Faddon's with us. Hey, it's good to see you. Thanks for joining us on the program. You've released about an hour ago a website that you claimed will show how what you call Tauri Chaos has cost taxpayers. Tell me.

Well, we've had so many changes in policy and Prime Minister and Chancellor in recent years. The point that we're making today is that this has a cost both in time and money. For example, a responsibility of the Liz Trust mini budget, put mortgage rates up, people are paying that cost, canceling HS2 after years of planning for it, money was lost on that.

But we know all this, don't we? Why don't you follow opening a new website?

Not even having a general election in May, which Prime Minister could have. That costs money because all the returning officers have to be paid twice. Severance payment for dozens of ministers who've resigned in these various outbreaks of faction.

I'm not letting you get away with the May second thing. It all costs money. You were in Gordon Brown's government when he bottled it. Yes, you were.

Well, the Prime Minister could have had an election on the second of May. He's had four years plus, or they've had four years plus since the last election. What's the point of waiting another six months? What is the purpose of the now? Why did Golden Brown do it? You're going back a long time.

Well, the point remains.

But the point of the Tori chaos adds up to many billions of pounds. And by the way, forgive the pun, we've been quite small sea conservative in the way that we've calculated this. We could have put a lot more in over COVID waste and fraud. We could have put other things into it. The other point about it is time. All these reshuffles, all these leadership contests, every day spent on that is a day when the government isn't working for you.

You guys did exactly the same. You guys did exactly the same. Then you, subsequently, lost the election.

We did not have five prime ministers in the space of just about as many. He wasn't elected, he was saved by the public. We did not have five prime ministers in the space of almost as many years. He still bottled it.

This new poll suggesting that the Tories will lose perhaps 200 seats. You will have a 286 seat majority. Can you win on that scale?

I don't pay any attention to these polls. I knew you were going to say that. We are coming back from a very big election defeat four years ago. We've got an enormous mountain to climb. Not a single vote has been cast in the election, and I know how big a responsibility it is to win the trust of the public. It's not something you can tick a box and say, We've done that. It's something you have to do every day on public money, on national security, on your fitness to govern. We take that really seriously. We are going to work so hard in this election coming up, but not a vote is being cast, and change won't come to the country unless people vote for it.

Yeah, so you have to have the support of the country every day. 20 labor councilors resigned yesterday over the party's position on Israel and Gaza. That's beginning to be a very big problem for you.

I understand why people have got strong feelings on this, but we've come a long way under Keir Stammer's leadership. 20 labor councilors. Sure, and I regret when people leave, but we've got 2000 plus candidates standing in local elections in a few weeks time, and every vote cast for them is a vote that brings us closer to that general election coming and getting rid of the Tori government. We've got very important local elections in a few weeks time, and that's what we're focused on.

Is Labor comfortable selling arms to Israel?

Look, we always want Israel or any ally to abide by international humanitarian law. We've said that all the way through this conflict, and that's what guides our policy.

Is that a yes or I'm not sure.

Well, we don't have a boycott of selling arms to Israel.

So you're happy to, even given what's happening in Gaza at the moment.

Look, there are three things which have guided our policy since this phase of this. This began six months ago. One is the return of the hostages, some of whom are still being held. The second is a sustainable stop to this conflict, not just a pause where it starts up again in a few months. You're not answering my question. The third, What is your question?

My question is, is Labor comfortable selling arms to Israel at the moment? Would you be?

If we are selling arms to allies who are abided by international humanitarian law, then that's something that we would do.

So you do think that Israel is abiding by international law.

Well, if there's proper legal evidence that they aren't, the government should come out and say so. We've said this all the way through.

Talk to me about what's happening with JK Rowling. She has been accused of misgendering people online. Should that act be illegal?

Well, it's been passed, but she was tweeting yesterday.

The act of tweeting online.

Oh, the act of tweeting. Well, she shouldn't be arrested. I think she had this #arrestme hashtag yesterday. She did? She shouldn't be arrested.

Do you agree with what she's doing?

She's entitled to her view. What's your view? On what individual?

No, not on what individual. On the fact that this law has been passed in Scotland, and it's suggesting that misgendering people could be against the law. Do you think it should be against the law to misgender somebody?

Look, we are not planning to legislate for new crimes in this area.

It was supported by labor in Scotland.

Well, they also asked for protection for personal freedoms. They raised the issue of misogyny not being included in this, which does seem a pretty big omission. In the UK, we're not planning to legislate for new crimes in this area.

So was Scotland right to pass this law?

I don't think she should be arrested.

Scotland right to pass that law?

Well, we'll see how this can be enforced. This has come into force yesterday after a few years. It looks to me like this might not be an easy passage for it.

Prime Minister is getting involved with this, as you know, and he's done that, some might suggest, because, A, Scotland is going to be a battleground come the next election. And B, Kierstammer seems to get himself tied in knots on this subject.

I don't think so. I've been very clear to you. I don't think JK Vailing should be arrested for what she said. That's the same as what the Prime Minister said, I believe. I don't think she should be.

No, but that's not what I'm saying. I've actually got the quote behind you about free speech as I'm chatting to you. People should not be criminalized for stating simple facts on biology. We believe in free speech in this country, and Conservatives will always protect Select that. As I said, Sakeer Stalmer seems to get himself tied in knots when it comes to this topic. And certainly, over the dispatch box, they've both had spats during PMQs in the past. Is he clearer now on his view?

Look, I think he's clear. And the last time they had an exchange at the dispatch box on this, I don't think it was the Prime Minister's finest hour. There are human beings at the start of this, and whatever views people have, I think we've got to So you've got to always remember that.

Talk to me about record channel crossing numbers. I think there was something like 791 cross the channel over the last few days on a small boat, Saturday and Sunday. What are you going to do to sort that out?

This is a really tough problem facing the country. We would take this 500 million that's being allocated to the Rwanda scheme and spend it on a better cross-border policing, better international cooperation, to really try and deal with the problem at source rather than spending what looks like about £2 million a person, even if it's all successful, on a scheme that would only impact probably less than 1% of arrivals. I think the money spent on that could be better used, but it's a tough problem.

It certainly is. That brings me to my final question. Are you confident sitting here this morning, Mr McFaddon, that if Labor wins the next Which election, you can stop the small votes?

Look, I think we take this problem seriously. No country can be comfortable with thousands of people turning up on its shores without papers. It's a tough problem to crack, we'd have a cross-border policing unit, and we'd use the money that's allocated to the Rwanda scheme, and trying to do that to cut the numbers.

Trying, but it might not work.

Well, it's a tough problem for all countries throughout Europe. I think anybody who says, I can make this stop, is probably in danger of over claiming it. And I would rather deliver rather than over claiming it.

Just to check before I let you go. Have you got a check for me this morning?

I've got no check for you from the bank of chicken.

Referring, of course, to Jonathan Ashworth losing his bet that he foolishly took here on the program when he bet me £10. He is a great man. He is. He bet me £10 that there would be an election in May. When do you think it's going to be?

I don't know when it will be, but there's no purpose to them now. They might as well get on with it. Do you want to bet at all? I won't bet on the time or the result.

What your majority might be?

I'm certainly not going to talk like that. Okay, well, there's no point.

I'm going to let you go. It's good to see you as always. Thank you very much indeed for joining us. Thank you.