ready britain. here we go. get ready for socialism. next . get ready for socialism. next. >> patrick. thanks very much indeed. well, the top story this houn indeed. well, the top story this hour. geraint davies has announced he's standing down as announced he's standing down as a labour mp at the general election on the 4th of july. the swansea west mp is currently suspended from the labour party following allegations of sexual harassment, which he denies, and has been sitting as an independent. aren't. he said he's disappointed he hasn't yet had a labour party hearing or any opportunity to clear his name , and it's understood diane name, and it's understood diane abbott has had the labour whip restored today after previously having it removed . miss abbott having it removed. miss abbott was suspended from the party last year after suggesting jewish people do not face racism, and that instead they suffer prejudice similar to redheads. she's apologised for that comment and had remained sitting as an independent mp for more than a year while an investigation was carried out. miss abbott has been a labour mp since 1987. now pensioners could be for in a tax break collectively worth up to £24 billion a year as part of an election pledge by the conservative party. it could see tax free allowances rising, netting around £95 a year per pensioner. that rising to £275 by 2029. the prime minister says it will be funded by reclaiming money from those who deliberately evade tax . labour deliberately evade tax. labour described the plan as a desperate move, but rishi sunak said it's part of the government's strategy . government's strategy. >> what i believe is that if you work hard all your life, you should have dignity in retirement. that's why we've protected the triple lock, which is going up by £900 this year for pensioners. but today what we've announced is the triple lock. plus we're going to increase the personal allowance for pensioners delivering a tax cut worth around £100 to millions of pensioners, demonstrating our commitment to them, making sure that we can deliver a secure future for them. and in contrast, the labour party have said they oppose that policy, which means pensioners will be paying tax under any future labour government. and that's a clear choice on offer at this election i >> -- >> rishi sunak, meanwhile, the shadow chancellor, has told gb news that pensioners are in fact paying news that pensioners are in fact paying more tax because of rishi sunak's government. rachel reeves used her first major speech of the election campaign to spotlight the much criticised mini—budget of the former prime minister, liz truss, which she's blamed for costing homeowners around £240 more every month. speaking to gb news political editor christopher hope, miss reeves said wages remain flat and taxpayers are being asked to pay and taxpayers are being asked to pay more for less. >> everything that i put forward will be fully costed and fully funded because i will never play fast and loose with the public finances because when you do so, you put family finances and pensioners finances in peril and the conservatives are now adding bauble after bauble to the christmas tree without any idea of how they're going to fund these new commitments. yesterday they said they were going to use this money to create national service scheme. today they're saying they'll use the same pot of money to give a tax break for pensioners. well, the reason that pensioners are paying more tax today is because of decisions by this conservative prime minister rachel reeves . prime minister rachel reeves. >> lastly, the deputy labour leader has accused the conservatives of desperate tactics after greater manchester police said it will take no further action in its investigation into the sale of her council house back in 2015, angela rayner had been closely scrutinised over whether or not she'd paid the right amount of tax on the sale of that house, after there were conflicting stories over whether or not it had been her principal residence. well in a statement released this afternoon, police clarified that matters involving council tax, they said, don't fall under our jurisdiction. those are the top stories. for the very latest, you sign up to gb news alerts, scan that qr code on your screen or go to gb news .com/ alerts . news .com/ alerts. >> the general election campaign is really spicing up now. sir keir starmer has spent the last couple of years trying to reassure everybody that labour isn't a risk . isn't a risk. >> i've changed my party, we've changed our party, i've changed this party. this is a changed labour party. we're a changed party. >> and then yesterday he let this slip . this slip. >> yes, i would describe myself as a socialist. i describe myself as a progressive. i'd describe myself as somebody who always puts the country first and party second. >> well, there appear to be an immediate attempt to row back on the first bit of what he said there, describing himself as a socialist, shadow chancellor rachel reeves said this i've always called myself a social democrat and what i mean by that is that i believe that children from whatever background they come from, should get an equal start in life to the opportunities that our country offers. >> i believe in strong public services to support people all through their lives , from the through their lives, from the cradle to the grave. and i believe that work should always pay believe that work should always pay and offer security to people . so that's how i would describe myself. >> but if sir keir starmer is to be believed, i.e. he is a socialist and if he was elected, britain would presumably become a socialist country, then the big question has to be this does britain really want socialism? do we want to be a socialist country ? the polls appear to country? the polls appear to suggest yes, we do. most of the latest polling data puts labour 23 points ahead. but what might socialism look like under labour? well, labour has just been endorsed by 121 business bosses, which is a massive boost for them. if businesses don't fear socialist starmer then that's good for labour. i will just caveat that slightly by saying that they've had to retract some of those in the last couple of hours, but still the majority of that still stands. but there is a fear that sir keir starmer would be in the pocket of the unions. one of labour's biggest union donors, unite said labour's plans for workers rights had more holes than a swiss cheese. what does that mean going forward? what would strike action look like ? would strike action look like? there is the other potential concern that modern british socialism means being aggressively pro—palestine. these socialist workers party is all over these palestine marches. keir starmer has said that he wants to recognise palestine as a state and there's this clip of deputy leader angela rayner appearing to grovel to a room full of pro—palestine men. >> i know that people are angry about what's happening in the middle east and i said live on tv and i say to this day, if me resigning as an mp now would bnng resigning as an mp now would bring a ceasefire, no , i would bring a ceasefire, no, i would do it. i would do it. this comes alongside arguably labour's most socialist policy the vat hike on private schools. >> there are calls for them to u—turn after a survey today claimed around 224,000 private pupils could leave as a result of the plans double the previous estimate . what impact will that estimate. what impact will that have on state schools? so the question still stands, doesn't it? does britain want to be a socialist country ? let's get the socialist country? let's get the thoughts of my panel this evening. i am, of course, joined by columnist and broadcaster esther krakow. i have got journalist jonathan lewis and conservative commentator albie amankona albie. i'll start with you. does britain want to be socialist? >> no, i will say that as a resounding no . resounding no. >> at every opportunity that the british public have had the opportunity to vote in a socialist leader or someone even close to socialism. let's take, let's take jeremy corbyn, for example, back in 2019 and in 2017, britain has said no . i 2017, britain has said no. i think it's curious that keir starmer has come out today or yesterday , whenever it was and yesterday, whenever it was and said i am a socialist, i think we should believe in one, he says. he's a socialist. my grandmother always tells me when someone shows you who they are, believe them. so beware britain. starmer is a socialist. don't vote him in jonathan. >> i mean , alby's got a point, >> i mean, alby's got a point, hasn't he? we have never really been a socialist country. do we really want to be now? >> well , i'm really want to be now? >> well, i'm not sure that's true, actually. if you look at the 1945 to 51 attlee government that brought in a welfare state, vast nationalisation of major pubuc vast nationalisation of major public services under a monarchy, under a very conservative, small c conservative, small c conservative establishment. it's not true that we've never had socialism. how long ago was that? well, i mean, you just i just asked a question. i answered it, and you could say that a lot of the policies in the 1970s under harold wilson were also socialist. look, i'll buy you. and i have no idea what the people of britain want. we'll all find out in five weeks time. then we'll find out what the british people want. so that's the that's our answer to that's the that's our answer to that question definitively. but i would say that the labour party says in its kind of book it is a democratic socialist party. so i don't think we should read too much into it. starmer is not saying he's a marxist leninist. we're not going to have a communist revolution. and the labour offering is pretty centrist in what it's actually giving. >> so why say it? >> so why say it? >> because he's because he was asked a question. and there is a socialism means different things to different people. it's the problem that's no one can agree on what it means. >> that's the problem. >> that's the problem. >> a lot of people understand it. look, a lot of people understand socialism to be what rachel reeves just explained in that clip about about being a social democrat. other people will say it's more like marxism. >> that's not what i'll bring you into this. i think the big fear for a lot of people, not everybody, but for a lot of people, is that keir starmer will say whatever it takes to get elected and upon election we will have the destruction of private schools, possibly due to the politics of envy. we will have votes for kids who might be in the back pocket of the unions. they're not happy with him. what does he do if strike action starts ripping through the country, for example, are you concerned about that? >> well, i'm not necessarily concerned about that because particularly on the socialism point, we have had socialism. the problem is we've had socialism with no economic growth. so the pie that we're supposed to be sharing and redistributing has got smaller and smaller. we have french style welfare spending without any economic growth to back it up.and any economic growth to back it up. and so this whole idea of taxing schools, for instance, you know, what socialist do you know, that actually wants to tax education that doesn't exist in more left leaning countries across europe? it's education. well, no, but it is. but it is because the reason why we don't have vat on essential goods is because they're essential goods. you cannot argue that education is not an essential education. it's actually no, but hold on. but there is a reason for that. a lot of people, a lot of working class people actually got better opportunities in this country after the destruction of grammar schools, because they got bursaries to go to private schools. he hasn't acknowledged that anyway, even though that's what that was. his background as well. so the point here is it's not about being scared of whether he's a socialist or not. it's just being scared about the fact that things are going to continue as they are, which has been effectively socialism with no economic growth. >> i would i wouldn't describe anything that this conservative government has done as being socialist. it puts on the vat point. this is about removing an unfair tax break and it's unfair. well, it is unfair. it is unfair that that private schools should have advantage that other people. would it not? >> would it not be unfair to dump private schools, quarter of a million children into the state sector without any more schools? >> well, that well that that report that you're citing, i think has actually had a lot of i think i was reading that it was kind of bankrolled or part of it. it was partly responsible by an organisation that we do have some real world. >> yes, but we do have some real world data. can i just make this point, which is that apparently 3000 fewer pupils, sorry, 30,000 fewer pupils went to private school this year as a result of that fear. >> and that we can argue we can argue about the numbers. fine. but do you acknowledge that by virtue of fees going up by 20, there will be people that will no longer be able to go to fee paying no longer be able to go to fee paying schools? do you acknowledge that no matter the numbers, do you acknowledge that? >> i think it really depends on hold on, but but no, no. >> if anything goes up by 20, it will really depend. >> no, it will really depend on whether schools. >> but that's that's basic economic of schools won't becomes more expensive. fewer people can afford. >> all schools are going to pass that on. >> will pass it on a lot of balls. a lot of schools scholarship, a lot of schools will a lot of people like me who have been able to go to a private school without a scholarship or a bursary to go to a private school, do you accept that parents who send their children to private schools are relieving the taxpayer, because actually they are opening up places for children who can't afford point? >> they're they're paying for a service they themselves are not using. why should they have to pay using. why should they have to pay for that? >> all right, jonathan, they're not using state education. >> why should they have to then pay >> why should they have to then pay saying why should everyone pay pay saying why should everyone pay tax. everyone. well if you're if you're a childless person , you might have person, you might have reservations about paying for all the other things. i mean, the whole welfare state, the principle of the country is that everyone pays into something. >> everyone gets something out of it. i mean, i don't think that that's that's basically that's how the social that's how the social contract is meant to work. i agree with you. the social contract is not working very well at the moment. >> so do you. do you think i'll go down the line on this? but do you think the country should fear keir starmer? >> yes, because a lot of the time you will hear people say conservatives are less scared of keir starmer because he's not a socialist . keir starmer because he's not a socialist. he's just told us he is a socialist. so this whole centrist dad that he's put across is a lie. >> jonathan, i don't believe that i'll be believed that it's not about language , it's about not about language, it's about deeds. i would love starmer to be a socialist. i've been a people on the left have actually been mostly disappointed that he's rowed back on most of the pledges he gave the labour leadership. for example, in 2020. i think he needs to be a lot more progressive at the moment. i'm you know, i'll be criticising the government from the left. what he calls himself is neither here nor there. >> okay. esther, do you do you think there are aspects that we should fear when it comes to a labour government? i mean, they do. there does appear to be this this slightly bizarre link at the moment as well, between, you know, socialism and also being quite rabidly pro—palestine, for example, appeasing certain communities is. >> no, because there can't be any worse than what we've got now. i mean, the tories have no now. i mean, the tories have no no leg to stand on. you can say, oh, you should fear keir starmer. you've been terrible. like, what are we, what do we more of the same. how is that we've already experienced it. so how could it be much worse. well doesit how could it be much worse. well does it mean to be rabidly y rabidly pro—palestine? >> well, i would say that, being sitting in front of a group, i mean, like that, i mean, rabid is quite a charged word, isn't it? >> like you've got rabies. i mean, that's it's i would argue that some of the behaviour that we have seen on the streets of london and elsewhere in this country for a considerable penod country for a considerable period of time has been rabid. >> yes. >> yes. >> well, how is how is labour showing exhibited any kind of. >> well, some labour mps have marched alongside that and have spoken at those events. we've also seen, you know, the fact that labour, for example, has been quite willing, i would argue, to pander to some of those people by saying that israel should withdraw water and electricity from the palestinians , or, for example, palestinians, or, for example, the candidate that labour stood in rochdale that actually said that he was disavowed was was a conspiracy disavowed by the conspiracy disavowed by the conspiracy theory . yeah, but you conspiracy theory. yeah, but you still stood him. >> well, no, they didn't stand in the whole. they didn't stand him. he was he he was kicked off the ballot paper. he was kicked off the labour, the labour whip before he was. that's why he wasn't elected. that's why galloway got in. i don't think that you could argue that labour has been too pro—palestinian. quite the reverse. >> okay. all right. i i wonder whether or not people make their own minds up about that clip of angela rayner in a room full of blokes there, you know, kind of kowtowing to them might have a different view, but obviously you're entitled to yours now, talking of giving things away for free at £20,000 has to be won in our great british giveaway. and don't miss out. yes, that's right, as the lie—ins are going to close this friday, here's all the details you need for your chance to win that cash. >> it's the final week to see how you can win a whopping £20,000 cash. you could use that cash to splash out on a holiday. make the garden glam, buy a new car , or just save it for a rainy car, or just save it for a rainy day. whatever you'd spend £20,000 on, make sure you don't miss the chance to make it yours. hurry as lines close on friday for another chance to win £20,000 in tax free cash. text win to 63232. text cost £2 plus one standard network rate message or post your name and number two gb05, po box 8690. derby dh1 nine two, uk only entrants must be 18 or over. lines closed at 5 pm. on the sist lines closed at 5 pm. on the 31st of may. full terms and privacy notice at gbnews.com/win please check the closing time if listening or watching on demand. good luck. >> right. coming up, the first pole of the election campaign penod pole of the election campaign period has landed . is it good period has landed. is it good news for the tories? has labour lost any ground? top pollster and co—founder of jl polling partners, doctor tom lubbock , partners, doctor tom lubbock, crunches the numbers for us shortly. plus, lib dem leader ed davey's finally making a splash in this election . down more on in this election. down more on his upstream battles to win over some voters shortly . but up some voters shortly. but up next, rishi sunak
Related Keywords