covid and we are probably set - have had a massive setback during covid and we are probably set 15 l covid and we are probably set 15 years covid and we are probably set 15 years plus, covid and we are probably set 15 years plus, it covid and we are probably set 15 years plus. it you covid and we are probably set 15 years plus, if you look covid and we are probably set 15 years plus, if you look at - covid and we are probably set 15 years plus, if you look at the - covid and we are probably set 15 . years plus, if you look at the data. and we years plus, if you look at the data. and we are years plus, if you look at the data. and we are still years plus, if you look at the data. and we are still projecting - years plus, if you look at the data. and we are still projecting a - years plus, if you look at the data. and we are still projecting a 1% - and we are still projecting a 1% improvement and we are still projecting a 1% improvement in and we are still projecting a 1%
fragile relationship with industry. - fragile relationship with industry. and we fragile relationship with industry. and we have fragile relationship with industry. and we have to fragile relationship with industry. and we have to get fragile relationship with industry. and we have to get advanced - and we have to get advanced manufacturing and we have to get advanced manufacturing sorted - and we have to get advanced manufacturing sorted out. i and we have to get advanced i manufacturing sorted out. we and we have to get advanced - manufacturing sorted out. we have to work with manufacturing sorted out. we have to work with industry manufacturing sorted out. we have to work with industry in manufacturing sorted out. we have to work with industry in terms manufacturing sorted out. we have to work with industry in terms of- work with industry in terms of pandemic work with industry in terms of pandemic resilience work with industry in terms of pandemic resilience wa
speaking to people in government i hear often that nothing will change until we get to the budget, which is in the middle of march. is that a reality check situation, that we have to tolerate strikes until then? no, i don t think we need to be having the strikes at all. the reality is over a million nhs workers got a pay rise last year, there is a pay rise on the table this year. to clarify, the system is agreed by the unions, asked for by the unions that there is an independent pay review body that accepts evidence from the unions and management and then recommend a figure to the government. in every case, five separate cases, the government has entirely accepted the independent pay review body figure. so we have accepted the evidence and made that pay offer, i think it s important people know it is not the government withholding money that has been proposed. has been proposed. some recommendations - has been proposed. some
from where it is. you have to grow the economy and then you have to deal with the longer term debt picture, which is nearly 100% of the economy now, before you get on with the other priorities like the nhs waiting lists and the small boats. there are lots of things to do. but it s not just there are lots of things to do. but it s notjust liz truss there are lots of things to do. but it s not just liz truss and jake it s notjust liz truss and jake berry in the studio, but even the imf, the international monetary fund, has pointed to the high tax burden in this country as being one of the problems this country faces and one of the problem is that they cite as a drag on growth. and when you hearfrom business groups cite as a drag on growth. and when you hear from business groups or from kate bingham, a distinguished figure in the city, they say you would need a microscope to find a plan from this government to get the economy going. t plan from this government to get the economy going-
comparison internationally and we have got on with the job, and actually rishi has been on your programme and set out his agenda to stop the small boats and deal with the nhs backlog. you have heard all of that. the reason i say i don t think most people are talking about one article in the newspaper, but here is my bigger point, politics is about debate. why are we shy of it? why would that be an issue? i welcome the idea that different colleagues have different ideas, thatis colleagues have different ideas, that is the point of politics. ht is that is the point of politics. it is also to get that is the point of politics. it is also to get things that is the point of politics. it is also to get things done and one of the things your government is trying to get done, they say, is to sort out the strikes. we have the leader of the unite union, sharon graham, we will be speaking to her in a few minutes. the biggest health strikes to date are due this week. why can t you just sort th