Transcripts For GBN The 20240703

Proud you make our girls in me every single day. Every single day. Conference. Thank you for letting me gatecrash to tell you, to tell you a little bit more about the rishi that i know and the rishi that i hope most people will come to understand. People will come to understand. Now. It gives me the greatest pleasure to introduce you to a wonderful, wonderful father , my wonderful, wonderful father, my best friend and your Prime Minister, rishi sunak. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Conference. Thank thank you. Conference. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, you. Thank you. Thank you, everyone. Thank you. Thank you everyone. Thank you. Thank you for that introduction. And thank you for always being there for me. My wife, truly the best long term decision for a Brighter Future i ever made. Ive been future i ever made. Ive been blessed in my life. I have a wonderful wife and two daughters who make me proud every single day. And i was also lucky enough to grow up in the most loving of homes. My dad was a gp and my homes. My dad was a gp and my mum, a pharmacist. Homes. My dad was a gp and my mum, a pharmacist. You did need mum, a pharmacist. You did need a small mention of last summer. I know now in so many ways i wouldnt be standing here before you today without them. My mum and dad were and are my inspiration. Thank you, mum. Inspiration. Thank you, mum. Thank you, dad. Thank you, dad. Like so many of us in this hall, they understood the importance of community and made sure that i did too. They didnt believe community was some extension of government. Rather, they government. Rather, they understood community is sustained by individuals , by sustained by individuals, by those who look out for their neighbour, treat others as they would like to be treated. They would like to be treated. They understood the fundamental importance of service. It was importance of service. It was seeing the difference that they made to peoples lives that made me want to go into politics. Its now my mother set up her own pharmacy. It was a proper own pharmacy. It was a proper family business. We all chipped in as a teenager. I helped deliver prescriptions and do the booksi deliver prescriptions and do the books i learnt there. The importance of being able to meet your commitments and make good on your promises. Your commitments and make good on your promises. And my parents on your promises. And my parents are long retired now, but the sunak pharmacy left me with a lasting respect for every small family business. This conservative party, the party of the grocers daughter and the pharmacist son will always be the party of enterprise, the party of small. Party of small. Business ive been Prime Minister for almost a year now and we have done good things in that time. Weve made progress on our five priorities to halve inflation and grow the economy, reduce acas debt, cut waiting lists and to stop the boats. But today to stop the boats. But today i want to share with you my reflections on what i have seen and what i have learnt. Doing this job i have seen up close the quality of our armed forces and our intelligence services. Truly, the finest in the. Truly, the finest in the. World the debt of gratitude we owe them is why we are making this them is why we are making this the best place to be. A veteran. And i know we will deliver because we have a minister for veteran affairs is sitting in cabinet. Johnny served in afghanistan. This is personal afghanistan. This is personal for him. He stood with his for him. He stood with his fellow soldiers in battle and now he is ensuring that it is this conservative government making our country fit for our heroes. Heroes. Weve backed our military with record investment , working with record investment, working with ben, a great defence secretary , ben, a great defence secretary, we put the defence budget on a sustainable footing and now grant will ensure that our advanced aukus submarine alliance with australia and the United States keeps the world safe for decades to come and creates jobs here at home. And through our leading role in nato , we remain the bulwark of European Security , all testament European Security, all testament to this countrys global reach and influence and our determination to take long term decisions in the national interest. By contrast , just interest. By contrast, just remember that not once but twice , labour tried to make a man , labour tried to make a man, Prime Minister, who didnt believe in nato, who would have surrendered our Nuclear Deterrent , and who blamed deterrent, and who blamed britain for every problem. Sir keir starmer might want us to forget about his repeated support for jeremy corbyn, but we never will. You can never trust labour with our country security. Im proud to say weve security. Im proud to say weve also led the world in providing support to ukraine. We were the first country to send western battle tanks to kyiv. Now more than ten others have followed. Than ten others have followed. We were the first country to send long range weapons to kyiv. Now france and the United States have followed. We were the first country to agree to train ukrainian pilots. Now more than a dozen others have followed. A dozen others have followed. And i say this to our allies, if we give president zelenskyy the tools, the ukraine nations will finish the job. Slava ukraini. Finish the job. Slava ukraini. Doing this job i meet and talk to inspirational men and women across our country. You see that our most potent strength, our most powerful resource, our greatest hope is our people. But greatest hope is our people. But what ive learnt is that there is an undeniable sense that politics just doesnt work the way it should. The feeling that way it should. The feeling that westminster is a broken system and the same goes for holyrood cardiff bay and stormont. It is an anger , its an exhaustion an anger, its an exhaustion with politics in particular our politicians saying things and then nothing ever changing. And then nothing ever changing. And you know what . People are right. Politics doesnt work the way it should. Weve had 30 years of a political system which incentivises the easy decision, not the right one third 30 years of vested interests standing in the way of change. 30 years of rhetorical ambition which achieves little more than a short term headline. And why . Short term headline. And why . Because our political system is too focussed on short term advantage, not long term success. Politicians spent more time campaigning for change than actually delivering it. It actually delivering it. It doesnt have to be this way. I wont be this way. Conference is. Our mission is to fund mentally change our country. We mentally change our country. We. Now. The labour party, have. Now. The labour party, have set out their stall to do and say as little as possible and hopes no one notices as they want to take peoples votes for granted. And keep doing politics the same old way. Its a bet on the same old way. Its a bet on peoples apathy. It doesnt speak to any higher purpose or Brighter Future. It is about power for the sake of power. It power for the sake of power. It is, in short, everything that is wrong with our politics. So if this country is to change, then it can only be us who will deliver it. Because if we do not, our growth will be stunted. More places will be left behind , and ever more of our behind, and ever more of our time will be spent debating the side issues and symptoms rather than the deeper, more structural challenges we face. We wont allow this to happen. So where allow this to happen. So where a consensusis allow this to happen. So where a consensus is false, we will challenge it. Where a vested interest is placing itself above the needs of the people, we will stop it. And where common sense is under attack from an organised assault, we will defend it. Defend it. Today today i will set out how we will achieve this, beginning with a set of long term decision lines to build a Brighter Future for our children and to fund mentally change our country and conference. You can already see my approach in the course i charted on net zero and we conservatives love our Natural World and we are determined to be good stewards of it. In my own constituency, it is the beauty of the North York Moors and swaledale and wensleydale that makes the place home. We conservatives also value frankness , choice and consent, frankness, choice and consent, and we leave that we believe that politicians have a duty to treat Household Budgets with respect , and that treat Household Budgets with respect, and that change only endures if we bring people with us. As you could tell by the reaction to my decision to chart a new course to net zero, it was not the easiest argument to have. But when i looked at the reality of what people were being asked to do, the thousands of pounds people would need to pay, of pounds people would need to pay, all of that disproportionately falling on the poorest in society, by the way, and all of it not actually necessary in those timeframes to meet our net zero targets. And in spite of us doing more than any other country, i concluded its simply wasnt right. So i decided to take a pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach to reaching net zero. And i wont take any lectures from other countries that have done far less than us or for those or from those for whom spending thousands of pounds means nothing. Change is means nothing. Change is difficult , particularly means nothing. Change is difficult, particularly for those who disagree. But remember this we will still meet our international obligations. We will still meet our domestic targets , and we will still get targets, and we will still get to net zero by 2050. We have solved a problem and offered an unapologetic defence of good conservative common sense. Conservative common sense. So as much to the country i make this promise to all of you in this promise to all of you in this hall as i did last summer. I will tell it as it is. I will i will tell it as it is. I will lead in a different way because thatis lead in a different way because that is the only way to create the sort of change in our politics and in our country that we all desperately want to see. Now, i came into office in difficult circumstances and i dont want to waste time debating the past because what matters is the future. The facts are the facts. You cant borrow are the facts. You cant borrow your way out of inflation, ian. And if we want fundamental change in our country, we need a Strong Economy as a foundation. Strong economy as a foundation. Thatis Strong Economy as a foundation. That is why halving inflation was the first and most important of the five priorities i set out at the start of the year. Every thing we want to achieve requires getting inflation under control. Inflation is the control. Inflation is the biggest destroyer of all of industry , of jobs, of savings, industry, of jobs, of savings, and of society. No policy which puts at risk the defeat of inflation, no matter its short term attraction, can be right not my words, but those of Margaret Thatcher as true now as they were then. They were then. I know you want tax cuts. I want them too. And we will deliver them. But the best tax cut we can give people right now is to halve inflation and ease the cost of living. Cost of living. And with inflation under control , our Debt Reduction will become easier. And as debt falls, confidence grows and as confidence grows and as confidence grows, so too will our economy. We need our economy our economy. We need our economy to grow faster and for people across the country to feel the benefits of that. Like other western economies , we havent western economies, we havent grown quickly enough in recent years. But dont let labour and the others talk down our nation. We now know that we have had one of the fastest recoveries from the pandemic of any major economy in europe. Economy in europe. Since leaving the single market. Weve grown faster than france and germany , not despite brexit, and germany, not despite brexit, because of. Because of. Brexit we have the largest life sciences, Financial Services, creative and tech sectors in all of europe and we have near record numbers of people with the security that a job provides and if we want to keep growing, we have to create the conditions in which business is can drive growth. And thats exactly what were doing. We exactly what were doing. We still have the Lowest Corporation Tax rate in the g7. Corporation tax rate in the g7. And thanks to the chancellors business tax cuts, we are the best place to invest in the machinery and equipment that your Business Needs to grow. Your Business Needs to grow. More innovation drives growth in a modern economy. So we also a modern economy. So we also have the most generous tax regime for research and development in the g7 and our brexit freedoms make us ever more competitive from Financial Services to Clinical Trials to agriculture, we are creating a more agile regulatory system , more agile regulatory system, freeing up businesses to drive the growth our country needs. The growth our country needs. The fact we control our own trade policy now is why we can be the first european country to join the £11 trillion pacific trade pack. Lynn leading us to the Fastest Growing region in the Fastest Growing region in the world and opening up new markets for our farmers and Great British products. We have Great British products. We have new freeports from the firth of forth to the solent ensuring the benefits of trade and investment are spread across our country. And thank you , kemi, for cutting and thank you, kemi, for cutting away brussels red tape and saving Small Businesses. £1 billion a year. Brexit was more than a vote to leave the eu. It was a vote to leave the eu. It was a vote to change to become something more. It was a statement of our belief that britain could begin a new story, one which reached all parts of our country and everyone in it. We must keep everyone in it. We must keep making the case for taking back control because if we dont, our opponents will try and neuter this change to align us with the European Union so that we never seize the full opportunities of brexit. Now we know where Keir Starmers heart lies on this issue and we know he cant be trusted on it either. First, he trusted on it either. First, he said hed respect the referendum result , then he wanted a second result, then he wanted a second referendum, then he wanted free movement. Then he didnt referendum, then he wanted free movement. Then he didnt. He said he wouldnt try and renegotiate our deal. Then he renegotiate our deal. Then he said he would. And then just two said he would. And then just two weeks ago he was caught on camera telling a meeting of International Politicians that he now just wants to follow all the eu rules. The irony isnt lost on me. While were busy lost on me. While were busy thinking about the future of the United Kingdom , keir starmer is United Kingdom, keir starmer is just banging on about europe. You just cannot know what youre going to get with him. The only thing that is certain is that it wont be what hes promising you. But the worst thing about sir keir is that he just says whatever he thinks will benefit him the most. Whatever he thinks will benefit him the most. It whatever he thinks will benefit him the most. It doesnt matter him the most. It doesnt matter whether he can deliver. It doesnt matter if its true. It doesnt matter if its true. It doesnt matter if he said the opposite. Just a few weeks or months ago, he is the walking definition of the 30 year political status quo. I am here political status quo. I am here to end. That is why we have to to end. That is why we have to beat him and conference that is why we. Why we. Will now. Now, if we are to create now. Now, if we are to create change and drive growth across our country, then we must get our country, then we must get our infrastructure right. A our infrastructure right. A false consensus has taken root that all that matters is our links between our big conurbations. This consensus conurbations. This consensus said that our National Economic regeneration should be driven by cities at the exclusion of everywhere else. It said that the most important connections those cities could have was to london and not anywhere else. And it said that the only links that mattered were north to south, not east to west. What we really need, though, is better transport connections in the north. A new Network North that will join up our great towns and cities in the north and midlands. I wanted to come here to manchester today to say that this will be our priority , our this will be our priority, our focus, our project act, hs2 is the ultimate example. All of the the ultimate example. All of the old consensus. The result is a old consensus. The result is a project whose costs have more than doubled, which has been pred than doubled, which has been ripped heatedly delayed, and it is not scheduled to reach here in manchester for almost two decades. And for which the economic case has massively been weakened. With the changes to weakened. With the changes to Business Travel post covid, i say to those who back the project in the first place, the facts have changed and the right thing to do. When the facts change is to have the courage to change is to have the courage to change direction. Change direction. In and so i am ending this long running saga. I am cancelling the rest of the hs2 project and in its place and in its place , in its place and in its place, we will we will reinvest it every single penny. £36 billion in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the projects that will make a real difference across our nation. Asa as a result of the decision we are taking today. As a result of the decision we are taking today. Every region are taking today. Every region outside of london will receive the same or more Government Investment than they would have done under hs2 with quicker results. No government has ever developed a more ambitious scheme for northern transport than our new network, north. This is the right way to drive growth and spread opportunity across our country to level up with our new network, north. You will be able to get from manchester to the new station in bradford in 30 minutes. Chef field in 42 minutes and to hull in 84 minutes on a fully electrified line. Electrified line. All all right. Thats. Thats. Dont worry thats theres more. Well protect the £12 more. Well protect the £12 billion to link up manchester and liverpool as planned and will engage with local leaders on how best to deliver that scheme. Well build the Midlands Rail hub connecting 50 different stations. Well help andy street stations. Well help andy street extend the West Midlands metro. Well build the leeds tram, will electrify the north wales main line upgrade the a1, the a2, the a5 and the m6. Will connect. A5 and the m6. Will connect. There is more. There is more. Theres lots more will connect our union with the a75 boosting links between scotland and Northern Ireland will fund. And Northern Ireland will fund. We will fund the shipley bypass , pass the blythe relief bypass, pass the blythe relief road and deliver 70 other road schemes. We will resurface roads schemes. We will resurface roads across the country. Well bring back the don valley line. We will upgrade the Energy Coast Line between Carlisle Workington and barrow, build build hundreds , build hundreds of other schemes and keep the £2 bus fair across the whole country. We. I challenge anyone to tell me with a straight face that all of that isnt what the north really needs. That isnt what the north really needs. Our plan will drive far needs. Our plan will drive far more growth and opportunity here in the north than a faster train to london ever would. As John Stephenson and ben houchen have long argued, east west links are more important than north south ones. More important than north south ones. Now, given how far along ones. Now, given how far along construction is, we will complete the line from birmingham to euston and yes, hs2 trains will still run here to manchester to and journey times will be cut out between manchester, birmingham and london by 30 minutes. And i say this to andy street, a man i have huge admiration and respect for. I know we have different views on hs2, but i also know we can Work Together to ensure a faster, stronger spine, quicker trains and more capacity between birmingham and. Birmingham and. Manchester the management of hs2 will no longer be responsible for the euston site. There must be some accountability for the mistakes made, for the mismanagement of this project. We will instead this project. We will instead create a new Euston Development zone building thousands of new homes for the next generation of homes for the next generation of home owners, new Business Opportunities , and a station opportunities, and a station that delivers the capacity we need. And in doing so now, for the first time in the life cycle of this project , we the first time in the life cycle of this project, we will have cut costs. The cut costs. The sixth, the sixth and a half billion pounds of savings that mark and i are making will be taken from the euston site. And given to the rest of the country. Rest of the country. Now, the decision ive made and the stance im taking will be attacked. They will say that attacked. They will say that halting it signals a lack of ambition. There will be people ambition. There will be people i respect , people in ambition. There will be people i respect, people in our own party who will oppose it, but there is nothing ambitious about simply pounng nothing ambitious about simply pouring more and more money into the wrong project. There is nothing long term about ignoring your Real Infrastructure needs. So that you can spend an ever larger amount on one grand project. They will say that we project. They will say that we have already spent so much on it that it would be embarrassing to stop that, though. Would be an absurd reason to continue an abdication of leadership. They abdication of leadership. They will say that there is somehow a Cross Party Consensus on the project, as i have already said, that consensus is wrong for too long, people in westminster have invested in the transport. They want, not the transport. The rest of the country, particular only the north and the midlands wants and needs. Wants and needs. And to those who disagree , who and to those who disagree, who will focus on what i have stopped, i ask you to consider what we have just created with Network North an alternative which in place of one delayed and overrunning project will now begin on hundreds upon hundreds of new projects. Large and small, road and rail, bus and train covering the whole country that will be delivered faster. That will see every region receiving more investment than they would have done. You cant have both. So those who wish to have both. So those who wish to disagree with me, i respect that. But they should have the honesty to admit that they would now be cancelling the hundreds of alternative projects right across the country, that people will benefit from. Instead, instead conference. I think our plan is simply a better long term investment. Of £36 billion term investment. Of £36 billion of taxpayers. Of taxpayers. Money now we need to bring this willingness to make the right decision, not the easy one, to every aspect of our national life. The nhs is important to us all. It is the birthright of every person in this country. It was the nhs and social care staff who work night and day to get us through the pandemic. Staff who work night and day to get us through the pandemic. Now our commitment to the principle of an nhs free at the point of use is immovable. Of an nhs free at the point of use is immovable. And this use is immovable. And this conservative government is putting record resources into our nhs and social care too. But we conservatives know that you dont measure your affection for the nhs just by how much money you put in, but how you reform it for the challenges ahead. I it for the challenges ahead. I know that right now, waiting lists are patients most pressing concern , butjust lists are patients most pressing concern , but just as in pressing concern, but just as in scotland and wales, they have risen because of the pandemic and now strikes have led to more than a million cancelled appointments. Now this is a reasonable government. We have reasonable government. We have negotiated and reached pay deals with over a million nhs workers , including nurses and hospital porters. We have met the porters. We have met the recommendations of the independent pay review bodies for Junior Doctors and consult agents in full. We have cut their taxes on their pensions as they requested , and but they they requested, and but they continue new. They continue to demand massive unaffordable pay rises and that they have chosen to walk out this week says it all. This strike is all about polity mix, not patience. Polity mix, not patience. These strikes are not in the spirit of the nhs. This year we spirit of the nhs. This year we celebrate its 75 years of service and one of my abiding aims as your Prime Minister is to set the nhs up for the next 75. True believers in the promise of the nhs wanted to reflect the world we live in today. That means a Higher Quality service that offers you the patient more choice , the patient more choice, allowing you to use any provider independent or nhs free of charge if that will get you treated quicker. A common sense reform that this conservative government has made. Now next at government has made. Now next at next, steve and i want to give the nhs the staff it needs for decades weve not trained enough doctors and nurses as the result , the nhs either hiring staff from abroad or paying temporary Agency Workers huge fees and we are ending that with the first ever long term workforce plan for our health service. Let me for our health service. Let me repeat that. The first ever long repeat that. The first ever long term workforce plan, it says everything about the short termism of our politics that for the last 75 years is not a single government has planned for how many doctors and nurses the nhs will need in the decades ahead. Our plan doubles the number of students training to be doctors and nurses, but it is also a reform plan for the nhs with new ways of training and new roles, new ways of working, all driving up productivity. Now i know vested interests will oppose some of these measures, but we conservatives must do the right thing and make the changes that will enable the nhs to work as productive safely as the Belfast Belfast best Health Care Systems anywhere in the. Systems anywhere in the. World and this is what a long term decision really is. Given it decision really is. Given it takes up to 15 years to train a consultant. Theres no politics consultant. Theres no politics in this investment. Its not about credit , but its about our about credit, but its about our kids and their kids. Theyll get a much better and stronger nhs and thats why were here. Thats why we can do what we do up and down the country from whitehall to town hall. Were building a Better Future for the next generation. But to ease the more fundamental burden of demand on the nhs, we need more Preventative Care to stop people having to go to hospital in the first place. We must tackle the single biggest missed, entirely preventable cause of ill health, disability and death and that is smoking in our country. Smoking causes 1 in 4 cancer deaths. It causes 1 in 4 cancer deaths. It kills 64,000 people a year and leads to almost one hospital admission every minute. Its significantly increases the risks of strokes, heart disease, dementia and stillbirth. Now, dementia and stillbirth. Now, weve made great progress in tackling smoking. The number of people smoking is down by two thirds since the 1970s. But if we are to do the right thing for our kids, we must try and stop teenagers taking up cigarettes in the first place because without a significant change, thousands of children will start smoking in the coming years and have their lives cut short as a result. People take up result. People take up cigarettes when theyre young 4 in 5 smokers have started by the time theyre 20. Later the vast majority try to quit, but many fail because theyre addicted and they wish they had never taken up the habit in the first place. Now if we could break that cycle , if we could stop the that cycle, if we could stop the start , then we would be on our start, then we would be on our way to ending the biggest cause of preventable death and disease in our country. So i propose that in future we raise the smoking age by one year every year. Smoking age by one year every year. That means a 14 year. Year. That means a 14 year. Old that that means a 14 year old. Today will never legally be sold. A cigarette and that they and their generation can grow up smoke free. And we know this works when we raise the smoking age to 18, smoking prevalence dropped by 30 in that age group. When the United States raised the age to 21, the smoking rate dropped by 39. In that age group, smoking places huge pressures on the nhs and costs our country. £17 billion costs our country. £17 billion a yean costs our country. £17 billion a year. We have a chance to cut cancer deaths by a quarter since significantly ease those pressures and protect our children. And we should take it children. And we should take it. This is not a values judgement on people who smoke. I dont on people who smoke. I dont believe it would be fair to take away the rights of anyone to smoke who currently does so. And smoke who currently does so. And the vote on this in parliament will be a free vote as the bar on smoking in Public Places was and raising the smoking age to 18 was there will be no government whip. It is a matter of conscience and i want you all and the country to know where mine is. For a conservative mine is. For a conservative measures that restrict choice are never easy. I know not everyone in this hall will agree with me on this, but ive spent a long time weighing up this decision. Simply put, unlike all decision. Simply put, unlike all other legal products , there is other legal products, there is no safe level of smoking. And no safe level of smoking. And what has ultimately swayed me is that none of us, not even those who smoke , want our children to who smoke, want our children to grow up to be smokers. And this grow up to be smokers. And this change can make that a reality. It will save more lives than any other decision we could. Other decision we could. Take and as any and as any parent or teacher knows, one of the most worrying trends right now is the rise in vaping amongst children. 1 in 5 children in have used vapes. 1 in 5 children in have used vapes. We must act before it vapes. We must act before it becomes endemic. So we will also bnng becomes endemic. So we will also bring fonnard measures to restrict the availability of vapes to our children. Looking at flavours, packaging displays and disposable vapes. Now, as and disposable vapes. Now, as Prime Minister , i have an Prime Minister, i have an obugafion Prime Minister, i have an obligation to do what i think is the right thing for our country in the long term and as conservatives, we have never shirked that responsibility. We shirked that responsibility. We have always been at the forefront of society leading it. And when we have the tools at our disposal to deal with the biggest cause of preventing illness and death in our country , to cut cancer deaths by a quarter , to significantly reduce quarter, to significantly reduce long term pressure on our nhs to and do for our children what we all in our heart of hearts, know is right. We must act. All in our heart of hearts, know is right. We must act. We must is right. We must act. We must lead conference. We must put the next generation first. And that is what i will do. Is what i will do. But all the boldness in the world will only mean so much if we cant similarly deal with matters of fundamental sovereignty, safety and control. Im talking, of course, about illegal immigration. It is non negotiable that you, the british people , decide who comes british people, decide who comes here and not criminal gangs. Those gangs ply a trade that leads to innocent people dying. Leads to innocent people dying. We have a moral duty to defeat this evil , we have a moral duty to defeat this evil, and we will. Now, ive never pretended that stopping the boats will be easy. At the time, i committed the government to delivering that goal government to delivering that goal, the consensus was simple. Goal, the consensus was simple. There was nothing we could do about it. They pointed to four years of growing crossings and said, impossible. Well conference, they were wrong. And conference, they were wrong. And it is not impossible and we are proving it. Small boat crossings are for the First Time Since the phenomenon began down 20 this year. Yean all while entry into europe is up. We are by no means where we want to be, but dont let anyone tell you we arent making progress. S we are and we will get there. Our new law will ensure that if you come here illegally , you will be detained illegally, you will be detained and swiftly removed. Now, i am confident that once flights start going regularly to rwanda, the boats will stop coming. Just look at how our returns agreement with albania has seen the numbers coming from there. Fall by 90. I am confident that that our approach complies with our international obligations. Our international obligations. But know this i will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats. Is necessary to stop the boats. Now. By contrast, labours plan is to cook up some deal with the eu which could see us accepting. Around 100,000 of europes asylum seekers. If your answer to illegal migration is to increase it, you clearly just dont get it. And that is why we have to stop them. Have to stop them. And thats because on this and on. So many other issues, labour simply dont share our and the countrys values. My values are Simple Service , family work. I Simple Service, family work. I was brought up to understand the value of work. Work gives you value of work. Work gives you security , work gives you purpose security, work gives you purpose. When the pandemic hit, we were faced with the prospect of 12 Million People losing that security. That purpose. Security. That purpose. Overnight and once youre out of work, it can be hard to get back in. I wasnt prepared to cast 12 Million People into that darkness. Im proud that furlough not only prevented this , but helped ensure our economy recovered more strongly from the pandemic than france, germany and japan. Never forget the and japan. Never forget the scale of what we did for so many in six weeks. We did something that had never been done before from scratch. I was told it wasnt possible that it wouldnt work, but i got it done. Furlough was compassionate conservatism in. Conservatism in. Action if furlough was one thing that helped us get through covid, then Iain Duncan Smiths welfare reform were another. The old system could not have coped with the pressure in the way that his universal credit did. But we universal credit did. But we have more to do. We must end the have more to do. We must end the National Scandal where our benefit system declares that more than 2 Million People of working age are incapable of actually doing any. Thats not conservative. Thats not compassion , innit . That must. Compassion, innit . That must. Changein compassion, innit . That must. Change in 2011, 1 in 5 of those doing a work capable assessment were deemed unfit to work. But the latest figure now stands at 65. Are people three times sicker today than they were a decade ago . No, of course not. Its not for good our economy. Its not for good our economy. Its not for good our economy. Its not fair on taxpayers who have to pick up the bill. And its a tragedy for those 2 Million People being written off. I refuse to accept this. And that is why we are going to change the rules. So that those who can work do work. Who can work do work. Your values and your priorities should be expressed in everything the Public Sector does. Everything the Public Sector does. Too often it is not in too does. Too often it is not in too many parts of our permanent state virtue signalling has replaced common sense. As suella replaced common sense. As suella has said, there is no such thing as a minor crime. If the police tolerate crime and antisocial behaviour in any form will have more crime of all sorts. So more crime of all sorts. So thats why we now have record numbers of Police Officers and every crime should be investigated and our streets will be safer for our communities, more secure. No one should be afraid to walk home alone at night. And our london mayoral candidate, susan hall, is doing a great job of holding sadiq khan to account for his failings on policing londoners. You will on policing londoners. You will be safer with susan. Be safer with susan. And i am clear there are some crimes so heinous that those who perpetrate them should spend the rest of their lives behind bars. So i can confirm that we will legislate for sexual and sadistic murderers to carry a full life term with no prospect of release. This. Of release. This. We are going to change this country and that means life means life. Now, that shouldnt means life. Now, that shouldnt be a controversial position. The vast majority of hard working people agree with it. And it also shouldnt be controversial for parents to know what their children are being taught in school about relationships. School about relationships. Patients should know when hospitals are talking about men or women. And we shouldnt get bullied. And we shouldnt get bullied. And we shouldnt get bullied. And we shouldnt get bullied into believing that people can be any sex they want to be. They cant be. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. Thats just common sense. I we should also never be afraid to talk about the thing that matters most to most of us. Family whenever you want to talk about family, someone whispers. Is that why , as Prime Minister is that why, as Prime Minister youll be accused of promoting a one size fits all view . But in one size fits all view . But in this conservative party , the this conservative party, the party that legislated for same sex marriage and is investing record amounts in child care , we record amounts in child care, we know that what matters is that love cascades down the generations. It is family generations. It is family that cares for us. At the beginning of our life. It is family that helps us learn. It is family that sustains us. And in old age, it is family that lightens the autumn of our days. Family matters. And as proud matters. And as proud conservatives , we should never conservatives, we should never be afraid to say that. Be afraid to say that. And theres another family that matters to us all. Our family of nations. England scotland, wales and Northern Ireland. Today, our union is the strongest it has beenin union is the strongest it has been in a quarter of a century. The forces of separatism are in retreat across our country. Nicola sturgeon wanted to go down in the history books as the woman who broke up our country, but it now looks like she may go down for very Different Reasons we are a remarkable. Combination we are a remarkable. Combination of four nations with a proud history and that history should give us enormous confidence in our future. My. Grandparents our future. My. Grandparents didnt emigrate to just leicester or southampton , but to leicester or southampton, but to the United Kingdom. They came here because our country stands for a set of values. We are the home of fair play. The best of british. We are the place for those who to to our those who want to add to our national story. Those who want to add to our national story. The United National story. The United Kingdom. Has done a huge amount kingdom. Has done a huge amount for my family. I kingdom. Has done a huge amount for my family. I often kingdom. Has done a huge amount for my family. I often think about how different our lives would be if my grandparents had not left india in east africa all those years ago. I owe our all those years ago. I owe our country everything and it is my duty to do what i can to help this country take the right long term decisions for the years ahead. The term decisions for the years ahead. The United Kingdom is also the most successful, multi ethnic democracy on earth , and our party has led the way on that. We had the first ethnic minority Prime Minister when Queen Victoria was still on the throne. Throne. Weve had three female Prime Ministers and i stand before you today as the first non white leader in our countrys history meanwhile all labours last three leaders, all within the live within the same square mile of north london. Now when the Richmond Conservative Association selected me in North Yorkshire , people in other yorkshire, people in other countries couldnt understand it. One american Magazine Even sent a reporter to yorkshire to write about how a candidate of the wrong race could cost the tories one of the safest seats in england. Tories one of the safest seats in england. But tories one of the safest seats in england. But they should not in england. But they should not have projected their own prejudices onto our country. Prejudices onto our country. The people of North Yorkshire were not interested in my colour , but my character never let anyone tell you that this is a racist country. It is not my racist country. It is not my story is a british story , a story is a british story, a story is a british story, a story about how a family can go from arriving here with little to downing street in three generations is what does the conservative party offer a family of immigrants the chance to become Energy Secretary . Business secretary. Home business secretary. Home secretary. Foreign secretary. Secretary. Foreign secretary. Even the chance to become Prime Minister. When i first became an mp, my grandfather came to parliament to see me as we stood in Westminster Hall on that floor, which disraeli and churchill had walked across so many times. My grandfather suddenly got out his mobile phone and started to make a quick call. I phone and started to make a quick call. I was a new mp and i wasnt quite sure where the phones were allowed there or not, and i said , nana g nana g. Not, and i said, nana g nana g. Cant you just wait a moment . And he replied that he was calling the landlady he had when he had first arrived in this country. He said to me, i just country. He said to me, i just wanted to tell her where i was standing. Now i am proud to be the first British Asian Prime Minister but you know what . Im even prouder that its just not a big deal. And just remember , it was the and just remember, it was the conservative party that made that happen, not the labour party. Right now , if we want to party. Right now, if we want to change the direction of our country and to build a Better Future, nothing thing is more important than making our Education System the best it can be. When our party came to power in 2010, our schools were slipping down International League tables. Now they are league tables. Now they are rapidly rising of what we have donein rapidly rising of what we have done in government since 2010. What i am proudest of is our record on education with michael and nick gibb. Record on education with michael and nick gibb. We took on and nick gibb. We took on a failed ideology. We brought back failed ideology. We brought back proper knowledge. We empowered reforms as we gave parents more choice and help them hold schools to account. But perhaps schools to account. But perhaps the most profound thing we have doneis the most profound thing we have done is to disprove the idea that there is something predestined about who will succeed and who wont. We have state schools and some of the most deprived parts of the country producing some of the best results. These schools , best results. These schools, empowered by reform, dont think that there are limits to these children because of the postcode they were born in rather, they demand inspired to and deliver excellence. A Labour Government excellence. A Labour Government would never have done this. Would never have done this. Rather, labour pursued the false dream of 50 of children going to university and abandoned apprenticeships. This assumption apprenticeships. This assumption that the only route to success was the University Route was one of the great mistakes of the last 30 years. Last 30 years. It led to thousands of young people being ripped off by degrees that did nothing to increase their employability or earnings potential. So we are earnings potential. So we are stopping universities from enrolling students on courses that do nothing for their life chances under us. No more rip off degrees. And if you want to off degrees. And if you want to know how much i value apprentices ships, look at the fact that in gillian we have our first ever apprentice to be education secretary. Education secretary. Today i want to build on these conservative achievements and take a long term decision to address the problems with our 16 to 19 Education System. To 19 Education System. Technical education is not given the respect it deserves. The respect it deserves. Students dont spend enough time in the classroom. A quarter of our children leave education without the basic literacy and numeracy they need to fulfil their potential and our students study too narrow a range of subjects. Today i am changing subjects. Today i am changing all of that, pulling one of the biggest levers we have to change the direction of our country. We will introduce the new rigorous knowledge rich , advanced british knowledge rich, advanced British Standard which will bring together a levels and t levels into a new single qualification for our school leavers. First, for our school leavers. First, this will finally deliver on the promise of parity of esteem between academic and Technical Education because all students will sit the advanced British Standard six and we will raise the floor in ensuring that our children leave school literate and numerate. Because with the and numerate. Because with the advanced British Standard , all advanced British Standard, all students will study some form of maths and english to 18 with extra help for those who struggle most in our country. No child should be left behind. Child should be left behind. Third, our 16 to 19 year olds spend around a third less time in the classroom than some of our competitors. We must change our competitors. We must change this so with our advanced British Standard students will spend at least 195 hours more time with a teacher and fourth a level students generally only do three subjects compared to the seven studied by our economic competitors. The advanced British Standard will change that to with students now typically studying five subjects. And thanks to the extra teaching time that we are introducing and the greater breadth wont come at the expense of depth, which is such a strength of our system. Now, a strength of our system. Now, our new plan will require more teachers in the coming years. So i can announce today that in order to attract and retain more teachers , those who teach key teachers, those who teach key subjects acts in schools and for the first time in our further education colleges two will receive special bonuses of up to £30,000, tax free over the first five years of their career. Our five years of their career. Our teachers. Teachers. Our teachers do one of the most valuable jobs in our society, and we should reward them for that and conference. I can tell you my main funding priority in every Spending Review from now on will be education. Why . Because its the closest thing we have to a silver bullet. It is the best Economic Policy , the is the best Economic Policy, the best social policy, the best moral policy. It is the best way to spread opportunity and to create a more prosperous society. It is not just my way conference. It is the conservative way. Conservative way. I know times have been tough. We have all had to deal with unprecedented challenges and i will be straight with you. We have mountains to overcome still , but today we have made three huge decisions to change the direction of our country. We will give britain the infrastructure it needs to protect the long term future of our nhs and cut cancer deaths by a quarter and create the best Education System in the western world to set up our children for the opportunity of the future. The opportunity of the future. If we commit , the opportunity of the future. If we commit, if the opportunity of the future. If we commit , if we the opportunity of the future. If we commit, if we come together , we can achieve truly together, we can achieve truly great things. We can build great things. We can build a country where work is truly valued , where welfare is valued, where welfare is a safety net and not a way of life, where Small Businesses drive our economy, where innovation makes life better, where our nhs is properly funded and properly reformed, where our children are the best educated in the western world, whether thats at university or yes , thats at university or yes, through an apprenticeship, whether scourge of antisocial behaviour is treated as the crime it is and not some social condition where for the most violent offenders, life means life. Whether people and their life. Whether people and their government decides who comes here and who cant , where the here and who cant, where the next generation can achieve the dream of owning their own home, where their elderly grow old with dignity and where their young grow up with opportunity, where decency and Mutual Respect bind communities together. Where the very idea of britain is a symbol of hope and stability across the world, and where our United Kingdom remains. United kingdom remains. United all this and more is ours. If we want it. But we have to fight for it at the next election. The choice that people face is bigger than party politics. Do we want a government committed to making long term decisions . To making long term decisions . Is prepared to be radical in the face of challenges to and take on vested interests . Or do we on vested interests . Or do we want to stand still and quietly accept more of the same . You either think this country needs to change or you dont. And if you do , you should stand with me you do, you should stand with me and every free person in this hall. You should stand with the conservatives. Conservatives. Today. This party put the needs of the british people first. Weve taken the decision. Many should have done but didnt. Weve ended the hs2 drama and in its place will embark on a full Scale National reinvestment in the infrastructure our people actually use and want and the Skilled Workforce who will build it. And no more hiding, no more pretending in the face of ovennhelming evidence, too many sons and daughters, fathers and mothers are lost to lung cancer. Heart disease, dementia, stillbirth. And we can change stillbirth. And we can change that today we went beyond ideology and put the people first. Again and committed ourselves to ensure our children and grandchildren can be the first generation that doesnt have to suffer the false choice to quit smoking or not, because they will never have started today , we set a course for our today, we set a course for our Education System that will set our children up for the opportunities of the future. The opportunities of the future. The no more rip off degrees, no more low aspiration , no more low aspiration, no more denigration of Technical Education in just the best education in just the best Education System in the western world. We will be bold. We will be radical. We will face resistance, and we will meet it. We will give the country what it so sorely needs and yet too often has been denied a government prepared to make long term decisions so that we can build a Brighter Future for everyone. Be in no doubt it is everyone. Be in no doubt it is time for a change and we are it. Thank you. Thank you. So the keynote speech from the Prime Minister to end the conference there. Just to remind you, the big headline, the axing of the hs2 line, the northern link from birmingham to manchester, back to manchester there to get reaction in a moment. Lets bnng reaction in a moment. Lets bring you some other breaking news that were getting through from constabulary, news that were getting through from constable tabulary, news that were getting through from constable has lary, news that were getting through from constable has announced cheshire constable has announced that the force is conducting a corporate manslaughter investigation at the countess of Chester Hospital that is following lucy letby murder conviction , the former nurse. Conviction, the former nurse. We will bring you more on this , but you will remember that this, but you will remember that she was sentenced to a whole life order after she was convicted of the murders of seven babies and the attempted murder of six others at the countess of Chester Hospitals Neonatal Unit in 2015 and 2016. Lets bring you what detective superintendent Simon Blackwell has been saying in terms of the investigate station, which will focus. He said , on the charges concerning said, on the charges concerning letby from june 20th 15 to 2016 and considering areas including Senior Leadership at the Hospital Trust Decision Making to determine whether in a criminality has taken place. But at this stage, he added, we are not investigating any individual in relation to gross negligence , manslaughter, more negligence, manslaughter, more reaction, of course , to that as reaction, of course, to that as we get it. But lets return to manchester after that speech from rishi sunak, the Prime Minister with a headline being that we have had the decision on hs2 , no high speed line. Hs2, no high speed line. Now from birmingham to manchester. Instead, he outlined what he called Network North, the 36 billion. He said that would be freed up would actually be rerouted , up would actually be rerouted, if thats the right phrase, into other projects. And that includes. The 12 and that includes. The 12 billion actually for leeds to manchester, as he indicated that there would also be an upgrading of other rail lines and roads and he had a plea to andy street of course the West Midlands tory mayor we can Work Together on this from birmingham to manchester, the Prime Minister was greeted with plenty of applause in the room when he made this announcement. But what the thoughts are outside the room. We will be bringing you very shortly here on the live desk on gb news. But what he said was that the facts have changed, ed and the right thing to do is to have the courage to change direction. He said. I challenge anyone to tell me with a straight face that what hes announced is not what the north really needs. Our plan will ensure, says the Prime Minister, more growth here in the north than a faster train to london ever would. So get used to these titles now. Network north and Midlands Rail hub. They will also be £12 billion protected to link up manchester and liverpool as planned. Gb news is deputy Political Editor tom hannood was listening to all that. Tom much of it was what was expected with the axing of the manchester leg of hs2. But then lots of money poured into to road and rail projects which some people might not have been expecting. Been expecting. Well , clearly there is well, clearly there is a political challenge that the Prime Minister has now hoisted upon his opponents. £36 billion upon his opponents. £36 billion to be spent on incremental upgrades, smaller projects , of upgrades, smaller projects, of course, that liverpool to manchester line, the leeds tram network, leeds being the largest city in europe without a dedicated public transport system. System. All of these projects, upgrades , the m6, the a5 , the upgrades, the m6, the a5, the a75 and the shipley bypass, all namechecked at by the Prime Minister and the question he asked of his political opponents was do you want all of that . These hundreds of upgrades and projects across the midlands and the north or one rail line, its a politically strong challenge to the labour party and well see how they respond in due course. But it was fascinating course. But it was fascinating across the course of this speech, the way in which the Prime Minister has presented himself as the candidate of change, a change from what he described as a 30 year status quo, been doing things the same way for 30 years. Indeed, he described sir keir starmer as the embodiment of that status quo, that 33 year consensus. Ice quo, that 33 year consensus. Ice will people buy into this idea that the Prime Minister, the current Prime Minister, the guy whos been in charge in the driving seat for almost a year now, who was chancellor for years before then, will they buy that . This is the change candidate or will they think that perhaps this is some political Jiggery Pokery that is a big, big question. But aside from the main theme of this being a change, Prime Minister , being a change, Prime Minister, a change candidate, changing the status quo, we did hear some other little bits and bobs, particularly on this smoking age ban prohibition coming about from the Prime Minister, something that not many had expected before this speech, but incremental prohibition on smoking. So someone who is 14 years old today will never be able to buy a cigarette. Some able to buy a cigarette. Some other rabbits out of the hat in terms of policy terms and indeed stronger language on transgender issues that i think weve ever heard the Prime Minister come out with before. Certainly this is a Prime Minister who is trying to redefine his role as someone who is perhaps more courageous in the way that he speaks and takes decision , as speaks and takes decision, as inevitably the headlines will be on hs2. And you talked about political opponents. Of course, its political colleagues. That could well be the problem as well. In terms of street, the in terms of andy street, the conservative west conservative mayor of West Midlands , we almost midlands, and we had almost a plea to him saying that, you know, can together on know, we can Work Together on this issue birmingham to manchester. We have got to wait and see what mr streets response is. What mr streets response is. But the indications were from before this announcement that he was going to basically call it out as an act of economic vandalism , notably andy street vandalism, notably andy street was not in the hall today. He originally was going to be there listening to the Prime Minister. Of course, they are politicians of the same party, but he chose relatively last minute to not be here in the Manchester Convention complex and instead to watch at home or in a private space with his own advice. Visors but it is advice. Visors but it is interesting that he was name checked so many times by the Prime Minister the name andy street was mentioned not once, not twice, but at least three times in that speech. And i think it is very, very unlikely that such a heavy focus would be placed on andy street if there hadnt been some sort of understanding between the Prime Minister and the West Midlands mayor before forehand. Potentially all of these other projects and indeed money to upgrade infrastructure and transport infrastructure within the West Midlands. As the Prime Minister specifically name checked as part of these other upgrades , perhaps hes reached upgrades, perhaps hes reached some sort of accordance with the mayor of the West Midlands, right. Waiting for the signal to be green before proceeding. Perhaps for moment there. Thank you for the moment there. Thank you for the moment there. Thank you for that. Back to you in the conference. Bring in conference. But lets bring in Danny Williams now. Another name. He is the president of the Greater Chamber of Greater Manchester chamber of commerce. S and youre commerce. S and youre now deaung commerce. S and youre now dealing with Network North, not with hs2. Does it chime with you dont think it does. Its and it doesnt chime with a lot of the people of Greater Manchester in the north as a whole either its very much as a whole either its very much a promise thats been broken and something that we were eagerly anticipate waiting to progress and go ahead in terms of levelling up and what in detail is the problem , because clearly is the problem, because clearly weve got the high speed link now from birmingham to manchester off off the planning. But weve got instead what the Prime Minister indicated would be other substantial investment in manchester to liverpool , 12 billion, although liverpool, 12 billion, although it wont be high speed rail, a Midlands Rail hub, the west Midlands Rail hub, the West Midlands metro extends the leeds tram electrifying the north wales main line. So significant what 36 billion being spent. But not the high speed sort of pinnacle, if you like. Pinnacle, if you like. Well, absolutely. And dont well, absolutely. And dont dont get me wrong, we obviously welcome further investment in the north as a whole. And this new Network North is going to be a key part of that. But the reality is the access to opportunities from Greater Manchester for many of the Business Community that we are lacking and want to progress is down in london and that was part of the hs2 programme and the unlocking of that opportunity right for the Business Community in Greater Manchester. But is does it not lessen the blow a bit that you know now that there is going to be a lot of money poured into plenty of road and rail projects, including £12 billion projected to link up manchester and liverpool as planned . Theres still lots of stuff thats going ahead here. Yeah, hugely positive updates in terms of continued investment, i guess its trying to understand what the trade off is there. If theres a huge amount of investment going into this new Network North, why are we therefore not focusing on continuing the project . The largest Infrastructure Project in the uk and of our time continue hs2 to connect the north to the south and the realities are that the opportunities unlocking from manchester to bradford in 30 minutes will be hugely different to the level of infrastructure opportunity from manchester to london. Thats the reality. London. Thats the reality. So what do you make of the argument partly to argument that its partly due to the pandem demic and people do not travel to work as much like they did . I mean, thats been part of the argument, hasnt it . Yeah yeah, for sure. And look, the pandemic is dramatically changed the way that we live and the way that we therefore communicate commute to work. Ultimately, you know, work. But ultimately, you know, for me , this level of for me, this level of opportunity to travel down to london and also to challenge the current west coast mainline line as well, thats a part of that in the future is absolutely essential to encouraging people to come back into the offices , to come back into the offices, to come back into the offices, to back into the city centres. To back into the city centres. So was the Prime Minister wrong in the assertion he made that east west is more important than north south . Because i think one of the things that youre very concerned with there in manchester in particular was the freeing up of the west coast main line that hs2 would have provided to get trade and goods traffic onto that main line heading north. I think its not really for me to say. Is i think its not really for me to say. Is it more important . I think ultimately the decisions being made will naturally be financially driven as well and politically driven. But the fact remains that hs2 was an integral part of a commitment to levelling up and making sure that the north south divide is reduced. I think naturally that reduced. I think naturally that the Network North will be a positive change and further investments are always welcome. But that doesnt change the facts that the leg between now and manchester and birmingham is now just not going to be high speed rail. You know, it really completely negates the whole project. Project. Yeah. And what about then manchester, liverpool, a £12 billion link up. But again in not high speed rail. Well again, you know the whole point of improving the infrastructure here and i think the high speed part is often what can blur the lines. Lines. So this is about infrastructure as well. You know, this is about capacity on the lines and about making sure that there is adequate capacity for to travel. And also for people to travel. And also that that for us, its like to commit to a project like this is probably a similar thing where the londoners were expecting the elizabeth line and are stuck with the metropolitan line. You know, were not looking second best. Were looking for the future. And part of these future. And part of these decisions seem to be more short term, which inclines that they are probably more politically dnven are probably more politically driven as opposed to what his slogan was, which is long term decisions for the future. Decisions for the future. Danny, we have heard just quickly about what were now being told is Network North. Thats how were going to know it from now on. The big question, though, is will it ultimately be deliverable. Ultimately be deliverable. Its a good question. And i mean, well well have to wait and see what the actual plans are and how thats outlined and what the timeframe for that is. Naturally, it should be far quicker than what hs2 would have beenin quicker than what hs2 would have been in terms of the deliverables. And thats part of deliverables. And thats part of the benefits, i guess, that the north should expect. But what that looks like, well have to wait and see what his plans are i danny in stockport from the Greater Manchester chambers of commerce , thank you much commerce, thank you very much for your initial for bringing us your initial reaction now reaction. But lets return now to Conference Centre and to the Conference Centre and speak to our Political Editor , speak to our Political Editor, chris hope, and danny giving an interesting assessment of interesting assessment there of what the fallout may be. Chris where weve got the Prime Minister saying we have fundamentally you to change our country and yet the fundamental change basically is to switch to the slow line. It seems in terms of the hs2, at least , of course of the hs2, at least, of course , yeah, the government was saying thats not the case. Network north is being an idea to spend lots of money in the north of england and outside idea to spend lots of money in the north ntryingland and outside idea to spend lots of money in the north ntrying to d and outside idea to spend lots of money in the north ntrying to connectjtside idea to spend lots of money in the north ntrying to connect upde of london trying to connect up those parts. Ive been on my phone, Margaret Pippa texting andy street , saying, are you andy street, saying, are you resigning as a as either the tory of the West Midlands tory mayor of the West Midlands or as a party member . No comment yet. So all eyes on street. What happens next coming man someone who speaks for the tory Party Outside of the metropolitan elite who is a future possible mp. What will he do next . I asked him before he announced it. He said he said no, ill wait and see what the pm says. So all eyes on that. Ill fascinating thereby. I thought it was the way the tory party can attack its own record, the way he went after the big increase in people claiming benefits, that benefits, saying how can that happen . What happened on this governments . Mean, governments watch . I mean, thats tory so thats how the tory party is so fearsome successful fearsome. Be successful in elections. Attacked its elections. It attacked its own record kind of gets away record and kind of gets away with it the hall there. With it in the hall there. I detected unease about the ban on smoking. Think tories smoking. I think tories hate banning things. That certainly wasnt a great cheer there. Hs2, not a squeak. One woop in the hall when that was announced. Othennise just applause roars but no actual attacking of that from the members. So wait and see. Tory mps around me saying theyre pleased with it. But all eyes on street right now. Interestingly, you made the assessment about the governments Record Record in terms having 13 years to fix terms of having 13 years to fix things. And course i guess things. And of course i guess that in with hs2 in terms that plays in with hs2 in terms of that. No longer being responsible, hs2 limited as it was, which was set up with the government to actually get this plan in place. Plan in place. Well, it sounds like its going to get rid of all of the management in euston. That leg between Old Oak Common and euston and get that going, thatll be £1 billion more. So you will this line you will have this fast line between london and birmingham, much of it underground, because tory mps didnt want their views spoilt in southern england and they cant afford to go north to manchester. Im talking to you from a rail shed, by the way. Dont forget that we must also mention lets not mention Akshata Murty. Lets not forget that have seen the forget that we have seen the pms secret weapon emerge today. Spoke from notes. No autocue. Spoke from notes. No autocue. Her best friend, rishi sunak. Her best friend, rishi sunak. Thatis her best friend, rishi sunak. That is the beginning. Whenever these spouses start to emerge, mike and pippa, we know an election is around the corner. Yeah, chris, can i just yeah, but, chris, can i just point out that brown , point out that sarah brown, Gordon Browns wife, she made a similar pitch the year she introduced him. And the following year he turned out well. Yeah , well , a turned out well. Yeah , well, a pippa, of yeah, well, a pippa, of course, youre right. You and i remember that very vividly. And that the vividly. And that was the moment. But i think, you know this weekend that the papers are following. Lot following. This will be a lot of focus Akshata Murty. Focus on Akshata Murty. Weve heard ive met heard her speak. Ive met her several privately. Is several times privately. She is a person. Someone a genuine person. She is someone who is from a family of service , a very well off family of service in india. But is service in india. But that is where she comes from. I think that kind of i think theres a lot of about her. Lot of decency about her. I think is the sunak team think she is the sunak team sunaks secret weapon. But all sunaks secret weapon. But all eyes are on manchester for me. Eyes are on manchester for me. What will what will labour do next . Will they say, yes, we will build this leg between birmingham and manchester. They will then honour that pledge. Will they it . Lets wait will then honour that pledge. Will they it . Lets wait and will they do it . Lets wait and see. And also a slight wrinkle by pippa, by the way, mark and pippa, because in mps voted because in fact mps have voted to build hs2 between birmingham and crewe. Now they they have now to pass a vote to reverse that pledge. So tory mps have got to vote to act hs2, northern leg and that will be on every single leaflet that labour produce in the north of england. Yeah. And theyve got to explain that on doorstep and when that on the doorstep as and when they that election. Terms of this sort of but in terms of this sort of preparation for an election , preparation for an election, interesting that the ghost of thatcher perhaps stalking the hall once more. Now we had this phrase, you know, using the pharmacists son and the grocers daughter. What pharmacists son and the grocers daughter. What more of a link could you want . Thats right. Thats right. I mean, you talk about Penny Mordaunt there or rishi sunak because dont forget Penny Mordaunt, itll be forgotten now because speech but mordaunt, itll be forgotten now becimay speech but mordaunt, itll be forgotten now becimay gave speech but mordaunt, itll be forgotten now becimay gave anspeech but mordaunt, itll be forgotten now becimay gave an absolutelyt she may have gave an absolutely rip speech nearly in rip roaring speech nearly in tears. Name checking the Falkland Islands conflict, of course, 40 years ago this year. Really to channelling that kind of iron lady feel. I think it of iron lady feel. I think it was a charter murty who was a helpful bookend of the emotion on the penny. Mordaunt brought there a clear a clear leadership pitch after Suella Braverman the hall yesterday on a lower key speech there from mr sunak. Speech there from mr sunak. Talking of tears, chris, did ispot talking of tears, chris, did i spot the education secretary Gillian Keegan, dabbing her 7 s. Eyes . She kind of thought the Prime Ministers speech was that bad. Could she . Could she . I was in the hall so i wasnt watching it on tv, so i couldnt see the face. I was behind the cabinet. I couldnt see their faces know. She was faces. I know. Maybe she was i also know gillian. Gillian keegan named gillian in the speech was name checked along with other senior with some other other senior tories. But he didnt name anyone from the right. Tories. But he didnt name anyone from the right. He mentioned Johnny Mercer by name. Kenny Kemi Badenoch stephen barclay. Susan hall maybe barclay. Susan hall maybe surprisingly , because hes up surprisingly, because hes up for election to be maybe replaced sadiq khan in the mayoral elections in london in may. Gillian keegan was named, but no one from the right. This party has been all but no one from the right. This party the has been all but no one from the right. This party the battlingas been all but no one from the right. This party the battling on een all but no one from the right. This party the battling on the all but no one from the right. This party the battling on the right about the battling on the right of yeah, that was of the party. Yeah, that was a thing which sunak avoided. Ive got to also name talk about the small boats briefly. He said that will whatever it takes that i will do whatever it takes to boats that for to stop small boats that for many in the hall meant echr reform that is on the table. It was brief to the weekend papers and thats didnt say echr withdrawn the speech, but thats what its to mean. That is withdrawn the speech, but thats wh the. s to mean. That is withdrawn the speech, but thats wh the table to mean. That is withdrawn the speech, but thats wh the table again nean. That is withdrawn the speech, but thats wh the table again for|n. That is withdrawn the speech, but thats wh the table again for rishi at is on the table again for rishi sunak. On the table again for rishi sunak. If rwanda doesnt sunak. If rwanda doesnt work, the starts in the supreme the case starts in the Supreme Court next ruling the court next month. Ruling by the Supreme Court, probably in november, Supreme Court, probably in n0\okay, r, thank you for okay, chris, thank you for that well you get back on that. Well let you get back on the phone to andy street see the phone to andy street and see if we can see whats going to happen terms his reaction. If we can see whats going to happ get terms his reaction. If we can see whats going to happ get more1s his reaction. If we can see whats going to happ get more reaction reaction. If we can see whats going to happ get more reaction thereon. If we can see whats going to happ get more reaction there in. Lets get more reaction there in manchester now from our business and economics editor Liam Halligan , whos running halligan, whos running his slide rule over the transport and infrastructure plans because of course , youve youve of course, youve youve travelled many of these rail lines before. Liam, on your various reports for dispatches does Network North add up in your view . But before i just come to that, mark, let me confirm that education secretary Gillian Keegan was crying. I saw those tears. Those are i saw those tears. Those are always mischievous. Gb news colleague Andrew Pierce tweeted , dont cry, gillian. The speech isnt that bad. But the line , isnt that bad. But the line, the line that that Gillian Keegan made her cry. I must say, keegan made her cry. I must say, i thought it was quite a moving line as well, was when rishi sunak said, im proud to be the first non white Prime Minister to lead the United Kingdom. To lead the United Kingdom. Pause, clap, and then he said, and im even more proud that that fact it is not a big deal. So thats that was the tear jerker. If you like. And i must say, as somebody from immigrant stock myself, a lot of people who are first and Second Generation immigrants in the uk will be moved by that line. I will be moved by that line. I say that as a as a private, as a private citizen. But lets get back to a Network North because it was a big deal indeed to scrap the birmingham to manchester leg of hs2. Weve manchester leg of hs2. Weve already spent the government has already spent the government has already spent the government has already spent somewhere between 25 and £30 billion on the london to birmingham leg. Thats well undennay and theres lots and lots of tunnelling going on, as you say. Thats why its so expensive. Those chiltern based expensive. Those chiltern based tories didnt want their constituents views ruined. The constituents views ruined. The Prime Minister, rishi sunak, confirmed that hs2 from birmingham to london wont end in Old Oak Common in west london, the suburb of acton. It will end the so called euston gateway , a very expensive , gateway, a very expensive, massive and rather blingy , if massive and rather blingy, if i may say so. Terminus in london, euston. The line from birmingham euston. The line from birmingham to manchester will be a conventional line, but the same hs2 trains will run on it. Theyll have to run more slowly because as conventional lines arent as ramrod straight or as is needed for high speed rail travel. But i think the really big thing here and the thing that labour are going to have to reply to you and provide a political answer to, as our colleague hannood, think colleague tom hannood, i think rightly pointed earlier, is rightly pointed out earlier, is what would people in the midlands and the north prefer would they prefer 36 billion . The cost of birmingham to manchester, hs2, of which weve already spent 2 or 3 billion, by the way, the tories didnt mention that this week. Would they prefer that 36 billion spent on a single train line that stops in no other towns . Or that stops in no other towns . Or would they prefer that 36 billion spent linking together our Great Northern cities on trams in leeds . Leeds of course trams in leeds . Leeds of course being one of the biggest cities in the world with no proper metro system. Obviously a proud yorkshire city, our fifth or biggest, sixth biggest city, depending on your definition, would they prefer it spent on the east Midlands Rail hub on bespoke rail link between liverpool and manchester, really bolstering the economy there, the north west and i have to say, as somebody who spent a lot of years looking at hs2 , its of years looking at hs2, its a pretty strong argument. Once you get over the initial shock and embarrassment of the fact that there have been homes compulsorily purchased by the state between birmingham and manchester, theres been land bought by the state, theres been preliminary work done. As ive said 2 or £3 million has been spent on this. Birmingham to manchester, hs2 link. Once you get over the initial shock of that embarrassment , as rishi of that embarrassment, as rishi sunak says, the facts of rail travel have changed covid the pandemic , working patterns have pandemic, working patterns have changed. So when the facts change, maybe its the right thing to change your mind. But be in no doubt this is a very bold move by rishi sunak. There will be many, many critics, but i suspect some people will be silently thinking , yeah, thats silently thinking, yeah, thats probably the right thing to do. Probably the right thing to do. Oh yeah, one of those people wont be andy street. Just wont be andy street. And just to on one thing very to touch on one thing very quickly, and that is of course, that saying of that they were saying part of the was to free up the the jigsaw was to free up the west coast line by putting west coast main line by putting these trains on hs2 and therefore a lot more goods and freight traffic on that west coast main line. Indeed, that is right. The counterargument to that would be that with digital signalling, you can fit more trains on existing track. Yeah, lines is of course this is this is all about the art of the possible isnt it . Theres compromise here. £36 billion is a big money dodi. Its proper moolah as they say. And if youre going to spend £36 billion on transport, it may be better to have lots of smaller projects that impact local communities more, more money spent on bus routes. As our gb spent on bus routes. As our gb news colleague, the deputy tory chairman lee anderson, has been arguing, spending money here in manchester just moments from this Conference Centre wide , this Conference Centre wide, earning the so called castlefield corridor. Im not even from manchester where the beloved mother of my children is from manchester, but ive become pretty obsessed with the castlefield corridor because its so crazy. Just near deansgate , theres part of the deansgate, theres part of the track that goes down to just one train line in either direction and that bottleneck that blockage impacts negatively t trains right across the north west of england and all the way up to scotland. And, you know, money has already been allocated in the past several times to broaden that castlefield corridor. And its never actually been done. The department of transport has always at the last always cancelled at the last minute. And yet know from minute. And yet i know from spending time this fabulous spending time in this fabulous city how important city of manchester how important thatis city of manchester how important that is to local people. What a symbol of neglect that it is, what a symbol of neglect. The what a symbol of neglect. The fact that so many trains in the north of england, 80 of trains arent even electrified. Markham arent even electrified. Markham pit, which means theyre slow , pit, which means theyre slow, theyre not powerful. They cant pull many carriages. They cant accelerate means you cant accelerate that means you cant have many on the same have many of them on the same line and out of our line commuting in and out of our northern cities is a nightmare for many, many people. You cant even get on the train sometimes because theyre so overcrowded and so if this money turns into reality and that, of course, is the thing , people will say, why the thing, people will say, why should we believe you . Mr sunak . Because, you know, half an hour ago was promising ago your party was promising hs2. , its all to play hs2. So look, its all to play for, i think for now at least, the Prime Minister has put an argument out there to argument out there trying to justify the scrapping of the birmingham, manchester link of hs2 and well see how it pans out and well see crucially how labour respond. Indeed. Liam, thank you for that. Indeed. Liam, thank you for that. Well, hes promised a tram that. Well, hes promised a tram for leeds. Well in for leeds. Well be live in leeds shortly to find out what they of that and whether they make of that and whether they make of that and whether they the governments they trust the governments promises. First News Headlines. Rhiannon. Mark, thank you. Rhiannon. Mark, thank you. Its 132. Your top stories from the gb newsroom. The prime from the gb newsroom. The Prime Minister has announced the scrapping of the birmingham to manchester leg of hs2. Speaking manchester leg of hs2. Speaking after weeks of speculation , ian after weeks of speculation, ian rishi sunak told the conservative Party Conference in manchester that hes taken the decision. Other leaders should have taken. We will reinvest every single. Penny £36 billion every single. Penny £36 billion in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands across the country. Midlands across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the projects that will make a real difference across our nation. Across our nation. The countess of Chester Hospital is under investigation for corporate manslaughter. It follows lucy letby murder convictions for the former nurse jailed for life after killing seven babies and attempting to murder six others at the hospitals Neonatal Unit. Cheshire constabulary confirmed its focusing on the indictment penod its focusing on the indictment period between june 2015 and 2618. It says its considering considering areas, including Senior Leadership and Decision Making, to determine whether any criminality has taken place. A murder investigate has been launched after a dog believed to be an xl bully killed a man in sunderland. Police responded sunderland. Police responded just before 7 00 last night following reports a dog had injured a 54 year old. A 44 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The dog was destroyed at the scene. A second destroyed at the scene. A second has been seized and a 19 year old soldier is believed to have taken her own life after relentless Sexual Harassment by one of her bosses. And armour investigation has found Royal Artillery gunner jaycee beck was found dead at larkhill camp in wiltshire in december 2021. The report describes an intense penod report describes an intense period of unwelcome behaviour and says its almost certain this was a casual factor in her death. And in some breaking news, the reclaim party says laurence fox has been arrested. Earlier he posted a video on social media saying his house was being searched by police. Its understood an arrest was made on suspicion to commit criminal damage to ulez cameras. And you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website. Gb news. Com. Website. Gb news. Com. Direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment. Gold and silver investment. Heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2130 and ,1. 1554. The price of gold is £1,505. 74 per ounce. And the ftse 100. At 7473 points. Direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for physical investment this evening. Gb news the peoples. Channel peoples. Channel welcome back to the live desk. So hs2 as it was, is no more. Certainly that northern link from birmingham to manchester, but we have something called Network North coming down the track, which includes a tram service for leeds. So lets find out what people there think about this. Correspondent anna riley is in leeds for us. Good afternoon to you, anna. What are peoples reactions then to what they heard in rishi sunak sunak speech. Good afternoon, pip and mark. Well, there was much speculation before this announcement was made at the conference, wasnt there, about the hs2 flag being scrapped here in leeds . It was quietly cancelled two years ago, but now the mayors were very disappointed with the potential of this other leg being cancelled for hs2. We know that andy burnham, he said that it made the people in the north like second class citizens. Like second class citizens. Tracy brabin, she is the mayor for west yorkshire. She said for west yorkshire. She said this was a step backwards to cancel this leg of hs2. And we cancel this leg of hs2. And we know andy street , the tory mayor know andy street, the tory mayor of West Midlands , had previously of West Midlands, had previously pleaded with the Prime Minister not to ditch this leg and saying it would mean cancelling the future and one that britains credibility in the eyes of Global Investors was now at stake. So thats what the mayors in the north and the mayor in the midlands have said. But what about people here on the ground . Well, certainly in the north we have had difficulties with bus services running. Whether theyre on time or not, and having a regular train service. We know that aslef the Train Drivers Union is on strike today. So many trains not just today. So many trains notjust in the north but across the country are cancelled due to that strike action. But on regular days where trains are running , people do struggle with running, people do struggle with the capacity. Theres not often enough trains running that people can get on and theyre not always on time. I went out speaking to people in leeds about what they think to the transport network here and what they want. That £36 billion spent on thats now free. What they want to happen with that money and this is what they had to say in terms of buses , i to say in terms of buses, i think the transport is quite good, but i think the trains can be improved a little bit more. And i think, yeah, i think transport is quite good. First bus has done good i think transport is quite good. First blshouldione good i think transport is quite good. First blshould goe good i think transport is quite good. First blshould go towards i think transport is quite good. First blshould go towards better, hink it should go towards better, maybe links between like maybe train links between like leeds because leeds and newcastle because manchester and leeds are not really the north, theyre more like the middle england. We like the middle of england. We also need to focus on like middlesbrough, newcastle and maybe as well, maybe parts of scotland as well, because think most of because i think most of the attention focussed attention is focussed more towards but i think towards london, but i think yeah, definitely because like leeds Manchester Leeds and manchester and liverpool, theyre all good in terms economy. So i think terms of economy. So i think they need to be focussed on a little bit more and especially links newcastle well i ea bit rubbish. Its a bit rubbish. Its a bit rubbish. Are always late or the buses are always late or they just dont up. When they just dont turn up. So when youre to like youre trying to get to like school or work or school or college or work or anything like that, its a bit rubbish like obviously rubbish to get to like obviously im in college quite far away, so my other side of leeds , it so my other side of leeds, it takes forever to get there and if buses are late, im left about an hour because its an hour bus. Hour between each bus. I i the well, i mean i think the money more into like money should go more into like the and schools and that the nhs and schools and that just because its like education is horrible around here, i cant deal with it because obviously hs2, its supposed to like get rid of the north south divide , rid of the north south divide, but its not its not really doing a lot for it because no one really goes down. For me anyway. One really goes down. Actually me anyway. One really goes down. Actually , me anyway. One really goes down. Actually , itse anyway. One really goes down. Actually , its very way. One really goes down. Actually , its very good. Actually, its very good. I feel very fortunate and i feel very lucky in that we have a bus stop just outside our front door and i can get a bus sort of every 15 minutes, 20 minutes at the most , and every 15 minutes, 20 minutes at the most, and coming back, going back home. Its the same. So back home. Its the same. So i have no complaints at all. Well, one satisfied passenger or customer at least there and i think i counted three buses on the move there in the background when you were doing those vox pops. So. Tell us what people pops. So. So tell us what people understand as to what the tram system would do if and when it is built and how that would improve the system within the city. Well, weve not had much more information, have we, from the Prime Minister on exactly what the tram network would be in leeds. We do know, though , that leeds. We do know, though, that its one area in europe and one of the major cities that doesnt have a tram network to connect the city itself, the city centre and out to smaller towns surrounding as well. At the moment, i dont know if you can hear construction work going on. Leedsis hear construction work going on. Leeds is currently a bit like a building site itself, so it will certainly bring more congestion while it is built. But of course in the long term we know it works fantastic in places like manchester. Its got a great tram network for people to get around and sheffield, as well also has a great one. And we know up in newcastle as well that has its own underground system that works really well, reducing that congestion down on the roads. So certainly people will be looking fonnard to seeing what the tram network bnngs seeing what the tram Network Brings here in leeds and also those other pledges as well that the Prime Minister has made, saying a fully electric line would see trains from manchester to hull in 84 minutes to sheffield in 42 and to bradford in 30 minutes. Pretty acting. That £12 billion project to link manchester and liverpool building a Midlands Rail hub to connect 50 stations as well as that tram in leeds and for road users as well, upgrading the a1, a2, a5 and the m6. But key as you said, no details as yet on what the tram system will be or indeed how much that will cost. But anna in much that will cost. But anna in leeds, thanks very much for updating us there in the building site of the City Centre Transport secretary mark harper. He has been speaking and he says that some of the money that will be redirected away from hs2 to other transport projects in the north will be available sooner rather than later says well be working closely with mayors in the north and in the midlands of all Political Parties to deliver for the people that we all seek to serve. Did he mention andy street by any chance . He did not mention andy street, but we know rishi sunak mentioned andy street several times, didnt he . Yeah, and christopher hope, our Political Editor , is trying to Political Editor, is trying to track him down and get his reaction to that cancelling , of reaction to that cancelling, of course, of that northern leg of hs2. Well, staying with transport in the north of england, because delegates are now on their way home their conference in home from their conference in manchester. But not sure theyre going to be able to get home by train train drivers train because train drivers belonging union belonging to the aslef union have the picket line have returned to the picket line in ongoing over in their ongoing dispute over paying in their ongoing dispute over paying conditions as well. Drivers from some 16 indeed, drivers from some 16 Train Companies across the country on strike. Many parts having no services at all today. And those that are running starting later and finishing earlier than usual. Lets get earlier than usual. Lets get the latest with jack carson, whos outside manchester piccadilly station, which would be fairly busy on a day like today with a conference, but pretty empty at the moment. And pretty empty at the moment. And i the other thing is , i guess the other thing is, jack, saying in jack, what theyre saying in reaction news hs2 from reaction to the news on hs2 from the Conference Centre. The Conference Centre. Yeah, exactly. I mean, the row of taxis that are lined up justin row of taxis that are lined up just in front of me certainly wouldnt be here on a usual day here in manchester, piccadilly, certainly not, of course, on the last day of a event last day of such a big event like conservative party like the conservative Party Conference delegates conference with with delegates and of course, members of parliament using the trains and the networks to get , of course, the networks to get, of course, back to their constituencies and back to their constituencies and back london. Youre a back to london. Now, if youre a welsh conservative, youre welsh conservative, lviv, youre going at going to have some luck here at manchester piccadilly because of course, transport wales course, transport for wales arent the networks that arent one of the networks that are on strike today. So if youre welsh youre one of the welsh conservatives, you can easily get to cardiff from get a train back to cardiff from here. This afternoon. But of Course Services course there are other services across the country like the situation the country, situation across the country, country aslef going on country with aslef going on strike. Of course it does mean that are going struggle that you are going to struggle to service today. To get a Decent Service today. But union saying that but the aslef union saying that there way to end there is one easy way to end this that is by coming back this and that is by coming back to the table. Theyve been having posters at their picket line wheres line today that says, wheres wally . Wheres harper . Of wally . Wheres harper . Of course, reference to the fact course, in reference to the fact that havent mark that they havent met mark harper for a matter of for a matter of months. They havent met hugh merriman. The transport minister, and minister, since january. And they they cant put that minister, since january. And they andthey cant put that minister, since january. And they and theyrelt put that minister, since january. And they and theyrelt p going minister, since january. And thejthati theyrelt p going minister, since january. And thejthat offerre1t p going minister, since january. And thejthat offer of lt p going minister, since january. And thejthat offer of 1t4 oing minister, since january. And thejthat offer of 1t4 backdated put that offer of a 4 backdated pay put that offer of a 4 backdated pay rise for 2022 and a 4 pay rise for 2023 to their members because it was only in may, of course, that they voted again to re this strike action re to redo this strike action for another further six months. So they say thats a mandate enough to these are enough to say that these are members accept offer enough to say that these are methe zrs accept offer enough to say that these are methe table accept offer enough to say that these are methe table. Accept offer enough to say that these are methe table. But cept offer enough to say that these are methe table. But mark offer enough to say that these are methe table. But mark harperer enough to say that these are methe table. But mark harper is on the table. But mark harper is saying that were not going to really come back to the table, of until you that of course, until you put that offer members. Its offer to your members. So its a stalemate here and lots of talking, strong talking from each side, but no kind of talking together. But i have been the talking here in been doing the talking here in manchester but people manchester today. But to people on the street, because, of course, announcement course, that big announcement from particularly , from rishi sunak, particularly, of leg of course, cancelling that leg of course, cancelling that leg of hs2 to manchester. Been of hs2 to manchester. Ive been speaking to them find out speaking to them to find out their reaction. Heres what they their reaction. Heres what they told me. Told me. Needs to kept open because needs to be kept open because obviously theyve so obviously theyve invested so much in the much billions in the infrastructure to get that line up and the problem you up and running. The problem you have and we see this time and time again , whichever government time again, whichever government is in power , the people that are is in power, the people that are doing the hs2 and the hs1 and all the other infrastructure is are private companies. They want are private companies. They want as much profit for as little amount of work as they can possibly get. What about the fact that that money is being wasted, that money could go on better and bigger projects, maybe affordable maybe building more Affordable Housing for people . I its really , really bad. I think all the wealth is going down to london and all the people getting people in london are getting rich and people the north rich and the people in the north are poorer and they need are getting poorer and they need to level properly and to level up properly and they need that line going. Need to keep that line going. Why waste all that money starting they starting something when they should off . Should finish it off . And i think its a disgrace, actually. And i think they just want to keep there and us keep them rich down there and us poor up and you poor up here. And why are you coming to manchester for . Because the of day, because at the end of the day, people in manchester dont want you. You conservative you. And really you conservative government be government shouldnt be in government government shouldnt be in gov itsnent government shouldnt be in gov its ridiculous. Government shouldnt be in govits ridiculous. Mean government shouldnt be in gov its ridiculous. Mean , we its ridiculous. I mean, we have and soft mic have more strikes and soft mic at the moment trains are at the moment and trains are essential. Dont he essential. I dont think he should because its should do that because its penalising the north yet again. And weve got to have good Rail Services as theyve done the rest of it over budget. So whats the difference . The voices of manchester, theyre speaking to you a little earlier. And of course, in the immediate term, the question is how delegates , how will those delegates, including and including all the mps and cabinet ministers, are going to get home or get back to where their constituencies are from manchester, i guess theyre going to have to head in or going to have to head in cars or even helicopters. Even planes or helicopters. Yeah , of course. We know the yeah, of course. We know the chancellor decided to fly into the conference, didnt he . He rishi sunak the Prime Minister opting for those cars. Of opting for those cars. Of course. Maybe theyll do a little a of a tour around little bit of a of a tour around some of course, some of the roads. Of course, theyve his big theyve promised in his big speech of course speech today to of course improve things. Roads like the improve things. Roads like the m6 course key Road Networks m6 of course key Road Networks all from midlands up all the way from the midlands up to manchester. As, of to manchester. But as, of course, hearing course, you were also hearing from people of manchester from the people of manchester here, feel a little bit let here, they feel a little bit let down fact that that leg down by the fact that that leg of has been cancelled. Of of hs2 has been cancelled. Of course there will be some good reception for Network North here, of course for here, particularly of course for those northern mps, those northern conservative mps, those red mps. That, of course, red wall mps. That, of course, im sure will in future be using those local electrified transport systems. But for transport systems. But for today, manchester might well get a little bit busy in a couple of hours time as all those delegates head home. Okay, jack at manchester piccadilly thank piccadilly for the moment. Thank you that. Piccadilly for the moment. Thank you a that. Piccadilly for the moment. Thank you a bit that. Piccadilly for the moment. Thank you a bit more that. Piccadilly for the moment. Thank you a bit more reactionthat. Piccadilly for the moment. Thank you a bit more reaction coming just a bit more reaction coming in. The former tory in. This is from the former tory treasury minister, lord oneill , jim oneill, crossbench peer. , jim oneill, crossbench peer. Now, in terms of the cancellation of the hs2 scheme and whats been put in its place, this so called Network North, he said. Its very easy for him, i. E. Rishi sunak to stand and say all these things and then just presume everyone forgets about it in another few months. He is forgets about it in another few months. He is Prime Minister months. He is the Prime Minister of party that the past 13 of a party that the past 13 years delivered any of a party that the past 13 years commitments, d any of a party that the past 13 years commitments, including by other commitments, including by the way, of electrification , the way, of electrification, which is what he really focussed on. Thats been said the many on. Thats been said by the many times before and they havent. A former treasury minister indeed. Well , former treasury minister indeed. Well, something former treasury minister indeed. Well , Something Else rishi well, Something Else rishi sunak talked about was the nhs and he was hailing the parties, the governments long term workforce plan. He also said that strikes by Junior Doctors and consultants that are happening at the moment are all about politics. Acas well of course, featuring on the or focusing rather on the record high waiting list. But the British Medical Association saying that hospitals not been hospitals have not been appropriately rescheduling non urgent elective activity , non urgent elective activity, i. E. Trying to cope with the aftermath of the strike. So lets get some reaction now from a junior doctor, dr. Bashar mukherjee. You can join us. Thank you very much indeed for your time. And clearly, the current urgent sort of strike action combined with consultants and juniors coming to an end, whats your assessment . Because i think youve actually decided that youre going to leave the bma for the moment, is that right . Right . Yes , i have just cancelled my yes, i have just cancelled my bma membership and thats actually is purely for the purpose of the fact that its not worth for me to pay £30 month. Bma gave a three month houday bma gave a three month holiday for monthly fees and this goes back into the conversation about dr. Whos not being compensated well for all the fees that add up, including indemnity fees, exam fees and the various other things along side, you know, living costs. So side, you know, living costs. So i think, you know, the conversation is not about why im leaving bma whether its got to do with bma itself, but its more to do with not having enough funds to do it. So do you still support these strikes that are taking place then . Then . Well, 100. And i would say that even if youre not a member of the bma, you can still be a part of the strike motion because ultimately its about, you know, we all believe in the same thing, which is that were not being well compensated for all these years and i think, you know, it goes beyond the job. It goes beyond just the working hours. Ive been since the age of 15. Ive been preparing, you know, in terms of doing voluntary work and exams and studying all this towards medicine. And the rewards are just not matching up to the demands of the job. Right. And that raises another question, bashar, and that is how long can the doctors carry on industrial action if on this industrial action if theyre losing pay by going out on this industrial action if thestrike,sing pay by going out on this industrial action if thestrike, bearing by going out on this industrial action if thestrike, bearing in going out on this industrial action if thestrike, bearing in mindg out on this industrial action if thestrike, bearing in mind what on strike, bearing in mind what you said about how tight things are . Are for you . Yes, absolutely. And thats where the personal sacrifice is coming in. You know , weve weve coming in. You know, weve weve weve heard of the carrot and the stick method. And i think for very long weve been facing the stick. Weve been doing our job with our heads down and hoping to not get in trouble because we also face a very high level of litigation for our role. We have to do everything properly. We cant just do it half heartedly right . Othennise, there are real consequences. And there are real consequences. And i think weve come to the point for me personally where its just a of the stick just just a case of the stick just doesnt hurt anymore. Okay what are consequences of that . Are the consequences of that . Well, you know, we were just thinking about, well, if we dont we then dont get what we want, then were just going leave bashan were of time. Thank you were out of time. Thank you very us very much indeed for bringing us your coming up at the your view. More coming up at the top the hour. Stay with on top of the hour. Stay with us on gb news. Afternoon. Alex deakin. This your latest weather this is your latest weather update office for update from the met office for gb news. A bit of a north south split with weather wet for with the weather today wet for parts scotland and Northern Ireland. Most of and wales most of england and wales dry under high under the influence of High Pressure. Further north, weather fronts draping their way and bringing a soggy feel to much of central southern scotland and the north of Northern Ireland. That rainy zone lingering well into the evening, perhaps well see some wet weather into the far of england. Much the far north of england. Much of northern scotland actually turning and clear. Turning dry and clear. And here itll actually turn a little chilly with temperatures well into temperatures well down into single for much of the single figures for much of the rest of the uk, temperatures holding up in double we holding up in double digits. We start thursday then with quite a lot of cloud. Certainly for north north west england, north wales, north west england, therell of therell be some outbreaks of rain drizzle for northern rain and drizzle for Northern Ireland into ireland going to turn into a pretty morning fairly pretty soggy morning fairly quickly. Rain moving in here quickly. The rain moving in here and into western and then pushing into western scotland as well. The winds will start to increase. So turning wet and windy across north wales start to increase. So turning wewell windy across north wales start to increase. So turning wewell as ndy across north wales start to increase. So turning wewell as north westlorth wales start to increase. So turning wewell as north west england,5s as well as north west england, Northern Ireland actually getting a bit through the getting a bit drier through the afternoon. Some even. And eastern of england mostly eastern parts of england mostly dry a bit of dry and bright. A bit of sunshine poke through and sunshine could poke through and thatll to thatll see temperatures up to 19 elsewhere. Were in 19 degrees elsewhere. Were in the at best. Weather the mid teens at best. Weather fronts continue to bring further rain across north west scotland. That cause some issues that could cause some issues by the to the weekend. The time we get to the weekend. But south, look at this, but further south, look at this, temperatures rise. Temperatures are on the rise. High pressure moving in. A lot of fine weather as head into of fine weather as we head into the for england and the weekend for england and wales temperatures this wales and temperatures this weekend could in 20s good afternoon. It is 2 00 good afternoon. It is 2 00 and you are with the live desk here on gb news. Coming up this wednesday afternoon, the Prime Minister addresses the Party Conference announcing the northern leg of hs2 is scrapped. Instead, he says hell be investing the 36 billion saved investing the 36 billion saved in other transport projects. In other transport projects. Its now called Network North. Its now called Network North. It includes a tram link in leeds i there were other big policy statements too, on the nhs. He aims to raise the smoking age by one year every year to tackle the uks biggest preventable cause of death. Well have reaction and analysis of his whole speech , which , meanwhile whole speech, which, meanwhile all the Party Delegates turning their attention to trying to get home as aslef. Home as aslef. Train drivers are out on strike over pay, including manchester piccadilly. Well manchester piccadilly. Well have an update on the dispute to i plus, history made in the United States as House Speaker Kevin Mccarthy is ousted from office, marking the First Time Ever that representatives have voted out the speaker. Well get the latest from washington, dc. And well be looking ahead to whats expected to be a scorcher of a weekend. Temperatures scorchio parts of the uk is set to be hotter than ibiza. Yes its true, says the met office. First, the news headunes the met office. First, the News Headlines with rhiannon. Headlines with rhiannon. Thank you, mark. Good afternoon. Its one minute past to your top stories is from the newsroom. The Prime Minister has newsroom. The Prime Minister has confirmed the northern leg of hs2 is being scrapped. Speaking after weeks of speculation, rishi sunak told the conservative Party Conference in manchester that hes ready to make tough decisions for the country. Hes defended the move , saying the money will be better spent developing projects in the north and the midlands. Hs2 will still run to euston in central london, but current management will no longer be responsible for the site. Responsible for the site. We will reinvest every single penny. £36 billion in hundreds of new transport projects in the north and the midlands across the country. This means £36 billion of investment in the projects that will make a real difference across our nation. Difference across our nation. The countess of chester Chester Hospital is under investigation for corporate manslaughter. It follows lucy letby murder convictions. The letby murder convictions. The former nurse jailed for life after killing seven babies and attempting to murder six others attempting to murder six others at the hospitals Neonatal Unit. Cheshire constabulary confirmed its focusing on the indictment penod its focusing on the indictment period between june 2015 and 2016. It says its considering areas, including Senior Leadership and Decision Making, to determine whether any criminal pity has taken place. Criminal pity has taken place. As a 19 year old soldier is believed to have taken her own life after relentless Sexual Harassment by one of her bosses. An Army Investigation has found Royal Artillery gunner james lee beck was found dead at larkhill camp in wiltshire in december 2021. The report describes as an intense period of unwell behaviour and says its almost certain this was a casual factor in her death. A murder in her death. A Murder Investigation has been launched after a dog believed to be an xl bully killed a man in sunderland. Police responded just before 7 00 last night following reports the dog had injured a 54 year old. A 44 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The dog was destroyed at the scene. A second has been seized. The reclaim has been seized. The reclaim party, says lawrence fox has been arrested. Earlier, he been arrested. Earlier, he posted a video on social media saying his house was being searched by police in a statement, Scotland Yard said a 45 year old man was arrested on suspicion to commit criminal damage to ulez cameras as fuel retailers have dismissed claims us drivers are being overcharged at the pumps following a surge in prices. Rac data shows diesel shot up by more than £0. 08 a litre in september. Thats the litre in september. Thats the fifth biggest monthly increase since the turn of the century. Since the turn of the century. Unleaded also rose nearly £0. 05 per litre to 150 £0. 07. The motoring groups blaming the hikes on production cuts by the opec group of Oil Producing nafions opec group of Oil Producing nations and a weakening of the pound against the dollar. Turkey has withdrawn its bid to host the ,2,028, meaning a joint bid by the uk and the republic of ireland. Now stands unopposed. Italy and turkey have agreed to merge bids for 2032. The joint bid needs to be officially approved by uefas executive committee next week. Ten stadiums were selected, including glasgows hampden park, the principality stadium in cardiff, dublins Aviva Stadium and wembley in london. This is gb news across the uk on tv , in your car, on digital tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying, play gb news now back over to mark and. Pip rhiannon. Over to mark and. Pip rhiannon. Thanks very much and welcome back to the live desk with of course, that keynote speech by the Prime Minister to bring the tory Party Conference to an end in manchester, rishi sunak receiving well, it was a standing ovation after that speech, closing the conference with education secretary Gillian Keegan even moved to tears as yes, she was indeed. And the Prime Ministers speech actually was some half an hour longer than his predecessors. Liz truss last yean predecessors. Liz truss last year, the Prime Minister confirmed that the northern leg of hs2 would be scrapped , saying of hs2 would be scrapped, saying that to continue out of embarrassment would be an abdication of leadership. The rmt union, meanwhile, are calling it a disastrous decision and have accused the government of playing political ahead of playing political games ahead of playing political games ahead of an election. The Prime Minister also but the Prime Minister also announcing a crackdown on smoking , particularly for young smoking, particularly for young people and promising to raise the smoking age by one year every create a smoke every year to create a smoke free generation. But plenty of smoke being created on the political scene. Lets get more from manchester and our Political Editor , christopher Political Editor, christopher hope, who was following the events. Christopher weve got Network North replacing hs2 effectively all these schemes across the north, but already its interesting. Weve got reaction from lord jim oneill. Of course, a crossbench peer now, but a former tory treasury minister effectively saying, well, weve heard all this before. Before. Thats right. Jim oneill, of course, is a key part of a Northern Powerhouse project with George Osborne. Thats the idea of connecting up these northern cities, east and west. A cities, east and west. A brilliant idea, but why not have them linked between manchester and birmingham that that almost and birmingham that that almost a bridge to the north doesnt exist now. Instead theres this government has spent billions of pounds under the pounds tunnelling under the south to save the views of southern tory mps. Theyve got to the point where need to the point where they need to try connect and try and connect the north and guess what . Happen. Guess what . It wont happen. Its a look for the its a dreadful look for the government. Rishi sunak government. But rishi sunak fields brave by fields is being brave here by taking now looking taking this choice. Now looking at costings, they will at the costings, they will connect common six miles connect Old Oak Common six miles out london to euston. Theyre out of london to euston. Theyre getting the team. Getting rid of the team. Theyre bringing their new team, a new company happen. Company to make that happen. Three published three command papers published this lunchtime to make that happen. Thoughts gone happen. So lots of thoughts gone into it. The choices made this morning cabinet for morning by the cabinet met for 45 told. No one 45 minutes, were told. No one opposed the in the hall opposed this in the in the hall just a few moments ago. And we saw that being announced. No booing most booing the odd woop. Most activists happy about the activists were happy about the idea of spending more money, billions more in the north of england , but not on hs2. But england, but not on hs2. But i wonder whether by the weekend thatll be the same. Is real moment now for is this a real moment now for rishi sunak chris, do you think . You know, this is the starting gun fired ahead of the general election in a years time. Well, election in a years time. Well, pippa , i think so. Pippa, i think so. And for me, it wasnt so much as the speech as what came before because Akshata Murty murty made this made this the wife of rishi sunak made an extraordinarily political speech last time that, of last time we saw that, of course, was was with gordon brown in 2009. As you both remember. Of course, that went remember. Of course, that went on defeat of the labour on to a defeat of the labour party at that election. But the hope for the tory is that hope for the tory party is that that be the case. Now, that wont be the case. Now, weve that see weve been told that well see more murty the more of Akshata Murty the partnership. Clearly partnership. They have clearly a very friendship. They very close friendship. They first met when they were 24, 25 on a university in america that will be seen as this power couple. I think what the weekend papers about papers will be talking about ahead tory conference is ahead of the tory conference is the of akshata. Murty the emergence of akshata. Murty is a Political Force and is a real Political Force and can she and bring a human can she save and bring a human face the kind of robotic face to the kind of robotic nature part rishi sunak . Nature in part of rishi sunak . Course weve got and of course weve got laboun and of course weve got labour. Next week in terms labour. Then next week in terms of this build up to a general election. Interesting that weve already got reaction from labours National Campaign coordinator, mcfadden , and coordinator, pat mcfadden, and hes observed members of his cabinet spent this week jockeying for position to replace while liz truss, replace him while liz truss, nigel and the conspiracy nigel farage and the conspiracy theories from darkest theories lifted from the darkest corners of the internet have dominated the conference. I mean, the attack lines are all being established already, arent they . Arent they . Thats right. Arent they . Thats right. Theres no thats right. Theres no question this conference has been dominated by the right. I was note i noted that in the speech there. Mr sunak did not speech there. Mr sunak did not name right wing candidates name any right wing candidates to. He talked about to replace him. He talked about other other tory tory ministers Gillian Keegan, Kevin Badenoch , Gillian Keegan, Kevin Badenoch, Steve Barclay and others. But no one from the right i think of Suella Braverman and even Penny Mordaunt. Gave an mordaunt. She gave an extraordinary moved to extraordinary speech, moved to tears , reminded the sacrifice tears, reminded the sacrifice of our troops in the falklands, falklands war 40 years ago this year. Falklands war 40 years ago this year. That was a passionate year. That was a passionate speech think, and it really speech i think, and it really did set the place alight. That was broke it was broken was so broke that it was broken by akshata. Murty murty by the akshata. Murty murty speech. Measures announced speech. Other measures announced today ban smoking. If today this ban on smoking. If youre 14 old, theyre youre 14 years old, theyre going increase age. Going to increase the age. So you cant actually even buy cigarettes 18 cigarettes legally from 18 upwards. Ban may or may not upwards. That ban may or may not come before the election when theyre not sure yet. Should theyre not sure yet. It should be in the queens speech, a plan to bring scrap these to scrap to bring to scrap these three all three a levels. Weve weve all taken when we younger to taken when we were younger to replace with that will taken when we were younger to replewell with that will taken when we were younger to replewell overvith that will taken when we were younger to replewell over a. H that will taken when we were younger to replewell over a decadethat will taken when we were younger to replewell over a decade to |t will taken when we were younger to replewell over a decade to bring take well over a decade to bring in because the need to hire more teachers, give them of teachers, give them bonuses of up to £30,000 and try and get more teachers in to that more teachers in to make that happen. Are long term happen. So these are long term ideas, which will go ideas, much of which will go past election and partial election after that and election after that one. And thats theyre trying to thats the theyre trying to show sunak seeing , show an idea of sunak seeing, seeing, seeing vision, a long seeing, seeing a vision, a long term here. Seeing, seeing a vision, a long terralso, here. Seeing, seeing a vision, a long terralso, ispoke , as we would also, he spoke, as we would have expected, about immigration ian chris and said that when we confident that when the flights start going regularly to rwanda, the boats will stop coming. We the boats will stop coming. We will do whatever is necessary to stop the boats. Was that not stop the boats. Was that not another hint that he is prepared to leave the European Convention on human rights . On human rights . Well, pippa, i asked that knowing youd asked me that question right now, i asked that very question of number 10 downing minutes downing street about ten minutes ago. Clear on what ago. They were not clear on what that at the weekend. That meant at the weekend. Of course saw the those three course, we saw the those three cabinet ministers came out. Michael gove, Kevin Badenoch, suella , all saying Suella Braverman, all saying that leaving the echr must be on the i said that knowing the table. I said that knowing youd ask that pippa, will it be on the table . They wouldnt go there. Wants to try and there. The pm wants to try and flex echr means. Flex what the echr means. Thats what court case what the Strasbourg Court case is about with rwanda. The rwanda flights. Want to start that flights. They want to start that case starts next month. Reports back november. Theyre back in november. And theyre hoping they can flex hoping they can they can flex how apply the european how you apply the European Convention of human rights to allow that allow this to take place, that you leave in the echr. You didnt leave in the echr. I asked question for you. Asked that question for you. It wasnt answered. We have to ask you, has and we have to ask you, has andy street, the tory mayor of West Midlands , returned your West Midlands, returned your phone calls yet. Phone calls yet. Not yet. Its been lots of time. Now its nearly a quarter time. Now its nearly a quarter past an hour and three quarters and counting. Its an ominous silence, right. Silence, right. Okay. Back to you as we get more. But lets bring in our business and economics editor Liam Halligan on that because Liam Halligan on that because liam , obviously, in terms of liam, obviously, in terms of andy streets reaction, its to sort of cast his assessment of the damage as he was indicating the damage as he was indicating the cancellation of this link from birmingham to manchester, the hs2 link will be doing without obviously the high speed line. Line. Well, i know andy street pretty well and hes a formidable character. This is a guy who started out as a shop assistant and John John Lewis and ended up as ceo of one of our Flagship Retail chains. So he knows all about business. He knows all about cutting deals and jeopardy and i imagine he will be in negotiation right now with the Prime Minister and his aides, because if andy street , a aides, because if andy street, a very well respected person in this part of the country, the north and the midlands, hes a big figure in birmingham. Of course, West Midlands mayor, hes got cross Party Support in many ways. If he now resigns and goes off in a huff, that will really undermine the picture that rishi sunak is trying to paint. The deal that rishi sunak is trying to put on the table the political challenge as tom hannood rightly described it, that the Prime Minister is trying to pose to labour. And trying to pose to labour. And the challenge is this if we dont spend £36 billion on in birmingham to manchester, high speed rail, but we do have those hs2 trains running on conventional tracks from birmingham to manchester, and we then use that £36 billion on things like a tram system in leeds, a liverpool to manchester bespoke rail route and the east midlands hub. Other fixes and midlands hub. Other fixes and blockages unblock ing of pinch points on the rail network, electrification of trains in the north and the midlands, where disgracefully so many trains are still diesel trains that are slow lacking in power and acceleration. So theyre short acceleration. So theyre short few carriages. Theres lots of few carriages. Theres lots of congestion on those trains and overcrowding. If andy street accepts publicly plea that rishi sunak has a point and there is some logic in what he is doing , some logic in what he is doing, then rishi sunak will have a much easier time of selling that vision across the conservative party. The Political Class and the population as a whole. But the population as a whole. But if andy street in a high profile way, goes off in a huff, as i say, somebody whos very well known across the midlands and the north and as near to a National Figure as a regional mayor, can get, as is andy burnham of course, as in manchester, as is ben houchen in the tees valley in the north east so andy streets verdict on this really matters to rishi sunak. Verdict on this really matters to rishi sunak. And so that is to rishi sunak. And so that is why hes not returning. Chris why hes not returning. Chris calls at the moment because hes negotiating with the Prime Minister, i suspect. Yeah. And of course, he was mentioned three times mentioned i think, three times in ministers speech in the Prime Ministers speech as well. Street just looking andy street just looking at what tweeted only 24 what he what he tweeted only 24 hours what should i say . Hours ago or what should i say . Xt yesterday he said, i will not let hs2 go without a fight, which thats pretty telling, isnt it . It is pretty telling, but you know, if you let something go without a fight and you come out of the fight with Something Else, you can keep your head held high. Andy burnham did exactly the same thing as andy street has done. Obviously andy street is a tory regional mayor in the West Midlands. Andy burnham is a labour Greater Manchester mayor here in the north west yeah. Andy burnham has been briefing the papers over the last couple of days that if birmingham to manchester hs2 goes i am negotiate with the Prime Minister to secure the other transport spending for the north in order to compensate. And in order to compensate. And thats why you know andy burnham has been out and about here at the tory Party Conference, you know, unusually , and thats why know, unusually, and thats why the was basically the Prime Minister was basically love bombing andy street in his speech. As you say, multiple mentions in terms of how this goes down with the broader public. I do think having spent many, many years examining the case for hs2 , and i know many, case for hs2, and i know many, many people in the Rail Industry who dont work for hs2 , who who dont work for hs2, who think hs2 is a terrible idea, you dont need high speed rail in a relatively small country. You can spend the money in a lot better ways. I think while the opposition to sunaks move to scrap the birmingham to manchester hs2 line , there will manchester hs2 line, there will be vociferous opposition. There be vociferous opposition. There will be many lobby groups and business groups who are invested in the idea of hs2, who will complain very, very, very, very loudly. But i complain very, very, very, very loudly. But i think complain very, very, very, very loudly. But i think there will loudly. But i think there will also be a lot of people, perhaps what you might call in politics, a majority will think a silent majority who will think , well, as long as we get these other things as well, and there may something what sunak may be something in what sunak is trying say. Is trying to say. And a key question, and thats a key question, isnt liam, what they call isnt it, liam, what they call Network North now, in terms of all these these other schemes and weve got lord jim oneill, crossbench tory, treasury crossbench peer tory, treasury minister at one time and a well known economist of course saying well the proof of the pudding is going be will these other going to be will these other schemes delivered and, and schemes be delivered and, and when see thats very, very interesting. Interesting. I know jim oneill well. Hes a very proud mancunian a big man united fan, by the way , former united fan, by the way, former chief economist at goldman sachs. Again, very sophisticated. Again, a very sophisticated not just economist, but also somebody whos operated at the highest level of business and indeed politics. And if you can come away with a deal, then everyone can move on. And the poison can be drawn out of this situation. So, again , andy situation. So, again, andy street says, im not giving up without a fight. What is what is he going to get in return . Is jim oneill going to get so called hs3 , the transpennine so called hs3, the transpennine upgrade that hes been talking about . Literally for 20 or 30 years . I must mention here on gb news, mark and pip, one other group of people who will be absolutely outraged about this scrapping of hs2 , birmingham to scrapping of hs2, birmingham to manchester and no amount of negotiation, no amount of other schemes, no amount of recompense will ever mollify them. That is the hundreds of families whove homes have been compulsorily purchased by the state in order to make way for hs2 to birmingham to manchester. A lot of people have had their lives uprooted and theres been an awful lot of complaints that the compensation for moving home hasnt been nearly enough. So hasnt been nearly enough. So theres been lots of complaints, though hs2 company will deny them of , you know, though hs2 company will deny them of, you know, not particularly decent treatment of some of these families. Very good point. Very good point. Very good point. When politicians make decisions and then they unmake the decisions and they change their minds is the big picture, their minds is the big picture, the macro picture can often make sense. The macro picture can often make sense. But the small people on sense. But the small people on the ground , the ordinary the ground, the ordinary families who have had their lives uprooted often , often lives uprooted often, often adamantly against their will, we should just spare a moment as were discussing the high politics of this. Lets spare a moment for them a very good point to make on the peoples channel. Liam in manchester, thanks very indeed that. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell indeed that. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell , indeed that. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell , weieed that. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell , we can that. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell , we can bringiat. Liam in manchester, thanks veerell , we can bring you more well, we can bring you more reaction from the Prime Ministers speech from two cabinet ministers Kemi Badenoch ministers speech from two cabiclaire nisters Kemi Badenoch ministers speech from two cabiclaire coutinhozmi badenoch ministers speech from two cabiclaire coutinho. Ni badenoch ministers speech from two cabiclaire coutinho. Soiadenoch ministers speech from two cabiclaire coutinho. So here|och ministers speech from two cabiclaire coutinho. So here are and claire coutinho. So here are their thoughts. Their thoughts. So first of all, we cant be distracted by people who are on the sidelines, disgruntled. The sidelines, disgruntled. Weve got to listen to what the people in this room are saying, not the people who dont want to be in this room. And the fact is the Prime Minister stood the Prime Minister has stood up there that is there and done something that is very said. Have there and done something that is very looking said. Have there and done something that is very looking ataid. Have there and done something that is very looking at the have there and done something that is very looking at the wrongve there and done something that is very looking at the wrong things been looking at the wrong things for 30 years. Lots of different parties, different politicians have been making decisions for the short term. Term. Hes making for the long hes making them for the long term. He announced today is term. What he announced today is going deliver not for going to deliver not just for tomorrow decades to tomorrow but for decades to come. Those three poly policies are going change peoples lives going to change peoples lives for good. Thats why im really and thats why im really proud not not im not proud. Im not im not im not going to get into the details of the which station is going to have what Network North is changing something. Its changing. In one changing something. Its changing. In one simple project into one that delivers for people all across the north of the uk. Of the uk. Well, look, i think the really important to really important thing to remember is that actually post covid , the way that people post covid, the way that people are using the trains has completely changed. So if you look at the legs of hs2 that hes talked about shifting into the Network North programme, actually people havent come back to that train line in the way that we thought. So in terms of Business Travel, because of things zoom, we because of things like zoom, we know the way because of things like zoom, we know are the way because of things like zoom, we know are business nay because of things like zoom, we know are business has people are doing business has changed. Hasnt recovered changed. That hasnt recovered in we had thought in the way that we had thought it before the pandemic and it would before the pandemic and all of those changes that have happened society. So now happened across society. So now what were going to spend what were going to do is spend every that was every single penny that was going to be spent in the north in terms of hs2 and the midlands. Every single penny is being invested those areas, but invested in those areas, but into a programme of transport which to make real which is going to make a real difference which difference to people which reflects the way they are reflects the way that they are travelling so thats the travelling now. So thats the picture in manchester. Whats the picture in leeds will be . Well zipping over there or chugging over there. Whats the speed , we wonder, because we the speed, we wonder, because we are awaiting a tram system for that city. When and where. Well be updating you in a moment. Stay from three on gb news choose. From three on gb news choose. Welcome back to the live desk here on gb news. Were getting more reaction to this decision to cancel the northern leg of hs2 to the cbi. Is saying that it sends a damaging signal to Global Investors and stalls the progress for many businesses in the midlands and north who have spent the last decade planning for its delivery and you wont be surprised to learn that labours response from shadow transport secretary louise haigh is a staggering tory fiasco thats seen costs soar and the north and midlands left to pay the price. The price. Only after 13 years of dismal failure, she said, could the conservatives make the centrepiece of their conference conservatives make the c re announcement conference conservatives make the cfre announcement of |ference conservatives make the cfre announcement of promises. A re announcement of promises. The conservatives have made before. Well lets get some reaction in leeds heading up to leeds station and speaking to gb news yorkshire and humber, reporter anna riley. Reporter anna riley. Are there a lot of sweeteners for people there . Anna well, there certainly needed to be, didnt there . Weve already heard rumours before. The official announcement about the cancellation of the manchester hs2 leg. So certainly that sweetener was needed from Prime Minister rishi sunak, especially heading up to the election. If heading up to the election. If he wanted to get the votes in the north. Certainly transport has always been a talking point here in the north, whether youre waiting for a bus, whether bus lines have been cancelled or whether the Train Services are running, we know that they arent today for the majority due to strikes from aslef, the Train Drivers Union. But on a normal day, people do struggle in the north to get that not just connectivity with other cities like going to manchester, going to hull, but also local routes as well with cancellations and a big, big take here in leeds , of course, take here in leeds, of course, is the announcement that theyll be getting this tram network. It was 1959 that leeds last had a tram network and its one of the biggest cities in western europe not to have one. So certainly people here pleased with that announcement. I people here pleased with that announcement. I also people here pleased with that announcement. I also spoke to announcement. I also spoke to people just to find out what they thought to transport here and what they wanted. That £36 billion spending on. And this is what they had to say. The in terms of buses, i think the transport is quite good. But i think the trains can be improved a little bit more and i think, yeah, i think transport is quite good. First bus has done job. It done a good job. I think it should towards better maybe should go towards better maybe train links between like leeds and manchester and newcastle because manchester and newcastle because manchester and leeds are not really the north, theyre more like the middle england. We also need north, theyre more like the mifocus england. We also need north, theyre more like the mifocus onanland. We also need north, theyre more like the mifocus on likeind. We also need north, theyre more like the mifocus on like middlesbrough,id to focus on like middlesbrough, newcastle parts of newcastle and maybe parts of scotland as well, because i think attention is think most of the attention is focussed towards london. Focussed more towards london. But i yeah, definitely but i think yeah, definitely because leeds and because like leeds and manchester and liverpool , manchester and liverpool, theyre all in terms of theyre all good in terms of economy so think they need to economy. So i think they need to be focussed little more be focussed on a little bit more and especially towards and especially links towards newcastle and especially links towards neilts;tle and especially links towards nei its a e and especially links towards neiits a bit rubbish. The buses its a bit rubbish. The buses are always late or they just dont so when youre dont turn up. So when youre trying like or trying to get to like school or college, anything college, your work or anything like a bit rubbish like that, its a bit rubbish to get obviously im in get to like obviously im in college quite far away, so ive obviously had a leeds. It takes forever to get there and if buses late , im left about buses are late, im left about an because its an hour an hour because its an hour between each bus. , i mean think the well, i mean i think the money go more into like money should go more into like the schools and that the nhs and schools and that just because its like education, its horrible around here. I cant believe it because , i cant believe it because, um, obviously hs2, its supposed to like, get rid of the north south divide, but its not, its not really doing a lot for it because normally it goes down london for me anyway, actually, very good. Actually, its very good. I feel very fortunate and i feel very lucky in that we have a bus stop just outside our front door and i can get a bus sort of every 15 minutes, 20 minutes at the most , sort of every 15 minutes, 20 minutes at the most, and coming back, going back home. Its the same. So i have no complaints at same. So i have no complaints at all. So thats the view from people here in leeds and people in the north certainly now will be looking to see whether rishi sunak and his government can truly deliver on these promises to bridge that north south divide and to make that levelling up promise come true. Well , anna, levelling up promise come true. Well, anna, thank you for taking us back to the future and spotting at the tram network was last seen there in 1959. Good bit of local history. Thank you very much indeed. What thank you very much indeed. What about the future for all those delegates leaving manchester on their way home from the conference . Because cause theres major disruption at manchester piccadilly. The train drivers, of course, aslef , are drivers, of course, aslef, are on the picket lines in their ongoing, dispute over ongoing, ongoing dispute over pay ongoing, ongoing dispute over pay conditions as yes, pay and conditions as yes, drivers from 16 Train Companies are strike, with many parts are on strike, with many parts of the country having no services today. Services at all today. Those that are running and those that are running have started later and are finishing earlier than usual. Our gb News National reporter jack carson is outside manchester piccadilly station for us. And jack , it does sound for us. And jack, it does sound like the train drivers are in the mood to say we are going to keep doing this until we get a resolution that suits us. Yeah well, theyre very much Standing Firm and that was certainly the feeling on the picket line this morning. They were all there out there with their flags, with their posters, much showing how posters, very much showing how united still in this united they are. Still in this want in this of want and in this fight, of course better course, for those better pay, for better working for those better working conditions well , even if it conditions as well, even if it does mean, of course, bringing so much of the network to a standstill , thats particularly standstill, thats particularly the has had here the impact that it has had here at piccadilly. Of at manchester piccadilly. Of course, all those conservative Party Conference delegates trying to leave will not able trying to leave will not be able to services to use these Railway Services unless, they might be to use these Railway Services uiwelsh they might be to use these Railway Services uiwelsh conservative, might be to use these Railway Services uiwelsh conservative, iniight be to use these Railway Services uiwelsh conservative, in which we a welsh conservative, in which case with transport wales case with transport for wales being service here being the only service here running the station today, running from the station today, they back to cardiff. Running from the station today, the� right. Back to cardiff. Running from the station today, the� right. Thisiack to cardiff. Running from the station today, the� right. This afternoon,iiff. All right. This afternoon, or maybe a little bit of maybe even a little bit of diversion, course, for those diversion, of course, for those people travelling england. People travelling from england. So there is a long way round maybe the rail network get maybe on the rail network to get back but lot of back into england, but a lot of them have be them are going to have to be using the roads and using, of course, highways. Maybe course, the highways. And maybe if on the chancellor like if youre on the chancellor like he arrived he did when he arrived of course, his own plane as course, his own his own plane as well. Of course, that big well. But of course, that big announcement rishi sunak well. But of course, that big annouonement rishi sunak well. But of course, that big annouon cancelling rishi sunak well. But of course, that big annouon cancelling theii sunak well. But of course, that big annouon cancelling the second today on cancelling the second leg of hs2, which would of course come all the way here to manchester. Ive speaking manchester. Ive been speaking to streets here to people on the streets here today what they make to people on the streets here tonthat what they make to people on the streets here tonthat decision. What they make to people on the streets here tonthat decision. Wh. Lineey make to people on the streets here tonthat decision. Wh. Line needsze of that decision. The line needs to be kept open because obviously theyve invested so much billions in the infrastructure to get that line up and running. The problem, you have and we see this time and time again , see this time and time again, whichever government is in power , the people that are doing the hs2 and the one and all the other infrastructure is are private companies. They want as private companies. They want as much profit for as little amount of work as they can possibly get. What about the fact that that money is being wasted , that that money is being wasted, that money could go on better and bigger projects, maybe building more Affordable Housing for people . Think its really, people . I think its really, really people . I think its really, reaiiy people . I think its really, reaii think all the wealth is i think all the wealth is going down london and all the going down to london and all the people are getting people in london are getting rich in the north rich and the people in the north are getting poorer need are getting poorer and they need to level up properly and they need keep that line going. Need to keep that line going. Why all that money why waste all that money starting something they starting something when they should off . And i should finish it off . And i think a disgrace, actually. Think its a disgrace, actually. And want to and i think they just want to keep rich down there and us keep them rich down there and us poor why are you poor up here. And why are you coming to manchester for . Because of the because at the end of the day, people manchester want people in manchester dont want you. You you. And really, you conservative government shouldnt be in government at all. Ridiculous. I mean, we its ridiculous. I mean, we have more strikes and soft mic at the moment trains are at the moment and trains are essential. Think he essential. I dont think he should because its should do that because its penalising the north yet again and weve got to have good Rail Services as theyve done the rest of it over budget. So rest of it over budget. So whats the difference . Whats the difference . Well, john, thanks very much indeed for bringing us there. The of manchester and of the voices of manchester and of course, all those delegates now trying to get their way home. Lets just reflect, mick whelan of aslef indicating that the sooner that rishi sunak takes his helicopter home, the last chopper out of saigon , the chopper out of saigon, the better for britain. More reaction coming up. Lets get all the latest headlines now with rhiannon. With rhiannon. Its 233. Your top stories from the newsroom. The prime from the newsroom. The Prime Minister has announced the scrapping of the birmingham to manchester leg of hs2. Speaking manchester leg of hs2. Speaking after weeks of speculation , after weeks of speculation, rishi sunak told the conservative Party Conference in manchester that hes taken the decision. Other leaders should have taken. Have taken. We will reinvest every single. Penny, £36 billion in hundred of new transport projects in the north and the midlands across the country. We this means £36 the country. We this means £36 billion of investment in the projects that will make a real difference across our nation. Difference across our nation. The countess of Chester Hospital is under investigation for corporate manslaughter. It follows lucy letby murder convictions. The former nurse convictions. The former nurse jailed for life after killing seven babies and attempting to murder six others at the hospitals Neonatal Unit. Cheshire constabulary confirmed its focusing on the indictment penod its focusing on the indictment period between june 2015 and 2016. It says its considering areas, including Senior Leadership and Decision Making , leadership and Decision Making, to determine whether any criminality has taken place. A criminality has taken place. A Murder Investigation has been launched after a dog believed to be an xl bully killed a man in sunderland. Police responded just before 7 00 last night following reports say dog had injured a 54 year old. A 44 year old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder. The dog was destroyed at the scene. A second destroyed at the scene. A second has been seized and in some breaking news, gb news has sacked lawrence fox and calvin robinson. They were both suspended last week after the actor turned politician made on air comments about journalists. Ava evans. In air comments about journalists. Ava evans. In a air comments about journalists. Ava evans. In a separate ava evans. In a separate development today, the reclaim party leader was arrested shortly after he posted a video on social media saying his house was being searched by police. In a statement, Scotland Yard said a statement, Scotland Yard said a 45 year old man is being questioned and on suspicion to commit criminal damage to ulez cameras. And you can get more on cameras. And you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Direct our website, gbnews. Com. Direct boolean sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment. Silver investment. It. It. It. Heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2171 and ,1. 1565. The price of gold is £1,501. 35 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is. At ounce, and the ftse 100 is. At 7454 points. Direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for physical investment radio. Welcome back to the live desk. More now from that speech from the Prime Minister at the closing of the tory Party Conference with rishi sunak reiterating that promise to stop the boats and clamp down on illegal migration when he said that although the government was making progress, there was more to be done. Many people begin their european crossing at the small italian island of lampedusa , italian island of lampedusa, which has become the frontline of the migrant crisis from where our home and security editor mark white sent this special report out a week after more than 11,000 migrants arrived on this tiny italian island. This tiny italian island. We watched as the final batch of 101, mainly young men from sub Saharan Africa left to board a ferry to the italian mainland. And authorities here took advantage of several days of bad weather in the med to clear the decks ahead of the next surge of migrant arrivals. It is decks ahead of the next surge of migrant arrivals. It is a seemingly never ending cycle , seemingly never ending cycle, all in the Mass Movement of people across this sea. People across this sea. Lampedusas geographical location. Closer to north africa than italy puts it on the front line of europes growing migrant crisis. This but line of europes growing migrant crisis. This but many of the 6000 residents here say they feel forgotten over whelmed by the constant arrivals with little concrete action from europes politicians as the italian red cross run the main Migrant Reception Centre on lampedusa. Theyve been drafting lampedusa. Theyve been drafting in Additional Support to deal with the next surge in arrivals. The chaos of the last surge still fresh in their minds, where at 1. 7 thousand people were crammed into this compound , many clashing with police as they tried to leave serena, cornelia said that the volunteers here felt power less to help, more difficult to give the support. But we try to give food, give kids, give psychological support and help support. So we have tried to take care of all the people inside the centre. People inside the centre. There are real concerns here on lampedusa that the tourist trade, the lifeblood of this island community, could begin to dry p island community, could begin to dry up if a solution isnt found to the crisis. You dont have to look far for evidence of its impact here near the entrance to the port, a migrant boat lies beached on the rocks. A gaping hole in its hull. The beached on the rocks. A gaping hole in its hull. The personal hole in its hull. The personal belongings of its human cargo hanging over the sides. Inside hanging over the sides. Inside the harbour, dozens of other migrant boats that made it here in recent days lie tied up, awaiting removal. Many still full of tire inner tubes used by the migrants as makeshift life jackets further along the quay side, fishermen unload the last of their catch for local restaurants. The winds that have restaurants. The winds that have kept the migrant boats away for several days have also forced these fishermen back to port giacomo. Mino says the migrant boats are severely impacting their livelihood. Their livelihood. So when we encounter a migrant boat, we call the authorities , they tell us to authorities, they tell us to wait, not to do anything. Then the coastguard arrives or the Police Patrol , but it or the Police Patrol, but it means were financially ruined. Means were financially ruined. Its a mess. Its a mess. Our work is badly affected. Our work is badly affected. Its too much. Its too much. Its too much. An area near. The its too much. An area near. The unlike its too much. An area near. The unlike the an area near. The unlike the vast majority of african migrants who want to head to mainland europe, talaat diouf has made a life for himself here. The Senegalese National says the huge flow of fellow migrants onto this island is simply unsustainable. Unsustainable. Annable pays for, say, the government must find a solution as quickly as possible because the has 6300 inhabitants. The island has 6300 inhabitants. If 11,000 of my brothers then if 11,000 of my brothers come, its a big problem. We have to find a solution quickly because nothing will be done until next summer. For now, these migrants are headed for the mainland. But headed for the mainland. But this is not just an italian problem. Its a europe wide crisis. Many here will crisis. Many here will eventually head north. Some to the coast of northwest france and on to another boat, this time across the english channel. Mark white gb news views on lampedusa. Lampedusa. Mark updating us there on the frontline of migration in that italian island , bringing you italian island, bringing you a bit of breaking news. Hes about to and it being axed north of birmingham. That is what the Prime Minister revealed in his speech a little earlier. Plenty of speculation about whether the mayor of birmingham, andy street, would resign. Sorry, is the tory resign. Sorry, he is the tory West Midlands mayor at and he has said he will not. And what the Prime Minister has offered instead is a good compromise. Yeah, he says , obviously im yeah, he says, obviously im very disappointed. I fought for very disappointed. I fought for it to be maintained. But remember , the line is going to remember, the line is going to run from euston to handsacre , run from euston to handsacre, where it will join the west coast line. Compared to coast main line. So compared to what could have happened, this is a good compromise position and thats his assessment. And the Prime Minister did mention him a few times in his speech, didnt he . Yeah. So well obviously get so well obviously we get some reaction from him. But some more reaction from him. But andy has been giving his andy burnham has been giving his reaction. Greater manchester mayor, this is what hes been saying in full to leeds and the reason why thats a problem is because if you ask anybody here, they will say that the bottleneck that we have in rail capacity in the centre of manchester and the bottleneck on the other side of the pennines in leeds and the constrained capacity between the two cities is actually the single biggest thing that is holding back transport in the north because anybody who lives in this part of the world knows that you just will face disruption and overcrowding and inconvenience if you try and travel across the pennines going anywhere from liverpool to newcastle or anywhere in between. Anywhere in between. So what has been announced today is not a solution to the east west bottleneck that we face on the railways in the north. It does not deliver that new line. It involves patching up existing lines and leaving us with a problem that still has not been fixed. So it doesnt work. East west , but nor does it work. East west, but nor does it work. East west, but nor does it work north south either. It work north south either. It does. Does not make any logical sense to take hs2 trains up from london to birmingham and then off hs2 onto the west coast main line, which is already a heavily congested line and where the capacity doesnt exist. In fact, capacity doesnt exist. In fact, the argument for hs2 beyond birmingham was always that it would deliver that extra capacity that would allow the railways to function properly. Railways to function properly. And people here know the Business Community behind me will know its not just east west where people can lose hours of their of their working week when making journeys. It can be when making journeys. It can be north south as well because neither is as reliable Neither Railway is as reliable as it needs to be for people here in the north of england, and particularly businesses who are making those frequent trips. So we havent got a plan here that works north south or east west that is not to say that there are not elements in this plan that provide some of what we some of what we need. The problem with it is its a coherent plan that has been broken up and if you like, scattered around what we have now got to do myself and bev, working with other northern mayors and leaders to see if we can take what has been announced today and turn it back into a coherent plan for the north of england and one i hope that will receive, receive support from the opposition on as well. So thats thats the job thats ahead of ahead of me as mayor of Greater Manchester mayor. And thats what we will we will be seeking to do. But it has been a seeking to do. But it has been a highly frustrating week for us. It cannot be right that a project that weve all worked on together and i and i speak for everybody behind me and with me, weve been at this for 15 years where weve been working together across geography, but also across the political divide to try and develop the right plan for the long term. Best interests of our country. And weve put political differences aside. Weve weve worked hard at it , and aside. Weve weve worked hard at it, and weve aside. Weve weve worked hard at it , and weve devoted a lot at it, and weve devoted a lot of time and a lot of a lot of energy to it. I of time and a lot of a lot of energy to it. I dont of time and a lot of a lot of energy to it. I dont see how energy to it. I dont see how you can take a plan that goes beyond the life of any individual government or goes beyond the interests of any one political party, given it goes all the way through the country. How you can kind of take that plan and basically tear it up at a Party Conference. Surely this should done on on should be done on on a cross party consulted basis, but we have not been consulted. And we have not been consulted. And this week, a week when our city has done its best to play host to the government and im proud of what weve done and the way in which the city has staged the conference. But i think we were entitled to better than what weve had. I think this city weve had. I think this city region was entitled to more respect than its been given. We respect than its been given. We brought you here today to the first Intercity Railway station in the world, and it was built almost 200 years ago when the First Services started operating between liverpool and manchester. And were proud, arent we, that its in in our city region. We really did give passenger rail, Commuter Rail to the world and thats a great thing. And you may remember thing. And you may remember almost ten years ago, George Osborne came to, i think it was the building just beyond beyond here to kind of tap into that spirit that the north of england had in the 19th century of pioneering and bringing new developments to the world to say that he would bring fonnard a northern a Northern Powerhouse that would be all about that ambition. Again, for britain, building new north south lines with hs2 , east west with hs3, as with hs2, east west with hs3, as he called it then, but obviously became Northern Powerhouse rail and new platforms at piccadilly. You name it. We were we were getting it all. Its hard not to feel that ten years on from that announcement , the conservative announcement, the conservative party have not shown the courage, the conviction or the capability to turn those statements into into reality to the great frustration of people here. And we dont say that in a Party Political sense. Its just Party Political sense. Its just where weve been and weve been waiting and working to try and turn all of these things into a reality. You know, i hope that reality. You know, i hope that those statements werent made ten years ago just with political intentions in mind to try and win votes here. But its starting to look very much like thats what it was all about. And what has been announced today feels something more of the same. It does this country the same. It does this country have the will within it to actually prioritise the north of england and sort out its transport problems. Does this country have it within it to stop treating people here in the north as second class citizens when it comes to transport and put them at the front of the queue the back of queue rather than the back of the. When to the queue. When it comes to investment, these still open investment, these are still open questions and theyve been questions and theyve not been answered minister answered by the Prime Minister today. But we will keep working today. But we will keep working as manchester to as one Greater Manchester to make we the right make sure we get the right investment for the people here investment for the people here in our city region and across the north to ensure that we do what we can to turn this place into the powerhouse that we all know it can be in the future. Bev i will hand over to you. Bev i will hand over to you. Thanks, andy. And i think standing here as a collective group, hopefully this demonstrates that whats driving us that was andy burnham , the us that was andy burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor. There with his reaction to what was announced at the Conference Centre, saying that there should have been done on a cross Party Consultative basis. He manchester was entitled he said manchester was entitled to better and entitled to more respect, indicating of course that the city had been hosting the conference and basically he said that there had to be a more coherent plan for the north. Yeah, he said. The plans do not result in a solution for the bottleneck for the east and west of the country. That railways face in the north and it doesnt work to north south, he says. It doesnt make any logical sense for hs2 to end in birmingham and then to go on to the west coast main line, which is already a heavily congested line. He says that north should at the that the north should be at the front of the queue and not at the back queue when it the back of the queue when it comes to getting investors out. But he, andy burnham and his team will keep working to get that investment for the north. Yeah, he said. It had been a highly frustrating week and the project they said theyd all been indicating project they said theyd all becourse indicating project they said theyd all becourse cross party ndicating project they said theyd all becourse cross party ndicatas| of course a cross party basis as well for 15 years. Many well for some 15 years. Many Business Leaders there in the city well in addition to city as well in addition to that, of course, we were bringing reaction of the bringing you the reaction of the West Midlands tory mayor andy street , who said West Midlands tory mayor andy street, who said he would not be resigning in protest at the axing of the northern leg of hs2, he said he acknowledged hs2, but he said he acknowledged he had lost the fundamental debate on hs2 indicate , saying debate on hs2 indicate, saying that on part of the birmingham, manchester bid, im not bluffing anybody. I lost that bit. But anybody. I lost that bit. But the debate was much broader. The debate was also about euston, he said, and about where it finished in the midlands, how it connected north south. Weve connected north south. And weve heard today that other investment West Midlands, investment in the West Midlands, which weve separately, separately been lobbying for, we have achieved that. So its not 1 0. But i have achieved that. So its not 1 0. Buti acknowledge have achieved that. So its not 1 0. But i acknowledge the fundamental debate of this week. I lost it nil nil draw, maybe, who knows . Who knows . Yeah. Well, theres plenty still to discuss on all this. Do stay with us here on gb news. Good afternoon. Im alex deakin. This is your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. A bit of a north south split with the weather today wet for parts of scotland and Northern Ireland. Most england and wales dry most of england and wales dry under influence of high under the influence of High Pressure. North, weather pressure. Further north, weather fronts draping their way and bringing a soggy feel to much of central southern scotland and the north of Northern Ireland. That rainy zone lingering well into the evening. Perhaps well see some wet weather into the far north of england. Much of far north of england. Much of northern scotland actually turning and and here turning dry and clear. And here itll actually turn a little chilly with temperatures well down single figures for down into single figures for much of the rest of the uk, temperatures holding up in double we start thursday double digits. We start thursday then with quite a lot of cloud, certainly wales, certainly for north wales, north west england, therell be some rain and some outbreaks of rain and drizzle ireland to drizzle for Northern Ireland to going into pretty soggy going turn into a pretty soggy morning. Quickly. The morning. Fairly quickly. The rain in here and then rain moving in here and then pushing western scotland as pushing into western scotland as well. Winds will start to well. The winds will start to increase. So turning wet and windy north wales as well windy across north wales as well as england. Northern as north west england. Northern ireland actually a bit ireland actually turning a bit drier the afternoon, drier through the afternoon, southern and eastern parts of england, and bright, southern and eastern parts of elbitind, and bright, southern and eastern parts of eibitindsunshine and bright, southern and eastern parts of eibitindsunshine anipokejht, a bit of sunshine could poke through and thatll see temperatures degrees temperatures up to 19 degrees elsewhere. Were in the elsewhere. Were in the mid teens at best. Weather fronts continue to bring further rain across north west scotland. That some issues by that could cause some issues by the time we get the weekend. The time we get to the weekend. But look this, but further south, look at this, temperatures on rise, high temperatures on the rise, High Pressure moving in. Lot of pressure moving in. A lot of fine weather as we head into the weekend england wales. Weekend for england and wales. And temperatures this weekend could be in 20s its 3 pm. Is Patrick Christys this is gb news. Now, rishi has just been talking, hasnt seen a seismic moment in british political history, but is he a winner or a loser for you . Thats what i want to know. Get the emails coming in. In other news, ill be talking this news, ill be talking about this. Yes, tory mps, the verdict. The is in. It a good the verdict is in. Was it a Good Conference do they back conference overall . Do they back suella . A lot of people saying her too when suella . A lot of people saying her was too when suella . A lot of people saying her was talking too when suella . A lot of people saying her was talking about when suella . A lot of people saying her was talking about the when she was talking about the migrant crisis. She actually migrant crisis. If she actually just being realistic this is the one here for you as well that were going to be getting stuck right into. You actually right into. Would you actually see, yourself see, nick, shoplifters yourself . Is that safe to do . Apparently, there are calls for you to do it. Does that not seem like dereliction of duty like a dereliction of duty from the police, possibly dangerous if ask me. And a final one if you ask me. And a final one has king charles came in to Prince Andrew about what where he can live . Is he going to remain at royal lodge in windsor