New: Peston

An ITV investigation into Reform UK led the programme. Recordings of councillors and candidates using racist and sexist language were reported, despite Nigel Farage's earlier promise to professionalise the party. Reform deputy leader Richard Tice said he would not have used such language but described the views as typical of many British people, while the party said vetting had improved but a handful of people who did not share its values could initially get through. A clip identified Councillor Alan Feeney, appointed Deputy Mayor in Solihull, who did not reply to a request for comment, left Reform and now sits as an independent. Tim Montgomerie said he had encountered such language once in Reform and reported it, and that vetting was not strong enough, while Emily Thornberry questioned whether the party represented everyone. Minister Kanishka Narayan said the examples were not isolated and raised a central question about national identity, and Tim Montgomerie said there was dismay at the top of Reform over Suella Braverman's comments and that Farage had met her.

On artificial intelligence, Robert Peston raised MI5 head Ken McCallum's concerns about AI, including the risk of bio weapons, cyber threats and loss of control. AI minister Kanishka Narayan said he shared those concerns but pointed to opportunities, including IMF comments that the UK was growing faster partly because it was ahead of much of Europe in tech, while noting the UK did not control a large language model and relied on the goodwill of giants when investigating. Pippa reported polling showing most people believed AI would make many jobs redundant, while only 17 per cent thought it would create more roles than it eliminated; 36 per cent of UK employers said they had already cut entry-level jobs, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei had said AI could wipe out roughly half of all entry-level white-collar jobs within five years. Narayan said the picture was mixed, with hospitality job difficulties not driven by AI, but that he was concerned about where AI could go and wanted no-regrets action, deep understanding and scenario planning. He cited economist Daron Acemoglu on agency and said he had launched a pro-worker adoption prize and a learning fund with trade unions. Emily Thornberry called the minister reassuring; Tim Montgomerie said he was terrified of AI and that permanent revolution was the challenge.

On the economy, Peston noted the IMF had said the government was reducing its deficit and getting debt under control, though this rested on a tight funding settlement for public services. Emily Thornberry said inflation would both help the deficit and undermine budgets, that ministers were balancing the books amid pressure to spend more on defence, and that the coming Budget was important; she said tax rises and welfare savings were both likely and argued those with broader shoulders should pay more. Tim Montgomerie said wealthy people were already leaving the country and warned that more taxes on them would kill the golden goose. Pippa then reported that Andy Burnham had met Vladimir Zelensky at Downing Street, that Zelensky accused Donald Trump and Elon Musk of sabotaging Ukraine's defence, and that the UK was balancing cost-of-living pressures with £25 billion pledged to Ukraine since the invasion; polling showed only 17 per cent thought supporting Ukraine should be a top foreign policy priority, while limiting the economic consequences of the Iran war and strengthening the EU relationship ranked higher, and Russian aggression was the top answer on the greatest challenge to UK security. Former MI6 chief John Sawers said Russia was carrying out acts of war through hybrid attacks and expected more, criticised Trump for easing sanctions to get more diesel, said Russian interference in the Brexit campaign was unlikely to have changed the outcome but aimed to undermine confidence in the system, and warned of a possible surge of fighting with Iran in November and December. Peston later asked whether the Prime Minister could do business with Trump after a video of him with a tiger, and Emily Thornberry said Ukraine relied on US intelligence, with 600,000 Ukrainians left without power after attacks. The programme also discussed whether rejoining the European Union would need a referendum, with YouGov polling showing 64 per cent thought one would be needed and 23 per cent thought the government could decide; Emily Thornberry said the public could decide through a general election, while Tim Montgomerie said reversing the referendum decision would require another referendum.