Susanna Reid expresses frustration after prime minister Rishi Sunak dodges questions

What did you miss?

Susanna Reid accused primer minister Rishi Sunak of not giving a "straight answer" as she asked him if the HS2 rail project will be cancelled.

The Good Morning Britain host interviewed the prime minister live from the Conservative party conference in Manchester and became increasingly frustrated as he evaded her questions.

Reid told Sunak: "We'll let [people] judge if you've given straight answers to straight questions this morning."

What, how, and why?

The prime minister appeared live on the ITV breakfast show where Reid asked him directly and repeatedly: "Are you cancelling HS2?"

She added: "They're straight talkers up here in Manchester and they want a straight answer."

Sunak continued to talk over her before saying: "I'm not going to comment on the speculation...

"What they'll see from me, as I did with net zero, I made a decision that's going to save your viewers £5,000, £10,000, £15,000. I took this long term decision for the country, and yet lots of people criticised me for it, but I wanted your viewers not to have to rip out their boilers, install e-pumps, change cars. I thought that was the right thing to do.

"I approach all these problems in the same way. I will make the right long term decision for the country."

Reid asked: "And when will you make it?"

Sunak replied: "When I've gone through it properly."

She went on said: "I'm not sure how we pivoted from HS2 to what you've done on net zero... I'm glad I asked as well because actually if people don't get the train they're going to be getting in their cars, which is not going to help your net zero targets, is it?

"You're not going to answer on HS2?"

Sunak said: "I'm absolutely committed to levelling up."

HS2 is the zero carbon, high-speed railway network connecting London to the West Midlands and North of England.

It has been in development since 2009 when it proposed by the Labour government. The original cost was estimated at £37.5bn and it currently stands closer to £180bn.

Continued delays mean the first services currently aim to start running between 2029 and 2033.

What else did Susanna Reid have to say about the prime minister?

Reid discussed her interview afterwards with GMB contributors Andrew Pierce of the Daily Mail and Kevin Maguire of the Daily Mirror.

She said: "Very interesting - you said [of Sunak before the interview] he's got a message and he will just keep repeating it.

"I asked him nothing about net zero, but of course he brought it in. You can see the things that he thinks are going to resonate - and saving people money, money they haven't spent yet, like replacing your boiler."

Reid went on: "How is he not giving a straight answer? It is dominating this conference?!"

During the interview Reid also asked him if being one of the richest prime ministers the UK has ever had made him out of touch with the electorate.

Sunak said: "Of course I know that things are tough for people right now right now, but I'm going to make sure we stick to the plan. We're staring to see inflation is coming down."

She also questioned him on how he proposes to help low income families and pensioners struggling with the rising cost of living as well as cutting NHS waiting lists.

Good Morning Britain airs on ITV from 6am to 9am from Monday to Friday.

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