Have I Got News For You

Broadcaster, financial journalist and 'Money Saving Expert' Martin Lewis hosts Have I Got News For You for the first time. Alongside Martin is Spanish & Welsh comedian Ignacio Lopez and broadcaster Steph McGovern.

Broadcaster and 'Money Saving Expert' Martin Lewis makes his debut. On his announcement as guest host, he had said previously: "I've been a fan of the show since it started, just after I left school, but can't pretend there isn't a tinge of terror mixed in with excitement at the thought of presenting it, especially trying to keep Paul and Ian in line. I may have to resort to threatening to destroy their credit scores."

Joining Lewis on the panels alongside Ian Hislop is comedian Ignacio Lopez (his second appearance on the show), and broadcaster Steph McGovern, alongside Paul Merton.

As Rishi Sunak's much-discussed Safety of Rwanda bill became law this week, while Keir Starmer urged his Labour candidates to be displaying patriotism, there were also more trivial stories for Martin and the panels to pick apart, with a 9-year-old British boy winning a 'seagull-impersonating' contest, and the scientific discovery that bees can survive underwater.

But it was the Safety of Rwanda bill that was top of the agenda for tonight's episode, as Rishi's plans to enable to government to send migrants who have reached the UK to Rwanda became law. But there was still uncertainty about how the plans would play out in the coming months, and Lewis was on hand to give the government some tongue-in-cheek money-saving tips for the scheme.

"This is the news that in a surprising historical reversal, Britain is about to start rounding people up against their will and shipping them to Africa," quipped Lewis.

"The Rwandan scheme is proving quite expensive. It's currently projected to have a base cost of £370m over the five-year contract, but on top of that there's an additional charge of £150,874 per migrant deported," he said, before going on to joke "Although, I've looked into this and they can get £25 off that if they use a voucher code. I've managed to source this one: 'SHITSHOW2024'."

"At the start of the week Rishi Sunak insisted 'no ifs, no buts, these flights are going to Rwanda'. Quite a claim. May I suggest Prime Minister you ensure they're ATOL protected, that you pay for it on a credit card so you have section 75 protection, and of course, you pay it off 'IN FULL!'" Lewis called out, with the help of the audience who were quick to join in with his call.

"Why are they doing that?" a bemused Hislop asked of the audience.

"I think he's trying to turn it into a catchphrase," Merton replied.

"Embarrassingly, we have accepted asylum seekers in Britain from Rwanda on the grounds that it's not safe there for them. So presumably if we fly them over on the plane then they can then apply for asylum in Britain and come back again," pointed out Hislop.

"The plane should be on a bungee rope," joked Merton.

Alongside the Rwanda bill, Prime Minister Sunak also announced plans this week to increase defence spending from 2% to 2.5% of GDP. Labour leader Keir Starmer responded with announcement of Labour's proposed plans to re-nationalise Britain's railways, as well as confirmation of his willingness push the nuclear button if Britain was under attack.

"Sunak announced on a visit to Poland an increase in defence spending from 2% to 2.5% of GDP. This announcement was of course intended to wrong foot Labour. So how has Keir Starmer been fighting back?" asked Lewis.

"By telling us all we need to be really patriotic," Steph McGovern replied.

"I'm thinking more for the moment about the big announcement this week?" clarified Lewis.

"Oh, the railways?" asked Merton.

"He said he'd be prepared to press the nuclear button..." added Hislop.

"...if it made the railways run on time. With a nuclear explosion, you could get from Paddington to Leeds in 10 minutes," joked Merton.

"Don't bother buying a return though!" laughed host Lewis.

Later in the episode, the panellist were given the chance to dissect one of the lighter stories of the week, as a British 9-year-old boy Cooper Wallace won a European competition for his uncanny impersonation of a seagull.

"There's a boy who's won a competition for impersonating seagulls and he does a very, very good impersonation of a seagull," Lewis said.

"Is it just the sound?" asked Hislop.

"Yeah, he doesn't fly around the room... what do you mean is it just the sound?!" laughed Merton.

"You said it was impressive!" Hislop retorted.

"He flies out the window and nicks people's chips from a height of 10,000 ft," quipped Merton.