Means 27 million employees will get an average tax cut of £900 a year. Yeah well also in the budget today, the non dom tax status will be scrapped , with tax will be scrapped, with tax breaks for wealthy Foreign Residents replaced by what the chancellor called a modern residency system. Also in the residency system. Also in the budget. Rounding out todays announcements, pubs will get a boost from a freeze on alcohol duty and child benefit threshold , going up from 60 up to £60,000, and the £0. 05 cut to fuel duty is locked in for another 12 months. Also, the vat registration threshold goes up to £90,000 from 85, while the pensions regulator will get new powers, ensuring people with defined contributions are getting value from their investments. And theres a new investments. And theres a new isa scheme with a £5,000 yearly allowance for british assets, as well as one more point for you it systems in the nhs getting a £3. 5 it systems in the nhs getting a £35 million upgrade. Well, in £3. 5 million upgrade. Well, in other news today, the science secretary is facing calls to quit after taxpayers covered her £15,000 bill in damages and legal fees following her false accusations that she made about an academic michelle donelan, who has now retracted her comments, accused professor kate sang of supporting the terrorist group hamas. However, an investigation found the claims were baseless. Labour says miss donelans false accusation are a new low in government standards. New low in government standards. And lastly, in the united states, where nikki haley has ended her long shot challenge against donald trump to become the republican candidate for president , the former governor of South Carolina dropped out today just a day after super tuesday with donald trump beating her in 14 out of 15 contests. In her speech earlier on today, she declined to endorse donald trump, but did wish him well in what looks to be a rematch with Democrat Joe Biden in novembers us elections. For the very latest stories, do sign up for gb news alerts by scanning the qr code that comes up on your screen now and again. Its not there right now, but it will pop up at some point. Or you can go to gb news dot com slash alerts. But now its live to cumbria for farage. Well a name. Yes im here in cumbria. Im in whitehaven , following on from in whitehaven, following on from michelle dewberry. Weve got a big live energetx enthusiastic audience. Well, theyre enthusiastic about being at a gb news show as to whether theyre enthusiastic about the budget. Well, that remains to be seen. Now, this was supposed to be a really big moment for this government. Perhaps even if its accepted by the public very well, a precursor to a general election. That could happen, according to some, as early as may the 2nd. So at 1230 up got the chancellor of the exchequer his opening sentence. I simply could not believe. Here it is as we mourn the tragic loss of life in israel and gaza. The Prime Minister reminded us last week of the need to fight extremism and heal divisions. So i start today by remembering the muslims who died in two world wars in the service of freedom and democracy. We need a memorial to honour them. So, following representations from the right hon. Member for bromsgrove and others, i have decided to allocate £1 million towards the cost of building one. Whatever your faith or colour or class, this country will never forget the sacrifices shes made for our future. Shes made for our future. Well, here is my response. I went to the local cemetery here in whitehaven, where there are nearly 80 people buried who died in two world wars. Pilots, people washed up on the shores here in cumbria, others whod come back from the front and died of wounds. Here is my response to what he had to say over 100 years ago. We had men of more brain and foresight than our chancellor. They decided at the end of the first world war, and we continued it throughout world war ii as well, that everybody, regardless of race or rank religion, be rank or religion, would be buned rank or religion, would be buried beneath the same headstone. The principle was equality in death, recognising the contribution of all. And indeed, if you go to a big commonwealth war Graves Cemetery in france or elsewhere, what youll see is a stone of remembrance that says, for those of all faiths and none, we thought about this over a hundred years ago, we do not need jeremy hunt putting forward the idea of a memorial to a specific religion. It is just specific religion. It is just plain wrong. I feel very plain wrong. I feel very strongly about this. I really, really do. I really, really do. It is sajid javid that was pushing for this memorial, but it shows a total lack of understanding of really how brilliant our leaders were 100 years ago, recognising everybody we were to be unified in death and equal in death. Whether you and equal in death. Whether you want a victoria cross, didnt matter, didnt matter who you were, what you were, you you had exactly the same headstone. But it says so much, i think, about modern day politics. We try to pander to each individual group rather than saying everybody in our country should be equal. Now moving on. Of course, this was the great tax cutting budget. Yes. Tuppence more off National Insurance. And im going to drill down in a moment with Mark Littlewood as to whether people really are paying less tax. But moving on, one of the big statements of the budget was that after all these years, the government is going to sell its stake, its remaining stake, nearly 38 in National Westminster bank. Now its fair to say that i have some degree of interest in this subject. And of interest in this subject. And we own we still own about 7 billion quids worth of natwest shares. And the idea is the government sells these shares. Retail investors, such as people in this room , will buy the in this room, will buy the shares at a discounted price. Shares at a discounted price. But i have a problem with that. And i do put out a tweet shortly afterwards saying until the Natwest Group provides full disclosure and apologises for their behaviour and their cover ups, why should any retail Customer Trust them . So mr hunt, if you want to get about £7 billion back for the treasury to help you balance the books, you better make sure that natwest , better make sure that natwest, which you at the moment are the major shareholder, in honour their obligations to me. Stop their obligations to me. Stop the cover up , stop the lies, the cover up, stop the lies, start telling the truth because ill tell you what, if they think theyre going to go ahead with this share sale and im going to sit on the sidelines and say nothing until the wrongs have been righted. You know what . I quite like a fight. Have been righted. You know what . I quite like a fight. And what . I quite like a fight. And what i did notice was that this was an extraordinarily political budget , to be fair, to hunt. He budget, to be fair, to hunt. He delivered it pretty well. And he did make 1 or 2 quite funny jokes, especially at the expense of angela rayner, over those that own second properties. That really was genuinely quite funny , but political in the sense that what were the constituencies that he named in the budget . Bromsgrove, stoke on trent , dudley, the budget . Bromsgrove, stoke on trent, dudley, north witham, loughborough south and west rother valley , vale of clwyd and rother valley, vale of clwyd and austell and newquay, north devon. I austell and newquay, north devon. I could go on. He mentioned 19 constituencies that would benefit from this budget. Would benefit from this budget. And guess what . Every single one of them are seats held by conservatives where they worry they might lose the seats at the next general election. So it was an overtly political budget, but he also made a statement that i thought was really, really interesting, and it was about immigration and it was about wages and Gross Domestic Product. Listen in. If we want that growth to lead to higher wages and higher Living Standards for every family in every corner of the country, it cannot come from unlimited migration. It can only come by building a high wage, high skill economy , not just high skill economy, not just higher gdp, but higher gdp per head. And that and that from the chancellor of a conservative party that have overseen record levels of Legal Immigration into britain and where Gross Domestic Product per head is falling, we are getting poorer now. The arguments he made are the arguments he made are the arguments that ive made publicly for many, many years. And that perhaps is my biggest problem with this budget. In fact, my biggest problem with the last 14 years of these people, they pretend to be one thing when actually they are quite another. Theyre whether quite another. Theyre whether tuppence of National Insurance, whether making statements like thatis whether making statements like that is enough to have suddenly a surge in the polls for the conservative party. And a bold step to a 2nd of may general election. I dont know. But election. I dont know. But folks, ive got to tell you somehow i really rather doubt it. Now to the main claim in the budget, there was one really extra ordinary statement. And dont forget £0. 02 was taken off last october, didnt give them much electoral benefit, so they have reduced the level of National Insurance. Theyve National Insurance. Theyve hinted they might get rid of National Insurance and make it cleaner and simpler that you pay through income tax. But this statement was the biggest claim of the budget, hunt said. The of the budget, hunt said. The personal taxes paid by a median earner as a proportion of their income in 20 2425 are the lowest theyve been since 1975. Now, that is, i would put it to you. Mark littlewood, director of popcorn and former director of the institute of economic affairs. That is a very big, bold statement that is saying anybody in this room that is earning, you know, an average mean salary is paying less tax than anyone for nearly 50 years. Wow. They must be doing rather well. Well, jeremy hunt seems to think so. Heres the problem, though, nigel, as youll know well, if youre listening to an economist or a politician, always read the fine print and its the important fine print. In what jeremy hunt said, i believe hes technically correct. He mentions personal taxes, so hes measuring your National Insurance and your income tax contributions. And if youre an contributions. And if youre an average earner, given everything hes done, that might be down a bit. But thats not what the average earner thinks about. They think about their overall take pay. So dont know take home pay. So i dont know if smoke youll be if you smoke tobacco, youll be paying if you smoke tobacco, youll be paying more in tax paying a lot more in tax in a different fashion. If your council tax is going up, youre paying council tax is going up, youre paying a lot more in tax in a different fashion. I wouldnt think most people this think most people in this room, nigel, care specifically about what taxes are. What their personal taxes are. They about their overall they care about their overall tax and fact there is tax bill and the fact there is unfortunately, i have to confess, after 14 years of conservative government, its at its highest since the 1940s. And i think it will be pretty, not much succour to people in this room and in other constituencies like it to be told on a technicality their personal taxes are down when the overall taxes are down when the overall tax burden is up. And thats the fact of the matter. Yeah. And he sold this idea that were not going to have the fuel duty escalator put on that. Were not going to have increased alcohol taxes as somehow youre all better off. But all he was really doing was not putting taxes up. Yes, exactly. Thats that unfortunately, is what governments now pat themselves on back for. You know, great on the back for. You know, great news. Taxes gone news. Your taxes havent gone up. A good up. But i think theres a good number people in this room number of people in this room and elsewhere who want and elsewhere who actually want to taxes go down. And to see their taxes go down. And this is also in the context, remember, nigel, where the economy look, if economy is flatlining. Look, if we all getting richer, we were all getting richer, i dont know, five, 6 a year seeing our wages go up every year pnces seeing our wages go up every year prices in the year, seeing prices fall in the shops. At that point, you shops. Well, at that point, you might not struggle too much if your bill is another £100. Your tax bill is another £100. But because there hasnt been growth economy, people growth in the economy, people are , really feeling that are really, really feeling that pinch. So weve become weve drifted into becoming a high tax high spend heavily regulated social democratic economy. After 14 years of conservative government. Thats quite a disappointment. Government. Thats quite a disappointment. And i dont disappointment. And i dont think he did enough today to u turn from that. And that said, by Mark Littlewood, a member of the conservative party exactly. Oh, deah conservative party exactly. Oh, dear. They really are in trouble, arent they . Dear. They really are in trotwell,irent they . Dear. They really are in trotwell, butt they . Dear. They really are in trotwell, but i they . Dear. They really are in trotwell, but i mean, look, well, but i mean, look, i mean, here we are. They are. I mean, here we are. They are. I mean, were in the red wall. Weve taken some straw polls of this audience. I think, you know, this a day late and know, this may be a day late and a dollar short. You know, i do read the opinion polls. The conservative party is not popular at all. Is there a road back . I popular at all. Is there a road back . I dont know, but the only road back is that you need to be honest with people, and you need to to get government off to start to get government off their back and need to their back. And you need to start the right thing by start doing the right thing by ordinary, working brits. Start doing the right thing by ordirits, working brits. Start doing the right thing by ordirits difficult rking brits. Start doing the right thing by ordirits difficult toing brits. Start doing the right thing by ordirits difficult to discern ;. And its difficult to discern that thread running through government policy over recent years. Mark littlewood, thank you very much indeed. In a moment well get a reaction. Well see what sir keir had to say and well get a reaction from a labour mp. Okay. A minor change of plan. Okay. A minor change of plan. Were actually going to go to the local member of parliament first. Trudy harrison mp was elected here in copeland in a by election back in 2017. And it was a pretty big national by election. She held the seat in the 17 election and increased her majority again in 2019 general election. So theres been a conservative member of Parliament Sitting for this constituency for the last three elections and that of itself is actually pretty remarkable because this part of cumbria had been represented by labour since way before world war two. And trudy joins me right now in front of her constituents here in copeland. Now, thus far , thus in copeland. Now, thus far, thus far, weve talked about the budget. Weve talked about the proposals put forward by jeremy hunt. Thus this lot dont hunt. Thus far. This lot dont seem be all that impressed, seem to be all that impressed, how would you assess todays budget, i got the memo. Sticking budget, i got the memo. Sticking to the plan. Dont want to go back to square one. Yes, weve ticked many of the boxes. Growth ticked many of the boxes. Growth is up slightly better than germany. Better than france, better than italy. I thought we were in recession , but its still up and recession, but its still up and inflation is down. I mean, youre right, youre right. Actually, in one way, youre right. We are doing better than france and germany and italy, and brexit clearly hasnt damaged us. But but being better than those basket cases isnt that good of itself, is it really. And there is more to do. But i think in this particular neck of the woods we are quite unique. For example, are quite unique. For example, the National Average wage is 31,000. Here its 49,000. And we are in a particularly Strong Nuclear economy, which really holds us in a strong place. So the best bit for me is when rishi mentioned nuclear, because thatis rishi mentioned nuclear, because that is what we. Absolutely. And that was one of the reasons, trudy, wasnt it . One of the reasons that you stood for that by election . Absolutely. You got involved with politics. Absolutely. You got involved witibutlitics. Absolutely. You got involved witibut obviously windscale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwast obviously windscale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwas sellafield windscale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwas sellafield asindscale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwas sellafield as itdscale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwas sellafield as it is ale, as absolutely. You got involved wiwas sellafield as it is now. As it was sellafield as it is now. Just how many jobs does that provide for part of the country . About 27,000. Theres about 80,000 nuclear in the 80,000 Nuclear Workers in the country. Those country. And of those about 27,000 area. 27,000 work in this area. Nobodys does nuclear better than we do in west cumbria. Weve got seven reactors. Nowhere else is there that concentration of reactors and all of the processes around, not just sellafield, but also the supply chain as well. And thats why we have such a high average wage. But coupled with the fact that we also have relatively affordable houses, the average house price is about 310,000. Ours is about 155,000. Its a good place to live. Yeah, well, you could get a flood of people now moving in after those comments and you might not be thankful. I dont know, because the worst thing for our area is actually we are the fastest decline in population in england, declining a rate of england, declining at a rate of about 5. And even more scarily is the fact that barrow is the second fastest decline in local authority in cumbria. Authority in cumbria. Its this coast, its west cumbria, yeah , we went through a cumbria, yeah, we went through a penod cumbria, yeah, we went through a period really, of almost 20 years with no clearly defined Nuclear Policy. Oh, we had one. It was switch it off and knock it down. Yeah, yeah. But but its okay because i mean, boris told us that Wind Turbines might solve all of our problems. And you were his ps, werent you . Well, there cannot have been a when i didnt boris a day when i didnt tell boris nuclear will do that when we were about levelling up. Were talking about levelling up. And outside of and you want jobs outside of london the south east. London and the south east. Nuclear that. Nuclear does that. It seems that i mean, now it seems that i mean, when you want apprenticeships, nuclear, i get all of nuclear, i mean, i get all of that. Seems that we now have it seems that we now have a Nuclear Policy a Nuclear Policy from a conservative government. Hunt was potentially was very warm about potentially the of nuclear the next generation of nuclear reactors. Mean, equally, reactors. I mean, equally, i think are the same think labour are in the same place too. Arent they . Well, theyve had a a well, theyve had a bit of a change, dont particularly change, but i dont particularly believe rather nervous believe it. Im rather nervous that enough. Know, that its hard enough. You know, the have switched the conservatives have switched on Nuclear Power station on every Nuclear Power station this country has ever had, and its hard enough for us to get new nuclear going. Weve got Hinkley Point c. I very much hope that we get rolls royce s small modular reactors in our area as well. But its really area as well. But its really difficult getting anything done and theyre long time decisions. But whats interesting, trudy, is this that, you know, your government, you know, and youve been with them through this zero mania. Mean, this net zero mania. I mean, bofis this net zero mania. I mean, boris addicted to it. They boris was addicted to it. They are rowing back ever so slightly on 1 or 2 areas. But isnt it extraordinary that here we are in this part of the country which has been associated with energy for centuries, whether its coal or nuclear . I mean, this is where its been at very much for a very, very long time. And a couple of years ago, the approval was given for a new open cast coal mine in this constituency producing high quality coal, very important coal for steelmaking, a grey day for many other things. And yet for many other things. And yet it seems the budget is going to maintain super taxes on those that invest in oil and gas in the north sea. Why is this coal mine, given that it was approved still not not open. It was approved locally three times by the then cumbria county council. It times by the then cumbria county council. It was times by the then cumbria county council. It was then called times by the then cumbria county council. It was then called in. And the government, i think it was the 7th of december 2022. Then agreed it again. But its tied up currently in a legal tangle, which is, i think, why so much of our infrastructure does get held up. But you know, despite being an environment minister, despite being a decarbonised ocean minister in transport and the chair of the environment appg, i am fully behind extracting this critical raw material in the cleanest, greenest way possible. Not to mention the amount of private sector investment. And i think thats often lost on people. This is all private sector. Its all well and good to say that. But you know, the government is pushing for net zero, right . Net zero means pushing up the price of electricity for these people in this room by subsidising wind energy, perhaps being the, you know, the clearest example of that. And by deindustrialising we close down manufacturing plant, we say, hooray , were producing less hooray, were producing less carbon dioxide. That business now goes and the stuff is manufactured in china or india. Do you support net zero . We have four times more manufacturing in this area. Do you support net zero . Do you support net zero . I support decarbonisation than you do. But i do think if that means deindustrialisation, thats fine. So i also think thats fine. So i also think that the ten point plan for a green Industrial Revolution was quite exciting. But every single part of it needs steel. So part of it needs steel. So whether you want to build Nuclear Power stations, small ones, advanced ones, or gigawatt plus if you want to build Wind Turbines , if you want to turbines, if you want to transition towards electric vehicles, which are lot faster vehicles, which are a lot faster than combustion you than the combustion engine, you cant a tesla roadster at cant deny a tesla roadster at 1. 9 seconds. 0 to 60 is pretty impressive. Well, given the number of speed cameras that have been put up in the last few years, whats the point of it anyway . I mean, you cant go anywhere without being flashy. It seems to me, but it will all need steel. Plus, im going back from here to kent tonight. An ev is not much good to me, is it really . Because i need to stop for half an hour somewhere . I recommend tebay definitely the best service station in the country, right . Well, i, i cant answer to that. I will trust your knowledge. Heres my point that on the one hand, the government says it wants to be pro business. On the other hand, it is, you know, absolutely committed to net zero. We are about to close primary Steel Production in south wales. Were about lose primary steel about to lose primary Steel Production, think the production, i think up on the humber with the world as it is with perhaps the greatest external potential military threat that weve seen , threat that weve seen, certainly in 60 years or maybe evenin certainly in 60 years or maybe even in 80 years. This country under a conservative government is about to become a country that doesnt produce any primary steel. And all of it. Steel. And all of it. And all of it to meet net zero targets. And i just think the public are very confused, utter rubbish, because i think its war grade hypocrisy kc not to produce coking coal from this country. And of course we should be producing steel as well , not producing steel as well, not least because there isnt enough old steel knocking about in the world to put into electric arc furnaces to create the recycled steel, but also for a precise engineering, aerospace, nuclear defence. Were going to need the virgin steel as well. So on that i completely agree. I know, i know, and yet one of the reasons why weve reduced our Carbon Emissions more than any other western country is weve lost much of this business. Well, we talk a good game on where we are with our Energy Decarbonisation , but actually decarbonisation, but actually only 17 of our energy makeup is electricity. The remaining 83 is heat and. Transport so weve is heat and. Transport so weve got a way to go. And thats another brilliant thing about nuclear, because we can power the electrolysers to produce the hydrogen, to go into the hydrogen, to go into the Hydrogen Vehicles that wont run on batteries. And of course, it produces no carbon on that. Carbon emissions on that. 100. Im100. im 100. The only proven large it is the only proven large scale, zero carbon generation that anywhere in the that will work anywhere in the world. Get it. I get it world. 24 i get it. I get it days week, i get it. Days a week, i get it. Well, lets hope they do push on parties. Whoevers in on both parties. Whoevers in government it. Government next time and do it. Finally, know youve got finally, you know youve got involved politics because involved in politics because youre campaigner, youre a local campaigner, local woman. Care about stuff. Woman. You care about stuff. This area your this is this area is in your blood. It is. Ive been blood. I know it is. Ive been talked to you earlier, but youve your i know youve done your bit. I know theres a few constituency changes, changes going theres a few constituency chang� here, changes going theres a few constituency chang� here, but changes going theres a few constituency chang� here, but thatsanges going theres a few constituency chang� here, but thats it. Ies going on up here, but thats it. Youre done. Youre off. Youre retiring. No no, no, i am leaving parliament because unlike you, nigel, im bit fed of nigel, im a bit fed up of politics. But i think the National Policies are there or thereabouts. But i worry that in thereabouts. But i worry that in this area we wont be able to, you know, capitalise on the benefits of those National Policies. As a minister, i would go to the oxford, cambridge , go to the oxford, cambridge, london triangle and see how those areas were really switched on with their Business Community and local councils. I want and the local councils. I want us to be like that. All right. So youre back to being a local campaigners really what youre saying im always going to be an activist. Right. Well, youve your bit, youve youve done your bit, youve done youve your done your bit, youve done your time. Some would say last question you were pps question when you were pps to one, boris johnson, what was that do you know what . I didnt a peerage, but i i didnt get a peerage, but i got 24gw. Im happy about that. Harrison, thank you trudy harrison, thank you very indeed. Thank you. On very much indeed. Thank you. On gb well take a break well take a break in a minute. With label minute. Back with a label reaction well. Of course , we were all well. Of course, we were all waiting for the response. In the house of commons. Now, i thought Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, might respond to jeremy hunt, but no, it was sir keir starmer, the leader of the labour party. And this is just a little snapshot of what he say. Just a little snapshot of what he there say. Just a little snapshot of what he there we 1. Just a little snapshot of what he there we have it. The last there we have it. The last desperate act of a party that has failed britain in recession. The National Credit card maxed out and despite the measures today , the highest tax burden today, the highest tax burden for 70 years, the First Parliament since records began to see Living Standards fall confirmed by this budget today , confirmed by this budget today, thatis confirmed by this budget today, that is their record. It is still their record. Give with one hand and take even more with the other, and nothing they do between now and the election will change that. Will change that. Well, keir starmer there in pretty confident mood. I thought, well lets go and speak to Lloyd Russell moyle, labour member of parliament for brighton and peacehaven. And i have to say lloyd , i want to have to say lloyd, i want to hear your thoughts on this budget, but i particularly want to hear i particularly want to hear why you think a Labour Government might be better. So without hesitation on repetition or deviation, give us your take please. Well, my take is that this is a budget that doesnt go to deal with any of the systemic issues in society. We have a cost of living crisis. We have a crisis, particularly for adult social care, thats causing a lot of our councils to go bankrupt up and down the country of all political flavours. We have crisis in our schools and none of things were addressed of those things were addressed by this budget. In fact, we also have a crisis that the squeezed middle have a high tax burden now, much higher than we have had for a generation. And it had for a generation. And it doesnt really go after people who have the broadest shoulders. Yes, the chancellor took on some of our policies on the non doms, but actually that wont come in for two years anyway, and it wont come in until after the election. So its all nice words. He has suggested changes on National Insurance. I on National Insurance. I actually agree with some, some of the charts that were saying that National Insurance is a regressive tax. It should be better rolled into income tax so that people, whatever your income , are paying a fair income is, are paying a fair share. But none of the wider reforms that you proposed will actually come in until after the election. This budget was generally a budget of. I will do something very meagre now, and i will promise to do something far reaching in the future in the neveh reaching in the future in the never, never manana, manana. And thats effectively what the ifs has said as well. In all the future parts of the budget, our complete fantasy, theyre not costed and theyre not worked out. What labour will do is actually make those reforms on Business Rates that we know small that Small Businesses need, so that people fair amount. People are paying a fair amount. We will make sure that we increase the threshold so that people effectively arent put into tax for reason, just into tax for no reason, just because inflation has gone up, but they have not actually earning really, in real terms, a penny more, but are paying more tax. We will make those changes. So tax is fairer. Tax. We will make those changes. So tax is fairer. That is the so tax is fairer. That is the bafis so tax is fairer. That is the basis of the labour proposal. And so it will be better under labour for the ordinary person, for the working person. And that for the working person. And that is what at the moment this country, are people who are suffering. Suffering. Well i agree with you. That jam tomorrow was a very big message from this budget. But from your analysis there, it sounds to me that what youre saying is that labour will spend even more money on Public Services than this government currently is. Currently is. We will spend better on pubuc we will spend better on Public Services. So for example, local government, lets talk about the crisis. There rather than a cash settlement that happens every year means local government is scrabbling around for money, drawing down lots of bits of pots where they spent hours and hours of time writing the bids for Central Government to say yay or nay, like some emperor nero with the thumbs up or thumbs down, labour will give a fair funding formula, will give fixed amounts of money to local for five years local governments for five years so local areas can properly decide to invest and then recoup their and we believe that their money. And we believe that is a more responsible way to run government. So its not just about more cash, its about giving more cash, its about giving more cash, its about cash responsibly in about giving cash responsibly in ways that allows our services to recover. Thats the difference the Labour Government will make. Yes Lloyd Russell moyle, thank you for joining Lloyd Russell moyle, thank you forjoining us live tonight you for joining us live tonight on gb news, giving us your reaction to the budget. Thank you very much indeed. Now , now, the most important now, now, the most important part of this programme after the break, it is, of course, farage the farage where i get your questions and your thoughts on what happened today in the budget generally, where budget and more generally, where we as a country. We are as a country. Back with farage, the farage in a moment. No more elected politicians. No more elected politicians. Nobody else here on this show. Selling party policy . No. This is the really important bit. This is the reaction for people here in whitehaven. Come on, here in whitehaven. Come on, gary, lets get on with it, shall we . I, nigel, do you think that this budget was meant to be a sweetener for the electorate in Election Year . Yes, i do actually. And i thought, you know, as i said earlier, 19 parliamentary constituencies were mentioned. 0h, constituencies were mentioned. Oh, theres money for this and money for that. Ive listened to this member and that member, and i think it was designed perhaps this member and that member, and i tgive it was designed perhaps this member and that member, and i tgive them designed perhaps this member and that member, and i tgive them an signed perhaps this member and that member, and i tgive them an option perhaps this member and that member, and i tgive them an option asrhaps this member and that member, and i tgive them an option as toips to give them an option as to whether might go on the whether they might go on may the second. So theyre hoping for a big from the budget big uplift from the budget because theyre cutting taxes. But, you know, we sat here with Mark Littlewood earlier on who said, though we appear to said, even though we appear to have these cuts, the have these cuts, actually the overall burden , because we overall tax burden, because we pay overall tax burden, because we pay tax through other means, you know, through duties etc. Is the highest for 70 years. So yes, i think they were giving my suspicion is this now i dont think theres going to be a big positive reaction to this budget at all. I think theyre going to run this election right through to november or later. And ill bet you do i ill bet you theres an autumn statement with more giveaways. More so called giveaways. Youre with this. With me on this. Yeah, i am, i totally agree. I think well run to the end of the year for the election, but it was good to hear the conservatives talking about tax cuts again. But i dont think its going to make a difference. Gary, thank you very okay, gary, thank you very much indeed. Well its much indeed. Yeah. Well its always to hear good things. Always nice to hear good things. But brian good evening. But brian brian good evening. Good evening. Nigel, if you had been chancellor today, would you have increased the tax Free Allowance from 12,500 to 20,000 to help all those low paid workers . I do you know, one thing that amazed me . For the first time in years, they lifted the threshold at which Small Traders start paying at which Small Traders start paying vat, having to charge and process but went from process vat. But it went from 85,000 a year to 90,000 a year. Why bother . You know, and im sure there are a lot of people running little businesses who would much rather stay outside the vat regime , look, i think the vat regime, look, i think the vat regime, look, i think the problem weve got is that for many people in living in certain circumstances , going to certain circumstances, going to work does not pay. It does not pay work does not pay. It does not pay. You know, 5. 4 Million People of working age, just not working at all, and weve been relying on Migrant Labour whilst british people havent done the jobs. Now, you know, theres obviously a carrot and stick needed here. You know, we clearly have to get tough on those that are claiming benefits that, sponging. That, frankly, are sponging. Its , you know, its not everybody, you know, please dont condemn me. Im not having a go at everybody. You having a go at everybody. You know, society wants to look after its weakest. But we also have to incentivise work. So yes, the single most yes, i think the single most important thing they could have done is to significantly done today is to significantly lift threshold to make lift that Tax Threshold to make work. Pay. Definitely, work. Really pay. Definitely, what tax would you like to what other tax would you like to see changed . Well, wed all like income tax to come down. But again, as gary said, i think thats just a sweetener whatever. Whenever sweetener for whatever. Whenever the. The election comes. And heres the interesting thing £0. 40 tax. It came down to £0. 40 in 1988. It stayed at £0. 40 in 1988. It stayed at £0. 40 top rate all through blairs years. Through that time , 1. 5 Million People were paying ,1. 5 Million People were paying 40 tax under hunts plans. But at the end of 2027, 8 million will be paying £0. 40 or more tax. And they tell us were better off. Brian, thank you very much indeed. Thank you karen. Hello thank you karen. Hello hi, nigel. Im a huge fan. Hi, nigel. Im a huge fan. Oh, thats very kind of you. Thank you. Dont make me blush and go all red. Oh, no. We live in kendal, cumbria. Do you think the impact of second Home Ownership in cumbria is having an effect on the local housing supply . Look, second homes do, of course, have an effect on the local housing supply. But equally, those that come and buy second homes sometimes are wealthier people from the big cities. In this case, probably manchester. In my part of the world. London, and they do also spend more money and inject money into the local economy. So money into the local economy. So its really, really difficult. I its really, really difficult. I know the lakes are enormously popular for second homes, and certainly in places like cornwall , norfolk, other areas cornwall, norfolk, other areas like that, theres been a total distortion of the market and a complete shortage of housing, and prices have gone through the roof. But you know, heres the thing. Heres the thing. I have seen one cornish village where theyve had a new housing development, and theyve literally only sold those new houses to people who live locally, you know, pay council tax locally, work locally. So i think to ban people from buying second homes because they happen to be more fortunate financially. Thats not the way a free market works. I dont think we can afford to do that now. Theres clearly the tax theyre going to pay now has gone up as of today. But i think we need to adopt a different approach, which is House Building that is actually for local people. That to me is the only possible sensible way forward. And by the way , if mass Legal Immigration way, if mass Legal Immigration wasnt running at the numbers, it was that has that has a far bigger impact on housing than second houses anyway. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Lets go. Nigel. Nick. Hello. Hello. How are you . All hello. How are you . All right. I like your desk. My question has been slightly hijacked by somebody with jews, but whats your take on the fact that in this budget, he was given out money to all the areas the north east . You even talk about the devolution of the nonh about the devolution of the north east. But the north west was totally neglected. Was totally neglected. Yeah, youre right. Theres a huge emphasis on the north east. Its because they see ben houchen, their mayor, up in teesside, as being their sort of poster boy, i guess. I mean , poster boy, i guess. I mean, look, you know, the whole concept of levelling up, the idea that you just chuck money at the north and somehow by chucking money, lifes going to get better. I dont believe the get better. I dont believe the economy works like that. I often think when government chucks money in different areas, it gets misspent. It goes to all the wrong people. I think what the wrong people. I think what really matters, what genuinely matters , is creating the right matters, is creating the right conditions for business. I would say, in fairness, that there was a commitment made today towards the Nuclear Industry which would benefit sellafield, which would benefit sellafield, which would benefit this area if it actually comes to pass. I would disagree on that. Go on, tell me why. First of all, we wanted the, advanced modular nuclear here. Yep. And it should be done by english company, not westinghouse or some other. But it was given to teesside. So again, we dont get nuclear here. Yeah, yeah. The previous people were going to do nuclear here. Dropped out and the whole thing collapsed at moorside. So thing collapsed at moorside. So basically we are basically being quietly neglected while they move all this kind of thing into the areas where i think theyve got better links, better transport, more money. Now, i think, look, overall, you raise a fair point. Massive emphasis on the north east. Very emphasis on the north east. Very little said about the northwest. Thatis little said about the northwest. That is a very, very fair point. Thank you. Thanks very much. Thank you. Thanks very much. Thank you. Thanks very much. Okay. We have another nigel in the room. Bad luck. U lverston. Ulverston. What a great place. What a great place. Which is the home of stan laurel, just in case. I know, just in case you didnt know. I know for anybody else listening, nigel, i work in the shipyard down in barrow, and we build the Nuclear Deterrent for the submarine business. Is great for the area. What id like to know the area. What id like to know is, will the next government carry on and support the submarine business . And will it support the shipyard . Okay, were assuming here a Labour Government. First thing to say is that the aukus deal not well. Well i think given the opinion polls today, its not a bad assumption to make. The aukus deal has been one of the big successes of brexit. There have been too few successes of brexit, too few businesses feel the burden of regulations being lifted from them. In fact, in many ways something its worse the promise to control our borders. Well, i mean, six more boats crossed the English Channel today and weve got Legal Immigration as well. But the aukus deal was done. We couldnt that would not have happened. As members the happened. As members of the european union. So we are going european union. So we are going to, know, were going to to, you know, were going to have significant in have a significant role in building that Building Nuclear submarines that the use. My the australians will use. My slight worry. And barrow, of course, as you know , has led the course, as you know, has led the way with this engineering for decade after decade since the 19005. 1900s. 19005. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, absolutely. Building submarines here for the first world war, let alone trident. Every submarine i think thats been built in the british navy has been made in barrow. Yeah. Yeah. Im told the trident fleet is a kind of a bit tired at the moment. At times not all of them are operational, so the future prospects for work in barrow are very, very good indeed. If an incoming Labour Government sticks with those policies, do you know what . Do you know what i the labour party, tore themselves to pieces back in the 19805 over this issue. I do not believe there will be a change to that policy under labour. Thats good news. Thats good news. All right. Thank you very much indeed. Okay time for two much indeed. Okay time for two more. We have got jack hawley, jack and nigel. Good evening. So with the government removing the non dom tax and the phantom tax today , tax and the phantom tax today, with all of the gains for the wealthy , when will the wealthy, when will the government stop focusing on the wealthy, making them richer and start focusing on the average person . I. I. I. I dont really agree with that, jack. And ill tell you why. The top 1 of taxpayers in britain pay 30 of our taxes. All right. We need those people all right. We need those people to stay in our country. And if we send the wrong messages, theyre so mobile, they can literally, at the press of a button, move their money overseas and hop on a private plane and go. And whilst, of plane and go. And whilst, of course youre right, the emphasis must be on, you know, helping people get on and advance in life. And we were asked a question about that earlier on about raising Tax Thresholds to make work pay. And its funny, isnt it . You work, you earn money, you feel good about it. You maybe want to work harder more money and harder and make more money and then tax ultimately. So then pay more tax ultimately. So i this anti rich narrative i think this anti rich narrative jack, doesnt work for me, jack, it doesnt work for me, and already were seeing people leaving britain. We have the biggest brain drain weve had since the 1970s. And people are leaving because taxes are going up. So i would say this to you, you know, there are always unfairnesses in life. Some people have a lot more money than others. Some are born in different circumstances. To others. I just think that if we go on this attitude of go on with this attitude of wanting to tax the rich and they leave the country, well all be worse off. But with with taxing yeah, but with with taxing the rich more, when will the taxes the rich start to taxes from the rich start to come into local areas . So come into the local areas . So like the north west because the tax nothing. Tax is nothing. Yeah, doesnt like yeah, it doesnt work like that. Tax goes into a that. The tax goes into a central part. It doesnt into central part. It doesnt go into individual areas. Promise you, individual areas. I promise you, jack, start taxing the jack, if you start taxing the rich more, they will leave the country and we will be poorer. And i really, really believe that. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much indeed. Okay the final question goes to charles. Hi, so do you think if Rachel Reeves had been giving the budget Statement Today instead of jeremy hunt, she would have been able to do anything differently . Its a good question. And i think it was very interesting. I listened to the ends, the end of michelle dewberrys show, and i think both are and bastani very much from a left wing perspective. You know, a mark very much more from a sort of centre right perspective , centre right perspective, basically. Agreed at the end of her show that we have two big state, high tax social democrat parties. Its state, high tax social democrat parties. Its quite state, high tax social democrat parties. Its quite difficult to parties. Its quite difficult to tell them apart on most issues. And as the election comes, theyll play up whatever differences there are. I dont believe theyre that great. What do you think . No, i think theyre painted into a corner, arent they, it seems that no one has any money to spend. So if a Labour Government gets in, i suspect they will keep a steady state for a few years, and then theyll revert to the their type and try and just raise taxes, spend more money, increase the debt. So that would be my concern , my worry. Concern, my woiiy. Concern, my worry. What do you may well be right, but i mean, remember that when the conservatives came to power, the accumulated National Debt was pushing on for a trillion. Its now 2. 6 trillion. And hunt stands up and tells us theyre cutting the deficit. Theyre cutting the debt, and were all supposed believe were all supposed to believe it. Know what i think it. Do you know what i think those enough in this those of us old enough in this room remember the 1970s, to room to remember the 1970s, to remember absolute mess the remember that absolute mess the economy remember that economy was in, remember that the only out of this is the only way out of this is growth, the only way out of this is lots of you setting up businesses , taking risks, businesses, taking risks, working hard, earning money, employing people, paying tax. We need growth. And i dont see anything, frankly, charles, from either party. That inspires me to think that any of them have frankly got a clue how Small Business and entrepreneurship works. Thank business and entrepreneurship works. Thank you. Thank you everybody this evening for joining me here. And im going to give one last mention to whitehaven. Last mention to whitehaven. They love it. Lets now get the weather with aidan mcgivern. Thanks everybody. Thank you. Thanks everybody. Thank you. Looks like things are heating up. Boxt boilers sponsors of up. Boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. Hi there. Welcome to the latest gb news forecast from the met office. Yeah, there was some warm, sunny spells during wednesday, but for many over the next 24 hours it is going to be cloudy with an increased chance of showers developing through thursday. Weve got High Pressure to the east thats bringing a lot of low cloud into eastern parts. We keep the clear spells overnight in south spells overnight in the south and west, where we do have and the west, where we do have the clear spells. Therell be such and some fog such a frost and some fog patches forming, a few showers continuing across parts of cornwall as well. Otherwise many places will be dry and we start the day with a bit of a chill in the day with a bit of a chill in the air. Certainly where weve got those frost and fog pockets in the west, but it will soon warm up , the cloud will lift as warm up, the cloud will lift as well, and actually with the rising cloud, its going to be a brighter day across northeastern parts of the uk. Still a lot of cloud and that cloud bubbling up some sharp showers will develop, particularly through the midlands, east wales into later on parts of Northern England away from the showers, though, plenty dry and bright plenty of dry and bright weather. Of sunshine in weather. Best of the sunshine in the west southwest. Highs of the west and southwest. Highs of 12 13 celsius, although the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill§ celsius, although the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill inelsius, although the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill in ther, although the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill in the east, hough the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill in the east, and|h the west and southwest. Highs of 12chill in the east, and its a chill in the east, and its going to increasingly breezy going to be increasingly breezy through and into through thursday and into friday. Coming from friday. That breeze coming from the east will it feel on the east will make it feel on the east will make it feel on the cold side, but increasing sunny spells will develop in the south on friday and its going to be largely dry. Same cant be said for the weekend. Increasingly, spells of showery rain will move north across the country at eight celsius in the north, 12 further south. A brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on gb news. Hello. Good evening. Its me. Jacob rees mogg on state of the nation. Tonight, the chancellor of the exchequer has announced his budget, which included a 2 decrease in National Insurance, which could be worth an average of £450 to you. But the question is, is it enough . How much of is, is it enough . How much of your hard earned money do you get to keep . Does the budget encourage investment, jobs, innovation and Economic Growth . Ill be discussing all of that and more. This includes increased spending on nhs, increased spending on the nhs, the of zero and a new the cost of net zero and a new muslim war memorial. Most muslim war memorial. Most importantly, item importantly, a news item launched. Vox populi, vox launched today. Vox populi, vox day. Well, ill be speaking to you about how you feel about the budget and whether you think it cuts the mustered state of the nafion cuts the mustered state of the nation starts now. Ill be joined by my most pugnacious panel this evening, former editor of the sun, kelvin mackenzie, and the historian and broadcaster tessa dunlop. As always, i want to hear from you. Its a crucial part of the programme. Email me mailmogg gbnews. Com. But now mailmogg gbnews. Com. But now its favourite part the its your favourite part of the day. With polly day. The news with polly middlehurst. Jacob, thank you and good evening to you. Well, all eyes were on the chancellor, jeremy hunt, today as he delivered his spnng hunt, today as he delivered his spring budget. He slashed personal taxes to their lowest level in nearly 50 years with