a surprise trip to belfast . a surprise trip to belfast. might a surprise trip to belfast . might the a surprise trip to belfast. might the prime minister have something up his sleeve in terms of final please solving this seemingly intractable northern ireland protocol issue? we'll try and make sense of that today. also truss has been in japan what's she been saying about the rise of china. meanwhile keir starmer has been in ukraine again and strikes in germany stopped him

from getting across to the munich security conference. we'll also be discussing how labour be handling all of the above about to come after the headunes. above about to come after the headlines . good morning to past headlines. good morning to past . i'm aaron armstrong in the gb newsroom. the prime minister is holding talks with stormont leaders amid speculation deal could be close over the brexit protocol. rishi sunak along with the northern ireland secretary chris heaton—harris, are meeting in an effort to reassure the dup about the prime hopes to overcome problems with the protocol . he hopes a deal protocol. he hopes a deal between the eu and the uk can be agreed days over the post—brexit trading arrangements . the trading arrangements. the assembly's postponed the conference on independence following resignation of first minister nicola sturgeon . it minister nicola sturgeon. it comes as the party's executive committee says a ballot select the new party will close on the

27th of march. deputy first minister john swinney has already announced he will not be entering the race . the scottish entering the race. the scottish has offered health care staff an average 6.5% pay rise. workers would also receive a one off payment of between around 400 and £900, depending on seniority . matt mclaughlin unison scotland. scotland head of health has called it a credible pay health has called it a credible pay offer that needs serious consideration and the scottish health secretary , humza yousaf, health secretary, humza yousaf, says the deal would make nurses, midwives and paramedics by far the best paid anywhere in the uk. and a uk retailer is recorded. an unexpected rise in last month. despite the cost of living crisis. the office for national says retail sales volumes rose by point five of a % in january following a fall of 1.2% in december. the rise in sales, mainly thanks to cheaper

and january, discounts. food store sales, however fell because of rising food prices . because of rising food prices. liz truss has called on g7 leaders to agree a package of sanctions against china if ongoing tension over taiwan escalates . speaking in ongoing tension over taiwan escalates. speaking in japan , escalates. speaking in japan, the former prime minister's called for a coordinated response , has urged the west to response, has urged the west to take a tougher approach to beijing. trust has called for the creation of a pacific alliance in cooperation with nato to support taiwan . it is nato to support taiwan. it is our first public speech since resigning as prime minister. tv online and debate plus ready. this is gb news. now back to the briefing tom harwood . briefing tom harwood. a very morning to you. it's 933 and this is the briefing with

me, tom harwood on your tv and your radio . now rishi sunak is your radio. now rishi sunak is in belfast this morning. surprising us all by flying their last . this is all, of their last. this is all, of course, amid speculate that a deal on the northern ireland protocol could be agreed within days. the minister will meet with party leaders in belfast for talks before joining up with the foreign secretary to speak to eu leaders. that's across the munich security conference on saturday and sunday. if sunak wins the support of the dup, a fresh deal could be presented to cabinet next week and then set out in the commons as early as tuesday. but is this really the light at the end of the tunnel? is this putting behind all of these protracted brexit arguments to bed? finally two years after the referendum and the series of deals we've already . or is that all a little already. or is that all a little too hopeful? well, let's get the very latest now from our northern ireland reporter, dougie beattie dougie. was this a surprise to see the prime

minister fly a fly across to belfast late last ? well, we knew belfast late last? well, we knew it was coming at some time along , the line. we knew it was coming this week. earlier on the tcr, the tanaiste in the repubuc tcr, the tanaiste in the republic had that his range of interviews the players had basically taken to the pitch and was saying, well, that this deal had so much effort put into this deal that really there this was the last chance. this was it was all over. if this deal wasn't taken. but none of us really know what this deal is yet . the know what this deal is yet. the parties are right here this morning the alliance party with the first and naomi long came to the first and naomi long came to the microphones beside us here and she said she hadn't been briefed on the deal. but yeah, the deal was nearly done. so what that means that entire day, who knows? the sdlp are just on their way out now and the ulster unionist , the smaller unionist unionist, the smaller unionist party , have now entered the party, have now entered the building behind us. so really i think he is concentrating , building behind us. so really i think he is concentrating, as you've alluded to, to dupe . is

you've alluded to, to dupe. is this sequential then they're going in one by one to see the prime minister who will then sort of try and sell them on his vision. and we understand this is something to do with green lanes , red lines, goods that go lanes, red lines, goods that go to ireland no longer to northern ireland no longer having don't having to be checked. we don't know the full details, but this is a sales man's job from the prime minister. now it just oh, it totally is. and i mean , what it totally is. and i mean, what they're trying to do is say the goods that come the northern ireland the uk stay ireland from the uk will stay inside northern ireland and they'll not be checks put on them. paperwork will them. but the paperwork will still there. that's one of still be there. that's one of the things we don't know about the things we don't know about the the paperwork's the date. if the paperwork's gone a lot is a movement because that paperwork through those two sas a cost about that paperwork through those two sas checks for a cost abou that paperwork through those two sas chelastfor a cost abou that paperwork through those two sas chelast year cost abou that paperwork through those two sas chelast year alone. iou that paperwork through those two sas chelast year alone. so that million last year alone. so that is an expense that most companies don't want the deal with northern ireland because of that, that type of stuff. but the european justice the european court of justice and issues around that will be the biggest point here for unionism can start. how can they move within that divergence or

not. because of course, when there's divergence in one side, then the european court of justice will set over what exactly northern ireland can do and of course laws are set in europe. they are made in europe. and of course northern ireland has mep. so the only mep, they have on the island of ireland will be in the republic of ireland, which is outside the uk, and then starts the rise of . the constitution of northern ireland. so this is quite a. daly that has got to sail and he's got to walk that line with dup and the unionists to make sure that the constitution of northern ireland does not hand that state to europe . and it's that state to europe. and it's hard to overestimate how long this has been in the making. bofis this has been in the making. boris johnson first tasked lord frost with with getting deal. he, of course, resigned from cabinet. liz truss then took on the responsibility as her role as foreign secretary she met, of course many times with maros sefcovic , negotiator of the eu ,

sefcovic, negotiator of the eu, and then the task passed to james cleverly, the current foreign secretary. this has been a many months, dare i say, years long process . could it really long process. could it really end this week ? well will not end end this week? well will not end this week because this is all about political credibility . and about political credibility. and of course, unionists were promised as you went through the many people that have dealt with this that article would be triggered weren't happy that triggered if weren't happy that a new deal was on the table. that legisla would be put through at the house of commons to override any brexit deals that were there. none of that kim and the unionists have actually out of government on the friday agreement and stormont, and that government has been since then. so everything has been direct rule , if you like, from westminster . and that played out this week when a young danny morgan looking for a transplant laws to be passed. so he can have a heart transplant and his family tookit heart transplant and his family took it there. of course, that

stormont wasn't up and running again and that will be put through westminster. even if this deal was rock solid and gold unionists will not go in until it has been ratified by europe, it has been put through the house of commons and they knew every single detail because will not trust to go back in again as it was. and that could take anything up to a year. that fascinating. just finally, while we have you, dougie, when do expecting the dup to meet the prime minister and might they be making a after that meeting meeting ? i think they probably meeting? i think they probably will a statement. they are joined about 10:15. i seen of the members of the party starting to arrive just as we were, just as we came on air. so the sdlp are now at the microphones to the left hand side of me. now i the ulster unionist will come out. then the dup will go in. and then i believe last will be sinn fein. well 1015 seems like that magic time. then we'll keep our eyes peeled closely to the goings on.

there belfast. but for now, dougie beattie thank you for joining us. let's get some reaction to this now from conservative side of things. matthew is the chairman of the northern ireland conservatives and. matthew, have you been speaking in your capacity , the speaking in your capacity, the conservative party in ireland, to people in westminster about the pro—gay rights? because i do stress how long this process has been going . well, we have a been going. well, we have a great team in the northern ireland office with chris heaton—harris and steve baker, and we've had a series of conversations since they've been imposed over the course of the negotiations. we've always remained, from the conservative standpoint in northern ireland, are open minded to the negotiations. yes we have some of the same concerns that unionism has broadly as it relates to northern ireland protocol. we're also pragmatic and we need get a deal over the line here . not good enough that

line here. not good enough that northern ireland finds itself in a position where we keep keep trying to work eu without functioning devolved government. we had it when sinn fein collapsed it not so long ago. we have it now with the dup. we're running on autopilot. you know, it's not good for inward investment into northern ireland, it's not good for trade, it's not good for the northern irish economy. so we need to get to a where we need to get to a point where we get deal over the line, we get get a deal over the line, we get functioning devolved government and i'm i feel i fear that the ask potentially on the eu side is going to be too great. i think what we're hearing from the uk government, the type of deal that potentially they have locked in with , with the locked in with, with the european commission, a red line, green line proposal could ease a lot of these checks, even potentially digitalising some of these checks which , by the way, these checks which, by the way, have long been complicated by the uk government. i remember long ago in in the european

parliament that is back in 2017 there were very similar proposals made and they were out of the room by european bureaucrats. i'm relieved that our friends in brussels are finally seeing the light of with regard to the uk government's proposals . a little too late, proposals. a little too late, but at least potentially a deal on on the, i guess the european court of justice in a year and its relative jurisdiction in northern ireland could potentially be a bit of a wedge issue for unionism d up on the right wing flank. so you have the tv and journalists that are going to be looking to the council elections in a matter of months potentially another assembly election . so this is assembly election. so this is not easy, but we need a deal for northern ireland. it's not fair for the northern people that we can take, keep trying to walk on with a functioning, devolved government. we need government and it is facing that some of the solutions that are being reportedly here look like , they

reportedly here look like, they make up the shape of this potential deal, a solutions that the eu batted out of hand several years ago , almost like several years ago, almost like this was always possible . and this was always possible. and there was a lot of politics at play there was a lot of politics at play here. is it your that the european simply wanted to the united kingdom that punishment they feel now been rather dealt with and so we might well be entering a more rational phase of a relationship based off common interest rather than winners and losers. i common interest rather than winners and losers . i really winners and losers. i really hope.i winners and losers. i really hope. i mean, i can remember or years by 2017, sitting in a constitutional affairs committee in the european parliament and they invited a guy , a brilliant they invited a guy, a brilliant guy, class colston, and he commissioned a report into chatham customs checks and trade as it relates to the northern ireland issue and a lot of those a lot of those proposals rattling these green lanes

digitalising of these checks were proposed it was in writing, i can remember and it completely laughed out of the room by many on on the eu side and brussels and i think they would hardball purely their own political reasons. i'm really that credit to the european commission they've finally come more phase and in the relationship with the united kingdom that's a good thing the government deserves credit here that persevered in these negotiations since what bofis these negotiations since what boris johnson was able secure the trade and cooperation agreement was a momentous a free trade agreement, agreement was a momentous a free trade agreement , the biggest the trade agreement, the biggest the eu has ever signed . the northern eu has ever signed. the northern ireland protocol was a pillar that at the time swallowed that unionism didn't particularly like, but it got the deal over the line and it got us to that free trade agreement. we're nearly there and i'm hopeful for that. the deal that whatever the uk government there is a deal

here is enough to bring the democratic unionist party back to the table and it's not. there's a host options at that point. we have always called for northern ireland, reverting back to the voluntary coalitions set up where you have a mandatory coalition post the good friday agreement that effectively gives the largest designations. the unionist nationalist community of vetoes. i would like see a more normal functioning democracy where when people on a voluntary basis can go into coalition together well , i think coalition together well, i think but that is an entirely separate conversation into the protocol, one that is going to linger in the mind. i think of many in the british and irish government. well, we will listen with closing ted talk. dup have to say if say anything at all say if they say anything at all later afternoon or perhaps later this afternoon or perhaps even this morning after they meet for meet prime minister. but for now, matthew robinson, chairman of ireland of the northern ireland conservatives for conservatives, thanks for joining on briefing now joining us on the briefing now

moving while rishi is in belfast and keir starmer has been in ukraine when liz truss has been in japan, it's turning to be a recess fraught travel. yes, the former minister has been addressing an international conference in tokyo saying that the free world is in danger from an increasingly authoritarian and belligerent china . truss and belligerent china. truss advocates the construction of a, quote, pacific defence alliance in cooperation with nato . she's in cooperation with nato. she's been warning the western world to not make the same with china that. to not make the same with china that . we made over putin to that. we made over putin to wrecking aggression early on and to take steps to stop it before it's too late . well, let's get it's too late. well, let's get more on this with cindy yu, the assistant editor of the spectator, and cindy , liz truss spectator, and cindy, liz truss is obviously been rather hawkish on china, particularly from her time as foreign secretary and her brief stint as prime minister this is clearly something she feels very strong only about. do you think the

western world is listening ? western world is listening? well, i think that a lot of the western world does agree with her that we do need to be more hardline on china. and you see that under president biden that actually he hasn't changed much of american approach to china since donald trump left . so he's since donald trump left. so he's actually kept a lot of it , but actually kept a lot of it, but just made it slightly more palatable . his western allies, palatable. his western allies, like london and in the eu as as to liz truss herself, though, i feel that, you know, with the amount of interventions that she's making since leaving office, every new intervention has less marginal effect and she does , you know, i'm not sure does, you know, i'm not sure anyone finds her particularly influential when you're talking about the world's capitals . it about the world's capitals. it is interesting because . this is is interesting because. this is the first major speech she's given. of course, she's she's written that's article in the sunday telegraph . she's given an sunday telegraph. she's given an interview with the spectator. but this is the first sort of big international intervention she's made on an area. and it's

interesting that it's not domestic policy. this is foreign policy. and she's on the building of this conference in tokyo, along with some other former prime ministers, the former prime ministers, the former prime minister of australia of the former prime minister of belgium . well, minister of belgium. well, speaking alongside verhofstadt, which some viewers may well remember , one of those big euro remember, one of those big euro federalist brexit battlers , it's federalist brexit battlers, it's interesting to see them aligned . this issue and likely bedfellows. and i think liz truss recognised that herself. you know, there was a bit of banter when she was doing her speech, you know, saying i'm looking at when she's looking at you when she's talking economic talking about the eu's economic might that to counter might and using that to counter china as well. and i think that just to show how china has just goes to show how china has become cross—party issue become a cross—party cross issue topic for a lot of western politicians and that no matter if you're on the left or right, you know, people believe in standing up to china much more. i think where they would disagree how to do that disagree on just how to do that . but but liz truss, you know, there's that making there's that she's making foreign intervention foreign policy intervention because she clearly does really

care it personally. not care about it personally. not like perhaps who will say things on it if he has to, but is clearly not a one of his. i'm hobbyhorse as well as for liz truss she does field us very, very strongly . and just finally very strongly. and just finally looking at where rishi sunak is now , this issue on the whole now, this issue on the whole issue , whether or china issue, whether or not china should be deemed a threat to the united kingdom , he said it united kingdom, he said it should be deemed threat in the should be deemed a threat in the leadership now leadership campaign, but now his government, a government, using the words a systemic challenge. why the watering down? yeah, absolutely. i mean, this all comes from americans , the american side, americans, the american side, i think for rishi sunak , which is think for rishi sunak, which is that joe biden has really refrained from using the word threat to describe china. he describes russia as a threat, but not china as a threat. and russia as is kind of california, born again banker , born again born again banker, born again politician, i think really gets his lead on this one. so he doesn't want to step out of line for what the leader of the free world is essentially saying. and dunng world is essentially saying. and during the leadership, you world is essentially saying. and during the leadership , you know, during the leadership, you know,

he campaigning liz he was campaigning against liz and trying to kind of out and he was trying to kind of out hook truss, which was never hook liz truss, which was never going be strategy going to be a good strategy because he can't walk. liz truss, you've talked about, truss, as you've talked about, you does very, you know, she does feel very, very strongly. now he's had very strongly. so now he's had to go back and actually kind of do actually believes in. do what he actually believes in. the question is, will the conservative party him to do that cook up about that or will they cook up about it? of course, got it? and of course, we've got inter integrated defence review expected the next month or so expected of the next month or so where we see some more answers to these questions. for now, since us assistant editor of since the us assistant editor of the spectator , thanks for the spectator, thanks for joining us on the briefing. really really interesting discussion . now back to discussion there. now back to scotland where the first minister could all the departure of the first minister, i should say, could herald in a new era for the labour party, a party dominated scotland for decades but was reduced to just one seat in 2015. so might the fall of sturgeon now offer labour chance to retake many their old heartlands? might this move by sturgeon shorten that path for quest dogma to number 10? well,

let's speak to our scotland reporter tony maguire, who's at a scottish labour party conference today. tony what's the mood there ? hey, good the mood there? hey, good morning, tom. well, a must see as you can probably here behind me and quite a lot of jubilant people tantalisingly , drooling people tantalisingly, drooling at the possibility of what the next political chapter for scotland could look like. as you can, they pointed out, labour have really fallen away after dominating the first few years of devolution here. and what we can this weekend is that labour are pulling out all the stops to convince their delegation that now is the time. and certainly this does seem like a political, you know, a perfect storm politically for scottish labour . sturgeon's exit means that for the time being at the very least, snp supporters are going to be wondering what comes next. and of course in westminster, a very different tale from the

last time we all went to the polls in a general election. speaking to some of the delegates here today the mood is certainly positive . you know certainly positive. you know people are excited about to go. people are excited today to hear from deputy and deputy leader jackie baillie and anas sarwar and who will be paving the way for a special visit from keir starmer on sunday. so what we know at this moment in time is certainly that scottish politics is like it's anybody's game at the minute and certainly scottish labour have the form up north of the border , whereas the north of the border, whereas the scottish conservatives as well, they would have quite a lot more ground to gain and so it will be a very interesting weekend. talk about things like the struggling health care system and of course the of living crisis, which is quickly become everybody's enemy number one, either side of the

house. yes, i suppose the big sort of shine and media acceptability of nicola sturgeon is gone. not only is there a power vacuum, but potentially greater focus on the many problems that scotland is facing and has faced under snp leadership for so long. well, tony maguire, thank you for joining us there live from edinburgh where the labour party is holding scottish conference. now today the latest gb news people's poll results are in and the country seems to think that labouris the country seems to think that labour is the party to form the next election ahead of the conservatives by a monumental degree. the conservatives flatlining for many, many months, but also on other issues. should the government reduce or increase tax levels ? reduce or increase tax levels? well, our poll shows that nearly a third of the of the country want the government to reduce the tax burden. 14% think it's about right . while 16 would like about right. while 16 would like taxes increased. unusual well, let's talk now to our head of digital news, dan falvey, and see what you make of this, dan,

because i suppose it's interesting to see, particularly on that question of tax , more on that question of tax, more people want it reduced than not. but that doesn't seem where politicians are. yeah, absolutely. and what's really interesting actually is when you read delve down to these below the headline figures is what voters from different political parties now, perhaps parties think. now, perhaps unsurprisingly, parties think. now, perhaps unsurprisinglvoters say that conservative voters say that taxes need to be reduced . that's taxes need to be reduced. that's what we'd expect. there's been a lot of anger amongst grassroot tories quite frankly, this tories that, quite frankly, this isn't they, their party, isn't what they, their party, should for. what we've should stand for. what we've seen is keir starmer is talking about would go for tax about maybe he would go for tax cuts as but when we look cuts as well. but when we look what labour voters think, so maybe 38% say that taxes should be increased to an even higher rate, which given that currently at the highest tax burden in half a century, is really quite something that is extraordinary because much about because we do talk so much about how taxes have gone up and up, up.the how taxes have gone up and up, up. the burden being so heavy now on, individuals at a time of cost of living, squeeze as well. i wonder, would keir starmer be

chasing after his own or might he as he's done on other issues, be willing to sort of speak out against the backbenches of his own party? i think what we've seen from keir starmer past is that he's very happy to go and park his tanks , tory lawns of park his tanks, tory lawns of this and say, actually, we think there needs to be tax cuts for working people. he keeps talking about taxing big business more, but people, quite but for ordinary people, quite frankly, reduce . he frankly, we need to reduce. he sees this is there to be sees that this is there to be for that he can really go for labour that he can really go and seize those votes. well, i suppose the problem when you tax big businesses, big businesses put up for ordinary put their prices up for ordinary working all folds working people, it all folds back issue of where back just on the issue of where the in terms of the the votes in terms of the distribution in the country, the tories have not had a bounce at all. these are still the levels they have been on for months. do you think campaigns be surprised that gambits to chuck out that their gambits to chuck out liz truss get in rishi sunak? it doesn't seem to be paying dividends yeah and i think dividends yet. yeah and i think what the worry is, is of course we're ticking closer and closer towards election. towards the general election. everyone to

everyone didn't expect this to change overnight. i think the conservatives willing to conservatives were willing to say, going to say, look, this going to take time. as polls time. but as these polls continue to come in and they continue to come in and they continue show absolutely continue to show absolutely no change conservative continue to show absolutely no chang�*they'll conservative continue to show absolutely no chang�*they'll c(thinking,e continue to show absolutely no chang�*they'll c(thinking, hang party. they'll be thinking, hang on minute, this going on a minute, this is going badly wrong to do far wrong here. we need to do far more than we currently and maybe actually this new approach isn't working we need, you working either. we need, you know, a bit more know, maybe to go for a bit more like a liz truss style policy just without liz truss. gosh get more potentially more on potentially within the conservative. prospect conservative. that's a prospect to potentially fear or maybe excited by danielle. thank you very much for joining excited by danielle. thank you very much forjoining us here on the briefing this morning. that's it. that's all we today. but coming up, it's and phil who'll be talking through more of these questions and of these big questions and particularly looking that particularly looking at that crucial time of 1015 when the deep the prime minister stick around .

good morning you'll want to listen to gb news. this is friday morning with esther and phil and we've got a great show lined up for you today. we'll be looking at the internal stuff in the labour party's current leader. the sector has leader. the starmer sector has no in the party or possibly that jeremy corbyn want to sturgeon's departure. mean for scottish independence and scottish politics as a whole. we'll be speaking to former snp politician, now the leader of the alba party in the house of

commons,