Does the UK have some of the most expensive train tickets in Europe?published at 20:16 28 June

20:16 28 June

By Gerry Georgieva

A few moments ago, the co-leader of the Green Party Adrian Ramsay said: “We have some of the most expensive rail prices in Europe.”

Comparing train fares across countries is difficult because prices differ depending on a number of factors, including the distance travelled, when the journey is taken and how far in advance tickets are bought.

A European Commission report did try, external to compare fares across Europe in 2016. It found the UK had the most expensive inter-city fares for peak single tickets - the fourth most expensive regional, peak, single fares bought on the day of travel - and the third most expensive if bought a week or a month in advance.

For off-peak travel, UK return regional fares were close to the average for Europe.

Since 2016, rail fares in the UK have increased by 35%, external - the fourth highest increase in Europe, external, after Lithuania (63%), Sweden (40%), and Poland (36%). The EU-average increase was 12%.

Image source, PA Media

Ramsay says the UK needs to "play a global role" in the green transition, and lead by example.

Bruce interrupts - what he would do specifically about China?

Ramsay repeats that the UK has a huge role to play around the world, working with its partners to press for a better future.

He adds that the UK should produce more goods locally to reduce the carbon footprint of its imports.

The next question is from Derick Chapman: "It's lovely to have your green vision, but how are you going to get countries like China and India to go green?"

Ramsay's now asked by an audience member what he'd do to improve infrastructure across the UK for electric cars.

The Green co-leader runs through various barriers people face, citing his own example where there was no charging point at his house so he had to get a hybrid car.

We need investment from the government, he says, and we need a clear timescale for the private sector to work to.

Next, Bruce challenges Ramsay on the cost of banning certain flights, pointing out that it is more expensive to take a train than fly in many cases.

"It absolutely shouldn't be the case" that a train costs more than a flight in the UK, Ramsay says, and says most people want to take the greener option if they can afford it.

When pressed on how he would make it cheaper, Ramsay says railways should be brought back into public ownership - which is met with scattered applause.

• The Greens would introduce a frequent-flyer levy and ban domestic flights for journeys that would take less than three hours by train, their manifesto says

Bruce pushes further and asks: if diesel and petrol cars are to be scrapped by 2035, how much could someone expect to receive for such a vehicle?

Ramsay doesn't precisely answer the question.

Instead, he refers to how the UK needs to invest more money in the public transport system, which he says is among the most expensive in Europe.

He says some villages in East Anglia, where he is from, don't have a bus network at all.

• The Green Party's manifesto say they would increase subsidies for rail and bus travel to £10bn by 2029, with free bus travel for under-18s.

Bruce pushes him - let's talk about the specifics.

She cites that the Greens have suggested that all petrol and diesel cars should be scrapped by 2035. How will you compensate for that, she asks.

Ramsay says there needs to be a scrappage plan.

Has that been costed, Bruce asks.

It is fully costed, Ramsay says.

Ramsay says the country should ask the richest to give a little more.

We need to step up action on the "climate crisis", he says, with people telling him they're thinking about the future for their children.

• The Green Party is pledging is a new tax on the wealthy, which they say would raise about £15bn. This would be levied at 1% a year on the assets of people with more than £10m and 2% on those with more than £1bn.

Ramsay says the UK need to achieve "big changes" in society - and lists crumbling schools, a struggling NHS and a climate and nature crisis.

Instead of thinking about what we're going to sacrifice, it's what we'd be gaining, he says.

Ramsay says we should invest in these services and "ask the very richest in society... to put in modestly more".

The first question to Adrian Ramsay is simply: "What would we have to sacrifice to meet your pledges?"

We've analysed 11 key Green Party pledges here.

Two party leaders with two completely different viewspublished at 20:01 28 June

20:01 28 June

Hannah Miller
Political correspondent

Hello from Birmingham as tonight’s Question Time special with Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage begins.

The two parties couldn’t be more different.

On climate change, immigration, taxation - these are two party leaders with completely different views.

It's a big opportunity for the Green Party to get half an hour of uninterrupted coverage - as they try to take votes from Labour and increase their influence if Starmer becomes the next prime minister.

And of course all eyes are on Farage after the revelations of the last 24 hours. We’ve got a pretty clear idea of what he’s likely to say about that – but we don’t really know how the audience will react.

The response of people in the room can often provide the most revelatory moments at these TV events.

Presenter Fiona Bruce is introducing the first party leader to take to the Question Time stage tonight.

First up is Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay, followed by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. They'll both face 30 minutes of questions from a live audience.

Follow along by pressing watch live above.

We'll bring you live updates right here, alongside analysis from our political correspondent Hannah Miller and fact-checking from our colleagues at BBC Verify.

Questions are selected in the usual way. Each audience member submits questions both in advance, and on the night, on arrival.

The editorial team will then judge which series of questions to take for each leader.

This will depend on a number of things, such as the sheer number of questions on a particular topic or issue, or whether a question deals with an area of important public interest within the context of the election.

This is precisely what happened last Thursday, when the leaders of all four major parties had to answer questions on a wide variety of issues.

Of course, once we go live, any audience member can also just raise their hand and put a question or point to a party leader "on the hoof".

Again, this happened throughout last week's programme, meaning Adrian Ramsay and Nigel Farage will know they have to be on their toes throughout.

In last Thursday’s four-way election special, the leaders from the Conservatives, Labour, SNP and Liberal Democrats each took the stage.

We are applying the same BBC election guidelines to the principle of audience selection for this week's programme.

That will equate to broadly similar levels of representation for Reform UK and the Green Party.

The other parties will also have plenty of representation in our audience too, and of course there will be a number of people, with a range of political sentiments, who are still making up their mind.

Image source, PA Media

There are two leaders taking part in tonight’s Question Time Leaders’ Special from Birmingham and hosted by Fiona Bruce.

Adrian Ramsay, co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK

They're due up any moment.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey's interview has just finished - and we're now moments away from tonight's Question Time special.

Here's how you can follow along:

As always, we'll bring you live text updates right here.

Our political correspondent Hannah Miller will be giving live analysis - and digging into the details is our BBC Verify team.

Watch it live by pressing the watch live button above. And if you miss it, you can catch up later with our clips capturing all the key moments.

That’s all from Lib Dem leader Ed Davey. If you missed it, you can catch his interview with the BBC’s Nick Robinson, and those from the other main party leaders, on BBC iPlayer. In the meantime, here’s a round-up of some of the key things Davey said:

• He denied his party was leading the opposition to new house-building in councils across England, arguing that a community-led approach was needed for planning
• He defended his, and his party’s, record in the coalition government, saying tough decisions were made and they fought the Conservative Party and won on several issues
• He said a better trade deal with the EU was achievable, and argued the case for a scheme which would allow young workers to come to the UK on a three-year visa
• He reiterated his party’s long-held ambition for proportional representation even if it results in votes for parties he opposes

We’re now moving straight on to the final Election 2024 Question Time Leaders’ Special with the Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay and Reform UK’s Nigel Farage. We’ll be bringing you all the key lines as we get them.

Image source, Jeff Overs / BBC

And finally, are you the man who can help restore trust in politics?

"Well that’ll be the voters’ decision and what I say to the voters is look how we’ve developed the party," Davey says, citing their policies on NHS, care, and the cost-of-living crisis.

Robinson picks up the recent controversy over a Reform activist, and asks Davey if he regards leader Nigel Farage, and his supporters, as racist?

“I don’t share any values, the Liberal Democrats don’t share any values with his party and him,” Davey says, adding that a problem of modern politics is the media covers you if you “say something outrageous” opposed to if you say something “sensible and reasonable”.

For context: Rishi Sunak has said he was "hurt" and "angry" after a Reform UK canvasser used a racist term to describe him.

Reform UK said those making "unacceptable comments" will no longer be part of Farage's campaign.

Davey says "fair votes" has been a goal the Liberal Party, and subsequently the Liberal Democrats, has supported for over 100 years.

"If that means that parties I don’t agree with or don’t share anything in common get more MPs, so be it - that’s democracy," he says.

Robinson pushes, questioning whether people would find the idea attractive — given rise in extremist politics in Europe, which have similar, proportional voting systems.

"You only win the debate if people who don’t share your views are there to debate with you," Davey says.