Investments. Businesses to make those investments. ,. ,. , investments. The Conference Season is now under investments. The Conference Season is now under way investments. The Conference Season is now under way. And investments. The Conference Season is now under way. And with investments. The Conference Season is now under way. And with more. Is now under way. And with more by elections around the corner, the main question this morning is, has the starting gun being fired on the next General Election . On behalf of the government this week, its grant shapps, the new defence secretary. Hot footing it from his partys conference in bournemouth, the lib dem leader sir ed davey is here to talk to us. And for labour, well talk live to darrenjones, the brand new shadow chief secretary to the treasury. Hello. Well, youll see im not laura. She couldnt be here today so ive stepped in. Good morning wherever youre watching across the uk. Do let me introduce todays panel. We have racheljohnson, broadcaster and journalist. Yanis varoufakis, left wing economist and greeces Finance Minister during that countrys Credit Crisis eight years ago. And craig mackinlay, Conservative Mp and chair of the net zero scrutiny group. Good morning. Thank you for being here. We are going to look at some of the front pages. The possible fate of h52 leads some of the front pages this morning. The telegraph says, axe looms over hs2 after £8bn cost shock, the observer goes with sunak pushes to axe hs2 link ahead of tory conference. And the indy leads with, now tory big beasts turn on pms insane plan to scrap hs2. But the mail goes with Something Different pm will not axe triple lock on pensions, it says. And the times says, Sunak Revives plans to slash Inheritance Tax. Something that is not confirmed by Downing Street, i should say. Is it something, Craig Mckinlay, you would like to see ahead of the next election . Like to see ahead of the next election . , like to see ahead of the next election . , election . Yeah, i have Written A Number of election . Yeah, i have Written A Number of papers election . Yeah, i have Written A Number of papers about election . Yeah, i have Written A Number of papers about Inheritance Tax. Just the inherent unfairness about it. Ivor was thought if you have cash in the bank you have spent | have cash in the bank you have spent i have always thought if you have cash in the bank. I would like Capital Gains tax, whatever it might be, you pay Capital Gains tax. Flint . Be, you pay Capital Gains tax. Only 496 of households be, you pay Capital Gains tax. Only 496 of households pay. Be, you pay Capital Gains tax. Only 4 of households pay. You have basically got a married couple with a threshold of about £1 million. You have to have a threshold of about £1 million. You have to have a a threshold of about £1 million. 7m, have to have a descendant to give that too. It is quite complicated. That is the inherent problem with Inheritance Tax. You have definitely got a north south divide. People in the south can pay Inheritance Tax through no reason other than they have got a property in the south of the country rather than the north. Racheljohnson, that is floated in the sunday times. Speculation not confirmed by Downing Street. Other policies have been floated this week. A level reform, potentially a smoking ban. Does it feel like a General Election is in the air . The front page General Election is in the air . The front page of General Election is in the air . The front page of the mail on sunday, when front page of the mail on sunday, when rishi front page of the mail on sunday, when rishi sunak is not Flip Flopping now, it becomes the splash Flip Flopping now, it becomes the splash of Flip Flopping now, it becomes the splash of a sunday newspaper, which ives splash of a sunday newspaper, which gives some splash of a sunday newspaper, which gives some indication that he does seem gives some indication that he does seem to gives some indication that he does seem to he gives some indication that he does seem to be changing his mind on a lot of seem to be changing his mind on a lot of big seem to be changing his mind on a lot of big policies. My question is, if he lot of big policies. My question is, if he is lot of big policies. My question is, if he is setting out the battleground for a General Election, how is battleground for a General Election, how is he battleground for a General Election, how is he going to take the tory party how is he going to take the tory party with how is he going to take the tory party with him . Obviously he wants to take party with him . Obviously he wants to take the party with him . Obviously he wants to take the fight to the opposition. But we to take the fight to the opposition. But we have seen the big Beasts Lining but we have seen the big Beasts Lining up but we have seen the big Beasts Lining up to oppose his new lines on hsz lining up to oppose his new lines on h52 and lining up to oppose his new lines on h52 and net zero. We saw Alok Sharma And 2ac H52 and net zero. We saw alok sharma and Zac Goldsmith on net zero, Boris Johnson and Zac Goldsmith on net zero, Boris Johnson and and Zac Goldsmith on net zero, Boris Johnson and David Cameron opposing what hes johnson and David Cameron opposing what hes doing hsz. He will have an internal what hes doing hsz. He will have an internal war what hes doing hsz. He will have an internal war as well as an external war~ internal war as well as an external war~ so internal war as well as an external war. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, welcome to war. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, welcome to you. War. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, welcome to you. A war. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, welcome to you. A big war. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, welcome to you. A big week war. So good luck to rishi. Yunus, i welcome to you. A big week because of the pushback of some of those green commitments. Of the pushback of some of those green commitments. What do you make of it . It green commitments. What do you make of it . It takes green commitments. What do you make of it . It takes a green commitments. What do you make of it . It takes a very green commitments. What do you make of it . It takes a very special of it . It takes a very special combination of it . It takes a very special combination of of it . It takes a very special. Combination of incompetence of it . It takes a very special combination of incompetence and Cynicism Combination of incompetence and cynicism to combination of incompetence and cynicism to managed combination of incompetence and cynicism to managed to combination of incompetence and cynicism to managed to unite combination of incompetence and cynicism to managed to unite the| combination of incompetence and i cynicism to managed to unite the Car Industry Cynicism to managed to unite the car industry and cynicism to managed to unite the car industry and the cynicism to managed to unite the car industry and the greens cynicism to managed to unite the car industry and the greens against cynicism to managed to unite the car industry and the greens against you. I industry and the greens against you. Rishi sunak industry and the greens against you. Rishi sunak has industry and the greens against you. Rishi sunak has demonstrated industry and the greens against you. Rishi sunak has demonstrated that. I rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why Do Rishi Sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you say rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you say it rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you say it is rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you say it is cynical . Rishi sunak has demonstrated that. Why do you say it is cynical . Well, i why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it is why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it is very why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it is very clear why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it is very clear that why do you say it is cynical . Well, because it is very clear that this i because it is very clear that this was the because it is very clear that this was the result because it is very clear that this was the result of because it is very clear that this was the result of the because it is very clear that this was the result of the uxbridge i was the result of the uxbridge byelection was the result of the uxbridge by election in was the result of the uxbridge by election in what was the result of the uxbridge by election in what is was the result of the uxbridge. By election in what is happening was the result of the uxbridge by election in what is happening in The Netherlands by election in what is happening in The Netherlands where by election in what is happening in The Netherlands where there by election in what is happening in The Netherlands where there is by election in what is happening in The Netherlands where there is a l The Netherlands where there is a backlash The Netherlands where there is a backlash from The Netherlands where there is a backlash from the The Netherlands where there is a backlash from the climate The Netherlands where there is a | backlash from the climate policy. Segments backlash from the climate policy. Segments of backlash from the climate policy. Segments of the backlash from the climate policy. Segments of the population. Backlash from the climate policy. Segments of the population. A i segments of the population. A desperate segments of the population. A desperate prime segments of the population. A desperate Prime Minister segments of the population. A desperate Prime Minister is i segments of the population. A i desperate Prime Minister is trying to appeal desperate Prime Minister is trying to appeal to desperate Prime Minister is trying to appeal to a desperate Prime Minister is trying to appeal to a particular desperate Prime Minister is trying to appeal to a particular clientele, destroying to appeal to a particular clientele, destroying all to appeal to a particular clientele, destroying all the to appeal to a particular clientele, destroying all the capability to appeal to a particular clientele, destroying all the capability that l destroying all the capability that tory governments destroying all the capability that tory governments have destroying all the capability that tory governments have tried i destroying all the capability that tory governments have tried toi destroying all the capability that i tory governments have tried to build up tory governments have tried to build up regarding tory governments have tried to build up regarding commitments tory governments have tried to build up regarding commitments to up regarding commitments to netzero up regarding commitments to netzero. ~ up regarding commitments to netzero up regarding commitments to netzero. ,. ,. , netzero. Ok. We are going to get into that of netzero. Ok. We are going to get into that of this netzero. Ok. We are going to get into that of this morning netzero. Ok. We are going to get into that of this morning with i netzero. Ok. We are going to get into that of this morning with you | into that of this morning with you on the panel and with our guest today. Rishi sunak spent nearly a year steadying the ship after liz trusss stormy days in office, but now with an election looming hes coming up with a bunch of ideas to try to show you what he really stands for. Earlier this week he delayed green targets set out by his old Boss Borisjohnson when he was pm, and it looks like the Hs2 Rail Project could be scaled back again. The original plan would have connected london to birmingham and then leeds and manchester. In 2021, then leeds and manchester. In 2021, the section from birmingham to leeds was cancelled. They may hardly line might end in west london rather than going all the way to euston. And now the birmingham to manchester bit is in doubt as well. So what is rishi sunak� s plan . Lets ask grant shapps. Hes just been made defence secretary, and in the last few years hes been transport, business and net zero. What else, grant shapps anything weve forgotten . When you are Transport Secretary in 2022, you launched the most recent plan for hs2, which would have taken it all the way to manchester. He is the plan youve laid down their going to be delivered in full . Morning. The first thing to say is i am reading a lot of this in the newspapers. But there have been no announcements other than the change in net zero, which does not change the outcome, which is 2050 still. But on hs2 we do have to respond to the budgets was that we have been hit notjust by coronavirus, but by the war in ukraine. Any responsible government looks at that and says, does they still stack up for what the country requires in terms of where it is ending its resources and the sequencing . It where it is ending its resources and the sequencing . The sequencing . It doesnt sound could then . The sequencing . It doesnt sound could then . Im the sequencing . It doesnt sound could then . Im not the sequencing . It doesnt sound could then . Im not actually i the sequencing . It doesnt sound | could then . Im not actually prove issue any decision. Could then . Im not actually prove issue any decision. Could then . Im not actually prove issue any decision. I could then . Im not actually prove issue any decision. I am could then . Im not actually prove issue any decision. I am not i issue any decision. I am not actually privy to any decision. You were ut actually privy to any decision. You were put up actually privy to any decision. You were put up by actually privy to any decision. You were put up by the government to talk about the commons plan today. When you asked for a steer, what do they say . I when you asked for a steer, what do the sa . , when you asked for a steer, what do the sa . , when you asked for a steer, what do the sa . ,. ,. ,. , they say . I came on to talk about defence. They say . I came on to talk about defence l they say . I came on to talk about defence. I can they say . I came on to talk about defence. I can certainly they say . I came on to talk about defence. I can certainly cover they say . I came on to talk about | defence. I can certainly cover this. Look, yes, the country has invested hugely in faster infrastructure for a particularly hs2 and travel. And there is a large part of it substantially built. I think the sequencing of what happens next is a perfectly legitimate question. When we have been hit with the enormous costs of coronavirus, £400 billion. Probably another hundred billion pounds from the war in ukraine. And people rightly will say, there is a balance of money that needs to be spent on health, education, defence and many other things. At what speed do we want to progress various different projects . Perfectly proper and responsible. And, by the way, i think a serious comment looking at the long term future makes these decisions, even when sometimes they are not popular at that moment in the interest of the country at large. The interest of the country at [an e. The interest of the country at larae. � , the interest of the country at lane, � , the interest of the country at larae. ~ , the interest of the country at lare. ,. , large. Ok. As i said, it is not lookin large. Ok. As i said, it is not looking good. Large. Ok. As i said, it is not looking good, is large. Ok. As i said, it is not looking good, is eight, i large. Ok. As i said, it is not looking good, is eight, when large. Ok. As i said, it is not looking good, is eight, when the Prime Minister doesnt guarantee it will go to manchester .