Ministers calling for the project to be reviewed due to spiralling the spiralling costs. The chancellor, jeremy hunt, now spiralling costs. The chanitllor, jeremy hunt, now spiralling costs. The chanit shouldntly hunt, now spiralling costs. The chanit shouldnt costlnt, now spiralling costs. The chanit shouldnt cost ten now spiralling costs. The chanit shouldnt cost ten times says it shouldnt cost ten times more to build a railway in the uk than just across the channel in france. Well, also in the in france. Well, also in the news today, a Second Police force is investigating allegations against the comedian russell brand. In a statement , russell brand. In a statement, Thames Valley police said its received new information relating to harassment and stalking allegations dating back to 2018. They added it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation. It follows a joint investigation by the sunday times and channel 4. Russell brand denies all accusations of criminality against him. Now, the chancellor against him. Now, the chancellor has announced plans to freeze the expansion of the Civil Service and reduce its numbers to pre pandemic levels. During his speech at conservative Party Conference in manchester, jeremy hunt said it would save the government £1 billion next year. Meanwhile, the chancellor announced tougher benefits, sanctions on those who are capable of working but choose not to. And a National Living wage rise to £11 an hour. We promised in our manifesto to raise the National Living wage to two thirds of median income. Ending low pay in this country. At the moment, its country. At the moment, its £10. 42 an hour, and were waiting for the low Pay Commission to tell us next Years Commission to tell us next years recommendation. But i confirm today, whatever that recommendation, well increase the National Living wage to at least £11 an hour next year. Least £11 an hour next year. Thats a pay rise for 2 million workers. Well the former Prime Minister, liz truss, at the same Party Conference has been calling on the chancellor to cut Corporation Tax. She says back to 19 for his next autumn statement. Speaking next autumn statement. Speaking at a fringe rally in manchester, the former Prime Minister urged the former Prime Minister urged the tory leadership to axe the tax cut bills and build homes as her comments came after jeremy hunt told gb news no substantial tax cuts are possible. This yean tax cuts are possible. This year. Ms truss said businesses are now choosing not to locate in the uk and they shouldnt be treated like a cash cow. We need to unleash business across britain. We need people to want to invest in our country. We need businesses to be able to expand, to grow , to create new expand, to grow, to create new jobs, to create new ideas. Jobs, to create new ideas. Thats why im calling upon the chancellor at the autumn statement to put Corporation Tax back down to 19. And frankly, if we can get it lower, the better i well, it is away from home. Former President Donald Trump has arrived at a court in new york in the United States , where york in the United States, where hes due to stand trial in a civil fraud case. A warning if youre watching on television in the following, does contain some flashing images. Well, the former president accused is accused, rather, of inflating the value of his assets by billions of dollars to secure better loan and ensure terms. Speaking outside the courtroom, mr trump claimed he was the victim was never a problem. Everything was perfect. There was no crime. The crime is against me because we have a corrupt district attorney, but we have a corrupt attorney general. And it all comes down general. And it all comes down from the doj that totally coordinated this in washington because im leading. Im the leading candidate. Im leading biden by ten points here at home using mobile phones in schools should be banned. Thats according to the education secretary, Gillian Keegan says the move would improve the overall behaviour and education of students and cut down on online bullying. New guidance from the department for education will back headteachers in banning them throughout the school day, including at break times and Junior Doctors and consultants in england have begun their three day walkout today, the longest ever period of joint strike action until thursday at 7 am. Theyre going to be delivering whats being described as Christmas Day levels of staffing. Theyre last joint strike in september led to almost 130,000 appointments, having to be rescheduled. The government says the walkout is doing a massive disservice to patients, but these doctors told gb news why theyve gone on strike until and unless there is a credible pay offer, it will mean that doctors of all grades , but especially senior doctors, will continue to leave the country for other places and the nhs will continue to suffer. Nhs will continue to suffer. We are not planning for the future. There is going to be no staffing in the nhs. Theres to going be no nhs in the future if we dont fight for our pay. So this is really a necessarily a fight about individual consultant papers say were actually for very actually fighting for the very future nhs consultants future of the nhs consultants and Junior Doctors. Speaking earlier on the picket today, with picket line today, youre with gb the uk on tv , in gb news across the uk on tv, in your on Digital Radio and your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news. This is britains news channel. Thanks for that polly. Im Michelle Dewberry with you till 7 00 tonight alongside me to get into the goings on of the day. Ive got the historian and the broadcaster, David Starkey and the former labour adviser mccgwire. Adviser Scarlett Mccgwire. Good evening both of you. Welcome. Evening to both of you. Welcome. You know the drill, dont you, on this show is not just about us three. It is very much about you guys at home as well. Whats on your mind tonight . You can get in touch all the usual ways. You can me, give views at you can email me, give views at gbnews. Com can me gbnews. Com or you can tweet me at gb news. As lots of you have been touch with me been getting in touch with me today. Andy have said, ive watched a number of the speeches at the tory Conference Today and i found concrete blocks more inspiring and animated core. Blimey, andy, youre a harsh man. You are a harsh man kicking off there with a little bit of harshness. But of course, as harshness. But of course, as andy has just been alluding to there, the tory Party Conference has kicked off. We are has indeed kicked off. We are going to get into all of the goings on. Im fascinated to hear what you think of some of the proposals made there. So lets bring ourselves up to speed, though, crossing live speed, though, by crossing live to manchester gb news to manchester over the gb news Political CorrespondentCatherine Forster good evening to you, catherine. Bring us up to you, catherine. Bring us up to speed, if you will. What has been going on there today . Been going on there today . Yes , well, a very busy day at yes, well, a very busy day at conference. The main event really was the chancellor, jeremy hunts speech, which was not that long, actually , and not that long, actually, and didnt have very much detail. Not that long, actually, and didnt have very much detail. He said he didnt want taxes to be high forever, but a total absence of any news on tax cuts. I suspect we will wait till the spnng i suspect we will wait till the spring for those, if and when they come saying that cracking down on benefits that people actively have to be trying to get work harder than before announcing an increase in the living wage. But really, that speech has been completely over shadowed by two things. First of all, hs2 , the will it wont it all, hs2, the will it wont it go from birmingham to manchester . Theres been huge speculation over the last couple of weeks now the government are insisting that no decision has been made. But insisting that no decision has been made. But i insisting that no decision has been made. But i was told from been made. But i was told from an impeccable source earlier on this afternoon that the decision has been made that hs2 will not go from birmingham to manchester and that the Prime Minister will announce that in his speech on wednesday. So lets see what happens there. Thinking apparently , is that theyll apparently, is that theyll sweeten this very bitter pill by promising to spend a lot of the money that would have been spent on hs2 on transport across the north of england, on roads , on north of england, on roads, on potholes, on east west connectivity. But 16 Million People in the north of england that have heard about fast rail from west to east will, i think, be possibly a little sceptical. The other big event thats drawn a lot of attention is liz trusss speech. Now rishi sunak trusss speech. Now rishi sunak is sort of haunt by the ghosts of Prime Ministers past. Theresa may is due to speak in an event in just half an hour or so, but liz truss here, of course its only a year to the day since she had to backtrack as Prime Minister here on her plan to cut the top rate of tax. But shes here. Shes totally unabashed that her message is as it has always been, tax cuts are needed. Bring down Corporation Tax and growth, all about growth and how to get growth. So and how to get growth. So i dont think rishi sunak will particularly approve vitiate her interventions. Hell be taking a interventions. Hell be taking a bit of heart from the fact that the polls seem to be shifting slightly , but lots of talk slightly, but lots of talk really about hs2 and quite ironic that the conference is being held in what was previously a railway station. Yeah, catherine, whos doing this because were going to get into hs2 before the end of my programme. But who is doing this leaking . I cant quite understand whats on. Is understand whats going on. Is this within the tory understand whats going on. Is this is within the tory understand whats going on. Is this is this within the tory understand whats going on. Is this is this who within the tory understand whats going on. Is this is this who is. Hin the tory understand whats going on. Is this is this who is doinge tory party . Is this who is doing this . Because surely this is damaging to the tories . Damaging to the tories . Well , it absolutely is. And well, it absolutely is. And these leaks have been going on now for a good couple of weeks because its been reported repeatedly over the last couple of weeks that hs2 is going to be scrapped. And rishi sunak has been absolutely tight lipped about it. But really , whatever about it. But really, whatever you think about the rights and wrongs about whether hs2 should have ever been built in the first place, its not a great look, is it, to be in manchester in the city, which looks likely to lose that rail link and andy burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and horrified really, because hes saying that theyve had no involvement, nobody has consulted them at all. And hes also saying that they need that hs2 link. Its integral. He says hs2 link. Its integral. He says , to Northern Powerhouse rail as well. So i think pretty damaging for the government. They like to do things on their own terms. But yeah , all eyes on rishi but yeah, all eyes on rishi sunak on wednesday and what he may say in his speech. Interesting stuff. Thank you very much. That was foster there. Our Political Correspondent, live from the tory Party Conference in manchester. Do you regard David Starkey do you regard the conservative party as a united front at the moment, no, obviously not. But then remember, in a two party system, by definition, parties are coalitions. The question is whether the coalition can be kept together and on what terms. I mean, think and on what terms. I mean, think of the labour party where youve actually got its former leader. Its immediate former leader expelled from the party and his second command. As far as i think macdonald was expelled as well was no, no, no, diane diane abbott for different reasons. But you have this situation in which there are overt rifts on both sides at the moment. Starmer is able to control it better because there is the prospect of for office the tories its the opposite. Tories its the opposite. Theres a prospect of losing office and theres, i think, Something Else which is even bigger. If we set aside the peculiar corbyn years. Ever since. Really 2010, both of our since. Really 2010, both of our main parties have started to look more and more like each other, to sponsor more and more the same policies with the result, of course, that there are people in the tory party like caroline nokes, who could easily very easily be labour or lib dem , and we spoke about lib dem, and we spoke about caroline nokes. A lot. I remember last year. A lot. I remember last year. A lot. I remember last year. Shell be very pleased. She just loves publicity. Well, yes, lets set about that the better for now. But your thoughts on this i cannot understand and write the tory party things dont seem to be going fantastically well for them. So at the time where you need more than ever, some form of united front, some form of, you know, single direction of travel, lets all rally around whatever core set of principles and policies and all the rest of it is, even if perhaps youre not fully on board with them. But that doesnt seem to be happening. No, its exactly the opposite, isnt it . Is that most and the reason is that most people manchester that people in manchester think that the tories have already lost the next election and theyre getting ready for whos going to be the next leader. And so youve got Kemi Badenoch , youve youve got Kemi Badenoch, youve got suella braverman, youve got priti patel, all putting out their stall and actually not the ghost of liz truss, the ghost of liz truss, rather like bank were turning up at the feast. Yes. I mean and liz truss just cause causing trouble i mean no no no no apology , no nothing. Just saying you know i was right. I was right. Shouldnt right. I was right. Shouldnt regret i was right. Shouldnt regret if only she was good looking and the voice was equally good. But i think theres another point which is about womens looks. Well i think we can. Im prepared to have women talk about rugby players bottoms because excited. David because im quite excited. David lets lets talk about politics because. But what what what weve seriously got so youve got youve got Andrew Mitchell whos a secretary of state for international development, saying exactly what youre saying. Lets all gather around, rishi. Meanwhile while, you know, out there in the real world, 60 people have signed , 60 world, 60 people have signed, 60 mps have signed up for the liz truss. I can i just theres one really very important positive point to make, which weve been making the negative points. What making the negative points. What is on is a complete is going on is a complete repositioning of the conservative party, dare i say, the rediscovery of conservatism after its been effectively a lib dem con party. Thats it goes back to the uxbridge by election. Its of course the whole business of sunak saying hes on the side of the motorists raising questions about the consensus on the pursuit of net zero. And what you may have noticed is a quite sharp increase in the tory Party Ratings in the opinion polls. So were going to see more of this division. And because, of division. And because, of course, a very important section of the tory party was fully signed up to net zero. I mean, i think what youre losing here, david, is rishi sunak, is doing that mean because rishi sunak is trying to save his skin . Meanwhile all around him, there are people saving their own skin and wanting to be want ing to be the next leader. And that thats next leader. And that thats what this this , this conference what this this, this conference is all about, is whos going to be the next leader . Is it . Is it . And actually, david, in that way, youre right because because basically theres nobody from the centre of the tory party. I mean, what is clear is they were thrown out by boris. It is a competition for the right of the party which which is why were going to agree on something because this is the really important youre really important thing youre seeing beginning of a seeing now, the beginning of a sharp of the conservative sharp shift of the conservative party to the right. I think it is the right thing to do. I think that this terrible blur of politics that weve had really for the last 14 years is before dangerous. Big questions need debate. Weve had no debate on net zero. Weve had no debate on net zero. Weve had no debate on hs2. These things desperately need debate. Its desperately need debate. Its what politics is about. Luckily for you, youre on a debate show. So well be getting into some of those topics in a few minutes. One of the things that caught my eye as is that caught my eye as well is lord cruddas. Speech he lord cruddas. He a speech he gave yesterday. Last night he was basically saying that Tory Party Donors should essentially stop funding the party for the moment. He was saying the tory party has become more democratic and representative of its members. Currently he says its members. Currently he says its become autocratic , become autocratic, dysfunctional, corrupt and anti democratic. Its lost its identity and who it represents. Identity and who it represents. And well, thats an attack on rishi. Thats an attack on rishi sunak, isnt it . Because as liz truss was voted for by the membership right. And we all and i mean the membership who are quite tiny and quite old and mostly male and very unrepresentative of the country. And they got, they , they did, and they got, they, they did, they, they wanted liz truss rishi sunak was given to the country by the tory mps. So what Peter Cruddas is, is causing trouble. Oh but you see thats the bit i cant get my head around. Have you guys are trying to retain power and all the rest of it and get re elected. Dont you look get re elected. Dont you look in the mirror and think to yourself youre actually committing a few acts of self harm . Says. You harm . Graham says. Dont you think ironic , michelle, think its ironic, michelle, that is telling jeremy that liz truss is telling jeremy hunt what to youre saying hunt what to do . Youre saying that well, youre asking why would anyone listen to her . Well, well come on to some of the things that she was saying a little bit later on. But speaking of jeremy hunt, he has been talking very, very tough today comes people today when it comes to people that almost, he would argue, that are almost, he would argue, choosing to live a life on benefits. Hes got them firmly benefits. Hes got them firmly in his sights. What do you make to that, though . Tell me and ill see you radio. Hello there. Im Michelle Dewberry with useful 7 00 tonight. Historian and broadcaster David Starkey alongside me, as is the former labour adviser. Scarlett mccgwire someone calling themselves lady anne on twitter says, please can you tell scarlett that im not old or male . And i voted for liz truss male . And i voted for liz truss. However, the do go on say that theyre no longer a member of theyre no longer a member of the party. But i think picking you up on when you were saying earlier its just no , no earlier its just old no, no what i mean earlier its just old no, no whati mean i mean average what i mean i mean the average the average age i think for a tory, a member is 60, labour is labouris tory, a member is 60, labour is labour is 54. And that was when momentum was at its height. Members of Political Parties is old people i saw. Im glad shes young. Theyre extraordinary mind parties on both sides. Of course they are. You have to be mad people like us. Political obsessives like us are strange, strange people are are strange, strange people are a group of young protesters , um, a group of young protesters, um, protesting outside of this tory Party Conference. I wonder if i can bring up the clip for you because ive got to say, i found it a little bit odd. Can i bring up this clip . This is a Young Communist League of britain working class victory to the working class , victory to the working class, victory to the working class, victory to the working class, to the working class. The working class. Things we lack for the working class victory over the working class victory over the working , all the things we love, working, all the things we love, all the things. Well, i mean. I mean, we get back to real life. Shall we get back to real life. Shall we get back to real life . Yes. Well let me know your thoughts on some of this. You know, i really i really want to know, are you you know, when you see this conference, do you follow it . Are you into it . I started my program with a comment from andy saying that he hasnt been gripped by the present actions that hes seen so far today. Do you a so far today. Do you have a different opinion to him . In different opinion to him . Get in touch know. But touch and let me know. But strong speaking coming today from has been from jeremy hunt. He has been focusing on people that claim benefits. Hes basically saying benefits. Hes basically saying that he wants to rely look at the sanctions , referencing the sanctions, referencing people that are kind of essentially choosing to go onto benefits. Lets have a listen. Im proud to live in a country where, as churchill said, theres a ladder, theres ladden everyone can climb. But also a safety net below which no one falls. That safety net is paid from tax and that social contract depends on fairness to those in work alongside compassion to those who arent out. Even compassion to those who arent out. Even when companies are struggling to find workers. Struggling to find workers. Around 100,000 people are leaving the Labour Market every year for a life on benefits. Year for a life on benefits. Were going to look at the way the sanctions regime works. It isnt fair that someone who refuses to look seriously for a job gets the same as someone trying their best David Starkey do you agree with that . Yes. Broadly what weve done is always weve forgotten the great lessons that the victorians taught us. The victorians taught us. The victorians had one brutal principle about welfare. Its called less eligibility that if you choose to live on benefits , you choose to live on benefits, you choose to live on benefits, you should be worse off than any form of employment. And frankly, that seems to me to be the proper rule. Its brutal , but proper rule. Its brutal, but its necessary. The victorians again understood Something Else that weve completely forgotten. We pay benefits to people in work. This is demented. It means theyre underpaid. If a man cannot live off his wage and needs benefit s he cannot live off his wage and needs benefits he is being underpaid. The victorians understood this too. They understood this too. They abolished whats called the spinning land system and what weve done under the influence of sentimentality of kindness, of sentimentality of kindness, of lobbying , is to distort the of lobbying, is to distort the pubuc of lobbying, is to distort the public finances as permanently. 40 more people are claiming sickness benefits. We are completely out of line with the european practise its the european practise its the european practise its the european practise pays much more generous Unemployment Benefits for a shorter period of time and then cuts them off very sharply i do you agree with that . Do you agree with that . No. I mean, jeremy hunt said no. I mean, jeremy hunt said this because hes got nothing to say. Thats the problem. If you say. Thats the problem. If you go back, tory Party Conference after tory Party Conference, since i started watching them in the 80s, theyve always said the same. I mean, not normally the chancellor. Normally the chancellor. Normally the chancellor has something rather more important to say. I mean theyve been talking about benefit shirkers as long as i can remember and actually its really tough being on benefits. Really tough being on benefits. And you do have to, you do have to look for a job and you do have to get you to most people. But the bill, the bill is about 150 billion. The big david the big bill is pensions. Actually , the really big bill actually, the really big bill is pensions. And if you want to is pensions. And if you want to do everybody a favour, you can drop your pension and you can just live off what you get on gb news right. The biggest bill is pensions. Im happy to say i have much more substantial income, but the as any sensible provident as any sensible and provident person does now, itjust as any sensible and provident person does now, it just seems to me that the reason that why taxes are at this all time peacetime high is because weve let the entire welfare state skew and it is profoundly dangerous. This is absolute nonsense. Why so tell me why. Its nonsense i yes, im just about to say. David. David. Nothing weve been weve been talking this talk since the 1980s. Its been weve got it wrong at every stage , got it wrong at every stage, increasingly difficult. I mean, increasingly difficult. I mean, my sister, who who is a volunteer with citizens and advice in dorset said where rural poverty is appalling. I rural poverty is appalling. I mean, people have to walk to the job centre because they cant they cant take buses to sign on because if you dont, there is a problem about a mismatch of jobs. They are people are encouraged to get jobs and this is this is all about red meat. This is this is this is what its not real. Its not real. Theyre just going to make this is absurd. And so its the most basic arithmetic. The state is spending more than it can afford because of pensions is because of welfare. No, no, no, no, no of welfare. No, no, no, no, no welfare is enormous and is the biggest i would have i would agree theres a profound danger as a society gets older and you have the triple lock that pensions to get out of line. But fundamentally, the fundamental problem is welfare, the fundamental problem with our pensions is we never tried to do what beveridge wanted and we never made it a funded system. Never made it a funded system. Um, the and again , weve got um, the and again, weve got catastrophe , catastrophic catastrophe, catastrophic problems, particular with state pensions in education and state pensions in education and state pensions in education and state pensions in the Health Service where theyre not funded. Weve mismanaged finance grossly, both both parties. Would you concede, though , would you concede, though, because i mean, ive got some stats here. Apparently, according to the obe, they estimate that 1 in 8 of all estimate that1 in 8 of all working age people will be claiming some form disability claiming some form of disability benefits by 2027. Say that benefits by 2027. They say that will cost the taxpayers £77 billion a year. We will cost the taxpayers £77 billion a year. We talk about billion a year. We talk about people that are being off sick. Theres a lot of people now that are going off sick with backing. Example with Mental Health issues and stuff like that. And there been any there hasnt really been any re evaluation to the framework in terms of who can work, what work looks like, how that is for quite a number of years. You cant expect a hard left. You cant expect a hard left. David actually, it is my turn. Yeah, right. What what, what . I think i mean year after year benefits are and eligible city is made tougher and i mean i remember in 2010 coming across a woman i know who was terrified because she was going to lose her eligible city. She had such Mental Health problems. You just had to look at her to see them. And they were saying you have to get a job. And actually, she there is no question that you dont get sick, pay for any length of time without without being tested. And of course, there will always be the odd person who swings the lead. But actually there are an awful lot of people. Why is it why is it that there are so many suddenly many more sick people . Why is the number suddenly gone through the roof, which they have . What what mysterious diseases . Its things like long covid. I mean, i certainly simply rubbish. Well its certainly the when the spectator looked at it a right wing magazine right. When the spectator looked at it, they were shocked. They were shocked at the level of illness and its illness. Actually, its and its illness. Actually, its not its not people who just want to take time off. I mean, its theres an enormous sorry, lets just try and pull back from. From this. Huge evidence that theres huge evidence that the thing you can do with the worst thing you can do with many forms of Mental Illness is to retreat into isolation. That having to work, having to socialise. I know ive been socialise. I know ive been through it. Ive had at least one breakdown. Im very familiar with this and it seems to me that were in the moment now of fetishising effectively the self declaration of illness. Doctors declaration of illness. Doctors seem to me to be increasingly inclined simply to spare themselves the trouble , to sign themselves the trouble, to sign people off. What do you think to that at home . What do your final, final words . No, no, no. I mean, i actually i think work is good for people, right . I mean, i absolutely agree. I think i think that work that good work makes you happier. And makes you and actually helps you physically. Its i think so its not that i its not that. But i also know i know that sometimes its really, really tough. Sorry. Again, let me cite both the bible, lenin and karl marx. He who will not work neither shall he eat. We have seems to me to have indulged with creative a society of pure i this has been going on for decades. A really simple question of principle. Do you think this principle. Do you think this should ever be a situation, a nafion should ever be a situation, a nation where anybody who is able to work could choose is actually im not going to im just going to live off benefits . Or do you think anyone should be allowed to make that choice in this society . Society . I mean, i mostly know, right. But but i think there are always exceptional cases. Exceptional cases. See, i absolutely, categorically do not think anyone could anyone thats able to work physically, mentally, able to work. I dont think anyone should be able to choose to live on. What about what about women looking at what about women looking at what about women looking after Young Children . I mean, thats the biggest mean, thats one of the biggest i if youre talking about i mean, if youre talking about welfare, david, its actually its single mothers, right . Looking after looking after Young Children. We another im afraid we have another problem encouraging single mothers. If we do encourage single mothers, we make it really weve removed. Youve had nervous removed. Youve had a nervous breakdown. Ive been a single mother. It is tough. Weve removed all the but weve removed all the social stigma , which was social stigma, which was essentially god. Essentially god. That my children were oh god, that my children were not suffering because of it. Well very different opinions as you can tell on this panel. Im interested in bringing you into the conversation at home. Vaiews gbnews. Com. That is how you get a hold of me now by reading some of comments is how you get a hold of me now by |in ding some of comments is how you get a hold of me now by |in just some of comments is how you get a hold of me now by |in just aome of comments is how you get a hold of me now by |in just a second. Comments is how you get a hold of me now by |in just a second. We comments out in just a second. We mentioned liz truss, didnt we . After well be after the break, well be looking at what she has to say when it comes, you guessed it, to taxes. You surely youre listening to gb news radio. News radio. Hi there, im Michelle Dewberry with you still 7 00 tonight. Historian and broadcaster David Starkey alongside me, is the former alongside me, as is the former labour advisor Scarlett Mccgwire keir, weve just been talking about people on benefits. They are now in the line of sight for jeremy hunt. Mick says michelle, jeremy hunt. Mick says michelle, dont forget theyre going to be putting up the wages now to £11 per hour. That is indeed correct, mick. But mick is concerned. Hes saying that he worries that this is going to put people out of work. You put people out of work. You saying that businesses wont be able afford shops will able to afford it, shops will put up to equal out put the prices up to equal out the the cost of living the bill and the cost of living crisis continue up crisis will continue going up and going out of control. Crisis will continue going up and going out of control. Thats and going out of control. Thats mixed thoughts. Caz says. If you do receive benefits, why arent you asked to go out and volunteer . You could help back the community in that regard as well. Ivan says leave the pensioners alone. You lot. Lots pensioners alone. You lot. Lots of kind of mixed. Leslie says that people should be encouraged to return to work , but is there to return to work, but is there enough support or training for them . And nick says, i run my own Recruitment Agency i have done for years, he says, there are absolutely people out there who will do anything he says to avoid working. They will often, avoid working. They will often, he says, give wrong Contact Details so the recruiters cant get a hold of them. But they will say the dwp that will say to the dwp that they have tried to get a job. They have tried to get a job. They have registered. Its have registered. He says. Its not staff get in touch not enough staff to get in touch with recruiters and with those recruiters and actually what is indeed actually check what is indeed happening your thoughts happening or keep your thoughts coming spoke about liz coming in. We spoke about liz truss, we, earlier on . Truss, didnt we, earlier on . Lets listen she has lets listen to what she has been having to say today. Need to unleash business we need to unleash business across britain. We need people to want to invest in our country. We need businesses to be to to grow and be able to expand, to grow and to create new jobs, to create new ideas. Thats why im new ideas. Thats why im calling upon the chancellor at the autumn statement to put Corporation Tax back down to 19. And frankly , if we can get it and frankly, if we can get it lower, the better. Lower, the better. I would love to be a fly on the wall in the hunt household when he when he gets these messages from liz truss. Ive got a message for you. I wonder if he goes, thank you. If he goes, yes, thank you. Because came along because unless you came along and that, i wouldnt and told me that, i wouldnt have thought myself. Have thought of it myself. I wonder how feels about wonder how he feels about those interventions. Forget, interventions. But dont forget, right. Hunt, he he right. Jeremy hunt, he when he was campaigning be leader was campaigning to be leader last year, he said that would last year, he said that he would immediately corporation immediately reduce Corporation Tax thats what tax from 19 to 15. Thats what he was campaigning on. One of those tickets that was one of his primary planks. Of course it didnt. The opposite way didnt. It went the opposite way up to 25. I think it is. Do you think should reversed that think it should be reversed that tax cut . No, i think i dont no, i dont think i dont think it should. Mean, i think think it should. I mean, i think that that liz truss going that that that liz truss going on and on about growth is everybody wants growth. I mean everybody wants growth. I mean its rishi sunak out wants growth, the labour party wants growth. The labour party talks about nothing but growth. I mean its one of these things where you just go on and on and on as though nobody else has ever thought about it. I mean this isnt, this isnt the way it is. And for liz truss, who clearly has an awful large following in the conservative party and also among conservative mps, amazingly enough, for her to go to that conference, upset a very , very difficult conference already by saying as though she got anything right last year. Yeah, but but she will be arguing king david as a lot of people will say, the conservative party, one of its core kind of themes, one of its core kind of themes, one of its core strengths is supposed to be lower taxes, indeed. But you can only have lower tax if youve got lower government expenditure. Government expenditure. Othennise you have violently unbalanced budgets. And the reason truss fell wasnt the tiny cut in the top rate of tax or whatever it was because she decided to incur a huge new welfare cost in paying for peoples fuel, which was which could have been on a scale that actually dwarfed the payments for covid. Thats why the government , why her government government, why her government toppled and the markets reacted against it. So violently. You see, i think again, we need youre quite right. These are things that have just gone round and round and round in circles now , there are countries that now, there are countries that have done very extraordinary things. One of them is ireland, things. One of them is ireland, which has deliberately cut its s Corporation Tax to, what is it, 5 or 6, which attracts Huge International companies. Now, international companies. Now, the whole of the rest of the world, and particularly the eu, has ganged up on them saying, oh, we have to have a minimum charge of Corporation Taxes at 15 or whatever it is. Curiously our Corporation Tax is already the lowest, even at its high rate in the g7. If i were in hunts rate in the g7. If i were in hunts position, i would emulate ireland. Why should ireland get the benefit of speaking english when most of the time it spends its time hating england and we could then attract the all those Huge Companies like microsoft and whatever would be much happier having their bases in london and their own in dublin because of the tiny rate of corporation. The other reason theyre in dublin, of course, is because theyre in the eu. Theyre in an engush theyre in the eu. Theyre in an English Speaking country so that they can get all the americans and australians and all the engush and australians and all the English Speaking and theyre in the that thats the other the eu that thats the other reason. Equally we are the it but equally we are the it centre of europe. I mean the, centre of europe. I mean the, the astonishing creativity, you know, i go back and fonnards to kings cross, you just look at that area. Another place i go to that area. Another place i go to frequently is cambridge. And were not were not not playing to this strength by, by sensible fiscal measures. But but i think we need to play but but i think we need to play and i agree we need to play to that strength. And i mean, you know, lots and lots of italians actually came over because their tax system is so chaotic that theyd rather pay is now becoming so theyd rather pay is now becoming so theyd rather pay. This is is now becoming so theyd rather pay. This is according to my accountant theyd rather pay higher tax socialist with an we are over. A re over. Are over. Were having public exposure here i am a free lance. Somebody here i am a free lance. Somebody has. So richie has to have an accountant. No, no, no. But but but what . No, no, no. But but but what . He said is that these people come over and theyre tech. Theyre young tech people. And. And the italian system is so chaotic, theyd rather pay more tax. And actually know what theyre doing and then leave it to somebody else to do. But can we just were right about the techie stuff. But i just i mean, what worries me is, is its ill thought out and everything is ill thought out. I mean, particularly hung truss is ill thought out. Shes ill thought out. But i mean hunts, hunts just wants because theres a lot of my viewers that actually will sit there and say that her strategy was the right strategy all along. This growth, growth, growth, strategy all along. Thimocking. Growth, growth, strategy all along. Thimocking it. Owth, growth, youre mocking it. But what saying tax but what youre saying is tax cuts themselves. Do not cuts in themselves. Do not generate is this is generate growth. This is this is this simply seems to me to be a fundamental myth. You would have to rethink the entire tax system and i think theres another thing that that we that we really havent thought about, which is why why are we so obsessed with these with with listening to somebody like jeremy hunt, jeremy hunts speech was completely incoherent it on the one hand and flat and boring and said nearly flat and boring. But hes incoherent. He he increases what he increases the living wage that automatically knocks everybody elses wage up because of differentials. So on the one hand, theyre calling for pay restraint and on the other hand, theyre doing the thing which is guaranteed. It is incoherent and ill thought through. And of course , we should have and of course, we should have a simple tax system. And one of the things we should have is that gordon that earned income. And gordon brown earned income and unearned income should be the same. Instead of instead of having Capital Gains tax much lower than income. Than income. So theres another compressus i im sure that the court tax in ireland, i thought it was about 12. 5. Im sure eagle eyed viewers will get in touch and let me know. Either way. One of the things that jeremy hunt did say, and quote, that growth say, and i quote, that growth happens not from quick fixes, but from long term decisions into listing them because its been backwards and fonnards and a of messing around about a lot of messing around about to. Ill get into that in a sec hi there. Im Michelle Dewberry with you. Seven historian broadcaster David Starkey alongside me and the former labour adviser Scarlett Mccgwire. We were just talking about benefits and sickness a second ago, louise said. Michelle i work in one of the most deprived areas in liverpool and i can tell you and your viewers firsthand there lots viewers firsthand there are lots of there that can of people out there that can work they choose not to. Work and they choose not to. They a Mental Health card they play a Mental Health card and wrong because and its wrong because ultimately, she says, those people mental people that have genuine Mental Health get health issues, then get pressured into going into work. Pressured into going into work. Malcolm says. What a load of rubbish you are all talking about on your when youve about on your show. When youve got Serious Health got serious Mental Health problems, impossible to problems, it is impossible to work. He tells me about his brother thats had a serious Mental Health condition for 23 years, attempted his own years, has attempted his own life and is psychotic. Tic. I life and is psychotic. Tic. I think really, malcolm says here the reason the government are having a go at these people now is because these people are easy targets. The tories divide and conquer. What malcolm conquer. Thats what malcolm says. I think the says. And malcolm, i think the viewer there, louise, what shes saying lot of people will saying is a lot of people will perhaps will things like perhaps will use things like mental perhaps Mental Health when perhaps theyre not struggling as much as they perhaps say that they are and it is to the detriment, then people like malcolms brother that really are struggling because they struggling because then they come firing line for come in the firing line for these serious reforms. Anyway, these serious reforms. Anyway, keep your thoughts coming in here, its almost become here, too. Its almost become like the hokey cokey. Michael like the hokey cokey. Michael gove was asked about it. Lets gove was asked about it. Lets listen to what he had to say. I agree that weve been to london centric in the past and thats why we have a Long Term Plan for levelling up. So with lots of different. So you think that hs2 should go to manchester then . I think levelling up well, i think levelling up involves many things. Involves doing many more things. Give us position that. Involves doing many more things. Givishould position that. Involves doing many more things. Givishoulditposition that. Involves doing many more things. Givishould it go sition that. Involves doing many more things. Givishould it go tom that. Involves doing many more things. Givishould it go to manchester . Should it go to manchester . Should it go to manchester . Well, think we need to make well, i think we need to make sure that were getting absolute value for money. Oh, come on. You have an you must be able to have an opinion on whether should go opinion on whether it should go to manchester not. To manchester or not. I absolutely think the most important thing is making sure that up, we take that when we level up, we take into of the things into account all of the things that to do. So weve that we need to do. So weve shifted arts council funding, but should it go to Manchester Research and Development Funding . Well, were going to have funding . Well, were going to havshould it not . Should it not . Should it not . It should it have to will it should it have to look at every conceivable pound that we spend transport that we spend on transport in order we order to make sure that we get value for money . Not an answer to question whether to the question whether you think should manchester think it should go to manchester or. 01. Or. Right. Yeah. Did get right. Yeah. So did you get that . Are you any the wiser as to what do in and when it to what is to do in and when it comes to manchester now i dont know who thats leaking know who it is thats leaking this information that perhaps theyre the theyre going to scrap the manchester hs2. But manchester leg of hs2. But whoever within the tory whoever that is within the tory party, cannot process what party, i cannot process what they are thinking because surely they are thinking because surely they must realise that they are causing party immense harm causing their party immense harm , not least because theyre sitting in manchester, theyre having this conversation. But anyway, where do you stand on this manchester leg . This manchester leg . I think. I think its i think its appalling. I mean, were going to end up i, i was never in favour of hs2. Going to end up i, i was never in favour of hs2. Right. In favour of hs2. Right. I thought, actually, what much , thought, actually, what much, much better to spend an awful lot of money in the north on on connectivity between but from the from initially from the Labour Government wasnt it. It was andrew adonis. It was andrew adonis. But i can i can still disagree with the Labour Government. Rational. Hes rational. Ive been attacking the tory government most the programme i but what but what is incredible , right, is that they incredible, right, is that they say oh no, no, no, know its not this isnt london centric, this isnt this isnt london centric, this will be north now were going be the north and now were going to hs2 from birmingham to to have hs2 from birmingham to acton. I mean, how many billions are we to going spend from birmingham . Birmingham acton, about 45 billion. I mean, it is it is it is completely ridiculous. It is completely ridiculous. It is completely mad. But then, of course. Paul totally mad. But course. Paul totally mad. But paul johnson said that the whole thing of the institute of fiscal studies said that the whole thing made him weep. But the fundamental problem and as he said, the curse is the beginning of it. It was fundamental , of it. It was fundamental, misconceived from the beginning. And like most things that the Coalition Government inherited from new labour, they persisted with it and they made it worse. I mean, look at the things that are absurd. You deliberately choose not to follow the, as it were , the gash thats cut were, the gash thats cut through the country side by the existing western rail. The london and western railway. You decide to do what . To send it through an area of outstanding natural beauty. And you know what . Everybodys been saying. Why is it so expensive . Do you know . It goes through tunnels that are nine miles long that for in the whole of that journey from the romantic outskirts of london in acton to it doesnt even get into the middle of birmingham. It stops short of the centre of birmingham. So who would use it . Who is going to use. Who is going to use. Its grotesque, but lets continue agreeing because its such fun. You will actually see the sky for nine nine minutes of the sky for nine nine minutes of the journey. Now this is a piece of mismanagement by everybody. And remember , all political and remember, all Political Parties are broadly subscribed to this. The government has subscribed the Civil Service subscribed, the north have subscribed, the north have subscribed , and everybody. And subscribed, and everybody. And its a word i cannot use before the watershed. Do not do not use the watershed. Do not do not use is words that we cant use. No, im i am fully aware everybody has made a very bad error that even laurence fox couldnt describe properly. One of my viewers , john, he one of my viewers, john, he said if theyd have started hs2 in manchester down to birmingham, do you think at all theyd be having a conversation now about stopping it, reaching london . He says, i dont think so. You raise a really interesting point, john, because if this why didnt they . Why didnt they begin it in the north when it had been much easier and you wouldnt have been going through areas of outstanding beauty . Been going through areas of outyou ding beauty . Been going through areas of out you see, beauty . Been going through areas of outyou see, the beauty . Been going through areas of outyou see, the be really you see, the other really interesting areas. Interesting is beautiful areas. Yeah, but but but its a much simpler its a much simpler. Sorry. If you actually sorry. This is if you actually look in continental europe, first they a much first of all, they have a much less population less populated population density than we do, and youve got far more open, flat countryside and the other thing weve made, the terrible mistake of not following the example of hs1 with hs one, we learn from our mistakes. We move the terminal from waterloo to Saint Pancras and we got it right. And i use it every day. There you go. Robert no, jared says. Michelle why dont we just tarmac over the work thats been done so far for hs2 and turn it into a road . Lots of and turn it into a road . Lots of people talking about it. The out of control budget. I cant care. Of control budget. I cant care. How on earth is it so possible that these Massive Public sector projects seem to be going so wrong . Wrong . They do every time. They do every time. Every time. Whether its you could guarantee of an it system, whatever it is. Why are you a socialist . If the public if public projects always go wrong . Well, there you go. Look, there you go. That is all we have time for. But yeah, i will leave you to ponder that question if you care so much about levelling up, why did hs2 begin down south as opposed to the north . And yes, people will say, well, the Business Case didnt stack up. Michelle. That is argument i all the is the argument i hear all the time. Well, make it stack up. That your if youre that is your job. If youre passionate about levelling up. But now, look, scarlett, but for now, look, scarlett, david, for company. David, thanks for your company. Thanks. At as well. Thanks. You at home as well. Dont nigel farage. Dont go anywhere. Nigel farage. Up dont go anywhere. Nigel farage. Up ill see tomorrow up next. Ill see you tomorrow night. Night. Alex deakin. Night. Night. Is alex deakin. Night. Night. Is your alex deakin. Night. Night. Is your latest. Ex deakin. Night. Night. Is your latest weather n. This is your latest weather update office for update from the met office for gb news. Bright and breezy sums up tomorrow a bit of a grey start in the south and there will be some showers, particularly across the north and overnight some and the west. Overnight some pretty moving in. Pretty heavy rain moving in. A very one out there right very soggy one out there right now this area of low now thanks to this area of low pressure, some intense downpours, rumble downpours, even the odd rumble of thunder over the of thunder likely over the midlands and eastern parts of england next hours. England over the next few hours. Could indeed for could be very wet indeed for a time across parts norfolk, time across parts of norfolk, especially. But that all tends especially. But that all tends to scoot away through the early hours. Places will become hours. Many places will become dry, certainly across scotland and Northern Ireland. Some clear spells, chilly here spells, little chilly here down to figures, but staying to single figures, but staying quite mild across the south. Temperatures may stay in the teens in the capital, but quite a grey start to tuesday. Still some outbreaks of rain over the east east anglia and east midlands, east anglia and the south east potentially still around hour. Around for the rush hour. Gradually pulling away through the morning. Then brighter skies , scotland , showers for western scotland, parts of northern england, a few for and Northern Ireland for wales and Northern Ireland too. But much of the south and east having a largely dry afternoon, a fresher feel. Temperatures mostly the mid temperatures mostly in the mid teens at best. And similarly on wednesday, the winds a little lighter. On wednesday, much of central and Eastern England looking dry and bright, but more wet coming northern wet weather coming into northern scotland. Further south scotland. And then further south along west coast, that rain along the west coast, that rain could be quite heavy and could cause a little disruption in coming ireland cause a little disruption in comi|on ireland cause a little disruption in comi|on to ireland cause a little disruption in comi|on to further ireland cause a little disruption in comi|on to further south. And cause a little disruption in comi|on to further south. Most later on to further south. Most places dry theres help for households. Are you over state pension age . If your weekly income is below £201. 05, or £306. 85 if you live with a partner, you could be eligible for pension credit, even if you own your home or have savings. Its worth, on average, £3,500 a year, and you could get help with heating bills and more, plus cost of living payments. Well. Good evening. Im live here in manchester from the conservative Party Conference where it seemed to me what was happening off the main stage on the fringe was even more exciting than what happened on got a great line up on it. Ive got a great line up of guests. Ill be asking the question can the conservatives come back from this and win the next many of their next election . Many of their activists think its activists still think its possible myself. But possible not so sure myself. But before of that, lets before all of that, lets get the news Polly Middlehurst the news with Polly Middlehurst. At nigel. Thank you. Well, the top story tonight is that the Greater Manchester mayor has said axing the northern section of hs2 would be the desperate act of a dying government. That as a number 10 source told gb news that no decisions have as yet been taken. But andy burnham has called on the Prime Minister to end the shambles on hs2 and it follows increased speculation about the rail project future, with a number of government ministers calling for the project to be reviewed due to spiralling costs. The spiralling costs. The chancellor, jeremy hunt, said it shouldnt cost ten times more to build a railway in the uk than it does just across the channel in france. Well, the chancellor in france. Well, the chancellor announced plans to freeze the expansion of the Civil Service today and reduce its numbers to pre pandemic levels. During his speech at the conservative Party Conference in manchester, jeremy hunt said it would save the government £1 billion next year. Meanwhile, the chancellor announced tougher benefit