Good afternoon. Its 3 01. Our top stories this hour. Donald trump has arrived at a court in new york where hes due to stand trial in a civil fraud case. Now, we should be able to see pictures coming to us live from manhattan where the former us president is accused of inflating the value of his assets by billions of dollars to secure better loan and insurance terms. And for those of you watching on television, we can see live footage there of donald trump speaking outside the civil court in new york city. Now, of course, this comes a week after the judge found that mr trump was liable fraud will was liable for fraud and will largely concern the penalties that he must face. Now, the prosecutor is seeking 250 million fines and a permanent million in fines and a permanent ban against trump from running businesses in new york. Well bnng businesses in new york. Well bring you more on this story as we get in. Well, a government source has told gb news that no decisions have been taken on hs2 following reports that the manchester leg has been axed. It follows increased speculation about the rail projects future, with a number of government ministers calling for the project to be reviewed due to spiralling costs. The chancellor spiralling costs. The chancellor says it shouldnt cost ten times more to build a railway in the uk than just across the channel in france. The Second Police in france. The Second Police force is investigating allegations against the comedian Russell Brand. In a statement at Thames Valley, police said its received new information relating to harassment and stalking allegations dating back to 2018. They added that it would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing investigation. It follows investigation. It follows a joint investigation by the sunday times and channel 4. Russell brand denies us all accusations of criminal city. The chancellor has announced plans to freeze the expansion of the Civil Service and reduce its numbers to pre pandemic levels dunng numbers to pre pandemic levels during his speech at the conservative Party Conference, jeremy hunt said it would save the government £1 billion next yean 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 per hour. We promised in our manifesto to raise the National Living wage to two thirds of Median Income , to two thirds of Median Income, ending low pay in this country. At the moment, its £10. 42 an hour and were waiting for the low Pay Commission to tell us next years recommendation. But 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 two 2 million workers. Well, liz truss has called on the chancellor to cut Corporation Tax back to 19 in his next autumn statement. Speaking at a fringe rally, the former Prime Minister urged the tory leadership to axe the tax cut bills and build homes. Her comments come after jeremy hunt told gb news that no substantial 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. To be milked. We need to unleash business across britain. We need people across britain. We need people to want to invest in our country. We need businesses to be able to expand, to grow , to be able to expand, to grow, to create new jobs, to create new ideas. Create new jobs, to create new ideas. Thats why im calling 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 Junior Doctors and consultants in england have started a three day walkout, the longest ever period of joint strike action until thursday at 7 am. Theyll deliver whats been described as Christmas Day levels of staffing. Their last joint strike in september led to almost 130,000 appointments being rescheduled. Appointments being rescheduled. Government says the walkout is doing a massive disservice to patients. These doctors told us patients. These doctors told us why theyve walked until and unless there is a credible pay offer , it will mean that doctors offer, it will mean that doctors offer, it will mean that doctors of all grades, but especially senior doctors, will continue to leave the country for more other places, and the nhs will continue to suffer. We are not planning for the future. There is going to be no staffing nhs. Theres staffing in the nhs. Theres going in the future going to be no nhs in the future if we dont fight for our pay. If we dont fight for our pay. So this isnt really necessarily a fight about individual consultant say were consultant papers say were actually for very actually fighting for the very future nhs and finally gb future of the nhs and finally gb news can reveal that more than 25,000 migrants have crossed the engush 25,000 migrants have crossed the English Channel so far this year i around 350 migrants in up to eight boats were intercepted by Border Force Vessels and brought ashore to dover harbour this morning. On. Saturday, 537 morning. On. Saturday, 537 people crossed in nine small boats. Thats according to official figures released by the home office this is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on Digital Radio, and on your Smart Speaker. By saying play gb news now lets get back to. Patrick welcome along to conservative Party Conference 2023 with me Patrick Christys. Now theres Patrick Christys. Now theres only one place to start and that is the future or potential lack of hs2. A senior government source has told gb news that no decision has been made about whether the northern leg of hs2 should be scrapped. But after a week of speculation, it is now being reported that rishi sunak has decided to ditch the high speed rail link between manchester and birmingham, where are we . Manchester . Yes not particularly. Great. Look, im joined in the studio by the wonderful liam halligan. Of course, our economics and business editor. Ive got Christopher Hope , whos our Christopher Hope, whos our political and got Political Editor, and ive got the , lee anderson of the man himself, lee anderson of our parish, but also, of course, the deputy chair of the tory party. Now, can you just fill us in, first, where in, christopher, first, where are are whats are we actually are so whats the . The latest then . The latest is that there are widespread reports they widespread reports that they have between have access leg between manchester have access leg between mancheste key. That was the leg thats the key. That was the leg which currently hs2 is. This high link goes from high speed link goes from birmingham to Old Oak Common about five miles outside london. And it. And there have and thats it. And there have been lots of speculation and indeed this morning the chancellor theres chancellor said to us theres been no actual decision decision yet. Made soon. Yet. It would be made soon. Were the government were told by the government that has made that no decision has been made yet, think looks yet, but we do think it looks mood music here is increasingly likely yeah, my likely has been axed. Yeah, my colleague Catherine Forster heard senior heard that from a senior colleague. I how it looks colleague. I think how it looks a helicopter if stand a helicopter, if you stand back on looks dreadful for on this, it looks dreadful for the governments levelling up agenda. Were here in manchester. All the money was spent on tunnelling underground in south england. They in the south of england. They cant to cant even link birmingham to manchester with this fast train. Leigh. Well, there we go, leigh. Does emerge, as is if it does emerge, as is becoming increasingly expected, that that that they will announce that theyve leg, how theyve scrapped that leg, how would that . Would you feel about that . Well, lets be honest, patrick, no decision made yet. Its a bit speculation so its a bit of speculation at the moment chopper. At the moment from chopper. But, you a decision you know, people want a decision thats the most important thing. Nay they want a yay or nay on this, because im out and this, because when im out and aboutin this, because when im out and about in my constituency and youre people here, youre talking to people here, members whatever members and activists, whatever you come up you it doesnt really come up that honest. You it doesnt really come up that hs2, honest. You it doesnt really come up that hs2, it honest. You it doesnt really come up that hs2, it produces jobs yes. Hs2, it produces jobs and employment and training and opportunities. Here, though , we are in a here, though, we are in a bubble. Youre in a bubble. Bubble. Youre in a bubble. Youre in youre in a bubble. Youre in a bubble in this place, patrick. But in but actually on the doorstep in manchester, mean manchester, i dontjust mean conservative conference in manchester in the places where this supposed to. This thing was supposed to. Realise, patrick, this thing was supposed to. Whole realise, patrick, this thing was supposed to. Whole countryalise, patrick, this thing was supposed to. Whole country hase, patrick, this thing was supposed to. Whole country has got trick, this thing was supposed to. Whole country has got to k, this thing was supposed to. Whole country has got to pay the whole country has got to pay for this. Every single the every single taxpayer in the uk for this uk has got to pay for this project and its spiralling out of control. Now. Now. Im easy with it goes im easy with it if it goes ahead, support they ahead, ill support it. If they scrap that scrap it, ill support that either need either way. But we need a decision and we need it very, very because like say, very soon because like i say, the are out of control. So you do no so you really do have no strong feelings either way as to whether or not hs2 is scrapped. You know , should be levelling up you know, should be levelling up when it was proposed to come to ashfield, it and i ashfield, i opposed it and i opposed it with Boris Johnson at the time. He it the time. He thetime. he he scrapped it and its no longer coming through ashfield. Delighted are my constituents. Its as simple as that. Its as simple as that. Proxy scrutiny face up though. Wonder why you though. I wonder why you delightedly this is delightedly i mean this this is a spent £100 a project which has spent £100 billion it going billion upwards on it going to cost billion upwards on it going to cos you billion upwards on it going to cosyou know, billion upwards on it going to cos you know, you cant you billion upwards on it going to cosyou know, you cant you cant you know, you cant you cant see a bigger White Elephant that almost is a complete, you know, an insult to your governments legacy on on levelling up by not linking manchester, birmingham and tunnelling under the south to save the views of people in the south. You go out in the streets of Ashfield Nottinghamshire in you go out in the streets of ash midlands nottinghamshire in you go out in the streets of ash midlands notti ask amshire in you go out in the streets of ash midlands notti ask them re in you go out in the streets of ash midlands nottiask them about the midlands and ask them about levelling up and theyll say sort sort our sort our roads out, sort our scores hospitals scores out, sort our hospitals out. Say build out. They wont say build another hs2, another railway chord, hs2, thatll of their agenda. All right, liam, ill bring you this. Economics you in on this. Now, economics and editor. It and business editor. Does it make Financial Sense to plough ahead with hs2 or to scrap the thing to manchester . Well, weve already spent about £30 billion on london to birmingham leg on the london to birmingham leg as as chopper just said, the euston gateway, sort of like karthik , like station in central london. Thats been put on hold. So for now, it seems hs2 is going to terminate at Old Oak Common, which is in west london, the suburb of acton. Um, and then suburb of acton. Um, and then youve got to get on the tube to get to central london, which will take longer than the conventional train from birmingham to look, if birmingham to london. Look, if we just do to birmingham we just do london to birmingham , hs2 will be a complete White Elephant. Already have two elephant. We already have two Railway Lines from london to birmingham , euston, street birmingham, euston, new street and marylebone into snow hill. These are decent. Railways. Just these are decent. Railways. Just take 20 minutes off that journey. Makes no sense if its costing you tens of billions of pounds, chop up one sack. Sorry , liam. Sorry. Sorry, liam. Sorry. Sorry, liam. Sorry. Got a statement here. Ive got a statement here. Statement from number 10. Statement here from number 10. Just inbox. These statement here from number 10. Just are inbox. These statement here from number 10. Just are inaccurate box. These statement here from number 10. Just are inaccurate. Ox. These statement here from number 10. Just are inaccurate. No these statement here from number 10. Just are inaccurate. No final reports are inaccurate. No final decisions have been taken on phase two of hs2. Now, thats where this morning. But where we were. This morning. But a people are saying we a lot of people are saying we are hearing other people, are hearing from other people, other telling other ministers are telling people been axed. So people that it has been axed. So it is not clear right now. Is inevitable, though, it is not clear right now. Numbertable, though, it is not clear right now. Numbertable, goingl, it is not clear right now. Numbertable, going to say that number 10 are going to say that number 10 are going to say that dont to that because they dont want to knock and knock the chancellor and his freeze the civil and freeze on the Civil Service and his raising the midland his raising of the midland minimum wage, even though business that. Minimum wage, even though bus buts that. Minimum wage, even though bus but thats that. Minimum wage, even though bus but thats happened. But thats now happened. His speech the speech has happened off the front pages of the front. They want want to try they want they want to try and the news. They want they want to try and were the news. They want they want to try and were all the news. They want they want to try and were all hearinge news. They want they want to try and were all hearing fromvs. Now were all hearing from different within different sources within government, upset government, people who are upset that has been scrapped. That hs2 has been scrapped. Were hearing that the were all hearing that the decision has actually been made. Look london to look if we just do london to birmingham, its a White Elephant. Lees right. Birmingham, its a White Elephant. Lees right. I elephant. I think lees right. I mean, made a lot of mean, what ive made a lot of documentaries in the past about hs2 people the north of hs2. People want in the north of england, Trans Pennine england, they want Trans Pennine routes, buses , routes, they want better buses, they they they want better roads. They dont a high rail dont want a high speed rail line goes through all the line that goes through all the northern towns and doesnt stop. Thats the problem it. Thats the problem with it. And speed rail, it and high speed rail, it generally brings more generally just brings more business to the capital. Thats what of france what the experience of france and spain show. Government look, so the government thats coming and saying thats coming out and saying this of nonsense. What this is a load of nonsense. What were told the were being told behind the scenes here that and read scenes here that go and read that statement quickly. It that statement again quickly. It says number Spokesman Says here, number 10 Spokesman Says here, number 10 Spokesman Says issue says very rare they ever issue statement things. Statement on these things. These are inaccurate, these reports are inaccurate, not inaccurate. Lets not wrong, but inaccurate. Lets wait see. No final decisions wait and see. No final decisions have phase two of have been taken on phase two of hs2. What that might mean is that he might announce his that he might announce in his speech the pm tomorrow theyre going the going to put more money into the link hull, manchester link between hull, manchester and liverpool. That could be what theyre doing. They add bits hs2. All right, come bits of hs2. All right, come on. Well, you know what, patrick . Well, you know what, patrick . My community what i want in my community and north the and across the north and in the midlands is for little old lady to a bus in to be able to get on a bus in one to to next village. I want little old i dont want that little old lady sat there looking through her window and her living room window and seeing a train going by at 120 mile hour, train she mile an hour, a train that she can never get on ever in her life. Thats what i want. Better local business want local business may want Something Else. Local business may want son