Sky News interview with Beth Rigby: Iran, the cost of living and Europe

Prime Minister, I'm going to get on to your incredibly consequential speech in a moment, but before I do, you've said there is a strong indication that Iran was involved in the Fairfield plot. That is very serious indeed. Yes. Will you recall Parliament?

Will you recall parliament?

Okay. And right, okay, Prime Minister, thank you for that. Now, you said in your speech yesterday that you want to draw a line on a decade of division. Yeah. And then you announced a series of very divisive policies, changing the triple lock, potentially tearing up Britain's voting system, or pursuing reationalization, potentially reopening Brexit wars. Your politics are full of dividing lines, aren't they?

Yes, indeed. And Prime Minister, I'm going to I want to come on to a couple of those policies, but just in terms of your reform agenda for Britain, voting uh reform, the EU, social care, it all requires a general election, will you call one before 2029?

But your big reform, but your big reform program requires a general election, doesn't it?

So you you're not going to call a general election till 2029.

PM, even what you want to do, give people some breathing space. You can't deliver on that, can you? One think tank is estimating every household will be nearly 2.5,000 worse off by the end of next year. That's just the reality, isn't it? You can't deliver that.

But you can people are going to be worse off, aren't they? Before they get better.

Just to be just so but just to be for people out there cuz you've talked a lot about breathing space. Can you just be honest with them? It's going to get worse for them before it gets better, isn't it? I'm not saying it's your fault. A lot of it is beyond your control. It's going to beough. It's going to get worse.

What are you saying to people issues around bed in there and I will do what I can when I can. Is that what you're saying?

But it is going to get worse before it gets better. Just Yes. Isn't it?

PM I'm already running out of time, so I'm going to have to crack on. Um just on the policies, you've said you want to start a debate on Britain's long-term relationship with our European partners. one option you said is going all the way. Might the next election be a referendum on rejoining the EU?

What do you personally believe?

You've said in the past that you think that we will rejoin the EU in your lifetime, you're still a relatively young man. Do you would would you in your heart like to go back into I'm saying personally.

I'm not saying it becomes policy. I just want people to understand what you believe

Well if there was an option to join tomorrow on past terms would you take it?

You just said you don't want now according to polls has a majority said you don't want to return.

PM, I'm really running out of time, but just quickly uh your change to the triple lock will save the government 15 billion pounds by 2040. It still won't be enough to pay for social care. You will have to raise taxes as well, won't you?

You have to also raise taxes to do it.

and you've spoken so powerfully about it and I do want to come if I may to your dad Roy. There was a moment on stage yesterday and I was right at the front and I I saw you so closely when his name came up on the teleprompter and you just stopped. Mhm. And then the hall began to cheer you on. What was going through your mind at that time? Did you think you couldn't carry on?

Well, that was one thing I did want to ask cuz you were back out on duty just a couple of days after your dad died, which was quite incredible that you managed to get yourself up and out again. Um, and you said then that your dad would have wanted you to be back out there and you said bringing some of the changes he always pushed you to make. Social care is clearly one of those changes. What else do you think your dad would want you to do as prime minister?