Inch towards an election, lets get the measure of things. Conservatives, how are you feeling . To get in touch. Rishi sunak has told the bbc hes not going to be forced into a premature decision over the future of hs2. Its being widely reported the route between birmingham and manchester could be scrapped. The Prime Minister is in the north of england today for the conservative Party Conference in manchester but its not expected for him to make an announcement until his speech tomorrow. Uk food prices have fallen month on month for the first time in more than two years. The British Retail Consortium says last month, they fell by 0. 1 percent compared with august. Radiographers in england have begun a 24 hour strike as part of a pay dispute. Theyjoinjunior doctors and consultants, who are into their second day of their three day walkout. The government says a fair and reasonable pay rise has been given. Emergency services are working to secure a Food Waste Site in oxfordshire after it was hit by lightning last night, causing a major gas explosion. Its thought no one was hurt. It was really interesting, our phone in on the lib dems last week. We are doing four of these special programmes during the political conference season. We have done the lib dems, conservatives today, and we are going to do labour next week, and a week after it is the turn of the snp. So much to talk about. These could be the last conferences before the general election when you have your chance to tell us who is going to be happening for the years to come. One of the big ideological divides at the conservative Party Conference is tax, and liz truss turned up, of course, to promote growing the pie campaign, and she has many supporters i remember the campaign between her and rishi sunak when they were fighting each other for leadership and rishi sunak was this it is in the dna, cutting taxes. At the big thing, the ghost at the banquet, is hs2. What the hell is going on . Lets speak to the members, the supporters, voters past and present. The would be voters, and present. The would be voters, and it never again voters. And you can text us or call us. Whoever you are, whatever party you support, do get in touch. Good morning to samantha in lincoln. Get in touch. Good morning to samantha in lincoln. Good morning. And Aood Samantha in lincoln. Good morning. And good morning samantha in lincoln. Good morning. And good morning feros. Samantha in lincoln. Good morning. | and good morning feros. Samantha, what are your concerns, i believe you were a tory voter. Why are you wobbling . I you were a tory voter. Why are you wobblin . , you were a tory voter. Why are you wobblin . , my. , you were a tory voter. Why are you wobblin . ,. ,. , you were a tory voter. Why are you wobblin . ,. ,. ,. , wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many years wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many years ago wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many years ago when wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many years ago when i wobbling . I would say i was a tory voter many years ago when i was i wobbling . I would say i was a tory| voter many years ago when i was in my military years, but now our Company SuppliesAir Filtration and waste water treatment, especially for net zero for the Manufacturing Industries in the uk, and i have realised that the tories are not benefiting Small Business community is at all. They tell us lies. We really dont know what to believe. Brexit has had a massive impact not only on our business, but our customers because we have supplies from the eu and we always will do. We are not an independent nation. There was a march to rejoin in london not so long ago, and there was very little coverage from the uk at all. Lots of foreign coverage, but we had just told what the government wants us to know, at the end of the day. You mentioned hs2. They are spending billions of pounds on getting birmingham and london connected, just for those few minutes, but there are still not enough Network Coverage from the east to the west of the country. There are businesses in the north that need to commute between cities. Where is that helpful companies up north, if you like . And again immigration, there is so much to discuss, really, but immigration, it isjust discuss, really, but immigration, it is just another area of inflammatory language. They are inciting the population to get behind them because they are only interested in themselves, in their own votes. And you mentioned taxation, why dont you mentioned taxation, why dont you save a little bit of money for the people who havent actually got that much . And what about the Big Companies that are avoiding taxes . Samantha, what would you get you back . That sounds a litany from somebody who once did vote conservative. You are the sort of person they need. They need to get you back into the fold, dont they . And it sounds like you actually might be the type of voter who is kind of on the left side of the party who may have been tempted by the lib dems. There are many constituents, of course, where that is a vulnerability to the conservatives by the next election. There was a big list there, what would get you back . The . There was a big list there, what would get you back . There was a big list there, what would get you back . They need to get Small Business would get you back . They need to get Small Business owners would get you back . They need to get Small Business owners back, would get you back . They need to get Small Business owners back, you would get you back . They need to get Small Business owners back, you are i Small Business owners back, you are right, because they are the backbone of society. I wouldnt say there was a single policy at the moment that would get me back. And the reason is because even if there was one policy, they would probably do a u turn. Policy, they would probably do a uturn. ,. ,. , uturn. Ok if we have you for the whole hour. Uturn. Ok if we have you for the whole hour, there uturn. Ok if we have you for the whole hour, there would uturn. Ok if we have you for the whole hour, there would be whole hour, there would be justifiable accusations of bias. But stay there and listen, let me see now, james and canterbury, good morning. Now, james and canterbury, good morninu. Now, james and canterbury, good mornin. ,. ,. ,. , now, james and canterbury, good morninu. ,. , morning. Good morning, good to be with ou. Morning. Good morning, good to be with you you morning. Good morning, good to be with you. You too. Morning. Good morning, good to be with you. You too. Did morning. Good morning, good to be with you. You too. Did you morning. Good morning, good to be with you. You too. Did you hear with you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness with you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness me. With you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness me. I with you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness me. I did, with you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness me. I did, yes. J with you. You too. Did you hear that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have not that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a lot that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a lot of that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a lot of work that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a lot of work to that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We have got a lot of work to do that . Goodness me. I did, yes. We. Have got a lot of work to do between now and have got a lot of work to do between now and the have got a lot of work to do between now and the next election, but the prime now and the next election, but the Prime Minister is up for the fight and we Prime Minister is up for the fight and we are Prime Minister is up for the fight and we are going to try to wind as many and we are going to try to wind as many votes and we are going to try to wind as many votes as possible to keep labour many votes as possible to keep labour out of power, because that is the choice labour out of power, because that is the choice facing voters whenever the choice facing voters whenever the next the choice facing voters whenever the next election comes. It the choice facing voters whenever the next election comes. The next election comes. It was ruite a the next election comes. It was quite a list the next election comes. It was quite a list there the next election comes. It was quite a list there from the next election comes. It was l quite a list there from samantha. Any validity in any of it . Any validity in any of it . Clearly, the last couple any validity in any of it . Clearly, the last couple of any validity in any of it . Clearly, the last couple of years any validity in any of it . Clearly, the last couple of years have any validity in any of it . Clearly, i the last couple of years have been challenging for us. We have had coronavirus, the war in ukraine, we have coronavirus, the war in ukraine, we have not coronavirus, the war in ukraine, we have not always made life easy for ourselves have not always made life easy for ourselves in government and that is certainly ourselves in government and that is certainly true, but i think at the next certainly true, but i think at the next election there will be a clear choice next election there will be a clear choice between us and labour, and i think choice between us and labour, and i think the choice between us and labour, and i think the more people see of rishi sunak. Think the more people see of rishi sunak. The think the more people see of rishi sunak, the more they like his approach sunak, the more they like his approach. They liked the fact he is focused approach. They liked the fact he is focused on approach. They liked the fact he is focused on the long term, on peoples priorities, focused on the long term, on peoples priorities, and the more they see of keir starmer, the more they wonder who this keir starmer, the more they wonder who this man is. He constantly flipflops who this man is. He constantly flip flops from issue to wish you, so the flip flops from issue to wish you, so the next flip flops from issue to wish you, so the next election will be a clear choice so the next election will be a clear choice and so the next election will be a clear choice and we are up for the fight. We are choice and we are up for the fight. We are back choice and we are up for the fight. We are back on the hymn sheet. Get in touch with your thoughts. We have got nick eardley, our Political Correspondent as well. So, mentioned by samantha, she referred to a bit of Dog Whistle Politics going on, Suella Braverman. What do you think about much capitalism hasnt works, and that the british people need to know about the invasion of our Southern Coast and do you think that is inflammatory language . Hat inflammatory language . Not necessarily. Inflammatory language . Not necessarily. It inflammatory language . Not necessarily. It is inflammatory language . Iirrt necessarily. It is possible, it is doable but it is how they do it, thatis doable but it is how they do it, that is the thing. Obviously throwing money at it and all of that doesnt work. They have to change the way they think, the way they do things. For example, we need workers, factories and restaurants and whatever, they are always in need. I and whatever, they are always in need. ~. ,. , and whatever, they are always in need. ~. ,. ,. Need. I know that, huge respect but the language need. I know that, huge respect but the language that need. I know that, huge respect but the language that she need. I know that, huge respect but the language that she is need. I know that, huge respectl but the language that she is using, is it inflammatory . Is it necessary to use words like invasion . I think it is in a way, yes. Yes. It is. Look around the world. Ok they have got all this immigration, they go to france, and they come from france they dont confront their own country, so it is like an invasion, by c as well. Country, so it is like an invasion, by c as well by c as well. Sea. 0k, very interesting. Interesting. I cant ask for more. You dont often get that candid straightforwardness from some of our politicians because they have to tread a line. Nick, so much going on in the conference. I have to ask you a specific question about the railway line. At first off, nick, our Political Correspondent, is this a happy conference . A happy conference . Thats an interesting a happy conference . Thats an interesting question a happy conference . Thats an interesting question actually. | a happy conference . Thats an| interesting question actually. If you hang around on the fringe meetings, the bars were most of the interesting stuff happens, yes, people are in a pretty good mood. But i think the thing that will probably worry number ten is a lot of that good mood is around people like Suella Braverman, Kemi Badenoch, some of the people who could bejockeying badenoch, some of the people who could be jockeying for position if the conservatives lose the election and are looking for a new leader. And i think the thing that will worry rishi sunak most is when it comes to his agenda and trying to grab the narrative and shake us all and say, heres what i want to do as Prime Minister, its not really working just now. Everything is being dominated by the confusion over hs2, the fact that the government wontjust over hs2, the fact that the government wont just confirm over hs2, the fact that the government wontjust confirm what everybody thinks is pretty certain, that it everybody thinks is pretty certain, thatitis everybody thinks is pretty certain, that it is not going to reach manchester after all. That it is not going to reach manchesterafterall. It that it is not going to reach manchester after all. It feels to me a bit like the Prime Minister has come into this conference and thought im going to give my party rocket boosters, give us a take off before a year leading up to a general election, but he is struggling to get off the ground. What the heck is going on with hs2 . I wish i could give you a definite answer. I dont think you will find anybody around here who thinks hs2 is going to reach manchester any more. I think is pretty certain that the birmingham to Manchester Leg is going to be scrapped. We thought that for well over a week, a couple of weeks now, that that was going to happen. The question is, how is the Prime Minister going to sell it . What is the thing he is eventually going to tell us is going to replace the h52 going to tell us is going to replace the hs2 leg from birmingham to manchester . I think it is most likely to be a lot of investment in the north of england on what is known as Northern Powerhouse railway. We were talking about it a few minutes ago, the east to west connection that a lot of people in the north tell you is not fit for purpose and needs to be with better connectivity in the north itself. But we have got this strange situation right now where there is a bit of a vacuum. The Prime Minister was on bbc breakfast this morning being asked repeatedly about hs2, and was stilljust saying, there is and was stilljust saying, there is a lot of speculation, i am not going to be rushed into a decision, it is not quite there yet. But it feels like, apart from crossing the teas and dotting the eyes at that decision has been made, and nobody is denying that the Manchester Leg is denying that the Manchester Leg is going to be scrapped. All the while, we kind of wait for the Prime Minister to give us some kind of confirmation of what is coming instead. , �. ,. , instead. They didnt want this to net out, instead. They didnt want this to get out. So instead. They didnt want this to get out. So why instead. They didnt want this to get out, so why did instead. They didnt want this to get out, so why did it instead. They didnt want this to get out, so why did it and instead. They didnt want this to get out, so why did it and how . | instead. They didnt want this to i get out, so why did it and how . It started about three weeks ago, when somebody was in Downing Street with a camera and someone was holding a paper and they zoomed in and they saw some pretty big calculations regarding hs2. But ever since then, i have feel like i have been talking about hs2 for about two weeks, it has been widely thought it was going to be scrapped. There were some people in government who expected it to be imminently scrapped. I remember doing a programme on radio for a couple of weeks ago, where we were pretty sure it was going to be scrapped and everybody was talking about it being scrapped, but then everything went really quiet. There was a bit of a debate going on about whether you cancel it before you get to manchester and just get it out of the way and dont have it hanging over the conference, or you grab it and you say, look, we are owning this. We are doing it for the right reasons. Costs have gone up. Tens of billions of pounds are going to be spent elsewhere, so lets set out our big plan. And that could come tomorrow. The big switch on moment of this conference is when the Prime Minister speaks and that is happening at noon tomorrow. It is possible that is what rishi sunak does. Shill possible that is what rishi sunak does. � � , possible that is what rishi sunak does. � v , possible that is what rishi sunak does. � � ,. , does. All right. Lets speak to nicky aitken. Does. All right. Lets speak to nicky aitken, deputy does. All right. Lets speak to nicky aitken,