let's speak to rachel reeves. your reaction?have heard in the last few minutes about these astronomical increases in prices, it is striking — astronomical increases in prices, it is striking fear into the hearts of families— is striking fear into the hearts of families right across the country, and that— families right across the country, and that is— families right across the country, and that is why labour are saying the government must act. they must freeze _ the government must act. they must freeze gas _ the government must act. they must freeze gas and electricity prices through— freeze gas and electricity prices through the winter. they should pay for that— through the winter. they should pay for that with an extension of the windfall— for that with an extension of the windfall tax on the oil and gas companies who are making huge profits. — companies who are making huge profits, and use that money to keep bills as _ profits, and use that money to keep bills as low— profits, and use that money to keep bills as low as possi

we heard earlier today from labour's shadow chancellor, rachel reeves.t is striking fear into the hearts of families right across the country, and that is why labour are saying the government must act. they must freeze gas and electricity prices through the winter, they should pay for that with an extension of the windfall tax on the oil and gas companies who are making huge profits, and use that money to keep bills as low as possible for everybody else. that is the right and fair thing to do, that is what labour would do, and that is what the government must now press on and do. the energy regulator this morning calling for immediate government action, urgently and decisively, was the phrase that was used. how unusual is it for the regulator to make this direct appeal to the government? it make this direct appeal to the government?— make this direct appeal to the government? , , ., ., , ., make this direct appeal to the government? ,, ., ., , ., ., government? it is strong words for a re . ulator government? it is strong words for a regulator to — gover

that the conservatives are essentially losing control of the economy and the shadow chancellor, rachel reevesiving and on household budgets. the war in ukraine has played a part in that, too, by pushing energy prices up higher. that was always going to have an impact. so we should look at these numbers against that context. but we should say that in france, italy and canada, they are still seeing growth. so the uk's economic performance should be seen against that. for households it will be a worrying time. last week we had the bank of england predicting that we will fall into a recession later this year that will last for all of next year. we are not there yet, but these numbers can be seen as something of a precursor to that. let's return to our breaking news that a drought has been declared for parts of england following the driest summer for 50 years. the areas in the south—west, southern and central england, and the east of england will be affected. our correspondence is in nottinghamshire. correspondence is in nottin . hamshire. , , ._ correspondence is in nottinuhamshire. , , ., nottin

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