick question, chris, because you've written this very interesting book united written this very interesting boo money. united written this very interesting boo money. sir united written this very interesting boo money. sirjim united written this very interesting boo money. sirjim ratcliffe, the money. sirjim ratcliffe, who's one of britain's richest men, lives in monaco. course, men, lives in monaco. of course, doesn't pay his taxes doesn't want to pay his taxes like us. is he just like the rest of us. is he just about his 25% share about now to get his 25% share of man united ? of man united? >> yeah, i think the fact that yesterday we saw the resignation of the chief executive , richard of the c

i'm saying is that if you're part of the cabinet, if you're part of the cabinet, if you think of gordon brownhed tony blair. gordon brown loathed tony blair. never once did he publicly make it clear. right. and it was really, really important. if you're in the cabinet, you're part of a team. >> not once did suella say she she loathes rishi sunak not once. she was doing her job as home secretary. she's had both her hands tied, unable to do what she wishes to do with illegal migration. she's unable to do what she wishes to do with illegal with legal migration and indeed with the two kind of tear policing that we've got. and while on two tier while we're on two tier policing, want just say policing, i want to just say that fundamental problem in that the fundamental problem in this we face this country that we now face with multicultural ism is diversity. and diversity. equality and inclusion. training that all inclusion. the training that all our police force get are armed forces, get our health service gets private enterprise government agencies right across the uk are all drilled with dei , t

labour mp for almost 30 years and spent 13 years in government first under tony blair and then gordon brown statesman of unimpeachable integrity". alistair darling had been suffering from cancer. our political correspondent iain watson reports. alistair darling faced two huge political challenges in his long career — saving the economy in a financial crisis, and seeing off a strong campaign for scottish independence. politicians can always control the events, but how they react to them can define their reputation. alistair darling was a chancellor who kept a cool head in the face of the biggest global financial meltdown in decades, as some banks were on the brink of running out of cash. he'd helped to save a financial system he had once decried. as student at aberdeen university, he was the far left of british politics. at 23, hejoined labour, here he is calling for unilateral nuclear disarmament. he became a lawyer, before becoming a politician, and was elected as an edinburgh mp in 1987. as his appearance changed, so too did his politics. ahead of the 1997 election, it was his task to kee

we'd do better, i think, to go back to the role of the bank of england that ed balls and gordon brown very successful, what else can we look around to do and how can we enhance our own reputation, you take your eye off the ball of the one thing that you can actually influence, which is inflation. simple question. most people, when they think about economics, want one simple thing — they want to believe, they want to have confidence that their children will be better off, have a better standard of living than they have enjoyed themselves. do you think we can have that confidence looking forward from today? yes. and the answer to it is not to believe that you can suddenly increase economic growth over a year or two. that was the mistake, i think, of the truss administration. what we have to do is to be prepared to tackle the big questions, including reducing the debt burden that we're bequeathing to our grandchildren, and start to take measures to improve the performance of the economy that may take ten, 20 years to come into effect. but if we don't start today, it won't happen. truly r

according to forecasts, we are heading on current plans to have more taxpayers now than under gordon brownlation can also be seen in low pay. a big change tonight to the minimum wage, known officially as the national living wage, it is set to rise £1 from £10112 to?£11.1m per hour from april next year. but chancellorjeremy hunt has decided the rate will also apply to 21 and 22—year—olds for the first time. the confirmed rises represent a 9.8% increase for over—23s on last year and a 12.4% jump for workers aged 22 and 21. this protects the value from the cost of living crisis. but some will be passed on as higher prices. the chancellor is to announce dozens of policies to boost the economy. but some caution today from bank of england experts that the fall in inflation so far is the definitive turning point that will be proclaimed. joining me now is our political editor, chris mason. soa so a crucial moment for the chancellor with an election looming. absolutely, and that sets the backdrop for the politics and also the reality for millions of us day—to—day. forso the reality for millions of

there's people like gordon brown. i'm thinking of richard madeley, so you've like gordon brown. you've like gordon brown. i'm thinking of fquite a bit eley, so you've like gordon brown. i'm thinking of fquite a bit elesupportu've like gordon brown. i'm thinking of fquite a bit elesupport .�*ve got quite a bit of support. >> listen, jesse, we're running out but it's so good to out of time, but it's so good to talk you. out of time, but it's so good to talino, you. out of time, but it's so good to talino, no,. out of time, but it's so good to talino, no, thank you for the time. >> people will find you on social joseph is social media. joseph lamberti is what for. thank you. what they look for. thank you. and the link there and you'll put the link there for the. >> i will put the link there and like i said, let's try and make this loud as possible. like i said, let's try and make thisthankrd as possible. like i said, let's try and make thisthankrd as posrmuch. lovely >> thank you very much. lovely to that as of to talk to you. that as of course, joseph lamberti is campaigning cysti

gordon brown followed tory spending — economic plan.tax burden coming down on _ instincts. we do want to see the tax burden coming down on working i instincts. we do want to see the tax i burden coming down on working people and get the economy growing. we need to get national debt down as a percentage of the economy. egg percentage of the economy. £44 billion tax rise, _ percentage of the economy. £44 billion tax rise, unfreeze those thresholds? incite billion tax rise, unfreeze those thresholds?— billion tax rise, unfreeze those thresholds? ~ . ., thresholds? we have said that the fiscal dra: thresholds? we have said that the fiscal drag has _ thresholds? we have said that the fiscal drag has been _ thresholds? we have said that the fiscal drag has been a _ thresholds? we have said that the fiscal drag has been a huge i thresholds? we have said that the | fiscal drag has been a huge burden on working families across the country, which is why we want to reduce it. i'm not going to announce tax policy today, in advance of what i hope wi

figures, some of the most serious grown—up figures in british politics, john major, tony blair, gordon brownter to want to have a former prime minister there, because most of them are very insecure. it also is a lot about david cameron, who clearly is young enough, he is much younger than many people at the tops of their own companies, he was only 44, 43 when he became pro minister, which is incredibly young. he has a lot left to offer the country. i welcome it from both conservative and labour parties, because i think we have suffered from people coming intojobs, not just the prime minister, chancellor, foreign secretary, home secretary, indeed, who are frankly not quite grown—up enough to know the serious responsibility of the job. bringing back people who have done these jobs at the very highest international level, not least at the time of war in the middle east and wore in ukraine, ithink in the middle east and wore in ukraine, i think this is a good move for all parties to follow. find ukraine, i think this is a good move for all parties to follow.— for all parties to follow. and so ou

labour mp for almost 30 years and spent 13 years in government, first under tony blair and then gordon brownity". alistair darling had been suffering from cancer. 0ur political correspondent iain watson reports. alistair darling faced two huge political challenges in his long career. saving the economy in a financial crisis, and seeing off a strong campaign for scottish independence. alistair darling was a chancellor who kept a cool head in the face of the biggest global financial meltdown in decades, as some banks were on the brink of running out of cash. he helped to save a financial system he had once decried. he started out on the far left of british politics. he became a lawyer before becoming a politician, and was elected as an edinburgh mp in 1987. as his appearance changed, so did his politics. ahead of the 1997 election, it was his task to keep his party's spending commitments to a minimum. a strategy familiar to today's labour party. he was a mainstay of the new labour government, a constant member of the cabinet for 13 years and was seen as a safe pair of hands. in 2014, his task

to go that far back to see peter mandelson, lord, ishould say, brought back into government by gordon brown do so, just like rishi sunak with david cameron today. he was business secretary and effectively deputy pm. there is precedent, albeit the first time there has been a foreign secretary from the lords since lord carrington, margaret thatcher's first foreign secretary. it is a concern mps will hold. i will be fascinated by who ends up being deputy foreign secretary because i'm sure rishi sunak will want to give david cameron a strong deputy because they will be handling a lot of those house of commons moments that otherwise david cameron, lord cameron, as i should probably soon be calling him once the king has sealed his letters page potent, whatever it is called. i sealed his letters page potent, whatever it is called.— sealed his letters page potent, whatever it is called. i thought you called him the _ whatever it is called. i thought you called him the king! _ whatever it is called. i thought you called him the king! vasin - whatever it is called. i thought you called him the king!

gordon brown did it in bringing back lord mandelson all those years ago, and here we see rishi sunakameron can bring his experience to the foreign policy debate, but he will bring that legacy, some of which will be seen to be negative as far as his critics are concerned. so, in summary, when you look at this reshuffle, it is noticeable because of that appointment and others, and so rishi sunak will hope that perhaps unlike his conference speech and the king's speech, which is internal critic said didn't really turn the political dial, but this, it might, mightjust do that. it is not guaranteed, but if you are rishi sunak, it is worth a go. chris, thank you. and if you are left wanting more from chris, you can listen to the latest on who's in and who's out of government on today's newscast with adam fleming and laura kuenssberg. it's now available on bbc sounds. it was suella braverman's sacking from the home office that sparked this reshuffle after a series of controversial comments, most recently concerning the pro—palestinian marches at the weekend. the government has signalled pot

landslide 1997 election win, lord darling served in the cabinet for 13 years under tony blair and gordon brownband of margaret and beloved father of calum and anna". rail workers in the rmt union have voted to accept a pay deal, ending a long—running series of strikes. but train drivers represented by the aslef union will still take action. the rmt agreed an offer from 14 train companies, including a backdated pay offer. you're live with bbc news. if you have been following the covid inquiry here in london, then you will know that the former health secretary, matt hancock, has been a lightning rod for the criticism in evidence given by other witnesses. today, it was his turn to push back. during the pandemic, mr hancock was forced to quit for breaking social distancing guidelines. this was the first of two days of evidence he will give. the core mistake of government planning, he said, was a misplaced focus on how to manage the pandemic, rather than halting the spread of the virus. and mr hancock said a lockdown should have come much sooner. if we'd had the doctrine that i proposed — which is,

and what gordon brown was actually a lot brown said was actually a lot what keir starmer said, whichring workers. i think i think bring back brown. back gordon brown. >> , can i can i >> but belinda, can i can i bnng >> but belinda, can i can i bring you on this? and i just bring you in on this? and i just want to as well, we've gone want to say as well, we've gone to number 10 for comment. we've gone to company for gone to the company infosys for comment in any comment as well. are you in any way about idea way concerned about the idea that there is a company that has links to the sunak family ? we, links to the sunak family? we, you know, that appears appears to make quite a lot of money out of lax immigration laws and lax immigration rules. >> i think people are absolutely bewildered as to the reason why the tories keep year after year fibbing about their immigration policies, because that's what it is in the manifesto. not only do they not do it, they triple it . they not do it, they triple it. and why not look into possible links? because there has to be an explanation as to why

we saw this when peter mandelson had a very important role in gordon brown's government.rrangements of some description, but there will still be foreign office questions, other foreign office questions, other foreign office questions, other foreign office ministers will be answerable to the house of commons and the prime minister will also be questionable. i understand why there is a sensibility on that. it has to be balanced out that by appointing someone to the house of lords you can bring somebody with experience and ability in a particular field into governments in a way that is useful to the nation. yes, it is a sensitivity but i don't think it is one that should stand on the way of disappointment.— one that should stand on the way of disappointment. thank you very much for sharin: disappointment. thank you very much for sharing your _ disappointment. thank you very much for sharing your insights _ disappointment. thank you very much for sharing your insights with - disappointment. thank you very much for sharing your insights with us - for sharing your insights with

and the right honourable gordon brown . he is alongside david brown.ron. we just saw theresa may. she's on the second row next to boris johnson , then liz next to boris johnson, then liz truss also there. despite her brief moment in office. and then behind them, we're going to be seeing key members of the cabinet. we're going to be seeing the secretary of state for defence grant shapps and others . prime raise come. less than a minute. now to the two minute silence as the king and fellow members of the royal family arrive at the cenotaph .

the gordon brown government, and in earlier, it made trade secretary, from memory in 2008.ords who can question him. often the question can be tough. but the pace of it is slightly different. you don't get the daily statement, urgent questions, the timing is quite the same. the obvious thing is that commons is the main chambers where decisions get made. the government largely said that the issue mps haven't really gave a chance to directly question him. andrew mitchell who stood in this afternoon, it's not entirely satisfactory. i think the big worry is you could have maybe done it years ago but in this day... in such a pressure — years ago but in this day... in such a pressure time _ years ago but in this day... in such a pressure time for _ years ago but in this day... in such a pressure time for that _ years ago but in this day... in such a pressure time for that we're - a pressure time for that we're showing pictures of air force one which isjust landed in san francisco ahead of the apex summit. big meeting tomorrow between president biden and xi jinping. big meeting to

was the longest serving member of the labour government, and minister under both tony blair and gordon brownlor of the exchequer during the financial clash. —— crash. he bails out the bank of scotland and he thought he should be honest with the public and is bus was not the show sure about that. he headed up the better together campaign during the independence referendum. that was a job that he didn't really want, but he did it anyway out of a sense of public duty, and i think that is a measure of the man.— public duty, and i think that is a measure of the man. thank you very much for that. _ measure of the man. thank you very much for that. let's _ measure of the man. thank you very much for that. let's bring _ measure of the man. thank you very much for that. let's bring you - measure of the man. thank you very much for that. let's bring you a - much for that. let's bring you a tribute that has come in. former prime minister tony blair has said that alistair darling who worked in many of the top positions in his government has said... that is on the death of alistair darling who has died a

yeah >>a yeah >> a minister. >> a minister. >> and scott, i think the interesting thing about gordon brownister who has not made any money because actually what he really cares i mean, he does care about he does a lot of stuff with education in africa . stuff with education in africa. and cares about and he really cares about poverty mean, i'm not he's poverty. i mean, i'm not he's got a massive and he really got a massive ego and he really it's very, very important to him that he's always the most intelligent person in the room. but he just is not interested in money at all. and his friends just joke about his house in scotland that, i mean, doesn't even have . were you in the even have. were you in the central heating, blair or brown camp? i was a brownite . i really camp? i was a brownite. i really liked gordon. i felt completely maternal towards him. i just wanted to protect him from himself. >> i mean, i've been to his home in scotland and i've interviewed him many times. i sat in downing street with him for 5 or 6 hours, and if you give him a dnnk hours, and if you give him a drink a

cobra, it's just the room where we meet, but cobra is really important, i was a minister when gordon brownprime minister in 2017, a number of cobras i was invited to to do with the terrorist attacks in london, to do with grenfell, it is a really useful forum for colleagues to come together, politicians, experts in their own field, people from different parts of the country, to provide their expertise, to discuss their ideas, and the chair, the prime minister, makes a decision. in fact post by demi emma willis trust was prior minister, i again attended cobras to do with operation london bridge. cobras to do with operation london bride. , ,,, cobras to do with operation london bridte. . ., .,, . ., cobras to do with operation london bride. ,, ,, ,, ,, bridge. that was the operation that followed the _ bridge. that was the operation that followed the death _ bridge. that was the operation that followed the death of— bridge. that was the operation that followed the death of the _ bridge. that was the operation that followed the death of the queen. i bridge. that was the operation that i follow

this was something gordon brown brought in. manage political and economically without an autumn statement and then a flipping budget march flipping budget again in march or april ? or april? >> i don't know. i mean, it's a very good point, actually. i mean, i'm old enough and i think you you are too. we all are to remember our when there was just a budget and that was the thing. and now we have this autumn statement, which was never meant to be. um really paving the way for tax cuts or anything else . for tax cuts or anything else. um, but that's the sort of cleft stick we've got into as to what he's going to do. um i think, yeah , he, he is in danger of yeah, he, he is in danger of over promising, um , he can't over promising, um, he can't fuel inflation and i think there's going to be a lot of noise about small , small noise about small, small businesses being the engine of the economy. he's quite safe with small businesses. so look out for national insurer cuts, freezing of business rates . um, freezing of business rates. um

which gordon brown introduced.alled budget purdah. probably aren't old purdah. you probably aren't old enough to remember this, but there was a time when no government supposed government minister was supposed to that anticipated to say anything that anticipated the measures in the budget because affect the because it could affect the markets and now the markets. >> when the chancellor of the exchequer resigned for having briefed a journalist about the budget in 1960s. >> , yeah. and then we all >> yeah, yeah. and then we all stood by that. that's right. many, years . that's right. many, many years. that's right. in political circles. yeah, sure . yeah. and the sort of . yeah. and to see the sort of rate change that janet and colleagues in the media have had to put up with seemed to me to be completely inappropriate. i just too much and just think it's too much and it's chaotic. >> it makes the government look even shambolic . to some extent. >> we've gone, we've gone from no information to some information to too

gordon brown very experienced in labour politics, labour circles . politics, labour circles.ascinating. i mean that was so that's some three weeks ago. 3 or 4 weeks ago from andrew marr. he's very experienced commentator and he's had that intelligence . i would had that intelligence. i would argue that the labour party's had more challenges since in terms of some of what i think is the harassment and bullying of mps depending on what they've said and are you are you surprised by this ? i mean, the surprised by this? i mean, the idea of spreadsheets and things? no, no. >> i mean i, i knew about it, but i think that that was october. so i think, i mean, jenny finley, what happened was that keir did a car crash lbc interview in which he said, yes, it's okay if israel cuts off aid , food and fuel to the palestinians in gaza . it was palestinians in gaza. it was a terrible mistake . right. and he terrible mistake. right. and he should have recanted on it within within the hour. and he took a week . and during that took a week. and during that week, people were really, really angry

gordon brown very experienced in labour politics, labour circles . politics, labour circles.ascinating. i mean that was so that's some three weeks ago. 3 or 4 weeks ago from andrew marr. he's very experienced commentator and he's had that intelligence . i would had that intelligence. i would argue that the labour party's had more challenges since in terms of some of what i think is the harassment and bullying of mps depending on what they've said and are you are you surprised by this ? i mean, the surprised by this? i mean, the idea of spreadsheets and things? no, no. >> i mean i, i knew about it, but i think that that was october. so i think, i mean, jenny finley, what happened was that keir did a car crash lbc interview in which he said, yes, it's okay if israel cuts off aid , food and fuel to the palestinians in gaza . it was palestinians in gaza. it was a terrible mistake . right. and he terrible mistake. right. and he should have recanted on it within within the hour. and he took a week . and during that took a week. and during that week, people were really, really angry