Afternoon Briefing Tuesday 29th September

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by IG. If you're serious about building your wealth, you already know the markets don't wait around. Whether you're a hands-on trader wanting full control over every single move, or you're actively scaling up your portfolio and looking for a platform you can trust, you need a partner that backs you. You need IG. We're talking zero commission on all stocks, shares and ETFs and absolutely no annual fees. IG was just voted Best Low-Cost ISA at the 2026 Boring Money Awards, Plus, they've been trusted by British investors for over 50 years.

0:38Search IG.com to find out more. IG. Trade. Invest. Progress. Your capital is at risk. Other fees may apply. Hello, this is your Times Radio afternoon briefing for Tuesday 29th September with me, James Kitchen. Labour's deputy leader has told Times Radio the government is committed to the triple lock for this parliament but said social care needs to be paid for. Senior party figures are warning the Prime Minister that abolishing the triple lock to fund free care for the elderly would be electoral suicide. The head of the Unite Trade Union, Sharon Graham, said it would send completely the wrong message.

1:15In his conference speech, later Andy Burnham will pledge to have an honest conversation with voters, despite a cabinet split on the issue. Speaking with Stig Abel on Times Radio Breakfast, Lucy Powell said the PM is trying to build consensus. We are committed to the triple lock. It's in our manifesto. manifesto. It has delivered for pensioners in this parliament. It is delivering for pensioners significantly. It's in our manifesto. We're committed to it. We're talking about here the big long-term challenge of social care. Absolutely. That needs to be both a consensus drawn about that with the public, you know, ideally across party as well, so that this is a solution that lasts the test of time.

1:58A former BP executive has told Times Radio he expects the government to introduce rationing on the use of diesel this winter. The UK is negotiating with American authorities in a bid to avert a US diesel export ban amid fears of shortages on British forecourts. The cost of diesel increased to more than£1.99 a litre yesterday, surpassing the previous record set four years ago after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Speaking to Times Radio, Nick Butler said he's very concerned. There's going to be real competition across Europe and across the world for any supplies that are available. I think the government has a duty to protect key sectors.

2:36I think it has to protect, as we saw in the fuel dispute in 2000-2001, they have to protect the key sectors such as food supply and the health service. And that means the rest of us are, I could well see there are restraints being put in place over this winter on the use of diesel. Armed police remain stationed around Gloucestershire's RAF Fairford following Sunday's suspected terror plot. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is blaming the hand of a foreign actor at the airbase used by America's heavy bombers. Five British suspects have been released on bail. A police officer has been stabbed in the leg during dawn raids across London and four counties as part of an operation targeting a suspected organised crime gang.

3:2224 addresses in the capital and in Essex, Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Suffolk were searched this morning. 15 men and two women have been arrested on suspicion of various offences, including GBH and money laundering. The former snooker world champion Graham Dott has been jailed for seven years after being convicted of sexually abusing two children. The 49-year-old was found guilty last month of lewd and indecent offences against a boy and girl of primary school age. The allegations spanned almost two decades. His name has been removed from World Snooker's Hall of Fame. Remember, you can follow the Times Radio News Briefing on Spotify and you can listen live to Times Radio Online.

4:08is sponsored by IG. If you're serious about building your wealth, you already know the markets don't wait around. Whether you're a hands-on trader wanting full control over every single move, or you're actively scaling up your portfolio and looking for a platform you can trust, you need a partner that backs you. You need IG. We're talking zero commission on all stocks, shares and ETFs, and absolutely no annual fees. IG was just voted best low-cost ISA at the 2020 Boring Money Awards. Plus, they've been trusted by British investors for over 50 years. Search IG.com to find out more. IG. Trade. Invest.

4:49Progress. Your capital is at risk. Other fees may apply. Hi, I'm Katie Prescott from the Times Tech Podcast. AI is already changing business and medicine, but could it also change the way we look after our own health? In a special episode in paid partnership with Vitality, we look at how AI, wearables and everyday health data could help shift healthcare from treating illness to preventing it. Listen to the Times Tech podcast wherever you get your podcasts.