Broadcast timeline
Sky News Today With Matt Barbet
Sunday 4 October 2026 · 10:00 BST · 30m · 9 stories · 15 annotated moments · 25 of 30 min on news stories (83%)
Broadcast overview
An AI-generated overview based on this broadcast's transcript.
The government conceded that abandoning proposals to reduce jury trials means the crown court backlog will continue to rise. Justice Secretary Alex Norris declined to set a date for the backlog to fall, saying changes would reroute cases and that an impact assessment would show cases rising until legislation before significant falls over the next decade. Conservative MP Laura Trott said the government needed plans that worked rather than upsetting the justice system for no benefit. Charlotte Leeming reported a backlash from lawyers, a change of course so only complex fraud and financial offences would be judged alone, and Andrew Thomas KC arguing juries provide fairness and take pressure off judges. The Conservative Party conference then got underway in Birmingham, where Kemi Badenoch insisted her party was completely different from the one that lost the last election and pledged to end the childcare cliff edge for high earners by making parents working 16 or more hours a week eligible for 30 hours of free care. Ali Fortescue said the mood was broadly upbeat, with the party polling better than a year earlier, while policy announcements, the triple lock and competition on the right remained key themes.
Cornell University's president promised greater transparency after criticism of the handling of rape allegations, as prosecutors in New York reopened an investigation into claims that a 20-year-old woman was drugged and raped in 2024 by seven men who were members of the same fraternity. Michael Kotlikoff said what happened was deeply disturbing and committed to investigating. Thousands of protesters took to Spanish cities demanding better protection for renters; police deployed rubber bullets and arrested three members of a far-right group, after opposition politicians failed to agree on a housing crisis solution. Brazilians voted in a closely contested presidential election, with Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva seeking a fourth consecutive term against 11 candidates including Flavio Bolsonaro, and a run-off due on 25 October if no one won outright. Green Party members were due to vote on a controversial motion on whether Zionism is racist; deputy leader Mothin Ali supported it while senior figures warned it could signal Jewish people were not welcome, and Alex Rogers reported divisions with the leadership.
The UAE was reportedly considering pulling major UK investments over the ruling that Manchester City broke Premier League financing rules. Prime Minister Andy Burnham faced backlash after saying he would be concerned to see the club's owner sell, while Alex Norris said the independent process must run its course and wrongdoing should have consequences. Reform UK spent £380,000 on social media campaigns in August and September, more than Labour and the Conservatives combined, with reporting on petition ads, data gathering, a hiring spree, apps and in-house media. Farmers warned soaring diesel prices could disrupt UK food supply despite Donald Trump ruling out a diesel export ban after G7 nations agreed to release 100 million barrels of oil from emergency stockpiles; a report said diesel costs were adding £35 million a week to hauliers' fuel bills and more than £9,000 a year to running a long-distance lorry.
- 1:19
- 1:19
Contested quote Alex Norris scraps judge-only trials as court backlog set to keep rising
party spent more on digital advertising than all of its rivals combined. Good morning, thank you for joining us. The government has conceded that scrapping controversial plans to cut down on crown court trials will inevitably mean that the backlog continues to rise. The controversial proposals which were brought in under Keir Starmer's leadership would
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 1:19-1:29
- 2:23
Charged quote Alex Norris scraps judge-only trials as court backlog set to keep rising
dealt with more quickly because as I say at the moment, those waiting lists are unacceptable. This package will indeed drive them down. The public are tired of hearing bombastic promises that then aren't kept. I'm doing something better than that, which is I will be publishing our impact assessment as to what it will do on court delays and it will show the trajectory because of course
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 2:23-2:26
- 6:23 Story begins Conservative Party conference begins in Birmingham
- 6:26
Contested quote Conservative Party conference begins in Birmingham
This year's Conservative Party conference is getting underway in Birmingham today with Kemi Badenoch insisting her party is completely different from the one which lost the general election two years ago, she's also pledged to end what she described as the childcare cliff edge for high earners, under her proposals all parents working 16 or more hours
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 6:26-6:37
- 6:37
Claim Conservative Party conference begins in Birmingham
Kemi Badenoch said she would scrap the cap on free childcare so families with someone earning over £100,000 a year can get it.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 6:37-6:53
- 6:37
Claim Conservative Party conference begins in Birmingham
Kemi Badenoch said she would scrap the cap on free childcare so families with someone earning over £100,000 a year can get it.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 6:37-6:49
- 11:02
- 11:14
Charged quote Cornell president addresses gang rape lawsuit and fraternity backlash
says he is deeply disturbed by the alleged rape of a student in 2024. Prosecutors in New York have reopened an investigation into allegations that a 20-year-old woman was drugged and raped by seven men who were members of the same fraternity. Cornell's President Michael Kotlikoff promised greater transparency and a serious look at
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 11:14-11:20
- 11:20
Claim Cornell president addresses gang rape lawsuit and fraternity backlash
Cornell University's president said the alleged 2024 gang rape of a student was disturbing.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 11:20-11:35
- 11:35
Charged quote Cornell president addresses gang rape lawsuit and fraternity backlash
and the justice system handled the case. This has been one of the most difficult weeks in our history and I know many of you are angry, saddened and struggling and that those bonds are under extraordinary stress. What happened to Jane Doe in 2024 is deeply disturbing and will weigh heavily on our community
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 11:35-11:49
- 12:08
- 12:47
- 13:00
Charged quote Brazilians vote in first round of presidential election
closely contested presidential elections in Brazil's history. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held a large rally ahead of election day, promising to stand in the way of what he called far-right fascists. He's seeking a fourth consecutive term and is facing 11 candidates, the most prominent being right-winger Flavio
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 13:00-13:05
- 13:11
Claim Brazilians vote in first round of presidential election
A runoff would be held on 25 October if no candidate won more than 50% in the first round.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 13:11-13:29
- 13:11
Claim Brazilians vote in first round of presidential election
A runoff would be held on 25 October if no candidate won more than 50% in the first round.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 13:11-13:29
- 13:23
Claim Green Party conference faces row over Zionism motion
A motion describing Zionism as racism is being debated, with critics calling it antisemitic and racist.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 13:23-13:40
- 13:23
Claim Green Party conference faces row over Zionism motion
A motion describing Zionism as racism is being debated, with critics calling it antisemitic and racist.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 13:23-13:40
- 13:29 Story begins Green Party conference faces row over Zionism motion
- 14:18
Claim Green Party conference faces row over Zionism motion
Green Party leader Zack Polanski did not take part in the vote on the motion.
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 14:18-14:29
- 15:07
Contested quote Green Party conference faces row over Zionism motion
a significant proportion of Jewish people. Now, just to take you over why this motion is so controversial, it defines Zionism as a political ideology calling for an ethno-nationalist state to the domination and exclusion of the non-Jewish population. Now, this is so contentious and so sensitive because for many Jewish people, Zionism is the simple
Sky News, Sky News Today With Matt Barbet, 4 October 2026, 15:07-15:19
- 16:12
- 17:45
- 23:59
Source: Sky News, "Sky News Today With Matt Barbet", Sunday 4 October 2026. Transcript excerpts and stills are shown only to support the analysis annotated alongside them. Search-result excerpts are distinct from the editorial annotations — see our copyright basis. The full broadcast is not reproduced.