Nathan Williams
Live reporter

We're wrapping up our coverage following the PM's quick-fire round of interviews with local BBC stations.

And it was an interesting listen, with the PM repeatedly refusing to say whether the HS2 rail line between Birmingham and Manchester would be built.

He sidestepped specific questions, telling BBC Radio Manchester: "I'm not speculating on future things".

Instead he emphasised the need for better transport links "all the way across the North".

Sunak also blamed rail strikes for the reason he'd be driving to the Tory party conference – in Manchester – which kicks off this weekend. He defended his Net Zero shift, saying it would save families money. He attacked the troubled, Labour run, Birmingham Council, and finally he revealed it was his "childhood dream" to pilot an X-wing from the Star Wars movies.

Was the force strong with the PM during these interviews? That's one for you to decide. Thanks for following along with us.

This page was brought to you by Anna Boyd, Thomas Mackintosh, Barbara Tasch, Nadia Ragozhina, James FitzGerald, Emily Atkinson and myself.

Is funding for schools at a record level?published at 11:18 British Summer Time 28 September 2023

11:18 BST 28 September 2023

Rishi Sunak claimed that that over the coming year the amount of money spent on each child in school will be at "the highest ever level".

He told BBC Radio Tees that was after "you take into account inflation and everything else".

Is that right?

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), an independent economics think tank, says, external that in 2023/24 spending per pupil in England is back to where it was in 2009/10 - £7,260, adjusted for general inflation.

And in 2024/25 per pupil funding will be about 3% higher than its record 2009/10 level, according to the IFS projections.

However, if inflation affecting schools is taken into account – for example, increases in teacher and support staff salaries and higher energy and food costs - this year’s per pupil spending will still be below the level it was in 2009/10.

The IFS says it will reach its 2010 level in the next academic year.

Are bus services reliable and frequent?published at 11:07 British Summer Time 28 September 2023

11:07 BST 28 September 2023

When asked about HS2 on BBC Radio WM, the prime minister responded by saying it was also important to people that the government was "investing in the transport that they use every day".

He said this included making sure "that the bus services we have are reliable and frequent".

BBC News has carried out extensive research in recent years about cuts to bus services, especially in rural areas.

Campaigners said there was a reduction of 2,160 bus routes between 2022 and 2023.

The Department for Transport said those figures were misleading - because there have been changes to the way the figures are calculated - but it conceded that there had been a reduction in bus services.

The number of miles travelled by buses in England outside London has dropped from one billion miles in 2011-12 to 771 million miles in 2021-22.

The Transport Committee of MPs recently welcomed, external an announcement of an extra £160m of funding for bus services, and called for the government to find more money beyond 2025 to transform local services.

Patrick O'Hagan
BBC Berkshire political reporter

Let's face it, it’s not a good look when a fellow politician and fellow conservative MP, who's been the face of Britain’s push to tackle climate change decides he’s had enough and is going to walk away from the job.

But on BBC Radio Berkshire this morning the PM told presenter Andrew Peach that he and the politician in question, Reading West’s Sir Alok Sharma, are still chummy. In Sunak's words: "Actually I saw Alok yesterday as it turns out, and he remains a good friend and good colleague of mine.”

Oh to have been a fly on the wall as on Monday as Sharma, who was the president of the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow two years ago, told the PM he wouldn't stand at the next general election.

In recent months, it's become clear that Sharma has been unhappy at some of Rishi Sunak’s climate change policies, most recently the PM’s decision last week to delay some green policies, which Sharma thought were crucial in the fight to limit temperature rises.

On why he thought now was the time to step down, Sharma told me on Monday night it had been a very difficult decision to make.

Pushed on this by BBC Radio Berkshire’s Andrew Peach this morning though, the PM rejected the idea that the Reading MP was quitting Parliament in response to his changing of policy on tackling climate change, saying these two things were "absolutely not linked".

Adam Green
Presenter, BBC Shropshire

During our conversation with the prime minister, we touched on topics important to our listener including rurality, health and transport.

In particular we wanted the Rishi Sunak's thoughts on changes to our local hospitals and touched on why the Conservatives lost their seat in North Shropshire.

The messages we received after the interview, suggest BBC Radio Shropshire listeners feel the PM did his best to avoid the specific questions being put to him and used it as an opportunity to answer his own.

Amy Holmes
Political reporter, BBC Three Counties

For us, expectations were low on what we’d get from the PM, based on previous experience interviewing Sunak, so we focused on our big local issues in the forthcoming Mid Beds by-election and HS2 that will run through Buckinghamshire, but with no obvious benefits to us.

On Mid Beds, the PM was keen to look to the future and candidate Festus Akinbusoye who he backed to build on his local reputation as Bedfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, insisting voters shouldn't blame Festus for what had happened previously with former MP Nadine Dorries.

On HS2 he maintained his stance in refusing to confirm whether phase two of the project would be scrapped, telling us it was right to weigh up all the options first.

We played him a clip of Alan, who has lived in the Buckinghamshire town of Wendover for more than 70 years but feels it will never be the same again because of the building work for HS2.

The PM acknowledged that work was causing disruption but hoped people across the country would benefit from the line along with improvements he says his party is making to fixing potholes and rural bus services.

The interview finished with the closest to an actual revelation when Sunak revealed that a cameo role in a Star Wars movie is on his bucket list and would make him "a very happy man".

James Churchfield
BBC Radio Cornwall presenter

There were two clear topics Cornish people wanted to raise with the PM.

Firstly, the massive pressures on our one acute hospital.

Secondly, the rate at which housing is built which is neither affordable, nor has the infrastructure - schools, GP surgeries, dentists - in place to cope with more residents.

Rishi Sunak insisted the strikes were a major factor in the continuing struggles of the NHS and pay negotiations which unions had refused to accept had hampered attempts to bring about a conclusion.

Regarding housing, he confirmed developers have to make a contribution towards facilities like schools and surgeries, but he stopped short of saying they have to be built.

Listeners calling the show after hearing the PM felt he didn't answer the questions, adding he had an agenda ahead of a possible general election.

They also felt money is being poured into the NHS, but is not being spent well.

Angela Eagle, Labour MP for Wallasey, reacted to PM Rishi Sunak's reluctance to answer a straight question on HS2 with an embarrassed emoji.

Posting on X , external(formerly Twitter) the veteran politician said "He’s never going to get through his conference IN MANCHESTER like this."

BBC Radio Manchester host Anna Jameson had asked Sunak several times if the government was scrapping the HS2 leg from Birmingham to Manchester culminating in her asking for a simple yes or no answer.

Sunak didn't answer and veered off to talk about other transport issues.

Rishi Sunak was grilled several times during his round of local radio interviews over HS2.

Each time the rail project was brought up, Sunak evaded giving a clear "yes or no" over whether the high speed link between Birmingham and Manchester would be cancelled

This link is one of several, however. HS2 is a major project intended to create high-speed links between London and major cities in the Midlands and the North of England.

It is projected to tens of billions of pounds in the hopes of creating jobs and growing the UK economy outside of the capital.

But it has been mired in cancellations, delays and growing concerns over costs.

The Leeds-leg of the initial route has already been scrapped - and there are now suggestions that the Birmingham to Manchester leg could also be scrapped. We've had no confirmation of this, and the PM did not directly answer questions on that.

Image source, .

HS2 dominates thorny questions for Sunakpublished at 09:58 British Summer Time 28 September 2023

09:58 BST 28 September 2023

Henry Zeffman
Chief political correspondent

There is nothing like a round of local radio interviews to expose how difficult the job of being prime minister can be.

In one interview Rishi Sunak was pressed hard on whether he is doing enough to support deprived urban communities. In the next, he defended himself against the opposite charge – namely he’s prioritising cities over rural areas.

Then, there were the thorny questions on local NHS services, troublesome MPs, concrete and even Star Wars.

If there was one theme of the hour it was HS2.

That's probably no surprise since the question of what will happen to the leg running from Birmingham to Manchester has hung over the government for at least two weeks now.

Image source, EPA

Sunak did not offer an answer, acknowledging that there had been speculation about the issue but not taking the opportunity to clarify matters. The government insists that no final decision has yet been made.

But it did feel as if Mr Sunak was trialling arguments for delaying or scrapping the northern leg. He stressed the importance of road travel, transport infrastructure in the north and getting value for money for the taxpayer.

Some anticipated a decision would have been announced by now, given the awkward coincidence of the Conservative Party conference beginning in Manchester this weekend.

Waiting instead may mean the occasional awkward interview for the prime minister, but - if the government decides to change course - it also gives him time to refine his explanation of what he will spend the money on instead.

Eight back-to-back interviews in one hour - here are the highlights.

• HS2: Sunak repeatedly ducked questions on whether the troubled rail project would run all the way to Manchester, as planned. He insisted no decision had been made and said the government was focused on delivering the first phase. As he said frequently, "spades are in the ground"
• Potholes: While pressed on transport, he regularly raised the importance of fixing potholes and local transport - saying that most people relied on cars, not trains

• Rail strikes: Asked how he would get to Manchester for the Conservative Party conference, starting this weekend, the PM said he would probably drive, because of widespread rail strikes
• Net zero: Sunak defended last week's announcement that he was delaying a ban on selling new petrol and diesel cars, saying the move was "important for rural communities", and would save families "thousands"
• Birmingham City Council: The PM attacked the Labour leadership of the effectively bankrupt local authority, claiming it had "massively mismanaged its finances"
• XL bully dogs: He also stressed his view that these pets - which are due to be banned - were a "danger to our communities"
• Football: He declined a tongue-in-cheek offer to buy troubled Reading Football Club, saying he was focused on supporting his own side, Southampton
• And... Star Wars: And he revealed that it was his "childhood dream" to pilot an X-wing aircraft of the kind seen in the hit film franchise

Image source, Rex / Shutterstock

And finally - it has taken a while to digest it - let's return to Sunak's interview on BBC Three Counties, the sixth of his eight back-to-back interviews.

Towards the end, host Babs Michel turned attention from the domestic to the galactic.

"You're a huge Star Wars fan," Michel says, noting that some of the sequels were made in the region.

"Would you say you're more Skywalker, Han Solo or actually you're Darth Vader?"

Sunak says he will leave others to come to their conclusion - but adds he would love to go on the Millennium Falcon.

He also admits that piloting an X-wing (if you're wondering, a Rebel Alliance starfighter) is on his "bucket list".

"If you could have a chat with the people who filmed the movies there, if they could get me a cameo in an X-wing... before we take down the Death Star, that would make me a very happy man," the PM says.

"That has always been my childhood dream."

Rishi Sunak is asked again about HS2: "Is it axed or not?"

"Not knowing is not acceptable," adds Peach. "It's your decision, you are the PM!"

But again, Sunak does not give a yes or no answer. Instead, he says he wants to reassure everyone that the government is investing in transport - particularly in rural areas.

"We literally have spades in the ground [on HS2]," says the prime minister, using the same line he has used in his previous interviews.

He mentions the £20 million that's being invested in Reading in local transport, and again stresses the need to fix potholes.

And that finishes Rishi Sunak's quick-fire round of BBC local radio interviews. From HS2 to Star Wars, and net zero to Reading Football Club, we'll bring you a summary of his main points shortly.

Sunak is now asked about troubled Reading Football Club, who were relegated last season.

Sunak says a detailed paper on football club ownership has been published by the government.

He is then - tongue-in-cheek - asked if he personally would consider buying Reading FC, as Peach suggests he has the wealth to do so.

Sunak - a Southampton fan - says he's concentrating on his team, pointing out they were also relegated (from the Premier League) last season.

Image source, Getty Images

Peach says the new net zero policies, mentioned in the last post, may have prompted former COP climate conference president Sir Alok Sharma (and MP for Reading West) to say he's stepping down at the next election.

Sunak laughs and says he has just seen Alok and they remain "good friends and colleagues".

The PM insists his government will meet net zero targets - but says he doesn't want to put a burden on the public.

Image source, PA Media

Over on BBC Radio Berkshire, Andrew Peach asks the prime minister about the Tories losing political control of councils in the area.

He says it's always tricky for incumbent governments to do well - and that he understands people's frustrations.

Again, he brings up his five pledges for 2023.

Sunak admits that pledges are "by no means" realised yet - but that he believes people will see benefits over time.

And he says his decision last week to "chart a new course to net zero" (by delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars) is more realistic, and will save families "thousands of pounds."

Churchfield is now asking about housing - particularly in Cornwall, which he suggests is subject to "extreme development".

Sunak notes that while this is a particular issue in Cornwall, it has become a "challenge" in rural areas across the country.

He says he wants to prioritise housing for local people and to "get on with building more homes for the next generation in a sensible way".

The PM also says he tried to pass to a new law to "get rid of defective EU laws" over planning - but accuses Labour of blocking it.

Not long left now, as Rishi Sunak heads off (not physically, of course) to the south-west to speak to BBC Radio Cornwall.

Host James Churchfield recaps the PM's five pledges he made in January, and asks what evidence there is of NHS improvement in Cornwall. Sunak raises strikes as a factor.

Then, Truro listener Roger Hollingsworth talks about having a suspected heart attack and spending hours waiting in ambulances and waiting rooms.

"I am sorry to hear about Roger's experience," he says - but admits he can't comment on the specifics of Roger's case.

Sunak raises the strikes again and insists plans being put in place are making a difference.

"We've put record investment in," he insists.

Sunak is now played a clip of a tearful listener from Wendover, who is upset at "all the noise and disruption" caused by HS2 being built in the area.

Sunak says he understands how "frustrating" it has been - and that is why they are "looking at the project".

He adds his government will continue to invest in all transport modes to ensure people "all over the country" benefit from it - before bringing up potholes again.

Image source, PA Media

Now it's the turn of Babs Michel on BBC Three Counties Radio - covering Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire.

He's asked about Nadine Dorries, the outgoing MP for Mid Bedfordshire - and specifically claims that she hasn't run a surgery for her constituents for a long time.

Referring to a pending by-election in the seat, Sunak says he wants people to have a "fantastic MP going forward", and endorses Tory candidate Festus Akinbusoye.

Pressed on why he didn't deal with Dorries' alleged absenteeism, Sunak says MPs are ultimately answerable to their constituents - rather than to the prime minister.