welcome to the programme. it was budget day here in britain today. a big set piece annual event in which the chancellor stairs into the crystal ball, and tries to predict the future and how best to steer the uk economy through it. the obstacles in his way are common to europe and the united states. high inflation, higher interest rates, and since the pandemic, an intractably acute labour shortage. this graph trackjob vacancies across europe since august 2022, historically high after the pandemic, but you will see the uk, the red line at the very top, is struggling more than most. with 1.1 million vacancies. if more people are employed, more people are paying tax. the good news for the chancellor is that the uk will swerve recession this year thanks to growth returning by the summer. but the economy will still contract by 0.2%. and any brighter news, is tempered by slower growth over the long term. mr hunt said the uk would only grow by 1.8% next year and byjust 2.5% in 2025
that this is probably as good as it gets, and that it decides to, i suppose, not necessarily access the windsor framework except the windsor framework except the windsor framework, but decide a twin track policy work decides to work stormont, and work what is most acceptable to it about the latest arrangements, and test out the so called stormont break by which it can object to any new european rules that it thinks will cause a wider divergence between great britain and northern ireland. that will be the hope, i think, northern ireland. that will be the hope, ithink, that northern ireland. that will be the hope, i think, that potentially some new legislation from westminster will be tied in, and then the economic incentive thatjoe biden was talking about regarding extra input and investment in northern ireland, that that can become a recipe that will tempt the politicians back to stormont, and put things back on the road there. here, instead, ithink put things back on t
This is bbc news, the headlines. British Prime Minister rishi sunak is in israel for talks aimed at preventing the conflict from spilling across the region and to express his solidarity with the country. Egypt agrees to allow humanitarian aid into gaza. Israel says it wont impede deliveries, as long as supplies do not reach hamas. Israeli forces and Hezbollah Exchange fire across the lebanon border. Israel says its moved thousands of extra troops to the region. British Prime Minister rishi sunak is injerusalem for his two day visit to the middle east. Mr sunak met israeli president isaac herzog and expressed personal condolences over the loss of life. He told the president that the uk stands in solidarity with israel and backed its right to defend itself. Mr sunak s office said the men agreed on the importance of getting aid to ordinary palestinians in gaza and stressed the need to avoid Futher Escalation across the region. Mr sunak is also expected to meet Prime Minister benjamin neta
laughter my dog is doing well. louis? oh, right. one more. studio: we will stay with these pictures, but clearlyjoe biden is enjoying himself, answering question from some of the children about what his secret to success is. a question about his dog, giving the president about his dog, giving the president a model of air force one, and joe biden really throwing himself at the start of this three day visit to the republic of ireland. i m delighted to say the former irish prime
real issue later. but you are right, there is a real issue around the logistics, literally real issue around the logistics, literally finding enough people to id literally finding enough people to go into literally finding enough people to go into the childcare sector. also, an issue go into the childcare sector. also, an issue of go into the childcare sector. also, an issue of the business model. many childcare an issue of the business model. many childcare providers really struggling on the rates the government is providing, one of the things government is providing, one of the things the government is providing, one of the things the chancellor did today was to announce what would be fresh rates to announce what would be fresh rates the to announce what would be fresh rates. the question is whether those things rates. the question is whether those things would add up to a strategy that he things would add up to a strategy that he can actually deliver, as you say,