the only thing peter hebblethwaite _ poor. the only thing peter hebblethwaite can - poor.ashed your brand by saying it's crap. to use the phrase, not a phrase i'm normally using this time but that's a direct quote. ratner in the old days of his jewellery firm. he hasn't done that. it could be worse. as you say, political pressure, really come out to pr disasters. first of all, pm claims to snub sunakfor energy. this is kind of getting dealing with the financial consequences of covid and the slowdown in all the rest of it but try and let people know it's a bit of dog was old. it's not my fault, it's him. blame number 11, of dog was old. it's not my fault, it's him. blame number", it's of dog was old. it's not my fault, it's him. blame number 11, it's not me. it's him. blame number“, it's not me. :, it's him. blame number“, it's not me. . ., , me. there are always tensions between chancellors _ me. there are always tensions between chancellors and - me. there are always tensions| between chancellors and prime ministers — between chancellors and prime ministers because the pr

x�*t�*et hebblethwaite to think they can wilfully break them.— hebblethwaite to think they can wilfullyeak them. yet he said he would make the _ wilfully break them. yet he said he would make the same _ wilfully break them. yet he said he would make the same decision - wilfully break them. yet he said he i would make the same decision again if he had to, because the company's finances were so powerless that, he would argue, he had no choice. i know there are other issues around employment law, but he said in terms of the mass of the company, he had no choice. i of the mass of the company, he had no choice. ~ . , , no choice. i think that begs the auestion no choice. i think that begs the question how _ no choice. i think that begs the question how he _ no choice. i think that begs the question how he allowed - no choice. i think that begs the i question how he allowed himself no choice. i think that begs the - question how he allowed himself to get into that position that it was in that moment sack 800 workers or go bankrupt. and i think my colleague, the chair of the business select co

peter hebblethwaite faces calls to resign. a week on, many sacked workers are still shocked.ey all have to pass inspections before they can sail again. katy austin, bbc news. the chancellor, rishi sunak, has been under growing pressure to defend the choices made in his spring statement yesterday, amid claims that he hasn't done nearly enough to help the poorest households. the cost of living is rising at the fastest rate for 30 years, and planned increases in benefits will be much smaller than the rise in inflation this year. our economics editor, faisal islam, has the latest. in this part of manchester, reverend ellie trimble, who runs a discount food market, says she can see with her own eyes the historic fall in living standards revealed by the government's official forecasters yesterday. increasing numbers of those needing help havejobs. we know that the cost of living is just going through the ceiling. and it's really scary for people that are actually earning a living. and it's terrifying for people who are having to rely on benefits. as experts pored over the decisions

, both mr hebblethwaite and me, we have| mr hebblethwaite and me, we have taken _ mr hebblethwaite andthat was taken. the p80 ferries board has been coming to| decision that was taken. the p80 i ferries board has been coming to dp world _ ferries board has been coming to dp world and _ ferries board has been coming to dp world and consulting _ ferries board has been coming to dp world and consulting on _ ferries board has been coming to dp world and consulting on this. - ferries board has been coming to dp world and consulting on this. we . world and consulting on this. we have _ world and consulting on this. we have made — world and consulting on this. we have made everything _ world and consulting on this. we have made everything that - world and consulting on this. we have made everything that we i world and consulting on this. we i have made everything that we could to ensure _ have made everything that we could to ensure that — have made everything that we could to ensure that all— have made everything that we could to ensure that all proper— have made everything that we could to

peter hebblethwaite didn't get an easy ride.tset. share transport and business committee set the tone from the outset.— the tone from the outset. are you in this mess because _ the tone from the outset. are you in this mess because you _ the tone from the outset. are you in this mess because you don't - the tone from the outset. are you in this mess because you don't know. this mess because you don't know what you are doing or are you just a shameless criminal? ihla what you are doing or are you 'ust a shameless criminal?�* what you are doing or are you 'ust a shameless criminal? no answer there but he did admit — shameless criminal? no answer there but he did admit breaking _ shameless criminal? no answer there but he did admit breaking the - shameless criminal? no answer there but he did admit breaking the law- shameless criminal? no answer there but he did admit breaking the law by. but he did admit breaking the law by not consulting with unions. there but he did admit breaking the law by not consulting with unions.— not cons

peter hebblethwaite faces calls to resign. a week on, many sacked workers are still shocked. to that we�*ve heard new sanctions on many more russian people and organisations. that is it from me. bye—bye. good evening. we certainly are being spoiled at the moment. another day of the glorious spring sunshine and warmth for many. this was cornwall earlier on today. a story which suggests a warm summer�*s afternoon, not a spring afternoon. high pressure still with us. this little weather front toppling across the north—west of the high has introduced more in the way of cloud, more moisture as well. so, highland scotland this afternoon certainly a cloudier story in comparison to earlier on in the week, and there were a few isolated showers. if we take a look at the satellite picture, it was scotland, northern ireland, north west england impacted by that cloud. there were some breaks and some sunny spells, but the best of the sunshine certainly across england and wales. now, over the next few hours, a lot of that cloud is going to retreat back to the north—west coast, and under cle

mr hebblethwaite told mps that reducing p&0's wage bill was the only way to make the company viable,ty austin reports. arriving to face mps this morning... are you ashamed of sacking the staff? the boss of the ferry company which suddenly decided to fire 800 workers last week. the difficult question started straightaway. are you in this mess because you don't know what you are doing or are you just a shameless criminal? later, he insisted the law had not been broken when it came to notifying relevant authorities of the redundancy plans. on the lack of consultation, though, he said this. there is no doubt that we were required to consult with unions. we chose not to do that because we believed... you chose to break the law? because we chose not to consult, and will compensate everybody in full for that. he said replacement agency crew will be paid on average £5.50 per hour. that's below the national minimum wage of- this country. how you reconcile that? where are governed by national minimum wage, we will actually pay national minimum wage. this is an international seafaring model tha

peter hebblethwaite didn't get an easy ride.r are you just a shameless criminal? no answer there, but the p80 boss did admit breaking the law by not consulting with unions. there is absolutely no doubt we were required to consult with the unions. we chose not to do that because we believe... you chose to break the law? we chose not to consult and we are and will compensate everyone in full for that. the ferry crews were sacked so they could be replaced with cheaper agency workers. the average hourly rate of hourly pay is £5.50. that is below the national minimum wage of this country, how do you reconcile that? where we are governed by the national minimum wage, we will absolutely pay national minimum wage. this is international seafaring model, consistent with models throughout the globe and our competitors. but unions had already told mps what they thought the company was trying to do. that's what p&o are aiming to achieve, to kill our merchant marine and to kill our employment laws, and something has got to be done about it to

and peter hebblethwaite _ reputationally certainly.hwaite acknowledges in the letter he said today, the reputation of the company has suffered and his personal reputation as well, i remember hearing him, that extraordinary select committee meeting, where he kind of said, it is a bit of a surprise how big the reaction has been but in the letter today, i think, reaction has been but in the letter today, ithink, to reaction has been but in the letter today, i think, to paraphrase, reaction has been but in the letter today, ithink, to paraphrase, he was saying, you know, we realise this would be potentially controversial, expected some degree of criticism but insisting that they say this was the only option other than the company collapsing. katie, thank ou than the company collapsing. katie, thank you for— than the company collapsing. katie, thank you for that. _ than the company collapsing. katie, thank you for that. our _ than the company collapsing. katie, thank you for that. our business i thank you for that. our business corresponden

peter hebblethwaite sanding pretty robust and pushing back against his critics.. is that your reading of the situation? further signs today, we now have this war of words between the boss of p indo ferries in the transport secretaries who just yesterday wrote to him to urge him to offer all 800 staff back theirjobs on the old paint terms. aspect of the boss of p80 paint terms. aspect of the boss of p&0 ferries. he today said that that would cause the company to collapse, and also said this morning that 500 workers had already signed the agreements, their redundancy settlement agreements, so he was saying, i can't get rid of the thursday deadline that has been set for seafarers to respond to their redundancy office, because the agreements in many cases have already been signed. we know the transport secretary, though, is planning to come to parliament this week with some measures which he says will force p indo ferries to backtrack on some of what they're doing but we will wait on the detail of that committee rather that can force any substantial change, and yes,

today, the transport secretary fired off at peter hebblethwaite and suggested that he had made a pigsge people and that you will buy off the staff to do that is quite simply unacceptable, they've exploited loopholes, they've been completely disgraceful. and i am clear that is no way to behave and not the right individual to have at the top of a british business. he said he is going to try and force a u—turn from b and all. a package of measures unveiled next week. with cross party support. the most immediate term over the next few daysis immediate term over the next few days is saying that he and all fairly is cannot sail in any case because he has been ensuring they are getting safety inspections, very detailed safety inspections. then we expect a package of measures that perhaps you could insist that boats which are in british waters would have to pay the minimum wage to the seafarers on board and that would stop p&o from trying to undercut british star. it is difficult to see how it would work in practice. we would have to see some of the detail. p&0 have argued throughout that the

mr hebblethwaite also said new staff from agencies would be paid £5.50 per hour — that's just over $7rned, we will absolutely pay national _ wage. where we are governed, we will absolutely pay national minimum i absolutely pay national minimum wage _ absolutely pay national minimum wage. this is international seafaring model consistent with models — seafaring model consistent with models throughout the globe and our competitors. so, p&o's boss says because its ships operate internationally and are registered overseas, the uk national minimum wage doesn't apply. so, the uk government plans to force p&o to reinstate its workers by introducing laws that force all ferry companies operating from uk ports to pay at least the uk national minimum wage. this was today. we will return to this house to announce a package of measures that will ensure the outcomes p&o are seeking to achieve through this disastrous move to pay less than the minimum wage cannot be seen through. as a result, they will have no reason left to reconsider this move. p&o ferries said sacking workers was notjust about savi

mirror says that the prime minister is supporting the growing number of calls for p&o boss peter hebblethwaitequit over the illegal sacking of 800 workers. according to the yorkshire post, the soaring cost of living is set to deepen the crisis facing the retail and hospitality sectors as consumer shun spending to keep up with the cost of living. in an exclusive interview with the daily mail — deputy prime minister dominic raaab unveils plans to give free speech legal supremacy over other rights to stop debate from being eroded, in what the paper calls a major victory over cancel culture. so let's begin... emma, do you want to kick us off, pleased with the front of the financial times? pleased with the front of the financialtimes? lots pleased with the front of the financial times? lots of ways you can read this announcement by russia but ineffective saying, were probably going to concentrate our efforts in the east of the country. russia is saying the ukraine war is entering the new phase in the focus is going to turn to the eastern region of donbas and they get a focus on liberation. they're

their chief executive, peter hebblethwaite, told mps the firm had to act to save the business.ling for mr hebblethwaite to resign. we have of the business committee saying he should _ the business committee saying he should be — the business committee saying he should be prosecuted. and some of the workforce have been speaking out and saying _ the workforce have been speaking out and saying he should be sacked. what angered _ and saying he should be sacked. what angered them? a whole range of things _ angered them? a whole range of things. agency staff would only be paid £5.50 an hour, less than the minimum — paid £5.50 an hour, less than the minimum wage in this country. he takes _ minimum wage in this country. he takes a _ minimum wage in this country. he takes a salary home at £325,000 a year _ takes a salary home at £325,000 a year. they— takes a salary home at £325,000 a year. they were also worried by the lack of _ year. they were also worried by the lack of consultation with the uk government, but because his fleet is registered _ government, but because his fleet is reg

yesterday, the boss of p&0 ferries, peter hebblethwaite, wrote a letter to ministers where he said henumbers of staff redundant. he said that actually no rules had been broken there because these he said that, actually, no rules had been broken there because these workers were employed by a jersey—based arm of p&0 ferries and actually, the vessels they were working on were not uk they were working on weren't uk registered, so he said that meant that no rules had been broken. but today, we heard the prime minister say in the house of commons at prime minister's question time, "it looks to me as though the company "concerned has broken the law and the government would therefore "be taking action and also encouraging workers to take action "to do with employment rights," their employment rights in this situation. this afternoon, some employment lawyers have said, or have questioned whether the government can take legal action in the way the prime minister was suggesting because of an amendment to the act, the bit of legislation they were talking about there. we haven't yet really had a f

peter hebblethwaite's own salary is £325,000 a year.rant shapps, fired off at peter hebblethwaite and suggested that he had both made a pigs ear and a dogs dinner of the sackings and he called for his resignation. the idea that you come to parliament, you deliberately... you admit that you deliberately set out to break the law, it's not some sort of accident, some mistake, deliberately do that in order to sack your staff and bring in below—minimum—wage people and that you will buy off the staff to do that is quite simply unacceptable, they've exploited loopholes, they've been completely disgraceful. and i am clear that is no way to behave and not the right individual to have at the top of a british business. grant shapps has said that he is going to try and force a u—turn from p&0, there will be a package of measures unveiled in parliament next week. he says with cross—party support. the most immediate term over the next few days is saying that p&0 ferries cannot sail in any case because he is making sure they are getting safety inspect

peter hebblethwaite admitted to mps yesterday that he broke the law by not consulting unions before makingarations are under way for the 94th academy awards on sunday. 0ne film which is generating last minute excitement some last—minute excitement as a potential winner is coda — which stands for child of deaf adults. the film follows a 17—year—old girl with a love of music — who is the only hearing person in herfamily. sophie long has been speaking to the cast. for ruby, following her dreams means leaving her struggling family at a time when they need her most. coda delves deep into the painful conflict faced by many children of deaf adults when the cost of breaking free is cutting a much needed line of communication with the outside world. a lot of people have asked me, what was the challenge on, you know, working, when you didn't all speak the same language? that's what film—making is about, you know. you're met with challenges and you find creative solutions. and this movie wasn't a challenge in that way. the challenge was getting six boats out at sea to fish and jumping off rocks at th

appearing before mps, peter hebblethwaite was pushed by the chair of the committee darrenjones on how, but said the company believed there wasn't "any other way" to do it. the transport secretary grant shapps has called the situation �*unacceptable'. we think that the p80 management have exploited a loophole here to sack british workers, bringing some very low—paid international workers, we don't think that is right and we will be returning to parliament with a package of measures to ensure that that situation is undone. you say undone. is there anything you can do to reverse it? yes, we will change the law to make sure that it cannot happen. we think it's unacceptable that ships who are essentially working from british waters british ports all the time, backwards and forwards, within our economic zone, if you like, that that management will not be able to exploit what they think is a loophole in the law, that will be tested by legal action. either way, we have a package of measures for them that will absolutely close it off. and i'll be saying more to parliament next week. meanwhile

peter hebblethwaite said reinstating the staff could lead to the loss of more than two thousand jobse, the transport secretary grant shapps called the boss a pirate of the high sea and accused him of shredding the reputation of the company. children with special educational needs or disabilities in england would receive earlier help from schools under proposals put forward by the government — in a delayed review which was launched in 2019. £70 million of additional funding would be made available for the measures, which aim to put an end to patchy provision across the country. 0ur education correspondent elaine dunkley reports. funny ears... there's no pins in the ears. harrison is nine years old and has autism. getting him the support he needs in a mainstream school has been difficult. in one term alone, he was excluded 1a times. school were terrible. they were sending him home on a daily basis. i was called out of work to go support in school. he wasn't doing any teacher—led activities at all, he was just going in, sitting in a room with two teachers on his own. for too many childr

peter hebblethwaite admitted to mp5 yesterday that not consulting unions before making people redundanter, simon coveney, has been ushered away from a building in north belfast amid a security alert. he was giving a peace—building talk at the houben centre on the crumlin road, when a van was reportedly hijacked and driven to the venue. mr coveney was escorted off stage by his security officer. the duke and duchess of cambridge have spent the day in the bahamas on the final leg of their caribbean tour. the couple left jamaica yesterday after a visit which attracted the usual crowds but also some criticism. the week—long trip, marking the queen's platinum jubilee, also saw the couple visit belize. our royal correspondent, jonny dymond, is travelling with the couple. perhaps not the bahamas they were expecting. is there caribbean tour was drawing to a close, whether they might recognise from home. inside, a traditional tour event, a school close, like so many, through the pandemic. kate paid tribute to parents, guardians and teachers. they, i am sure, have found the pandemic equally hard b

p&0 boss peter hebblethwaite is due to appear before holyrood's transport committee later today.ne barnard is deputy director at uk in a changing europe. are uk government threats to force p&0 to pay workers the miniumum wage likely to work? let's talk about the ultimatum from the government to p80, take on your work as you face consequences. to be think that will have an impact? will they take them back on? it is will have an impact? will they take them back on? it is going to be quite _ take them back on? it is going to be quite hard _ take them back on? it is going to be quite hard for— take them back on? it is going to be quite hard for p&0 - take them back on? it is going to be quite hard for p&0 to . take them back on? it is going to be quite hard for p&0 to do i to be quite hard for p&0 to do so. about half the staff have already accepted the offer is that p&0 have made. you know how many agency workers have already been taken on but, you know, they do seem to be in the middle of their restructuring plans and of course they say that they are losing money hand over fist and

peter hebblethwaite has written to grant shapps to say that re—employing the workers on their original get this business back up on its feet, i need to make it competitive, viable and give us an opportunity to grow in the future. our transport katy austin jointly, this story is not dying down? we have had this story is not dying down? - have had this war of words between the boss of p&0 ferries of the transport secretary. the boss of piano about 500 former workers had already signed settlement agreements. —— the boss of p&0 said. we have also heard that the pride of kent has been detained after a safety inspection by the maritime and coastguard agency, failure is found included emergency equipment not functioning properly. this lunchtime p&0 ferries has said, in its words, it is clear following interventions by ministers and mps, the mca inspections have reached an unprecedented level of rigour. it said the scrutiny was welcomed under any suggestion that safety was being compromised was false.— compromised was false. thank you, katy austin- — the actor will smith has apologised to the

is not _ concluded that peter hebblethwaite is not a _ concluded that peter hebblethwaite is not a fito cruises which is a completely separate company owned by a separate organisation? because they are concerned that they may lose bookings as a consequence. mr; concerned that they may lose bookings as a consequence. my right honourable friend _ bookings as a consequence. my right honourable friend is _ bookings as a consequence. my right honourable friend is absolutely - honourable friend is absolutely right. there is no connection between p&o ferries and p&o cruises whatsoever, they are separate organisations, separately managed, no blame whatsoever for the actions of p80 no blame whatsoever for the actions of p&o ferries should be seen to attach to p&o cruises. of p80 ferries should be seen to attach to p80 cruises.— of p80 ferries should be seen to attach to p80 cruises. thank you, mr seaker. attach to p80 cruises. thank you, mr speaker- the — attach to p80 cruises. thank you, mr speaker. the chief _ attach to p80 cruises. thank you, mr speaker. the chief executive - attach to p80 c

mr hebblethwaite also said new staff from agencies would be paid £5.50 per hour — that's just over sevent?— reconcile that? where we are governed _ reconcile that? where we are governed by _ reconcile that? where we are governed by national- reconcile that? where we are i governed by national minimum reconcile that? where we are - governed by national minimum wage, we will pay that. this is an international seafaring model that is consistent with models throughout the globe and our competitors. so p&o“s boss says that's because its ships operate internationally and are registered overseas, the uk national minimum wage doesn't apply. but the uk government plans to force p&o to reinstate its workers by introducing laws that force all ferry companies operating from uk ports to pay at least the uk national minimum wage. transport minister robert courts addressed parliament today. we will return to this house to announce a package of measures that will ensure that the outcomes p&o are seeking to achieve that through this disastrous move to pay less than the minimum wage cannot be seen through

meanwhile, today we have for the first time had an apology from peter hebblethwaite of p80! who are gathered here have been telling us how much it meant to them to be back in school. there are far fewer than usual, perhapsjust10%, maybe because some of them were nervous about what would happen or unsure about what would happen, but the ones that did come, they have now been left devastated by news that they have just received that apparently secondary schools for girls will not be reopening. i have seen girls crying. translation: i came here full of hope. - that we would be resuming our studies. but we were told that our classes won't be happening. it feels really bad. why aren't we allowed to study? learning is compulsory for both men and women. i don't understand why we are not given this right. we had been expecting that secondary schools right across afghanistan would be opening up today for teenage girls, many of them for the first time since the taliban took power in august. translation: all girls' high school are informed they will remain - closed until further notice

grant shapps will warn peter hebblethwaite he plans to change the law to make sure all ferry operatorsished later, so we can reach a judgment when we see it in black and white. what is happening this week is that the government back i will close a loophole in the law which means that seafarers working in british waters can be paid below the national minimum wage. so, they are going to close that loophole. in this letter, grant shapps is then going to pylon a bit of political pressure and say to piano, if this is what is happening, you might as well rehire the people you and pay them at least the minimum wage. the government matter is doing one thing for definite, changing the law, but then this little extra bit in the latter is a bit of political pressure, trying to create some political incentive for the company to take on the workers again. sources close to the transport secretary admit that the government is powerless to make them take them back and they are not proposing to change the law to make sure these people are rehired. it is about the terms of what their replacements will b

grant shapps is expected to warn peter hebblethwaite that he plans to change the law, to make sure allk is the government passed legislation through parliament which will close that loophole in employment law, which _ that loophole in employment law, which allows maritime companies to pay seafarers in british waters below — pay seafarers in british waters below the national minimum wage. so, that's the _ below the national minimum wage. so, that's the change in the law that's going _ that's the change in the law that's going to _ that's the change in the law that's going to happen this week. as part of that— going to happen this week. as part of that process we get a statement from the _ of that process we get a statement from the transport secretary, grant shapps. _ from the transport secretary, grant shapps, who has also written to the ceo of— shapps, who has also written to the ceo of p80 to tell about this change _ ceo of p80 to tell about this change. what is being added in this letter— change. what is being added in this letter is _ change. what is being added in this letter is s

paper reports on calls by borisjohnson and others for the chief executive of p80 ferries, peter hebblethwaitempany's dismissal of 800 staff without notice was illegal. the mail features an interview with thejustice secretary, dominic raab. the paper reports that mr raab has pledged to give free speech legal supremacy over other rights to stop debate being whittled away by wokery. we will talk about films now. we were talking to colin about the foo fighters, but he is therefore oscar season. after a year that saw spider—man rescue the box office and daniel craig say goodbye to james bond, tomorrow's academy awards will reflect the momentous year that was, in hollywood. ahead of the event, our los angeles correspondent sophie long has been speaking to the actor ciaran hinds, who stars in the hit film belfast, which is nominated for seven awards. mumma says if we went across the water they wouldn't understand the way we talk. water they wouldn't understand the way we talk-— water they wouldn't understand the wa wetalk. ,, ., �* , ., , way we talk. shouldn't be a problem. i have way we talk. shou

the boss of the company, peter hebblethwaite, has been called to appear in front of mps tomorrow in airst time since august last year. officials say a decision is yet to be made about what uniform the students should wear in accordance with islamic law. tennis, and world number one ash barty says she's 'ok' if people don't understand why she's decided to retire at the age of 25. barty says winning wimbledon in 2021 changed her perspective as it left her still feeling unfilfilled. she won three grand slam titles, including her home slam — the australian open. ijust want i just want to bring you ijust want to bring you a bit of breaking news from london. we are hearing from reuters that the queen elizabeth olympic park says there has been an incident at the aquatic centre there this morning involving the release of gas. they have also said the area has been cordoned off and evacuated and there are a number of casualties with breathing difficulties being treated and the london ambulance service also says they are responding to an incident at the queen elizabeth olympic park and they have