Afternoon briefing Friday 3rd April

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters? PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands, so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk This is Times Radio's afternoon briefing on Friday the 3rd of April. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is expected to approve the Jackdaw gas field, marking a major shift on North Sea drilling.

0:46The project could supply gas to more than a million homes and cover around 6 % of the UK's future needs. It comes as pressure grows to strengthen energy security during the Iran conflict, despite concerns over emissions. Former Conservative Education Secretary Baroness Morgan told Times Radio it's the right call, even if it cuts across Mr Miliband's previous stance on climate change. The situation in the Middle East has changed the whole landscape. And so he doesn't have to say, he doesn't believe in renewables and net zero and low carbon and everything else. But I think government has to. If you're going to, Keir Starmer's a lot about acting in Britain's interests.

1:26Well, it's in Britain's interest to have a secure supply of energy and fuel. Iran has launched fresh strikes on Israel and Gulf nations, including a drone attack on a major oil refinery in Kuwait. It follows US and Israeli attacks on Iranian infrastructure, including a bridge near Tehran that killed eight people and injured dozens of others. Donald Trump says the US hasn't even started its campaign, warning power plants could be targeted next. Marks & Spencer is calling for tougher action after a surge in organised shop raids known as link-ups arranged on social media. The retailer says attacks are becoming more brazen and violent with stores across the country targeted.

2:07Adam Hawksby from M &S told Times Radio they're investing heavily in security but can't tackle the scale of the problem without stronger policing. There were 5.5 million incidents of retail crime last year. That's 1 ,600 retail workers every day that are experiencing violence and intimidation. So at M &S, we think we're doing our bit. We're investing tens of millions in security guards, in body-worn cameras, in all sorts of technology. But we've spoken out on behalf of colleagues because we think that more could be done by ministers. Health Secretary Wes Streeting says it's hard to see how the government can reach a deal with the British Medical Association ahead of fresh strike action.

2:46Resident doctors are set to walk out on Tuesday, with warning strikes could take place every month this year. The dispute centres on pay, with ministers and unions at odds over what constitutes a fair settlement. The deputy chair of the BMA Resident Doctors Committee, Dr Shivam Sharma, told us trust has broken down in negotiations. We really hope that we can come to a resolution, but the government makes it very difficult. They are an unreliable negotiating partner where they change the goalposts at the last minute. They inflame tensions by making threats, calling doctors' names and things like that.

3:22So it is a really difficult position. I really hope we can come to a resolution. The first person of colour to travel around the moon says seeing Earth from space has shown him that we're all one people. Victor Glover is one of four astronauts travelling on Artemis II, the first mission to the moon in more than half a century. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

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