22/11/2017 BBC News Special

This is BBC News -

I'm Jane Hill at Westminster

where the Chancellor has

delivered his Budget,

with money for housing,

the NHS and Brexit preparations.

Mr Hammond said he'd

prepared a balanced budget

which was "full of change,

full of challenges and full

of new opportunities".

I report today on an economy that

continues to grow, continues to

create more jobs than ever before

and continues to confound those who

seek to talk it down.

They call this a Budget fit for the

future. The reality is this is a

government no longer fit for office.

Growth forecasts for the UK

are substantially downgraded

with output expected to be lower

over the coming years.

On housing, Stamp Duty

for all first-time buyers in England

and Wales will be scrapped

immediately for purchases

up to £300,000.

Under pressure from Labour

on Universal Credit -

Mr Hammond delivered a £1.5 billion

package to cut the waiting

time for payments.

The NHS in England will receive

an extra £2.8 billion by 2020

with £350 million provided

immediately to allow trusts

to plan for the winter.

The tax on tobacco continues to rise

but there's a freeze on wine,

cider and spirits and the fuel duty

rise for both petrol

and diesel is cancelled.

Good afternoon from Westminster

where the Chancellor,

Philip Hammond, has delivered

a Budget which he said would make

the UK "fit for the future"

as an "outward looking,

free-trading nation" once it

leaves the European Union.

But he had to announce dramatically

downgraded growth forecasts for next

five years from a previously

announced 2% this year, to 1.5%.

He told the Commons that an extra

£3 billion will be set aside

over the next two years

to prepare for Brexit.

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said

the Chancellor's statement

was a "record of failure

with a forecast of more to come".

Let's take a look at some of

the main measures in today's Budget.

On housing, there was good news

for people in England and Wales

wanting to purchase their first home

with news that Stamp Duty

for first-time buyer

purchases up to £300,000

is to be abolished immediately.

The Chancellor promised at least

£44 billion of capital funding,

loans and guarantees over five

years, to support house-building.

He said the government would commit

to a long-term goal to build 300,000

new homes a year by the mid-2020s.

The Chancellor bowed to pressure

over Universal Credit with a £1.5

billion package to cut

the waiting period for payments -

and make it easier for claimants

to receive an advance.

£2.8 billion will be

provided in extra funding

for the NHS in England -

£350 million immediately to address

pressures this winter.

Mr Hammond also indicated that extra

money could be available if the cap

on NHS pay is lifted.

Looking at the economy

as a whole the Chancellor

delivered some sobering news.

Let's look at the detail.

He said the independent Office

for Budget Responsibility had

downgraded its forecast for economic

growth this year from 2% to 1.5%.

He said that annual borrowing

would be £49.9 billion

in 2017-2018, lower than forecast

in the spring Budget.

And according to the OBR,

government debt will peak this

year at 86.5% of GDP -

before falling to 86.4% next year.

Forecasts suggest that it

will continue to fall

in subsequent years.

That's the picture for

the economy as a whole.

Much more discussion on that

throughout the afternoon

here at Westminster.

Let's also take a look now at some

of the measures announced.

There was good news for motorists

as the Chancellor announced

that the annual rise in duty

on petrol and diesel

will be cancelled.

Not such good news for smokers

as tobacco products will continue

to rise at inflation plus 2%.

For drinkers, duty on beer,

wine, spirits and most

ciders will be frozen.

But duty on high-strength white

ciders will be increased

through new legislation.

And as predicted, railcards offering

discounted train travel

will be extended to people

up to 30-years-old.

Our Political Correspondent Leila

Nathoo has this report.

Are you boxed in, Chancellor?

He has

been under pressure, but the

Chancellor this morning was putting

on a brave face.

Any tricks in your

red box?

Preparing to set out the

journey ahead for the Government's

tax and spending plans, Brexit looms

large. There is not much cash in the

kitty and there have been demands

from some of his Conservative

colleagues for a big and bold Budget

to lift the party's post election

gloom. In the Commons, as the

Chancellor waited to deliver his

statement, the Prime Minister

insisted her government was putting

the country first.

I'm optimistic about our future. I'm

optimistic about the success we can

make of Brexit. I'm optimistic about

the well paid jobs that will be

created. I'm optimistic about the

homes we will build. That's

Conservatives, building a Britain

fit for the future.

I call the Chancellor of the

Exchequer, Philip Hammond.

Then it was Philip Hammond's turn at

the dispatch box to set out his

strategy. Insisting the Government

had been listening.

We understand

the frustration of families where

real incomes are under pressure. So

at this Budget, we choose a balanced

approach. Yes, maintaining fiscal

responsibility as we at last see our

debt peaking. Continuing to invest

in the skills and infrastructure

that will support the jobs of the

future. Building the homes that will

make good on our promise to the next

generation. But crucially, also,

helping families to cope with the

cost of living.

Despite his jovial

tone, the Chancellor revealed that

the economy was now forecast to grow

far slower than previously expected,

but there was big talk on housing

aimed at young people.

With effect

from today, for all first time buyer

purchases up to £300,000, I am

abolishing stamp duty altogether.

And to make sure as many as possible

benefit...

To ensure this relief

helps first-time buyers in very high

price areas like London, it will

also be available on the first

£300,000 of the purchase price of

properties up to £500,000.

Philip Hammond announced changes to

Universal Credit following intense

political pressure, promising

additional funding to cut waiting

times for the payment and to make it

quicker to claim an advance. There

will be an extra £2.8 billion for

the NHS in England and more cash for

schools which boost their numbers of

maths students plus with plans to be

at the fore front of tech. Labour

has attacked the Budget calling it a

record of failure with a forecast of

more to come.

People were looking

for help from this Budget and they

have been let down. Let down by a

government that like the economy

they presided over is weak and

unstable and in need of urgent

change. They call this a Budget fit

for the future. The reality is this

is a government no longer fit for

office.

This was a measured Budget. No

fireworks, no slip-ups, the

Chancellor will hope he has done

enough to convince the country and

his own colleagues that he is the

right man to remain in charge of the

economy.

I'm joined by Paul Johnson, Director

of the Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Joining me at a blustery

Westminster. We heard that little

piece of Philip Hammond at the

beginning of the hour saying,

"Growth continues." But when you

look at what is to come in future

years, the picture is not so

healthy, Paul?

Well, the forecast is

for growth which is better than the

reverse, but it's for a lot less

growth than we were hoping for back

in March. It is dramatic downgrade

in forecast growth so back in March

the OBR, the official watchdog was

saying we will get growth back to 2%

a year within two or three years and

now it is struggling back to 1.5% a

year and that's a big difference and

one of the reasons why the

Chancellor wasn't able to do much

because he had no money to play

with.

Yes, if the forecasts are

accurate then that continues for

several years to come?

Well, it

looks like it might and the

underlying thing here is the

productivity problem and if you look

at the figures here, it is something

we're not going to get a pay rise

for another two years at least

because productivity is doing badly

and growth is doing badly and

earnings aren't rising and since

about a year ago, earnings have

started to fall again, relative to

prices and it doesn't look like

they're going to pick up again for

another couple of years.

There has

been a lot of focus on housing. The

issue of intergenerational fairness

and young people not being able to

get on the housing ladder. Can we

pick through the announcement for

stamp duty. No stamp duty for

first-time buyers if they are buying

a property up to £300,000. Very

interesting though again when you

look at what the longer term impact

of that measure could be?

In the

long run, if you get rid of all

stamp duty then the impact is

clearly to increase house prices. It

would be a good thing to do because

stamp duty gums up the housing

market. Now, what the Chancellor is

doing is just getting rid of it for

first-time buyers so that would have

an less effect on house prices and

it will make first-time buyers in a

better position relative to second

time and subsequent buyers, but if

you reduce the stamp duty then it

will have some impact on house

prices, exactly how much when you do

it for this group is hard to know.

When one extrapolates over the

longer term, the concern is the

people who benefit are the people

who are already homeowners, the

person selling their house benefits

if prices are going up. So in the

long run you are not really helping

first-time buyers much? In the

immediate future you might be?

Because this is just for one group

of buyers, exactly what the impact

on house prices will be, we don't

know, but it will certainly increase

house prices to some extent and

therefore, benefit those who are

selling their house. That doesn't

mean it is a bad change because

stamp duty really does get in the

way of the housing market working,

but it's not an obvious, it's not

the obvious long-term benefit to

buyers that it might first at first

sight seem.

And the promise of money

that we have seen, certain sums for

the NHS, some immediate and some for

capital expenditure, given the

picture that you are painting and

all the forecasts that we're looking

at today, there might be people

watching this this afternoon

thinking, "Where is that money for

the NHS actually coming from?" Is it

clear?

Two things. The amount of

spending, the Chancellor was

promising the NHS was not

particularly big. This will still be

a tough few years for health. But

secondly, it is clear where it's

coming from. We're going to be

borrowing more. So whereas just over

a year ago, Chancellor Osborne was

promising us a surplus by 2019,

we're now going to be borrowing

about £35 billion in 2019. So a very

big turn around and actually between

just last March's Budget, a big

increase in borrowing since then.

So, the Chancellor has just decided

to borrow more than he was going to

borrow. It is just about within the

rules that he set himself. What he

hasn't got much wiggle room left.

Fiscal rules, that famous phrase, do

you think politicians regret having

the rules given that we are where we

are?

They don't mind breaking them!

We have had a lot of them and most

of them have been broken. The

Chancellor says he is on course to

meet the ones that he has got. But

another downgrade in the growth

forecast. Something goes wrong

around Brexit and we will be

breaking them pretty quickly. He

also wants to, we have had yet

another statement about when we are

going to get that famous budget

balance. That looks tough and

unlikely to me now I have to say.

OK, always good to hear your

analysis, Paul Johnson from the

Institute for Fiscal Studies.

Our Chief Political correspondent

Vicki Young is in the Central Lobby

of the House of Commons for us.

Yes, always a day when the House of

Commons is completely packed with

MPs, listening to what the

Chancellor has to say and then, of

course, trying to analyse what it

all means. Let's discuss this

further. I am joined by some

politicians. First of all, the move

on Universal Credit, something

Labour have been calling for

presumably, you are pleased with

that?

It is really, really good

news. I think it is disappointed

that he has taken so long and so

much energy goat to this point, but

certainly some of the measures that

are in there, it won't deal with all

the issues, because I think there

are fundamental problems with the

system that need to be looked at,

but it will alleviate some of the

worst outcomes of the change over to

Universal Credit.

For you p what was the most striking

thing that you heard the Chancellor

say today?

For me this was a Budget

about the Brexit bite and the

productivity, growth outlooks have

been downgraded. We are going to be

£45 billion worse off as a nation by

2021. It is money that should be

going into public services and I was

so disappointed to not hear that we

weren't going to raise the public

pay cap. Our teachers are desperate

for a pay rise and our NHS workers

and I think they will take the

Budget as a slap in the face.

Nicky

Morgan, how do you think looking at

this, the Government, your party, do

you think they have given up on

balancing the books?

No, not at all.

There is an ambition for the middle

part of the next decade, but there

is a recognition that more money is

needed in the NHS and that actually

people have made sacrifices over the

last seven years so it is right to

show flexibility. There is clearly a

need for more investment in housing

and I think what was good about the

Budget was the fact we didn't hear

Brexit mentioned all the time. It is

like Groundhog Day in Parliament, so

hearing about technology and plans

for the future, about challenges to

how we're going tackle the

productivity puzzle and housing, the

stamp duty duty change was welcome.

What do you make of the NHS money?

It is a lot that he has given to the

NHS. He is responding to more calls

for more money to the winter crisis

and more money for investment in

infrastructure?

Nicky is right,

Brexit wasn't mentioned a great

deal, but what was mentioned the

cripingly slow growth in the

country. The fact that the OBR is

expecting a far less investment from

business to come in, that people's

real wages are down, that their

disposable income is down and

personal debt is up. This is not a

good picture after seven years of a

Conservative Government and it is

worth remembering that they might be

looking to tackle the debt and the

deficit over the next ten years, but

they said it would be paid down by

now and they have failed repeatedly

to do that. When it comes to the

NHS, the NHS England, Simon Stevens

was looking for £4 billion worth of

investment to stave off a winter

crisis circumstances but deal with

the long-term challenges around

staffing making sure we can retain

and train staff, but they are

spending more on Brexit preparations

than they are on the NHS which I

just think is a real tragedy and the

public sector pay cap that the NHS

staff have been crying out for a pay

rise and it was not announced today

and that's disappointing.

When it

comes to housing, the holiday on

stamp duty For first-time buyers. Is

that something the Liberal Democrats

are in favour of?

We have always

said the answer to this is partly

house building and I was

disappointed by actually the

ambition of the Government for its

own house building in particular,

making sure that we have got enough

affordable and social housing. That

was missing. What I wanted to see

was borrowing by government at

record low levels right now so that

the Government themselves build. In

Oxfordshire, they announced £150

million to help with the

infrastructure. What we have

estimated is in fact if we are going

to do 100,000 homes, we're going to

need three times that investment.

It's nowhere near enough and my

local residents won't be happy with

what they have seen in the Budget.

Isn't there a problem with the stamp

duty policy because the OBR have

said all it does is push up house

prices so it is the seller, the

person who is on the property ladder

who gains by this sth

We will take

evidence in the Select Committee

from the OBR next week and ask them

about what exactly what they are

saying in their report, but I think

the important thing is getting the

housing market moving and it is

about getting young people on the

housing ladder and the dream of home

ownership and I think actually it is

an important step to making housing

more affordable for those who have

got to save for a deposit, about the

stamp duty on top. Housing is

important for people's stake in

society, but so is renting. Philip

Hammond said he wanted to look at

longer tenancies which is important.

Look, we have put more than £10

billion into the NHS already. Today

wag building on that. More money

that the NHS asked for, but I have

firm views about Brexit, but at the

end of the day, if it's going to

happen, we have got to make sure we

are preparing for it.

In one

sentence, has Philip Hammond done

enough to save his job?

I don't

think his job should have been under

threat anyway.

Nicky Morgan, thank

you very much. The headlines will be

about housing and of course, about

Brexit.

Thank you very much.

The Chancellor said that getting on

the housing lad are shouldn't be a

dream for young people, but should

be a reality. As we been discussing,

stamp duty for all first-time buyers

is to be abolished for any property

up to £300,000.

By continuing to

invest in Britain's infrastructure,

skills and R & D, we will ensure the

recovery in productivity growth

that's the key to delivering our

vision of a stronger, fairer, more

balanced economy, and the assurance

to the next generation of their

economic security.

But however successful we are in

that endeavour, there is one area

where young people today will

rightly feel concerned about their

future prospects and that is in the

housing market. House prices are

increasingly out of reach for many.

It takes too long to save for a

deposit. And rents absorb too high a

portion of monthly income. So the

number of 25 to 34-year-olds owning

their own home has dropped from 59%

to just 38% over the last 13 years.

Put simply, successive governments

over decades have failed to build

enough homes to deliver the home

owning dream that this country has

always been proud of, or indeed to

meet the needs of those who rent. In

Manchester a few weeks ago, the

Prime Minister made a pledge to

Britain's younger generation that

she would dedicate her premiership

to fixing this problem and today we

take the next steps to delivering on

that pledge. By choosing to build.

We send a message to the next

generation, that getting on the

housing ladder is not just a dream

of your parents past, but a reality

for your future.

That was a large

section of the point where Philip

Hammond was talking about housing.

We will talk more about that in the

next few minutes because I will be

talking to the Mayor of London. So

we'll discuss that, but more

broadly, let's talk about what the

Budget might mean for different age

groups. We thought there was going

to be a lot in this about

intergenerational inequality. Let's

find out whether two people working

in those fields feel much has been

anonced for them this afternoon.

Ann-Marie Lewis joins me.

We will start with housing in the

sense that we heard a bit of Philip

Hammond talking about the stamp duty

help at the bottom end. Is it fair

to say that the sort of young people

you're particularly helping, I mean,

house buying at all, property buying

is a pipe dream for them?

Absolutely. And that's one of the

things that we have been really

concerned about because whilst

that's a great initiative with

abolishing stamp duty the young

people we work with haven't got the

deposit to begin that process. Most

are in hostels. Most are homeless.

So, in actual fact there is a lot of

work that needs to be done before we

get to that stage and I haven't

heard much about that in today's

Budget.

You work around issues of

homelessness in particular for

example. I think there is a

taskforce going to be around that.

Did you hear anything that

encouraged you in there regard?

I

mean a taskforce is great, but how

that relates in real terms to our

young people is really what I'm

waiting to understand. We have had

lots of task forces and audits

around homelessness, but there is

hundreds of thousands of young

people sleeping rough on the streets

every single day.

And what could the

Government have done more

specifically that might have helped

as far as your charity is concerned?

Well, I think there has to be wider

support around the funding and the

resources not only to local

authorities, but to the charity

sector in general and overall to

youth services. At the moment we

have experienced over £300 million

of cuts to youth services. That's

603 youth centres. There is nearly

4,000 youth workers who assist young

people on the streets, young people

in different settings and they have

lost their jobs. So, for us, there

has to be a reversal of those cuts

and there needs to be money put back

into the infrastructure so that we

can start to rebuild our centres

again and you know, we have got

100,000 young people that have lost

youth places as a result of the cuts

and it's set to get worse.

Caroline, I feel as if we heard very

little this lunch time that related

to people certainly of retirement

age. What did you take from this?

I

think I'm, maybe I missed it, but I

didn't hear the words older people.

I didn't hear the words pension, I

didn't hear the words social care.

That's the thing that worries us the

most. Last week the Government

announced there would be a Green

Paper on social care, next summer,

but we were hoping for some

investment in social care. Knowing

there is a paper in a year's time

won't help them. We think it is a

missed opportunity and

short-sighted.

There was some

announcements around social care in

March. It is your sense why it

wasn't talked about today, the NHS

was talked about, but not social

care?

The Government is making a

mistake if it thinks the money it

announced was then. The money

announced for the NHS wasn't enough

either. A growing older population

is growing demand on the NHS. It was

good to hear some more money for the

NHS today, but all the experts said

they needed double the amount that

the Government is bringing forward.

Do you, from an Age UK prospective

feel this increased talk about

intergenerational unfairness, is it

valid? Do you accept that the

Chancellor would say he is trying to

look at younger people at the

moment, that that is where the

problem lies. We know plenty of

young people are finding it so

difficult to get on the housing

ladder. Is that a fairness that, is

that something he should have done,

do you think?

I think lots of older

people, if they see there is more

help for younger people, they will

be pleased that their grandsons and

granddaughters and the people living

next door will get help. We live in

communities and we want everyone to

be getting on well. The things that

my friend here was talking about in

terms of problems with public

services and charities apply just as

much for young people.

Some of that

is tied around reduced funding to

local authorities?

Absolutely, yes.

All right. Caroline and Ann-Marie,

thank you.

Picking up on the key themes that we

heard from the Chancellor at lunch

time. There has been a lot of focus

on those announcements around

housing. Already people trying to

unpick just what that stamp duty

move for first-time buyers might

really mean. We will talk more about

environmental policies as well

because the Mayor of London, Sadiq

Khan has joined me. We will start

with housing because it is so

pertinent to London and the South

East, isn't it? We know about the

difficulties of young people getting

on the housing ladder. Do you

welcome no stamp duty for a first

time buyer, anything up to £300,000

a bigger sum in London?

Well, I

welcome any help to reduce the cost

of buying a property in London, but

the idea that this is enough to fix

the housing crisis beggars belief.

We need to be building far more

homes in London, far more genuinely

affordable homes and also we now

know from reading the OBR it will

lead to prices going up, further up

the food chain. What the Government

should have done today is to give

financial support to councils and

housing associations to build more

homes in London from now. What they

should have announced today was

measures, not a review, but measures

to make sure that we can deal with a

situation where the landowners,

developers who have permission and

are sitting on that land. We should

have had measures to help the

Londoners who are aren'ting from

private landlords and this

demonstrates how out-of-touch the

Government is with the needs of

Londoners. We needed a step change

and we got a drop in the ocean.

There is to be a review and that's

to be led by Oliver Letwin. Philip

Hammond put a number on the amount

of extra houses he wants to build,

but the ambition is to do so by the

mid-2020s, so it is a few years

away. What's going on there from

your prospective? Is it lack of

money? Lack of ambition, what's that

about? In

20092010, the amount of

money the Government spend on

affordable homes was double. A

simple thing the Chancellor could

have done was to go back to

2009/2010 levels. The private sector

by themselves will never build the

am of homes that we need and so, the

Chancellor today has confirmed that

at his most ambitious by 2025,

across the country, we will have

300,000 homes being built. In London

alone, experts say we will need

66,000 homes from the from next

year. We should have seen bold plans

from the Chancellor. What we have

got is none of that and I really

worry about the confidence

businesses will have knowing, no

good news in relation to

infrastructure for London. No good

news in relation to the homes for

workers who work in London and that

lack of confidence at a time of

Brexit is bad for London.

Exactly.

That's interesting. Is the country

Brexit ready? Is London Brexit ready

because there was an announcement of

a sum, almost a cushion, if you

like, in the lead up to Brexit, to

the Brexit preparations he said?

When I speak to Chief Executives,

investors, businesses, they want to

have confidence in our city's

ability to meet their ambitions. One

of the best ways of giving

confidence to businesses is to say

you know what, we're going to invest

in infrastructure. We are going to

give the green light to Crossrail 2

and invest in river crossings,

invest in transport links. None of

that today, you as an investor, or

businessman or woman are nervous

about the future of our city. You

want to know your staff can afford

to live in a great city, but when

you are told the only help you will

get is a contribution towards a

first time purchase doesn't go

meeting your ambition as a business.

You want to make sure that Londoners

are skilled up to do the jobs of the

future. Again, no real announcement

there. I worry at a time when there

is uncertainty, at a time when we

are told by the EU, we are going

down the road of an extreme hard

Brexit because of the response this

government, businesses will think,

we are far better off going to

Frankfurt or going to Berlin or

Paris. This is not me talking down

London, it is me being frustrated by

the Budget today. This is the most

anti-London Budget for a generation.

anti-London Budget for a generation.

Specifically because of Brexit?

At a

time

Specifically because of Brexit?

At a

time where we have had four

terrorist attacks in our city, no

announcement of extra funding for

the police in London. No new news in

relation to building new homes in

London. People have problems from

dementia to heart disease because of

the bad quality air, no news

relating to fixing the air

pollution. No real news in relation

to investing in young Londoners.

This was a chance for the Chancellor

to have a big, bold budget. He has

blown it.

Sadiq Khan, thank you very

much indeed. I would have loved a

bit more time, we could have talked

about the environmental issues as

well. Continuing reaction to

everything Philip Hammond announced

at lunchtime. Much more reaction,

for now just back to the studio.

Much more from Westminster

to come but for now,

back to the studio.

We'll be back in Westminster shortly

but first some other news.

The former Bosnian Serb army

commander Ratko Mladic has been

found guilty of genocide and crimes

against humanity during the Bosnian

war more than 20 years ago.

The 74-year-old has been

sentenced to life in prison

by an international court

at The Hague after a trial

that has lasted six years.

The judge said his crimes figured

amongst the most heinous

type known to humankind.

From the Hague,

Anna Holligan reports.

Sit down, please.

He was determined

to go down fighting.

Refusing to listen to the judge.

But he is no longer the most

powerful man in the room.

If you continue like this...

After 16 years as a fugitive,

Ratko Mladic couldn't

escape this judgment.

He was found guilty

of ten out of 11 charges.

Guilty as a member of various joint

criminal enterprises

of the following counts.

Count two, genocide.

Count three, persecution,

a crime against humanity.

Count four, extermination,

a crime against humanity.

Outside, survivors

travelled from Bosnia.

This pursuit of justice has given

them something to live for

after their families were destroyed.

Ratko Mladic personally

directed the shelling

of the cosmopolitan capital,

Sarajevo.

He was involved in selecting targets

and directed his forces away

from Serb neighbourhoods.

The siege lasted more

than three years and left

more than 10,000 people,

mostly civilians and

many children, dead.

Here, the burly general can be seen

reassuring the crowds

that they would come to no harm,

before the men and boys

as young as 12 were taken

to the execution sites.

No one can be sure exactly how many

people died in Srebrenica.

The mass graves were excavated

by Serb forces in an effort

to hide their crimes.

6,000 of the victims are buried

here in the place where they sought

protection from the UN

in what was supposed

to be a safe zone.

Ratko Mladic was the

mastermind of all of this.

Many of these families who travelled

here to the Hague are hoping

that this life sentence and the way

that Ratko Mladic acted in court

will mean he goes down

in history as a coward,

who in those final moments,

couldn't face up to his own crimes.

Anna Holligan, the Hague.

In the last hour, Zimbabwe's former

Vice-President Emmerson Mnangagwa

has arrived back in the country,

following Robert Mugabe's surprise

resignation yesterday.

He will be sworn in as Zimbabwe's

new head of state on Friday.

The BBC understands London

Metropolitan Police are

investigating the Hollywood star

Kevin Spacey over a second alleged

sexual assault. The date of the

allegation goes back to 2005, and

took place in Lambeth, the location

of the old Vic Theatre where Kevin

Spacey was artistic director.

The UK's information Commissioner

has expressed 'huge concerns'

about the ethics and policies

of the mini cab service

Uber after the company

admitted concealing

a massive security breach.

The breach, which took place

in October last year affected

57 million of Uber's customers

and drivers around the world.

It's emerged that Uber

paid the hackers £75,000

to delete the data -

which included customers

names, email addresses

and mobile phone numbers.

The American actor and 70s teen idol

David Cassidy has died aged 67.

He found fame in the sitcom

"The Partridge Family",

then enjoyed a hugely successful

music career, selling more

than 30 million records worldwide.

He was admitted to hospital

in Florida last week

with multiple organ failure.

Let's return to my colleague Jane

Hill at Westminster for some more

budget reaction. Welcome back to a

blustery Westminster, we will talk

about what it means the business,

small and large, in the next few

minutes, but for now let's had

backed the Jo Coburn, my colleague,

she has a bit more on personal

finances and I'm sure more besides

over in Peterborough. Thank you. We

have been gauging reaction from

businesses all over the afternoon

and we have been based in one of the

leading businesses in the country, a

leading manufacturer, Lawrence

David. They build and make lorry

trailers. And their business here

has expanded over the last few

years, but we have been discussing

those growth forecasts, which have

been downgraded, and how that will

affect businesses like Lawrence

David. There was plenty of other

stuff, though, in the budget,

affecting people's personal finances

on the one hand and also things that

the council has responsibility for.

He did talk to us is John Holder j,

the Conservative leader of

Peterborough City Council, and we

will then also talk about whether

Peterborough is Brexit ready with

Lesley Batchelor, who is the

director-general of the Institute of

and international trade. I can't

help but notice, because it is quite

a large badge you have, protect our

vital services. Did Philip Hammond

do that today?

Most certainly not.

Our budget has been cut by 80% and

we have another 35mm go. With the

extra pressures, it will amount to

£200 million to a small authority

like Peterborough. We have been very

innovative in finding different ways

to raise money and doing things

differently but we have come to the

end of the road on that. It does

mean if we don't get some extra

money then it will mean cuts in

social care and social services to

children, as well.

But you are

Conservative leader of this City

Council, have you made your feelings

known to the Chancellor?

Absolutely,

we have made our feelings known. We

have the MPs on our side to lobby

government. So we are making our

feelings known. And we have built a

case which I think the government

will be quite impressed with. I am

quite happy to lobby my own

government, because I believe we

have great ability here in

Peterborough. We have done it, we

haven't moaned about doing it, we're

just saying this is a step too far.

The Chancellor said he wanted a

balanced approach, there are still a

deficit clear, this is all his

words, and that actually anything he

spends the still going to be added

to borrowing. Do you accept that

when it comes to the issue of paying

public sector workers?

Yes, I do

accept that, but sometimes you do

have to bend that, and I understand

when government make the rules it

affects different people in

different ways. And I believe

because it is fairer funding we are

after, it needs to be fairer and you

need to look at it not in isolation.

Who would talk briefly before the

end about Universal Credit, but

perhaps one of the reasons there is

not more money being given the

councils like John's is because

Philip Hammond has decided to put

aside £3 billion in preparations for

Brexit. Is that going to help

Peterborough be Brexit ready?

I

think it will help the nation be

Brexit ready. The fact of the matter

is we need to spend a lot of money

on our controls, we need borders, we

need more and more staff to clear

goods through customs, we need more

efficient software. We need to

embrace of the technologies that

will help us to do this successfully

and efficiently and it will cost

money.

In terms of exports, how much

have businesses here been helped by

the depreciation of the pound?

It

depends which market and sector they

are working in. If you are bringing

in a lot of raw materials from

across Europe or the USA, a lot of

the Chinese deal in dollars, it will

start really impacting on your price

that you can charge in this country,

and again outside to the external

export markets.

Are you optimistic

about the opportunities that the

government talks about, or are you

fearful for what it might do the

businesses of they don't know the

shape of the deal that Brexit will

bring?

There is no point worrying

about the shape of the deal because

it will be a last-minute thing and

we have to just accept that. What I

am really worrying about is the fact

that businesses are not doing more

to find out how to do this

effectively, how international trade

works with the rest of the world and

what they need to understand, is far

as compliance and regulatory issues

that they will face.

The Chancellor

was very keen to emphasise help he

is giving the first time buyers with

his announcement on stamp duty. He

also said he was listening to the

concerns on Universal Credit, he has

cut that seven-day waiting time, but

it is still five weeks. Will that

make enough difference for the

people you deal with?

It won't. The

other measures the government has

made has put housing homelessness up

in Peter by about 200%. This will

probably suffer going higher. What

he ought to have done is made

developers develop the land they

have permission for.

Not have this

review.

He needs to do it because we

have a lot of land in Peterborough

where we could build houses for

homeless people but we can't get the

developers to start work.

John and

Lesley, thank you both for joining

me. But is it, with that it is back

to you, Jane. Thank you, Jo Coburn.

Let's assess what Philip Hammond's

announcements mean the businesses of

all sizes. Let's discuss with Ruth

Lea, Caroline

With me now is Carolyn Fairbairn,

the Director General of the CBI,

Ruth Lea, Economic Adviser

at Arbuthnot Banking Group,

and Mike Cherry, National Chairman

at the Federation Small Business.

Mike, let's talk about small

businesses, what is positive in this

for you today?

I think it has been

really positive to small businesses,

the Chancellor has clearly listen to

what we have been lobbying about,

firstly the possible reduction in

the VAT threshold from 85,000 down

to 20 6000. Given the current

economic environment in which small

businesses are working, there are

big challenges, so do have that

threat removed almost is very, very

welcome indeed.

He just didn't move

on that and I could sense the relief

in that sense.

And I would have been

a huge additional administrative

burden on the many small businesses

that they don't have the resources

to cope with at the moment.

Secondly, staircase tax,...

You are

my first guest to mention that

today, I like to have something new!

Rape where businesses may offer --

may have more than one floor in a

building service to a communal

staircase or lift, there was a taxi

didn't even know about. Even more

importantly it was retrospective,

back to 2015 in England and would

you believe back to 2010 in Wales.

So getting legislation in quickly

with hopefully cross carted for --

cross-party support is very welcome

indeed. And then bringing that

forward to next April, it will save

a further 1% earlier than business

would have paid. Very welcome. All

in all, a good budget for

businesses. That is the view from

small businesses, Caroline

Fairbairn, the CBI, what you take

this?

Clearly it is a pretty sombre

economic backdrop, that came over in

spades, which is why was

particularly important to see a good

budget for the economy, permitting

we did. For the short run, business

rates have been a big challenge for

businesses of all sizes. Anybody

with buildings frankly and that will

be very important. We also welcome

the contingency planning around

Brexit. We want to see the

government doing it as well so that

is very good. But the long-term is

very important, productivity growth

is the most important thing. To see

the action on skills we will have a

partnership with the TUC and the

government on retraining. We have

seen some real money behind that.

Crucially infrastructure spending

across the country. A lot of focus

on regional. One caveat we have,

there was a lot of talk in the

budget around commitment to the

metro mayors and the spending of

infrastructure money for the metro

mayors. We must make sure that

regions of the country that do not

yet have mayors do not get left

behind Foster

that is interesting,

the devolution point. Ruth, you

nodding through a lot of that, what

is your take on this?

Picking up on

Caroline's point on positivity, I

think the OBR was far too

pessimistic. Having forecast all

these increases on productivity and

it has not happened, they have gone

in the other direction. And the

growth will be incredibly weak. I

think once we have got down, and

deployment is about 4.3%,

effectively full employment, there

will be a slowdown in net

immigration. If businesses want to

grow they will have to push

productivity, raise their game, so I

think the OBR has got a little bit

too pessimistic, and the growth

figures look a bit too pessimistic.

The second thing is and I was wrote

a post about this because I had

worked out Philip Hammond as a

mother who never does anything that

is terribly surprisingly unusual

anti-surprise me.

Spreadsheet Phil.

It has wrecked all of the

preconceptions of the man, he has

had quite an expansionary budget,

and all of the smoke signals ahead

of this, that it was going to be

incredible cautious and careful.

Because of his policy changes, the

extra public spending, which I

understand for political spending

reasons, the net tax, more borrowing

next year, £9 billion nearly, that

is actually a surprise.

There is

every things you have also that I

would love to continue with. I am

sorry we are out of time. Much more

there, we have other people to talk

to, but very good to speak to you.

Thank you so much for your

perspectives on the budget, a degree

of optimism we haven't quite heard

yet, it is fair to say. We are going

to head to Manchester, Judith Moritz

is therefore some more reaction and

in particular a bit more about

housing anything.

Yes, housing, and how young people

in particular have reacted to this

budget. We are at the Manchester

Christmas markets, there is

something here for all ages but I

have rounded up some

twentysomethings to ask them what

they think. In terms of housing, I

have Katie and Luke, both in their

20s. Katie Kimura 28, is that right,

and Luke 21. The idea that

abolishing stamp duty for first-time

buyers up the properties up to

£300,000, does that affect you?

It

doesn't make any difference to me

because I would have rented, so I

would not have been able to save for

a mortgage or anything like that. It

really makes no difference.

The

concept of buying a house still

fills a long way off you?

Yes, I've

got a child and rent to pay, so

getting a mortgage for me is just

not foreseeable in the next 45

years.

Even the thought of stamp

Judy going away.

Makes no

difference, because I still have to

be of the save and pay for

everything else.

Luke, for you, in

terms of property ladder Kimura only

21, is it something that you have in

your sights at this point?

I think

it is more of a struggle for young

people, especially university

students. Especially when they leave

university, because there are such a

big burden and it is a lot easier to

go out of uni and go straight into a

house. It is definitely a hard thing

for young people. Me and myself and

a lot of friends of mine have ended

up being homeless for a short amount

of time, because it is definitely a

struggle we don't get educated

enough about. It is hard.

You have

touched on lots of therefore stop

this government has looked at

homelessness. Manchester where we

are is one pilot area that will

receive money to help with

homelessness. Is that something you

welcome, having experienced it

yourself?

I don't know. It is

obviously very much a mixed opinion.

I don't believe that there is any

changes. I have only lived in

Manchester for two years, and I can

just see it progressing worse and

worse. But it definitely is rising,

the number of students who come out

of university, dropped out of

university or finish university and

being homeless, for sure. Just

because it is such high prices

around the city centre. And I don't

think we are educated enough on just

how much of a big world it is once

you leave.

Thank you. We will move

over to some of the people here at

the market, a fairly pessimistic

view from those two

twentysomethings. We now have Sian

and Craig. There is lots in this

budget that the light apply to you.

On the homeless issue, is

homelessness, particularly

Manchester has been chosen as a

pilot area to see an improvement,

also the question about stamp duty

being abolished if you're looking to

buy a house, first-time buyers.

Housing and homelessness, what is

your feeling?

Housing Israeli

important, I can see it all around

the city, is getting worse. The view

on homeless people is that they are

scam come you can't help them, but

if we put a bit more into helping

the homeless, these people would be

but have a better future for

themselves.

In terms of abolishing

stamp Judy for first-time up to 30

-- up to £300,000, what is your

feeling?

I am a homeowner, Craig, my

partner, is not a homeowner yet. He

is self-employed, so difficult to

get a mortgage anyway. Whether or

not by the time we get there it is

still in place, we will see.

We are

out of time but the views of three

people who I suppose have looked at

the budget, hoping the ricin thing

there for them. There are

improvements they are saying but

they don't necessarily apply to them

right now. So for them here in

Manchester there is not a great deal

of optimism about what we are

hearing.

Let's discuss some of what was

announced, in terms of Scotland

specifically. Ian Blackford has just

joined me, SNP leader in the House

of Commons. Good to see you, thanks

for being here. If my eyesight

doesn't deceive me, an extra 2

billion to the Scottish Government?

That is what has been trumpeted by

the Chancellor of the Exchequer this

afternoon. What he didn't say in

real terms over the lifetime of the

parliament is another cut of 250

million because of the inflationary

aspects of the five-year period. We

have had a cut to a budget of 2.9

billion over the lifetime of the

last Parliament, so this in a sense

is a continuation of austerity. What

we have argued that austerity must

end because we're taking money out

of the public sector workers, so it

has been a massive missed

opportunity to make sure we are

investing to grow the economy, and

what we have is in real terms a cut.

I was picking up earlier on a lot of

positivity around the issue of

police, VAT funding, and that is

something you have wanted.

I will

give credit that at long last the

government has removed VAT from

Scottish fire and police, the only

two authorities in the whole of the

United Kingdom that were paying VAT.

It was nasty and active gifted, and

they had the opportunity to do a

previously -- and vindictive. What I

want the Chancellor now to do is to

repay as the sums for the last three

years, which hit it within his give

to do. It is great we have that

money to invest.

Let's see if you

might respond to your challenge.

There is a lot of talk today as you

will be aware around the housing

issues, very difficult times for

young people, people wanting to get

on the housing ladder. We'll know

about the stamp Judy move that has

been announced today first-time

buyers. That is only fine and Wales.

How can Scotland respond to that?

Could you do similarly?

We will look

at it but

for the first time young

people will be worse off than their

parents, there is a real crisis for

millennials. This budget on that

account and also in terms of the

general economy has misfired. The

Office for Budget Responsibility has

cut the forecast for GDP by 2.7%

over the course of the next five

years. When you get beyond the fluff

and bluster of the budget, the

fiscal stimulus is nothing. We are

already losing jobs from the UK.

1000 jobs going in London. We know

that a hard Brexit will harm our

economy. We believe in Scotland it

could cost us up to 80,000 jobs.

Today was an opportunity for the

Chancellor to show he could invest,

a budget for people and prosperity.

There was a missed opportunity

today.

And he very much for being with us.

We will talk a bit more in a moment

about public sector pay, alongside

the Chancellor's budget today

let's just hear a little bit about

that because a short while ago the

chairman of the OBR explained these

forecasts, and went through how the

government's tax and spend policies

have affected the economic outlook.

There are tax cuts, the largest are

stamp Judy relief first-time buyers

and inevitably another freeze in

fugitive. We estimate the stamp duty

-- in fuel duty. The main financial

gains will be people who own

property is already rather than the

first-time buyers themselves. Fifth,

there is a much larger number of

much smaller tax increases, which

include a raft of new anti-avoidance

and evasion measures focusing on

additional resources for HMRC, thus

a freeze on the indexation allowance

of corporation tax and stop

interestingly the only year in which

tax increases outweigh tax cuts is

in the fiscal target year of

2020-2021. This is the result of

delaying by a year the introduction

of the new capital gains tax payment

window, which boosts receipts and

its first year of operation. When it

was announced in Autumn Statement

2015, it boosted receipts in the

event target year of 2019-20.

Finally, the measures have indirect

effects on government borrowing that

reduce the deficit somewhat in most

years. Mostly because the increase

is in departmental spending, clearly

on pay.

Robert Orchard from the OBR.

Much more on all of that after 4pm,

continuing our reaction from here at

Westminster. We are going to pause

for a cover of mowers, we will catch

up with the weather frustrates

wherever you are in the country.

Hello. A mixed bag, some wet and

windy weather in the forecast, the

heaviest of

windy weather in the forecast, the

heaviest of that rain the north-west

England, parts of Wales southern

Scotland. We've got strong winds

across England and Wales, gusts of

up to 70 mph on exposed coast. The

rain has been very heavy,

particularly in the north-west.

There are some flood warnings in

Cumbria, this photo sent in earlier

by our Weather Watcher. We are

seeing these weather fronts working

north and east, the rain today. You

can see the isobars fairly tightly

packed. The best of the bright, dry

weather is certainly the south-east.

But as we go through rush-hour today

in particular with heavy rain and

strong winds, we can see some

difficult driving conditions.

Through this evening and overnight,

the rain easing for a time in

Scotland before receiving next area

of rain pushing in from the south.

It will turn to rain

some heavy bursts of rain and the

odd rumble of thunder as well,

temperatures in the South staying in

the double figures but a cooler

night come in the north, with

temperatures close to freezing.

Tomorrow morning there will be some

snow to low levels. Looking at

between two and five centimetres but

there will be more snow over higher

ground, greater accumulation is when

you're out over higher ground. For

Northern Ireland and southern

Scotland, northern England, some

showers that could be wintry. As we

move through England, Wales and

further down into the south-west: 20

brightness around but a cooler start

of the day tomorrow. We're just

seeing the rain clear the south-east

thing through the morning. As we

move through the day, the snow in

the North will turn to rain as it

clears its way east for Northern

Ireland. Still a scattering of

showers, if you showers working in

from Wales and to the south-west,

but a lot of dry, bright weather to

come and still fairly breezy,

although the winds will be slightly

later tomorrow. The exception to

that is the far north, which will be

quite windy. Temperatures at a

maximum of 14 Celsius in the

south-east. The move into Friday, a

cold start, touch of frost in the

north. A bidder brightness around

and the potential of season wintry

showers, holding onto some cloud.

Some cooler temperatures, backed

down on the single figures. A fair

amount going on in the weather at

the moment. Stay up-to-date on the

forecast application at our website.

This is BBC News, I'm

Jane Hill at Westminster

where the Chancellor has

delivered his Budget,

with money for housing,

the NHS and Brexit preparations.

Mr Hammond said he'd

prepared a balanced budget

which was "full of change,

full of challenges and full

of new opportunities".

I report today on an economy that

continues to grow, continues to

create more jobs than ever before

and continues to confound those who

seek to talk it down.

They call this a Budget

fit for the future.

The reality is this is a government

no longer fit for office.

Growth forecasts for the UK

are substantially downgraded

with output expected to be lower

over the coming years.

On housing, stamp duty

for all first-time buyers in England

and Wales will be scrapped

immediately for purchases

up to £300,000.

The Office for Budget Responsibility

says it will push house prices up.

Under pressure from Labour

on Universal Credit -

Mr Hammond delivered a £1.5 billion

package to cut the waiting

time for payments.

The NHS in England will receive

an extra £2.8 billion by 2020

with £350 million provided

immediately to allow trusts

to plan for the winter.

Critics are saying it is not enough.

The Chancellor promised £10 billion

in 2015 and delivered £4.5 billion.

If you don't minute we'll wait for

the small print on today's

announcement.

The tax on tobacco continues to rise

but there's a freeze on wine,

cider and spirits and the fuel duty

rise for both petrol

and diesel is cancelled.

Good afternoon from Westminster

where the Chancellor,

Philip Hammond, has delivered

a Budget which he said would make

the UK "fit for the future"

and an "outward looking,

free-trading nation" once it

leaves the European Union.

But he had to announce dramatically

downgraded growth forecasts for next

five years from a previously

announced 2% this year, to 1.5%.

He told the Commons that an extra

£3 billion will be set aside

over the next two years

to prepare for Brexit.

The Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn,

said the Chancellor's statement

was a "record of failure

with a forecast of more to come".

Let's take a look at some of

the main measures in today's Budget.

On housing, there was good news

for people in England and Wales

wanting to purchase their first home

with news that Stamp Duty

for first-time buyer

purchases up to £300,000

is to be abolished immediately.

The Office for Budget Responsibility

says the process will put prices up.

The Chancellor promised at least

£44 billion of capital funding,

loans and guarantees over five

years, to support house-building.

He said the government would commit

to a long-term goal to build 300,000

new homes a year by the mid-2020s.

The Government bowed to pressure

over Universal Credit with a £1.5

billion package to cut

the waiting period for payments -

and make it easier for claimants

to receive an advance.

£2.8 billion will be

provided in extra funding

for the NHS in England -

£350 million immediately to address

pressures this winter.

Looking at the economy

as a whole the Chancellor

delivered some sobering news.

Let's look at the detail on that.

He said the independent Office

for Budget Responsibility had

downgraded its forecast for economic

growth this year from 2% to 1.5%.

He said that annual borrowing

would be £49.9 billion

in 2017-2018, lower than forecast

in the spring Budget.

And according to the OBR,

government debt will peak this

year at 86.5% of GDP,

before falling to 86.4% next year.

That's the picture for

the economy as a whole.

Much more discussion on that

throughout the afternoon

here at Westminster.

Let's also take a look now at some

of the measures announced.

There was good news for motorists

as the Chancellor announced

that the annual rise in duty

on petrol and diesel

will be cancelled.

Not such good news for smokers

as tobacco products will continue

to rise at inflation plus 2%.

For drinkers, duty on beer,

wine, spirits and most

ciders will be frozen.

Our Political Correspondent Leila

Nathoo has this report.

Are you boxed in, Chancellor?

He has been under pressure,

but the Chancellor this morning

was putting on a brave face.

Any tricks in your red box?

Preparing to set out the journey

ahead for the Government's

tax and spending plans.

Brexit looms large.

There's not much cash in the kitty

and there have been demands

from some of his Conservative

colleagues for a big and bold

Budget to lift the party's

post election gloom.

In the Commons, as the Chancellor

waited to deliver his statement,

the Prime Minister insisted her

government was putting

the country first.

I'm optimistic about our future.

I'm optimistic about the success

we can make of Brexit.

I'm optimistic about the well-paid

jobs that will be created.

I'm optimistic about

the homes we will build.

That's Conservatives, building

a Britain fit for the future.

I now call the Chancellor

of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond.

Then it was Philip Hammond's

turn at the dispatch box

to set out his strategy.

Insisting the Government

had been listening.

We understand the frustration

of families where real

incomes are under pressure.

So at this Budget, we choose

a balanced approach.

Yes, maintaining fiscal

responsibility as we at last

see our debt peaking.

Continuing to invest in the skills

and infrastructure that will support

the jobs of the future.

Building the homes that

will make good on our promise

to the next generation.

But crucially, also,

helping families to cope

with the cost of living.

There was plenty of jokes.

Then a headline on housing in

England and Wales.

For all first

time buyer purchases up to £300,000

I am abolishing stamp duty

altogether.

Philip Hammond announced changes to

Universal Credit following intense

political pressure, promising

additional funding to cut waiting

times for the payment and to make it

quicker to claim advance. There will

be an extra £2.8 billion for the NHS

in England. And more cash for

schools which boost their numbers of

maths students. Plus with plans to

be at the fore front of tech, the

Chancellor wants driverless cars on

the country's roads by 2021. But

Labour's attacked the Budget calling

it a record of failure with a

forecast of more to come.

People

were looking for help from this

Budget and they have been let down.

Let down by a government that like

the economy they presided over, is

weak, and unstible and in need of

urgent change. They call this a

Budget fit for the future. The

reality is, this is a government no

longer fit for office.

This was a measured Budget. No

fireworks, no slip-ups, the

Chancellor will hope he has done

enough to convince the country and

his own colleagues that he is the

right man to remain in charge of the

economy.

With me now is the Shadow

Chancellor John McDonnell.

There is one for the NHS. There is

help for first-time buyers. Nurses

are likely to get a pay rise and

there is lots to be positive about?

The money for the NHS, Simon Stevens

the Chief Executive said he needs £4

million now. So it goes nowhere near

what's needed. He said if we don't

get the money, there will be five

million on waiting listsment it is

unacceptable. In terms of education,

nothing. 5,000 headteachers wrote to

the Chancellor and said we need to

end the education cuts and it is the

first time we have had per capita

cuts in education and nothing. For

the nurses, all they got let's talk

about and come back in the New Year.

There was no real serious

commitments here today. It was like

a Chancellor or a government that's

in office, but not in power. They

didn't seem to be capable of doing

anything and the bar that was set

for the Chancellor, was we were told

this would be a revolutionary Budget

or major change, the bar was set

where it was don't mess up. That's

all he has done. A nothing Budget

really.

A few minutes ago I was

talking to the Federation of Small

Businesses and the CBI and they were

both remarkably upbeat. The

Federation of Small Businesses says

there is plenty in here for to us

get our teeth into and we are

pleased with what he has announced?

They are trying to look on the

bright side. I can understand that,

but take stamp duty, cutting stamp

duty, whilst you are not building

houses on any scale, means prices

will go up. And it looks as though

the figures that the Government have

put in for the stamp duty cut were a

small number, a few thousand people

at best. On the housing, it looks as

if most of it is that

reannouncements rather than any

rebuilds.

There was a commitment to

build many more houses by the

mid-2020s.

He is aiming for 300,000

by 2025. All of this today was about

something projected for the future

and remember when we had starter

homes announced a few years ago,

200,000, not a single one has been

built. So, you will pardon me if I'm

sceptical about the announcements

today.

There is a housing review and

Oliver Letwin will be reviewing that

It is all jam tomorrow and I can't

see anything realistic coming out of

this Budget today. That will affect

the housing crisis that he have

with' got. The crisis in education,

the crisis in our NHS and do you

know one of the things that was

missing today was local councils

have been saying vulnerable

children, they need to £2 billion to

protect our children. Not a penny.

What would you doing differently?

How would you improve things as you

would wish them to be improved?

Well, we set out in our manifesto at

the election and in the grey book

that costed our programme. The first

thing we would do is stop giving

away the tax cuts to the

corporations and the rich. Over the

next Parliament £76 billion is

promised to the corporations and to

the rich in tax cuts. We would stop

that and invest that in the NHS and

our public services and giving

people a proper pay rise.

But is

that money there? Have you managed

to convince the electorate that you

can pay for all the ambitious

projects?

Well, it is interesting

I'm quoting at you government

figures. They are the figures that

the Government has put in giving the

money away to the corporations and

the rich. I can use those tax cuts

to invest in public services. Have I

convinced people? Increasingly yes.

We are ahead in the opinion polls

and even on economic...

Not on

trust?

Let me say that, yesterday

there was one poll where we are

almost neck and neck and that's the

first time the history of a party in

opposition at this scale, without a

major economic crisis when the

Government is in power.

OK, almost

neck and neck, but by the same token

there will be people watching this

saying it is a weak government. This

is a government that reduced its

majority at a general election it

didn't need to call actually, you

should be way ahead?

No. Oppositions