Transcripts For GBN The 20240704

Also coming up, the sting operation underway in wales. Police hunt for 14 stolen beehives. Is it a job for the beehives. Is it a job for the flying squad, as the beekeepers warn , the thefts are part of a warn, the thefts are part of a growing trend. Growing trend. First, lets get all your headunes first, lets get all your headlines now with rhiannon jones. Pitt thank you. Good afternoon. Its 12 01. Your top stories from the gb newsroom. Stories from the gb newsroom. The private sector is being called on to help clear the backlog and cut record high waiting lists. 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened across england to carry out hundreds of thousands of scans , checks and tests. Eight scans, checks and tests. Eight of the new facilities will be operated by independent companies , but services will be companies, but services will be free to patients. Five will be run by the nhs. Free to patients. Five will be run by the nhs. The latest run by the nhs. The latest figures show waiting lists almost hit 7. 5 million at the end of may, the highest since records began. Liberal democrat mp for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine says the pm should have acted sooner. I didnt do something before they were strikes. Why didnt they were strikes. Why didnt they were strikes. Why didnt they do something to support the tens of thousands of staff in the nhs whove been pushed to breaking point by three years of covid waiting lists . All of that. The resource was there. It was available to the nhs to use. Why didnt he use it before now . Thats what annoys me. And now . Thats what annoys me. And that, you know, if there is something there thats possible to help people to cut back waiting lists, he should have been this sooner. Been looking at this sooner. A mother and stepfather are due to be sentenced for the murder of a ten month old baby. Murder of a ten month old baby. Jacob crouch was found dead in his cot at his derbyshire home in december 2020. Hed suffered 39 rib fractures, visible bruises and several internal injuries. Craig crouch was convicted on wednesday of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty. The babys mother, cruelty. The babys mother, gemma barton , was also found gemma barton, was also found guilty of Child Cruelty and causing or allowing his death plan planned strike action for this weekend by British Airways staff has been cancelled after a significant pay deal was reached. Unite union says the agreement means around 24,000 employees will receive a 13. 1 increase over 18 months, plus a £1,000 one off payment. Industrial action was due to start at Gatwick Airport today and last until tuesday. Meanwhile, people until tuesday. Meanwhile, people are being charged up to four times more for Airport Parking if they pay on arrival rather than in advance. Consumer group, than in advance. Consumer group, which looked at prices at 16 airport car parks, revealed sling what it calls a serious find initial sting. It compared costs for a week stay in mid august , paid for on the day mid august, paid for on the day with those booked four months earlier. The largest price gap was at Manchester Airport , where was at Manchester Airport, where paying was at Manchester Airport, where paying on arrival cost over £400 instead of 95 when booked in advance. The mayor of london has advance. The mayor of london has announced plans to expand and the ulez scrappage scheme. All the ulez scrappage scheme. All londoners with a non complete car will now be able to apply for a grant of up to £2,000 to replace their vehicle. Critics say the challenges, the changes rather, are too little, too late. It comes after labour leader sir keir starmer urged sadiq khan to reflect on the ulez expansion in following the partys by election loss in uxbndge partys by election loss in uxbridge last month. Five uxbridge last month. Five activists involved in a stunt at the Prime Ministers house in nonh the Prime Ministers house in North Yorkshire have been released on bail. Four of them who scaled the property and draped a black fabric over his home, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and pubuc of causing criminal damage and public nuisance. Rishi sunak wasnt at home at the time. Hes currently on holiday with his family in california. The group was protesting against the Prime Ministers decision to grant new nonh ministers decision to grant new north sea oil and gas licences as elsewhere. Donald trump, whos been accused of trying to overturn the 2020 president ial election result, has pleaded not guilty. The former election result, has pleaded not guilty. The former us president appeared in court to answer four charges, which include conspiracy to defraud the us. Prosecutors say his actions were an unprecedented effort to undermine the pillars of american democracy. Mr trump american democracy. Mr trump described it as a witch hunt to derail his white house campaign. Hes currently the frontrunner for the 2024 republican president ial nomination. President ial nomination. When you look at whats happening, this is a persecution often of a political opponent. Often of a political opponent. This was never supposed to happenin this was never supposed to happen in america. This is the persecution of the person thats leading by very, very substantial numbers in the republican primary and leading biden by a lot. So if you cant beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute him. We cant let this happen in america. This happen in america. And controversial social Media Influencer andrew tate has been released from house arrest in romania pending trial. He and his brother have been held in bucharest, charged with human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. He denies the charges. Tate, who has the charges. Tate, who has British American citizenship, welcomed his release, saying the indictment is based on nothing and that truth is beginning to prevail. This is gb news across prevail. This is gb news across the uk on tv in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by simply saying play gb news now its back to mark and. Pip welcome back to the live desk on gb news. Now is this going to help cut waiting lists . The government has turned to private clinics. Its a move they think is to going help, but experts have warned that it does not fix the root of the problem. Indeed, the Nuffield Trust says that capacity will be boosted, but that the nhs must be provided with more resources to meet demand in the longer to meet the demand in the longer term. Our Political Correspondent olivia utley, now joins outside the Department Joins us outside the department of health. Olivia an indication there will be eight private Community Diagnostic Centres as they call them, to actually help with scans and checks and so on. But not a new idea because we remember tony blairs Labour Government back in 2003, introduced a similar idea. Well absolutely. And in fact, more recently than that, weve had labour coming up with a similar idea. Theres an interview with wes streeting when he became Shadow Health secretary last january saying that he would use private capacity in the nhs, where there is space to help cut waiting lists. So it does feel a bit as lists. So it does feel a bit as though this is an idea which sunak could have got from from laboun sunak could have got from from labour. That said, it is quite interesting how much the conversation around the use of private facilities within the nhs has moved on in the last sort of 4 or 5 years. Im old enough to remember the days underjeremy enough to remember the days under Jeremy Corbyn when even using the word private in nhs in the same sentence could get you hounded almost out of the labour party. And now we have wes streeting saying something very similar to what rishi sunak is saying now. And as you say , very saying now. And as you say, very similar to the offering that tony blair made in 2003. Olivia the waiting lists. Olivia the waiting lists. Stand at 7. 4, 7 Million People. It has been going up. Stand at 7. 4, 7 Million People. It has been going up. Is this enough to help eight units . Why not more . Eight i mean, eight units. Eight private units plus another five units. That will be run by the nhs. Another five units. That will be run by the nhs. Maria caulfield run by the nhs. Maria caulfield on her media round this morning, government minister said that eventually there would be more diagnostic centres. Theyre looking at creating 149 eventually, but just these 30 centres alone should be able to perform 750,000 more tests and scans per year than what weve got at the moment. So it is a step forward and it has been greeted , welcomed by most of the greeted, welcomed by most of the sort of health care community, although as you mentioned in your introduction there, the Nuffield Trust has said it wont your introduction there, the nuftold trust has said it wont your introduction there, the nufto the ust has said it wont your introduction there, the nufto the root1as said it wont your introduction there, the nufto the root of said it wont your introduction there, the nufto the root of thed it wont your introduction there, the nufto the root of the problem. Get to the root of the problem. On the whole, though, it does seem step forward and seem to be a step forward and not a too moment soon. One of rishi sunak five priorities that hes been talking about repeatedly, he said dont dog with bone. With these five with a bone. With these five priorities since became priorities since he became leader last september was to increase. It was to cut nhs increase. It was to cut nhs waiting lists. Well, he hasnt waiting lists. Well, he hasnt done very well, so far. As you say, theyre now at a record almost 7. 5 million. So this step really is necessary, but it could be, as labour is suggesting , too little too late. Suggesting, too little too late. Yeah. And olivia , where are yeah. And olivia, where are we on, on the industrial strategy , if we can call it strategy, if we can call it that . Because clearly rishi sunak was trying to blame the industrial action for the additional numbers on the waiting list and that really didnt go down very well, particularly as well. No, exactly. The doctors have said time and again that their strikes havent caused waiting lists to increase. But i think lists to increase. But i think quite a lot of people sitting at home will understand where rishi sunakis home will understand where rishi sunak is coming from. When you have doctors walking out of their hospitals for sort of days on end, then you can hardly expect nhs waiting lists to go down. It doesnt sound like were in breakthrough territory any time soon with the nhs strikes. We know that the government has reached deals with most other private Sector Workers , offering a sort of six, workers, offering a sort of six, six, 6. 57 pay rise, something similar has been offered to Junior Doctors, but the unions there are pushing for a 35 pay rise. Now, that might sound extraordinary and perhaps it is. But their argument is that actually their pay has been decreasing in real terms ever since the 2008 financial crash and a 35 pay rise would only restore them to where they were back in 2008. So theyre holding that line pretty firmly. The that line pretty firmly. The government is holding its line of sort of a 6. 5, possibly 7 pay of sort of a 6. 5, possibly 7 pay rise. And its hard to see how an agreement will be reached any time soon. And whatever the doctors say, it feels unlikely that these strikes will get nhs waiting lists down. Certainly, indeed. Olivia at the department of health, thanks very much indeed for updating us there. Now, the bank of england acknowledging that Interest Rates will need to stay longer order stay higher for longer in order to tackle inflation. Yesterdays latest hike of up to 5. 25 piling more pressure on households. Now, the Mental Health charity mind says that 48 of younger people say its damaging their wellbeing. But the government says it will stay the course to try to get inflation back under control. Chancellor jeremy hunt told control. Chancellorjeremy hunt told gb news that the latest o. 25 told gb news that the latest 0. 25 increase would help them reach their goals without the country falling into a recession. Any rise in Interest Rates is a worry for families with mortgages, for businesses with mortgages, for businesses with loans. With loans. But underneath that decision is a forecast that says that this time next year, inflation will be 2. 8 and we will have avoided a recession. And what the bank of england governor is saying is that we have a plan thatis saying is that we have a plan that is bringing down inflation solidly, robustly and consistently. So thats what the chancellor thinks. But many of course, are starting to question the approach taken by the bank and its governor, Andrew Bailey. Lets speak to chief economic adviser at the centre for Economic Business research, economic and business research, vicki previously vicki price, who has previously worked in government. Good afternoon , vicky. So was this afternoon, vicky. So was this Andrew Bailey right to do this . Many people were saying , many people were saying, including our own economics edhon including our own economics editor, Liam Halligan , that editor, Liam Halligan, that Interest Rates should have stayed at 5. But i have to say that i agree with liam in the sense that we dont really need a bigger increase right now in Interest Rates to calm the economy. The economy is already beginning to show signs of strain, particularly because of those mortgage increases that we have seen. Weve seen businesses, of course, having a real problem with their borrowing themselves. So borrowing costs themselves. So the is what does this the question is what does this extra Interest Rate increase do directly to control inflation . All the declines that we have seen so far have had nothing to do with what the bank of England National prices or energy food and so on. When we heard from Andrew Bailey yesterday , it was all bailey yesterday, it was all pretty dry stuff where he was going through all the facts and figures. But were now learning from mind and the direct consequence of all this in terms of the Mental Wellbeing of people, particularly 48, they say, of young masters, really starting to have an effect where they look towards their. Well, they look towards their. Well, lack of prospects, maybe this feeds into the conflict factor, doesnt it know that we dont have confidence in uk plc or the economy anymore . Economy anymore . Well, thats a real problem. Well, thats a real problem. If youve looked at the forecasts of the bank of england. I mean, first of all, i have to say that although, as i said, i agreed with liam, the reality the bank england reality is the bank of england had very little choice but to raise Interest Rates by the 0. 2 5 that did because the 5 that it did because the market expected if they market expected it. And if they hadnt market expected it. And if they hadnt the market would hadnt done it, the market would have whats going have worried as to whats going whats going but in terms of whats going on. But in terms of the pain, the interesting the of the pain, the interesting thing forecasts have thing is the forecasts that have come out for the bank of england, which suggests that this 0. 5 this year we might grow by 0. 5 next year, the same. Oh, its hardly anything to shout home about. That, were about. And after that, were probably going grow probably not to going grow by more 0. 25. Theyre very more than 0. 25. So theyre very pessimistic about growth of the economy. Suggests, therefore, pessimistic about growth of the econwe y. Suggests, therefore, pessimistic about growth of the econwe are suggests, therefore, pessimistic about growth of the econwe are going� sts, therefore, pessimistic about growth of the econwe are going� stsbelerefore, pessimistic about growth of the econwe are going� stsbe moving that we are going to be moving to a long period when the economy is going to be underperforming. Course, underperforming. And of course, yes, inflation going yes, inflation is going to come down, the costs of bringing down, but the costs of bringing that inflation, know, this that inflation, you know, this extra bringing that extra cost of bringing that inflation going be inflation down is going to be pretty many people. The other thing is and the other thing is, is what bit inflation is going what bit of inflation is going to come down because clearly theyre looking headline theyre looking at the headline figure, theyre also warning figure, but theyre also warning that price inflation, that food price inflation, which really people in the really does hit people in the pockets, to stay pockets, thats going to stay pretty of the pretty high because of the supply side problems. Well, supply side yes, well, supply side problems will seem to be rather peculiar the uk. Im talking peculiar to the uk. Im talking to greece right now. To you from greece right now. Greece inflation rate. Greece is an inflation rate. Strangely of just 3. And we have a number of countries in europe which inflation, which which also have inflation, which is already the target of the is already at the target of the ecb. The European Central bank, food inflation across europe is only rising by just over 10. Food inflation in the us is only rising by about 5 and of course theyve had their overall inflation 3. There is inflation down to 3. There is something basically wrong. So to suggest perhaps brexit has done it supply chain issues, indeed theyre i think theyre important, but i think we look at the structure we need to look at the structure of and wonder of our Food Industry and wonder why is that weve ended up in why it is that weve ended up in this where prices this situation where our prices are even though theyre are going up even though theyre supposed based on what is supposed to be based on what is happening internationally, why are more than are they going up more than everywhere else and internationally . Food prices internationally . Food prices have falling for last have been falling for the last yean have been falling for the last year, month after month after month. Course, we worry month. Yes of course, we worry a bit whats going in bit about whats going on in russia the ukraine with russia and the ukraine with wheat exports right now. And of course, weve had the course, weve also had on the energy bit of extra energy side a bit of extra concerns opec, might concerns with opec, which might push agriculture , push costs up for agriculture, for fertilisers, also, of for fertilisers, and also, of course, production in course, Food Production in processing. There is processing. But there is Something Weird going on and i think its in line with everything else. We seem to be above loads of other countries in almost every area that you look at, you look at including, of course, Staff Shortages in the sector, which have the service sector, which have again, lot with having again, a lot to do with having lost lots of eu workers those areas. Indeed. Vicky, on that note, theres Something Weird going on. Well leave it there. Never theres Something Weird going 0|truer ll leave it there. Never theres Something Weird going 0|truer word ive it there. Never theres Something Weird going 0|truer word was there. Never theres Something Weird going 0|truer word was spoken. Iever theres Something Weird going 0|truer word was spoken. Thanks a truer word was spoken. Thanks for there in athens. For joining us there in athens. Joining now to discuss joining us now to discuss what this means for mortgage holders is director at adam hayes, Estate Agents yasser el kafas. Good afternoon to you, yasser. Thanks for talking to us on gb news some well, astonishing stories doing the rounds about the amount of extra people are having to find for their mortgages. Were talking, you know, 700 plus pounds. People dont know how theyre going to do it. And it looks like more and more people are resorting to selling their homes as well. Its not about the its not just about the pounds. Its about how many times their mortgages were previously. So if actually previously. So if you actually look had fixed look at the people who had fixed rates previously , we will rates previously, we will possibly claim 1 or 2. They are now rates are four times as much as used to pay. So somebody as they used to pay. So somebody typically paid £500. Theyre now paying typically paid £500. Theyre now paying 2500 pounds. The problem youve got is the elderly clients, especially , who have clients, especially, who have got the biggest line of houses where they cant afford mortgages. You know, their income is their income is. So theyre forced to have sell theyre forced to have to sell their and its their properties. And its having a knock on effect throughout the market completely. So youll tend to find that theres a lot of properties coming onto the market as a result. This will no doubt create a situation where pnces doubt create a situation where prices will have to come down in order for them to be affordable. On the flip side, youve got situations where buy to let investors are shying away from the market and on the back of that youre tending to see that theres a shortage of rental properties on the market right now. This is properties on the market right now. This is creating prices to go through the roof. I mean, where we are, the average one bedroom flat is typically 14 to £1500, which is a massive jump from where it was, say, two years ago. Okay and just on that particular point, yasir, i dont know if you heard our reflection on mind, the Mental Health charity saying that 48 of youngsters now are reporting Mental Health problems because of all this. And i guess that ties in with, you know, trying to get on to that property market. The fact that property market. The fact that rental costs as well is so high. Yeah, i mean, even if you you know, your last guest was talking about the stats of parts of europe and, you know, our industry is no different. So if you actually at it, i think you actually look at it, i think they were saying that the uk has they were saying that the uk has the fourth largest rental market in the whole of europe where people are choosing or can only afford to rent rather than buy or choosing to go down that route for whatever reason. And route for whatever reason. And its definitely having an impact. Its definitely becoming generation rather than generation rent rather than generation rent rather than generation buy. And the government should surely be stepping here and possibly stepping in here and possibly changing a lot their policies changing a lot of their policies to going on in to reflect whats going on in the market and the problems the countrys actually facing in that respect. Indeed, its a sad situation, of course, and perhaps more Interest Rate rises on the way as well. Who knows . But yasir, thank very much indeed for thank you very much indeed for joining there. Hayes joining us there. Adam hayes estate are watching Estate Agents, you are watching and listening to the live desk with Mark Longhurst and pip tomson. And coming up, sadiq khan and that decision to expand the ulez scrappage scheme, £2,000. But will that get you a new motor . Discussing that in a moment. Moment. That warm feeling inside from boxt boilers. Proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Weather on. Gb news. Hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast, drier and warmer weather is on the way for later next week. More on that in a moment. But for the time being, weve got the same old a lot of showers across eastern parts of the country, drier towards but only ahead towards the west, but only ahead of next weather system of the next weather system thats moving in for the weekend, bringing spell weekend, bringing another spell of rain. Of unseasonable wind and rain. Now, thats will bring some rain into Northern Ireland through the evening. The showers in the east disappearing, but tending to north east to continue across north east england. And cloud england for a time. And cloud cover increasing across the country. The rain turning heavy and persisting Western Areas and persisting in Western Areas and persisting in Western Areas and Northern Ireland at risk of localised flooding because of course ground course saturated ground here following wettest on following the wettest july on record. As we start off saturday, it is looking poor out there. If youre not a fan of wind and rain, certainly weve got plenty of it pushing across Northern Ireland into england and the winds really and wales. The winds really picking irish sea picking up across irish sea coast and then into the south and southwest england and and southwest of england and wales coast , 60, 65 and southwest of england and wales coast, 60, 65 mile wales around coast, 60, 65 mile per hour wind gusts could cause some for outdoor some impacts for outdoor activities. Camping, for activities. Camping, for example, unseasonable example, really unseasonable conditions out there. And as the rain comes temperatures rain comes down, temperatures only reaching around 13, 14 celsius through central parts. Showers for scotland and Northern Ireland and of this Northern Ireland and all of this pulls on sunday and much pulls through on sunday and much improved plenty of sunshine improved day. Plenty of sunshine to things especially to start things off, especially through central parts. Still a few showers about and still 1 or 2 showers as we start off. Next week and temperatures again struggling at the start of next week before it then turns drier and warmer. And warmer. That warm feeling inside from boxt boilers proud sponsors of weather on news welcome back to the live desk on gb news. The mother and stepfather of ten month old jacob crouch , who was found dead jacob crouch, who was found dead in his cot in december 2020, are now being sentenced out at Derby Crown Court. Well craig crouch, convicted on wednesday of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty. Cruelty. The babys mother, gemma barton, found guilty of Child Cruelty and causing or allowing his death. Will baby jacob had suffered 39 rib fractures and 19 bruises and internal injuries likened to those seen in a car crash. So you may find some of the details is, of course, a little distressing. But lets get more with our national reporter, Theo Chikomba, who is outside court. And theo, i think the prosecutor here has indicated before sentence passed that if either the parents had gone for medical help , he would gone for medical help, he would have lived. Have lived. Youre absolutely right. Just a few minutes ago, we did hear from the prosecutor about this case as well. Ten month year old jacob died on the 30th of december, 2020. And for a prolonged period of time , the prolonged period of time, the trial over the last couple of weeks heard about some of the pain that was inflicted on him. Now, his parents, craig crouch, was convicted of murder, three counts of Child Cruelty after the jury deliberated for four days following a seven week trial here at the crown court and his mother as well, gemma barton , was cleared of murder, barton, was cleared of murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter and two counts of Child Cruelty , but was found Child Cruelty, but was found guilty of causing or allowing death of a child. And a third count of Child Cruelty. Now, as you mentioned , the pain that was you mentioned, the pain that was inflicted on him was similar to someone whos involved in a crash. And also was described as someone falling off a multi storey building. And dunng multi storey building. And during the trial, the jury heard how jacob would have suffered serious pain in the hours leading up to his death. Something that would have been clear to both the parents and they also heard that the fatal head injury hed been inflicted had taken him if they had taken him for immediate medical help, jacob would likely have survived the peritonitis that eventually caused his death and earlier this week, we heard from derby police, and this is what they had to say. Had to say. Its clear from the evidence found on gemma barton and craig crouchs phones through Text Messages, videos and audio recordings that they were equally responsible for the culture of cruelty that was inflicted on baby jacob. As a father , i cannot comprehend what father, i cannot comprehend what happened behind closed doors and my thoughts remain with jacobs wider family, who have been left devastated by his death. Devastated by his death. Well, both the parents crouch and barton, began their lives according to what weve heard in the evidence in the trial over those seven weeks. As soon as they rang 999 after they said they rang 999 after they said they had found jacob unresponsive in his cot at around 7 am. On that 30th of december, 2020. And when paramedics arrived at the couples home, they found jacob had clear bruising and there were signs of rigour. Mortis suggesting he had been dead for much longer than they had told the medical workers. They also said east Midlands Ambulance service rang the force to report the concerns that officers had and they were dispatched out to their home. Um, now the, the parents themselves painted a picture that jacob was a child who was well behaved and other than being unwilling to take a bottle the night before, he was otherwise fine. But of course the picture turned out to be different. When many examined missions were carried out on his body to see the extent of up to 41 injuries that had been inflicted on his body. But both parents will be sentenced here at Derby Crown Court at 2 pm. In derby. Yeah, very distressing case indeed. Yeah, very distressing case indeed. And we understand the indeed. And we understand the judge probably sentencing at about 2 00. So back to you in an hour or two to get the latest here. Thank you very much indeed. Coming up, donald trump pleading not guilty and he says he just needs one more indictment to get elected. How come . Well be updating you on come . Well be updating you on whats happening stateside first. Latest headlines with rhiannon. Rhiannon. Thank you, mark. It is 1230. Your top stories from the newsroom. The private sector is newsroom. The private sector is being called on to help clear the backlog and cut record high waiting lists. 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened across england to carry out hundreds of thousands of scans, checks and tests. Eight scans, checks and tests. Eight of the new facilities will be operated by independent company rbs, but services will be free to patients. Five will be run by the nhs. The latest figures show the nhs. The latest figures show waiting lists almost hit 7. 5 million at the end of may, the highest since records began. Highest since records began. Liberal democrat mp for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine says the pm should have acted sooner and in some breaking news in the last few minutes, 22 year old liam oprey has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 28 years for the murder of 31 year old rigoberto , cousin of year old rigoberto, cousin of world heavyweight boxing champion tyson fury. Mr burton was stabbed to death in Greater Manchester in august last year dunng manchester in august last year during a brawl. Police had described the attack as senseless and unplanned. Con senseless and unplanned. Con controversial social Media Influencer andrew tate has been released from house arrest in romania pending trial , and he romania pending trial, and he and his brother have been held in bucharest, charged with human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. He denies organised crime group. He denies the charges. Tate, who has the charges. Tate, who has British American citizenship , British American citizenship, welcomed his release, saying the indictment is based on nothing and that truth is beginning to prevail. Planned strike action prevail. Planned strike action for this weekend by British Airways staff has been cancelled after a significant pay deal was reached. Unite union says the agreement means around 24,000 employees will receive a 13. 1 increase over 18 months plus a £1,000 one off payment. Industrial action was due to start at Gatwick Airport today and last until till tuesday. And and last until till tuesday. And five activists involved in a stunt at the Prime Ministers house in North Yorkshire have been released on bail. Four of them who scaled the property and draped black fabric over his home were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and pubuc of causing criminal damage and public nuisance. Rishi sunak public nuisance. Rishi sunak wasnt at home at the time. Hes wasnt at home at the time. Hes currently on holiday with his family in california. Group family in california. The group was protesting against the Prime Ministers decision to grant new nonh ministers decision to grant new north oil and gas licences. North sea oil and gas licences. And you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Welcome back to the live desk here on gb news. Now, the mayor of london says he still supports the ulez expansion and that it is important in tackling climate emergencies. Sadiq khan is now offering up to £2,000 for all london motorists to switch to ulez compliant vehicles. But the critics, including conservative mayoral candidate susan hall, have called the scrappage scheme still a waste of money. Lets get the views of editorial director at autotrader , erin baker, who can now join us. Erin, thanks for your time because i know autotrader did a bit of research finding that trying to buy a second hand ulez compliant vehicle. I think 2016 compliant vehicle. I think 2016 onwards there was a three grand x extra sort of amount that was put on by all the traders to try and get one of those vehicles. And get one of those vehicles. Well well, weve done a quick snapshot , which ive just pulled snapshot, which ive just pulled up now as of yesterday on autotrader , looking at what you autotrader, looking at what you can get and dont forget ulez compliant for petrol. Thats 2006 onwards for diesel , its thats 2006 onwards for diesel, its 2016. So to get those scrappage, thats £2,000 towards scrappage and just having a look now weve got a faux pas as of yesterday , a 2008 faux pas as of yesterday, a 2008 petrol for 1500, couple more around the 1500 mark for fiesta , fiat grande, punto, that sort of thing. A couple of peugeot renaults, a vauxhall corso. So we think there are about 1000 cars for sale right now for around that 2000. And in the Greater London area, about 4000 nationwide. And but we know that most people well, most people have a have a ulez compliant car. But for those who are looking probably theyre probably looking at trying to sell their car rather than take up that scrappage offer of £2,000. Yeah. And when we say i think its up to 2000, isnt it . Presumably youre getting more than you would do if you took it to a second hand dealer or to a second hand car dealer or even went to a scrap yard for instance. Instance. Yeah. So it depends what youve got that youre trying to trying to get rid of. And the reason part of the reason that we were pushing for the scrappage scheme to be extended to and means to everyone and not so means tested, but know that tested, but you know that everyone in the Greater London area, fall under area, which will now fall under ulez, access to this ulez, should have access to this scrappage scheme of £2,000, is that there are people, you know, who be disproportionately affected who cant afford to switch to an electric car where theres still a huge differential of about 39 in the price and cant afford a state of the art brand new petrol diesel. And so well be looking to scrap their cars and take up that £2,000 grant. But for a lot of people who have got a non compliant car, itll be worth more than £2,000. So they would be advised probably to get their car valued if it is more than £2,000, dont go for that scrappage scheme. Look to sell it. But you know, autotrader would offer a valuation of the car, which is the first place to start. Okay. And the other thing that i think is confusing is people in terms of petrol and diesel, because obviously its the vehicles that are the diesel vehicles that are really harmful with this nitrogen dioxide that they produce. And one wonders why is there not actually a two tier system terms of scrappage . Well 7 well , 7 well , thats 7 well , thats a . Well , thats a good 7 well , thats a good question. Well, thats a good question. I think there have been many, many , shall we say, potential many, shall we say, potential flaws with the scrappage scheme, which weve been trying to work with. Transport for london to get sorted out and, and yes, thats why theres thats why theres huge difference in the age of petrol versus diesel. All vehicles that do or dont fall within ulez. So thats why theres a ten year difference. Its petrol cars manufactured from 2006 onwards are compliant. Diesel cars from 2016 onwards because they have been so much more damaging in terms of their particulars. And you know, i particulars. And you know, i think thats the point to bear in mind around ulez is that , you in mind around ulez is that, you know, certainly autotrader, we were never arguing that ulez wasnt a good idea in principle , that it shouldnt exist. Air pollution is a huge problem in the capital. Does need urgent the capital. It does need urgent action. Know , were looking action. You know, were looking at 5000 premature deaths at 4000, 5000 premature deaths every year due to it. But its not that you have to prioritise one over the other. If we were saying, you know, the everyone just needed a little more help to get rid of those cars, which do need to be got off our caphaps do need to be got off our capitals roads in order to improve air quality, improve air quality. Okay, erin , thank you very okay, erin, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. Our editorial director at autotrader , interestingly, mark sadiq khan, has been speaking today at a media event and he is saying that as of last week, 97 of cars in inner london are compliant. Yeah. Which wonders why, therefore, do you have a scrappage scheme . But thats another argument which well perhaps investigate a little later. Amazon workers are experiencing the biggest day of industrial action in the tech firms history. Thats to according the gmb union, which has organised the workforces latest strikes. Latest strikes. Its a year long dispute over pay its a year long dispute over pay and conditions. Workers, they say, offered a £0. 35 per hour pay rise. But members, of hour pay rise. But members, of course, at the amazon hubs in coventry and rugeley saying the company is well failing to deliver. Gb news is West Midlands reporter jack carson joins us from coventry. Jack, the picket from coventry. Jack, the picket line looks pretty quiet behind you but theres. Well, very quiet. You but theres. Well, very quiet. Theres you but theres. Well, very quiet. Theres nobody there but quiet. Theres nobody there but they do have many grievances. Amazon workers. Amazon workers. Yeah, thats right. So how these strikes are are working comparison. Of course weve covered these strikes with amazon particularly at this coventry warehouse since they started the first one was back in january. Then there was more of a picket line throughout the day. Now theyve resorted to big rallies in the morning and in the afternoon. We had the first rally this morning around 7 00. Were going to get the second one at around five, 5 00 pm today when there were hundreds of marching down the of people marching down the industrial road here. You can probably see some of these security fences. That is new from strike action thats from the strike action thats taking here thats taking place here thats been put help put in essentially to help contain the rally that was here this morning and also provide a secure entrance for those workers that werent striking today and were crossing the picket line as such and going today and were crossing the pickiwork. E as such and going today and were crossing the pickiwork. Butsuch and going today and were crossing the pickiwork. But of h and going today and were crossing the pickiwork. But of course,|oing today and were crossing the pickiwork. But of course, this into work. But of course, this dispute has gone on for months now. Its mainly over pay. The gmb union who are in dispute with amazon, want £15 an hour for their members. And the word that i was getting this morning from the gmb was was was that feeling of theyre getting momentum because course for momentum because of course for months been this months its just been this a Fulfilment Centre in coventry thats been on strike. But now in staffordshire the Rugeley Centre with them again Centre Striking with them again today. So the feeling from the gmb here is that this could well go and there could go national. Now and there could be more members throughout amazon centres across the country that may well walk out over issue of pay as well. Over this issue of pay as well. But earlier on i spoke to firdous sara uddin, whos a regional organiser here for the gmb about strike today. Gmb about the strike today. When you talk about percentage , it sounds like percentage, it sounds like a huge amount. Theyre still between £11 and £12 and this is coming from a company that makes billions. So if youre saying billions. So if youre saying the percentage that theyre using sounds significant, theyre still £12. Some of theyre still below £12. Some of them are just above minimum wage. That from a company. And that comes from a company thats over 200 billion thats made over 200 billion this year. And theyre justified saying that a lot of them leave and are still working in there with life long conditions that have been impacted. Because if you think about the strenuous job that they have to do and how quick they have to do it, because thats how theyre monitored on and how fast theyre picking packing theyre picking up packing and stuff you see them stuff like that. You see them going in the winter, but going in with in the winter, but theyre wearing light clothes because such a strenuous because its such a strenuous job theyre having do. Job that theyre having to do. And obviously their their performance based how fast performance is based on how fast they so you can imagine they work. So you can imagine only how how many of them end up with so many injuries. And thats all we ever hear is injuries or whether the ambulance being Ambulance Service is being called in and things like that. Called in and things like that. Yeah, very interesting to hear of course, the points, particularly those working particularly on those working conditions at end there. Now conditions at the end there. Now back in june, the gmb members here voted and got the majority to strike for in dispute for another six months. We did quickly just ask amazon for a statement on the strike action. A spokesperson for them said that they regularly review their pay that they regularly review their pay to ensure they offer competitive wages and benefits and they say we also work hard to provide great benefits, positive Work Environment and excellent career opportunities. Excellent career opportunities. Thanks very much indeed for updating us there. Updating us there. Former us President Donald Trump has claimed he needs one more indictment to secure election after being arraigned last night in a washington, dc. Courthouse on conspiracy charges as well. He appeared before a judge to face four criminal charges relating to the 2020 election result. But voters dont seem deterred. A New York Times poll showing that trump is now tied with biden with registered voters. In terms of iowa, at least at 43 each. Lets get more with our reporter paul hawkins in the studio. And clearly , he thinks this has got clearly, he thinks this has got political dividends as well. It does. If we look at the race for the republican nomination with for the election within the party. Hes miles ahead of his nearest competitor, ron desantis , way ahead at 30 ron desantis, way ahead at 30 point gap between them. So certainly at the moment, his his legal challenges that hes facing dont seem to be having an impact on his popularity with the base. And indeed, about three quarters of republicans do feel that this is a politically motive rated attack by the governor and the question is different and this is a different and this is a different challenge. If he does different challenge. If he does win the nomination, how will it affect his popularity with the general electorate . Interestingly, ipsos reuters poll yesterday, 52 of republicans would not vote for him if he were in prison. And that drops to 45 if he were convicted but didnt have to serve a sentence and he claims that hes facing 561 years in prison for a crime he says he didnt commit. Prison for a crime he says he didnt commit. Well, didnt commit. Well, potentially, if you add up all the maximum maximum sentences for all the charges, then potentially, theoretically , yes, potentially, theoretically, yes, thatis potentially, theoretically, yes, that is possible. I guess. That is possible. I guess. And you only get four years for a presidency. Well, yeah, exactly. Well, yeah, exactly. Yeah. But but that remains i mean, remains to i mean, mean, it remains to be i mean, clearly he wouldnt serve all that but he could that time, but but he could potentially face jail time and the implications for the election are enormous. The implications for the eleokay,ire enormous. The implications for the ele� okay, paul,ormous. The implications for the ele� okay, paul,ormou you very okay, paul, thank you very much. Continue to monitor much. Well continue to monitor mr who may be on the golf mr trump, who may be on the golf course in bedminster today. We dont know. But lets speak now to former ambassador to the to former uk ambassador to the us kim darroch joining us. Us lord kim darroch joining us. Thank you very much indeed for your could your time. Is it doable . Could he actually get back to the white house . He could. He could. As your reporter just said, he is reporterjust said, he is Something Like 37 points ahead of anyone else in the republican nomination race. So if he wins, thatis nomination race. So if he wins, that is then down to a two horse race between him and one presumes president biden. And presumes president biden. And look, anything can happen in a two horse race. I have to say, one has to question trump did very badly in the 2020 election amongst floating voters, amongst women. And he turbocharged the women. And he turbocharged the democrat turnout. So its not clear to me, i suspect others why he should do better with those groups of voters. Now for the 70 odd indictments under his belt and he did in 2020. So you have to question whether beyond the republican core, this is going to help him. But obviously, it is possible that he could come back into the white house. And theres been some suggestion that hes pursuing this president bid purely to stay out of prison. Stay out of prison. Yeah, thats an interesting point. Look, im sure amongst his advisers, in his own mind , his advisers, in his own mind, thatis his advisers, in his own mind, that is part of part of the objective here, though equally, no one can doubt that donald trump bitterly resents having lost in 2020 and wants to get his second term. And the question here, though, is whether a president can pardon himself and on that, if you go through the legal analysis, thats all over the american media, there are differing views. Some say he could and some say he couldnt. But ive no doubt about is hes back in the white house. He would certainly try to do that. Certainly try to do that. And from your time in washington , kim, do you have washington, kim, do you have some sympathy, perhaps for the us electorate that the choice they may face is joe biden or donald trump . Look im not i didnt have a vote, but if i did, mark, i would think this was this was a slightly eccentric position to be in because joe biden is 82. And weve all seen signs of his physical frailty and donald trump is himself 77, 78. And, you know , maybe in the midst of you know, maybe in the midst of three separate, maybe four separate court cases by the time you get to the campaign. So in this vast country, 350 Million People, it does look strange that these are the two candidates who will emerge and thats why there is all this talk which i kind of suspect will go nowhere. But theres a lot of talk about a third candidate, an independent, running against these two, kim darroch, really good to get your thoughts and insight as always. Thanks for talking to us. Thanks for talking to us. And of course, well continue to monitor the reaction in washington and elsewhere as this extraordinary story keeps unfolding. Unfolding. It is an interesting day for the sussexes as the couple have reportedly been snubbed by king charles after not receiving an invite to balmoral next month on the anniversary of Queen Elizabeths passing. Although Prince Andrew is expected to be there. Well, lets get the thoughts of grant harrold, former royal butler , of course, at highgrove, butler, of course, at highgrove, to Prince Charles as he was at the time. Grant, thank you very the time. Grant, thank you very much for joining the time. Grant, thank you very much forjoining us once more. Much for joining us once more. And we ought say happy and we ought to say happy birthday. To a certain birthday. I think to a certain individual, just sort of up individual, just to sort of up the tone a little. The tone a little. Good afternoon, mark. Thank you for having me on. Absolutely its the duchess of sussex , beth its the duchess of sussex, beth mead but can i also mention it would also be in the late Queen Elizabeth, the queen mothers 123rd birthday. They both 123rd birthday. So they both share , obviously, the 4th of share, obviously, the 4th of august as their birthday. Okay and that note, i mean, and on that note, i mean, obviously , it is somewhat of obviously, it is somewhat of a fractured relationship now. Does fractured relationship now. Does do you have some sympathy perhaps for harry and meghan out there in america . And theyve enjoyed a very nice meal, it seems, in montecito, and theyve been out and very relaxed and so on. And been out and very relaxed and so on. And yet the papers still keep going on this sort of royal soap opera. It seems. Soap opera. It seems. You know, its difficult for me because , as you both know, me because, as you both know, i worked for the family. I knew harry very well. I never knew meghan, obviously. And yes, i mean, theres part of me that does sorry for them because does feel sorry for them because i certainly not i think things are certainly not planned out the hoped. Planned out the way they hoped. Ive always said that i think they themselves as these they saw themselves as these kind of royal celebrities. And ive always, again said royal and celebrity, dont go hand in hand. You can either be one or the other. And i think thats why kind failed. But why its kind of failed. But i do a bit sorry. And these do feel a bit sorry. And these reports of snub with the reports of a snub with the queens anniversary up, queens anniversary coming up, obviously, the from obviously, the king, from what i understand, to be going obviously, the king, from what i unmemorial to be going obviously, the king, from what i unmemorial for to be going obviously, the king, from what i unmemorial for a to be going obviously, the king, from what i unmemorial for a fewo be going obviously, the king, from what i un memorial for a few weeks. Ing to memorial for a few weeks. I should mention, annually, like the queen, hed be in scotland just his own just now. Hes got his own private birkhall, which is private home, birkhall, which is where hell just now. And where hell be just now. And then some point, going then at some point, hes going to memorial castle, to over to memorial castle, which they will be which is where they will be dunng which is where they will be during anniversary, one during the anniversary, one Year Anniversary queens anniversary of the queens death, family death, which is why the family are together and the are getting together and the reports theyve been reports that theyve been snubbed. Obviously reports snubbed. It is obviously reports nobodys confirmed snubbed. It is obviously reports noboino, confirmed snubbed. It is obviously reports noboino, id confirmed snubbed. It is obviously reports noboino, id ccthinked snubbed. It is obviously reports noboino, id ccthink that that. No, id like to think that thats quite the case. Id thats not quite the case. Id like to think theyd been invited. And we all know, invited. And as we all know, theyre going to be in europe for the invictus so id for the invictus games. So id like they do make like to think that they do make an well see in an appearance. But well see in the weeks. The coming weeks. Playing devils just playing devils advocate, should advocate, grant, why should they be the way theyve be invited after the way theyve spoken about their relatives or prince harrys relative tvs to millions of people through their Netflix Series . They cant have it all ways, can they . They cant do that. Theyd be expected to go to two events commemorating the late queen and also when harry went up to balmoral, when she died, he was only for all of 12 hours. Only there for all of 12 hours. Youre absolutely right. I mean, a lot of the viewers and listeners will agree with that. Theyll say that its wrong, that again, that they invited. But again, i know how much harry adored his grandmother. I witnessed that at first hand. And she a lot first hand. And she meant a lot to and that from point to him. And that from that point of view, like any Family Member i is right that hes i feel, is right that hes there. But of course, with everything thats happened, its been difficult. If youve been really difficult. If youve mentioned for mentioned he was only there for a hours, that could have a few hours, that could have been decision between him and been a decision between him and the family. We really know been a decision between him and the reasonswe really know been a decision between him and the reasons for really know been a decision between him and the reasons for that. Really know been a decision between him and the reasons for that. Reacoursew the reasons for that. Of course , as weve said, a lot of people will unhappy him being will be unhappy about him being there, they are still family there, but they are still family and, you know, always say and, you know, they always say that is, you know, of that family is, you know, one of the an important thing. It was an thing to the queen. An important thing to the queen. And if the queen her and i think if the queen had her wish, always wanted the wish, she always wanted the family be around for family to be around for celebrations tried. We all celebrations and tried. We all know effort with know she made an effort with meghan harry and i think she meghan and harry and i think she wanted to so id like to wanted to work. So id like to think they be think that they would be invited. Like to think invited. Id also like to think that are on and that things are moving on and that things are moving on and that theyre this that theyre fixing this relationship. What id relationship. Thats what id like. Id hope. And lets reflect. It and indeed, lets reflect. It is family, course, wholl is a family, of course, wholl be the of queen be mourning the loss of Queen Elizabeth year on and md elizabeth a year on and md andrew way there as well andrew on his way there as well to balmoral reflect that to balmoral to reflect on that family occasion. We wish them family occasion. So we wish them well on that. But grant, as even well on that. But grant, as ever, thank you for joining us here gb good to talk to here in gb news. Good to talk to you. Very much. You. Thanks very much. There is plenty more to come here the live desk over the here on the live desk over the next hour, including the latest here on the live desk over the ne the ur, including the latest here on the live desk over the ne the governmentsthe latest here on the live desk over the ne the governmentsthe lattot here on the live desk over the ne the governmentsthe latto use on the governments plans to use private attempt to private clinics in an attempt to cut nhs waiting lists. Stay cut nhs waiting lists. Do stay with us. The temperatures rising, boxt solar. Proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office. With the gb news forecast dry and warmer weather is on the way for later next week. More on that in a moment. But for the time being, weve got the same old and a lot showers across and a lot of showers across eastern parts of the country, dner eastern parts of the country, drier towards the west, but only ahead next weather system ahead of the next weather system thats for thats moving in for the weekend, bringing another spell of rain. Of unseasonable wind and rain. Now that will bring some rain into Northern Ireland through the evening. The showers in the east disappearing, but tending to across northeast to continue across northeast england cloud cover england for a time. Cloud cover increased across the country. The rain turning heavy and persistent Western Areas and persistent in Western Areas and Northern Ireland at risk of localised flooding because of course ground here course saturated ground here following the wettest on following the wettest july on record. As we start off saturday, it is looking poor out there. If youre not a fan of wind and rain, certainly weve got plenty pushing across got plenty of it pushing across Northern Ireland into england and. The Northern Ireland into england and. The winds really and wales. The winds really picking irish sea picking up across irish sea coast into the south coast and then into the south and southwest of england and wales coast , 60, 65 and southwest of england and wales coast, 60, 65 mile wales around coast, 60, 65 mile per hour wind gusts could cause some impacts for outdoor activities. Camping for example, really unseasonable conditions out there. And as rain comes out there. And as the rain comes down, temperatures only reaching around 13, 14 celsius through central parts. Showers for central parts. Showers for scotland Northern Ireland. Scotland and Northern Ireland. And all of this pulls through on sunday, improved day , sunday, a much improved day, plenty to start plenty of sunshine to start things off, especially through central still a few central parts. Still a few showers about and still 1 or 2 showers about and still 1 or 2 showers as we start off next week. And temperatures again struggling at the start of next week it then turns drier week before it then turns drier and warmer for the temperatures rising. Rising. Boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Weather on. Gb news. Now then, lee anderson here join me on gb news on my new show, the real world. Every friday at 7 pm. Where real people get to channel good afternoon. Its 1 good afternoon. Its1 p. M. Good afternoon. Its1 pm. You are with the its 1 pm. You are with the live desk here on gb news. And coming up this friday lunchtime, is it a new cure for the nhs backlog . Backlog . Can the governments initiative for more private clinics help solve crisis . Clinics help solve the crisis . Even the Health Providers say waiting need longer term waiting lists need longer term treatment. Treatment. The mortgage meltdown down, the Mental Health crisis thats growing alongside the Interest Rate hikes. How nearly one half of young mortgage holders say they are now suffering. They are now suffering. And a very sad day for america, claims donald trump. America, claims donald trump. But is it a good day for his Political Team . The former us president riding high in the polls after his Court Appearance , he says one more indictment will ensure my election. Will ensure my election. Plus plus the sting operation underway in wales as police hunt for 14 stolen beehives. For 14 stolen beehives. Is it a job for the flying squad . As beekeepers warned, the thefts are part of a growing trend. First, lets buzz off to the latest headlines with rhiannon. Latest headlines with rhiannon. Thank you, mark. Good afternoon. Its 1 01. Thank you, mark. Good afternoon. Its1 01. Your top story is from the gb newsroom. Story is from the gb newsroom. The private sector is being called on to help clear the backlog and cut record high waiting lists. 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened across england to carry out hundreds of thousands of scans, checks and tests. Eight scans, checks and tests. Eight of the new facilities will be operated by independent companies , but services will be companies, but services will be free to patients. Five will be run by the nhs. Free to patients. Five will be run by the nhs. The latest run by the nhs. The latest figures show waiting lists almost hit 7. 5 million at the end of may. The highest since records began. Liberal democrat mp for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine says the pm should have acted sooner. Acted sooner. Why didnt they do something before they were strikes . Why didnt they do something to support the tens of thousands of staff in the nhs whove been pushed to breaking point by three years of covid waiting lists . All of that. The resource was there, it was available to the nhs to use. Why didnt he use it before now . Thats what use it before now . Thats what annoys me. And that, you know, annoys me. And that, you know, if there is something there thats possible to help people to cut back waiting lists, he should have been looking at this sooner. Soonen a soonen a mother and stepfather are due to be sentenced for the murder of a ten month old baby, jacob crouch was found dead in his cot at his derbyshire home in december 2020. Hed suffered 39 rib fractures, visible bruises and several internal injuries. Craig crouch was injuries. Craig crouch was convicted on wednesday of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty. The babys mother , cruelty. The babys mother, gemma barton, was also found guilty of Child Cruelty and causing or allowing his death. Causing or allowing his death. Social Media Influencer andrew tate, whos been released from house arrest in romania, says he will be exonerated. He and his will be exonerated. He and his brother have been held in bucharest, charged with human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. They deny organised crime group. They deny the charges against them. Tate, who has British American citizenship, welcomed his release, saying the indictment is based on nothing and the truth is beginning to prevail. Back here, planned strike action for this weekend by British Airways staff has been cancelled after a significant pay deal was reached. Unite union says the agreement means around 24,000 employees will receive a 13. 1 increase over 18 months plus a £1,000 one off payment industry action was due to start at Gatwick Airport today. Lasting until tuesday. The mayor of until tuesday. The mayor of london has announced plans to expand the ulez scrappage scheme. All londoners with a non complete car will now be able to apply for a grant of up to £2,000 to replace their vehicles. Critics say the vehicles. Critics say the changes are too little, too late. It comes after labour leader sir keir starmer urged sadiq khan to reflect on the ulez expansion following the partys byelection loss in uxbridge last month. And five activists month. And five activists involved in a stunt at the Prime Ministers house in North Yorkshire have been released on bail. Four of them who scaled the property and draped black fabnc the property and draped black fabric over his home, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and causing a pubuc criminal damage and causing a public nuisance. Rishi sunak wasnt at home at the time. Hes currently on holiday with his family in calif. The group was protesting against the Prime Ministers decision to grant new nonh ministers decision to grant new north sea oil and gas licences. North sea oil and gas licences. This is gb news across the uk on tv , in your car, on digital tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by simply saying play gb news now back to mark and. Now back to mark and. Pip welcome back to the live desk. The governments plans to use private clinics to cut nhs waiting lists have been met with scepticism by some experts. They scepticism by some experts. They are arguing that it ignores the root of the problem. Well, the kings fund, for instance, says that strike action has contributed to the 7. 4 million strong waiting list currently and that attention should be paid to Staffing Levels to help bring those numbers down. Lets cross to the department of health and join our Political Correspondent, olivia utley. There are olivia 7. 4, 7 Million People on waiting lists. How big a difference is this going to make . Well just to start off make . Well just to start off with, that really is an extraordinary number, 7. 4, 7 million is the highest number of people in england on waiting lists since records began in the early 2000. So. So how much of so. So how much of a difference is this going to make . Well, the 13 new diagnoses, six centres, eight of which will be privately be made available by private providers, and the other five will be six, will be nhs funded. They will between them, provide 750,000 scans and appointments each yeah scans and appointments each year. Well, with 7. 47 million on the waiting list, you can see why 750,000 doesnt sound like its going to make a huge amount of difference. But the government has already said that if these diagnostic centres prove to work well, then they will expand the programme beyond the south west. At the moment, five of these diagnostic centres are to going be in the cornwall and devon area, so it does feel like of a breakthrough. If like a bit of a breakthrough. If only signs of a only the early signs of a breakthrough. And on the whole its been welcomed the health its been welcomed by the health community. That said , labour has community. That said, labour has pointed out that it came up with a similar policy proposal early last year. Wes streeting did an last year. Wes streeting did an interview in january of 2022 saying that he would be prepared to use private capacity to try and shorten those nhs waiting lists. And labour are now saying that if labour had been in power for the last year and a half, then 330,000 more people would have been treated and that waiting list number would be a little bit smaller. So it does sound like it is going to make a bit of difference. But will it just be too little, too late . Just be too little, too late . Will it make any difference to rishi sunak prospects of re election . Yeah but thats an interesting point you bring up about labour because of course we to tony blairs we go back to tony blairs government 2003 onwards. Think put 30 private i think they put 30 private clinics in to the system to try and ameliorate it problems then. So clearly there is, if you like, a template for it. Previously. There is a template previously. There is a template for it in the blair era, it did work well waiting lists went down by a long way back in the early 2000. So whether this can work a second time, itll be really interesting to see. And its fascinating as well to see both rishi sunak and wes streeting talking about such a blairite idea. It really wasnt so long ago that talking about privatisation and the nhs in the same sentence was seen as sort of sacrilegious in some way. Labourin of sacrilegious in some way. Labour in the 2019 election, their slogan against the conservatives was they are going to privatise the nhs. Of course this isnt privatisation of the nhs, its simply using private facilities to shorten nhs waiting lists. And just to be waiting lists. And just to be clear, patients who are using these facilities wont have to pay these facilities wont have to pay at the point of use. It will pay at the point of use. It will be paid for by the nhs. But even that, this discussion about using private facilities within the nhs is not only sort of allowed to be being had, but actually it both both parties are competing to suggest that it was their idea shows what a long way weve come since the last general election. Indeed olivia at the department of health, thanks very much indeed for updating us. The bank of england put further pressure on mortgage holders yesterday , as know, holders yesterday, as we know, when Interest Rates for when it hiked Interest Rates for the time in a row. The 14th time in a row. Well, the chancellor, jeremy hunt, sky that hunt, told sky news that the quarter increase would help the quarter increase would help the government goals government reach its goals without the country falling into a recession. Rise in Interest Rates on any rise in Interest Rates is a worry for families with mortgages, for businesses with loans. But underneath that decision is a forecast that says that this time next year, inflation will be 2. 8 and we will have avoided recession. And what the bank of england governor is saying is that we have a plan that is bringing down inflation solidly, robustly and consistently. And consistently. Well, joining us now, sky news, no gb news economics and Business Editor Liam Halligan. Did i really say that he really did. Stay with us. You dont want to go anywhere else because weve got the latest for you. Listen weve just a of news. Just got a bit of news. Once the Business Editor was once the Business Editor of sky, were actually this of sky, you were actually this is true. Is very true. Werent we all at some time anyway, British Airways has Just Announced a 13. 1 pay increase for its staff and a £1,000 one off pay off. Now the interesting thing is, of course, we had Andrew Bailey, the governor of the bank of england, saying in inflation is so high because of these deals. Is this an these wage deals. Is this an indication that despite what they do Interest Rates, they do with Interest Rates, this to keep going this is going to keep going round round like this . Round and round like this . Have been pretty wage rises have been pretty high. Think on average they high. I think on average they are about 7 or 8 in the private sector, a little bit lower in the sector , though, the Public Sector, though, average sector wages are average Public Sector wages are higher private higher than average private sector wages yes, that said, sector wages. Yes, that said, very often, but its true. Pips looking really . Yes looking at me. Really . Yes really. And so 13 odd for British Airways is high. I believe thats a figure over 18 months. Yes. Yeah. And a one off payment. So the annual number will be less, but its still pretty chunky. But lets be clear, mark, when we hear that on average private sector pay has gone up 7 to 8 and Public Sector pay has gone up on average from 6 to 7, which have been the averages over the last few quarters. Thats still less than the rate of inflation, which has been, you know, 11, ten, nine. Now, of course, its 7. 9. So a lot of these average wage rises are still what we call real terms pay cuts. Yes. Call real terms pay cuts. Yes. Though, of course, this ba1 does seem to be a little bit ahead of inflation. So the extent to which theyre driving inflation when theyre actually behind inflation can certainly be questioned. Yeah, because a lot of people will be scratching their heads at bailey was saying at what Andrew Bailey was saying yesterday, look, yesterday, indicating, look, you know, inflation to come know, inflation is going to come down 5 or below by the down perhaps 5 or below by the end of year. But were going end of the year. But were going to keep Interest Rates to have to keep Interest Rates higher for longer. So 2025. So 2025. Yeah. Does marry . Yeah. How does that marry . Yeah. How does that marry . I mean. I mean. Well, you said they should have stuck at 5. Ive been saying they should have stuck. I said they should have stuck. I said they should have stuck. I said they should have stuck at 4. 5 have stuck. I said they should have stuck at 45 back in march. Theres march. But but look, theres a lot there. One of the most famous central bankers of all time was alan greenspan. Right the federal reserve. You remember him , his saxophone remember him, his saxophone player, iconic figure. And he once said famously , we as a once said famously, we as a central banker, if youve not misunderstood me , then maybe misunderstood me, then maybe ive said the wrong thing. So the whole idea here is that there design, theyre meant to be elliptical, theyre meant to speak out of both sides of their mouth at the same time, frighten the horses because theyre trying to maintain credibility in a completely uncertain world. And the world is so uncertain at the moment. You think about the outlook for inflation. Look, i totally understand mortgage holders paying that that rate rise yesterday, which i think was completely unnecessary. I think just bank of think its just the bank of england doubling down on england is doubling down on earlier. It was too late earlier errors. It was too late to start raising rates its to start raising rates now. Its too to raising rates too late to stop raising rates behind that rise just behind the curve. That rise just yesterdays rise pit will add £30 on average to a mortgage if its a 200 grand mortgage and in lots of parts of the country, mortgages are much bigger than 200 grand because house prices are high. We know the 3 or are so high. We know the 3 or £400 a year. Just from yesterdays announcement £400 a year. Just from yestpressureinnouncement £400 a year. Just from yestpressure thatrncement £400 a year. Just from yestpressure that people tl £400 a year. Just from yestpressure that people are the pressure that people are under the Charity Today under from the Charity Today saying calls . Saying how many calls . Absolutely. Saying how many calls . Absolut calls them are increasing i thats 5mm lam thats why i get ever so slightly not usual calm slightly not my usual calm collected self when i talk about these things because these Interest Rate rises apart from the mortgage hikes, take the mortgage hikes, will take years impact economy. So years to impact the economy. So lets just see what happens from the many, many Interest Rate rises weve already had. And we can the fact youve got can see the fact youve got Producer Prices coming down under definitions, producer under some definitions, Producer Price inflation is now negative in this country. And again, a lot of people will be thinking, why on earth has pnce will be thinking, why on earth has price at my has the petrol price at my garage suddenly shot up through the again . You know, usual the roof again . You know, usual up rocket, like up like a rocket, down like a feather. I mean, just my local one, was about £0. 04 one, i think it was about £0. 04 per litre. Suddenly added it per litre. Suddenly added on it within a week. Because geo thats because of geo politics. Weve lots of politics. Weve got lots of sabre rattling from the opec exporters cartel. Theyve been lowering outputs. Opec now lowering their outputs. Opec now works in cahoots in conjunction with the russians. The russians arent in opec, but they call themselves opec. Plus this. They produce a lot of stuff. Opec plus these Oil Exporting Countries who act together , they countries who act together, they produce over 50 of oil in the world. And they command they control over 90 of all reserve of oil. That hasnt yet been of oil. That hasnt yet been pumped. So theyre very , very pumped. So theyre very, very powerful. Weve just had by the way, news that in a place called novorossiysk, a place ive been to many times, its a its a black sea port in russia. A Ukrainian Drone has just bombed an oil ship or a drone that some ukrainian sources are claiming its theirs. Theyve bombed an its theirs. Theyve bombed an oil ship so that sent the price of oil rocketing just for now. Of oil rocketing just for now. Lets see what happens, because they havent actually bombed an oil terminal. Theyve just bombed one of the ships. But theyre showing that russias own infrastructure now is own export infrastructure now is not limits. Weve seen the not off limits. Weve seen the russian equivalent canary russian equivalent of canary wharf in moscow targeted by a drone earlier this week. Yeah and now were seeing all this geopolitics that is feeding into the very uncertain outlook on the very uncertain outlook on the focus very much on that black sea for not just oil, but the grain shipments as well, which actually think, mark, which is i actually think, mark, that sea deal on grain, that black sea deal on grain, which the turks brokered and the un, by the way, with the russians the ukrainians, russians and the ukrainians, i think reinstated think that could be reinstated quite because its too quite soon because its too important not be money talks. Important not to be money talks. And the russians are saying, look, there are various sides to this youve got give us this deal. Youve got to give us a export our grain as a way to export our grain as well as helping the export of ukrainian grain. Much analysis than you much better analysis than you get news. Get on sky news. Very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. We know that. Yeah all we know that. Yeah all we know that. Yeah now former us President Donald Trump has claimed he needs one more indictment to secure the election after being arraigned last night in a washington, dc. Courthouse. Yes, he appeared before that magistrate judge to face four criminal charges relating to the 2020 election result, but then said he had a very good day at the arraignment arraignment in washington. But what do us voters make of this . Well, a New York Times poll is showing biden and trump tied among registered voters at 43 each. Lets get more with the professor of International Politics at the university of birmingham, david dunn, who can join us. David, thanks for your time once again. I guess we ought to make plain that this is support within the Republican Party proper. We still dont know what it would be out in the body politic and those floating politic and all those floating voters, soccer moms , as they voters, the soccer moms, as they call them. Call them. Absolutely. We should be very absolutely. We should be very careful about reading too much into one poll, 15 months ahead of the election. And this is of the election. And this is a these are notoriously difficult to get right, partly because the nature of polling is done by telephones. Most people dont telephones. Most people dont answer the landlines. And answer the landlines. And therefore, id be sceptical about reading too much, put too much emphasis on this. But there is a broader truth that the fact that trump has been in the headunes that trump has been in the headlines has been able to use those platforms , aims to spin those platforms, aims to spin his particular interpreter version of these narratives means that hes had a huge amount of publicity and hes used that to great effect with his very loyal base. So theres his very loyal base. So theres about 30 of the American Population who are diehard trump fans , and they are noisy, fans, and they are noisy, theyre vociferous , they are theyre vociferous, they are active, they are supportive in terms of money coming towards the Trump Organisation in various forms , and they actually various forms, and they actually see the buy in to his narrative that he is being persecuted , that he is being persecuted, hes some sort of martyr and as a consequence, once we see him having a dominant position within the republican parties as we headed towards the primary season. So its likely he will season. So its likely he will get the nomination, its difficult to see how he wont get the nomination from this perspective. And within an hour of appearing in court yesterday, he was , as i understand it, he was, as i understand it, appealing for more donations. They kept coming in and those donations actions are helping to pay donations actions are helping to pay for his legal fees. Its very interesting. Trump its very interesting. Trump brags about being this billionaire with all these wonderful assets, and yet hes not using his own money to pay his legal fees. Hes actually using supporters money rather than anything else. And he has an enormous legal bills because even his lawyers have lawyers now. And of course, weve seen now. And of course, weve seen some of his lawyers likely to face charges in the latest round of indictments that these six unnamed Co Conspirators are likely to include lawyers or former lawyers as well as advisers to himself. So his legal fields, fees are enormous. But yes , he has using used this but yes, he has using used this set of indictments as indeed he used a presidency as a way to ennch used a presidency as a way to enrich himself and that is part of the trump playbook. Of the trump playbook. And what does it tell us about the state of play of the american body politic . I mean, it seems to be more associated now with social media and showbiz than it does with hard politics. Oh, absolutely. I mean , the oh, absolutely. I mean, the trump has always been and remains is first and foremost a showman. He sees politics as showman. He sees politics as entertainment, as culture, war, as as as humour. And thats part of his appeal to his supporters that actually its the politics of anti politics. This is the nature of populism , which we can nature of populism, which we can we can see parallels here with bofis we can see parallels here with Boris Johnson and other other figures. But but he has used that platform to great effect financially and politically. Financially and politically. David, thank you for that. David, thank you for that. And of course, well wait to see what happens, not just in the legal process, but the political process as well head process as well as we head towards that 2024 president ial election. Thanks much indeed. You are watching and listening to the live desk on gb news with Mark Longhurst and pip tomson. Well , tomson. Well, coming up, the schools minister who says gcse and a level results must return a level exam results must return to pre pandemic levels to carry any credibility , she will be any credibility, she will be heading back to the classroom shortly. Looks like things are shortly. Looks like things are heating up. Heating up. Boxed boilers proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Of weather on. Gb news. Hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast dry and warmer weather is on the way for later next week. More on that in a moment. But for the time being, got same old being, weve got the same old a lot of showers across eastern parts of country, drier parts of the country, drier towards the west, but only ahead of the next weather system thats the thats moving in for the weekend, bringing another spell of and rain. Of unseasoned wind and rain. Now, that will bring some rain into ireland through into Northern Ireland through the showers in the the evening. The showers in the east but tending east disappearing, but tending to continue across northeast england for time. Cloud cover england for a time. Cloud cover increasing across the country. The rain turning heavy and persistent in Western Areas and Northern Ireland at risk of localised flooding because of course, saturated ground here following july on following the wettest july on record. Start off record. As we start off saturday, it is looking poor out there. If youre not a fan of wind and rain, certainly weve got plenty of it pushing across Northern Ireland into england and wales. The winds really picking irish sea picking up across irish sea coast and then into the south and england and southwest of england and wales coast, 60, 65 mile wales around coast, 60, 65 mile per hour wind gusts could cause some impacts for outdoor activities. Camping for example, really unseasonable conditions out there. And as the rain comes down, temperatures only reaching around 13, 14 celsius through central parts. Showers for central parts. Showers for scotland Northern Ireland scotland and Northern Ireland and all of this pulls through on sunday, improved day, sunday, a much improved day, plenty sunshine to start plenty of sunshine to start things especially through things off, especially through central a few central parts. Still a few showers about and still 1 or 2 showers about and still 1 or 2 showers as we start off next week. And temperatures again struggling at the start of next week before it turns drier week before it then turns drier and warmer. And warmer. Looks like things are heating up. Boxed boilers, proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Welcome back to the live desk. Now the schools minister has warned that exam results in england need to return to try that again. Pre pandemic levels. This year to ensure gcses and a levels carry weight and credibility , we need to go back credibility, we need to go back to class anyway, nick gibb says its expected that exam aids, as they called it in some gcse subjects which were used this summer to acknowledge disruption to learning will not be offered to learning will not be offered to students next year. Well, that comment follows a surge in top gcse and a level grade results during the covid pandemic. We know during that pandemic that it led to an increase in top gcse as and a level grades in 20 and 21. With those results, you might remember , results, you might remember, based on Teacher Assessments instead of exams. Well, joining us now to discuss this further is maths teacher bobby seagull. Always good to see you, bobby. Thanks for talking to us on gb news. Does nick gibb have a point then with his comments . Point then with his comments . Yeah, i think it does make sense because 2019, as you mentioned, was the last time the nafion mentioned, was the last time the nation had a full set of public exams so done under exam conditions marked by external examiners and an external set of grades and understanding during covid, there were significant disruptions to everyones education. So the government had to come up with a quick solution. And they said, actually, Teacher Assessment in 2020 and 2021 would be the way to do it. But as a result, it meant that the grades as a result were naturally a bit inflated. And if were to make the exam system fair, we need to make sure that the 2019 gcses are sort of where the 2023, 2024 standards will be because what nick gibb has said is that with students of the same ability and the same diligence of putting the same diligence of putting the hard work in, they should get the same grades roughly every single year. But the last couple of years. The reality is students sat exams or had students have sat exams or had results in 2020, 2021 did have above average grades. So we need to make sure that things return back to normal. And again, when ispeak back to normal. And again, when i speak to my students, the ones from 2020 and 2021, a lot of them did tell me, mr seagull, i wish id had exams to prove myself. So actually, i think most students actually to most students actually prefer to have external assessed exams to show their the sort of what theyve learnt over the last 11 years of primary and secondary school. But is there a flip side to this . And that is that perhaps some of the, as we say, teaching or exam tools that were used as well as assessment during well as the assessment during the actually help the pandemic, may actually help children more . And perhaps we need rethink some of the need to rethink some of the approaches weve got that approaches that weve got that weve got. So i think theres actually a bigger question mark about the nature exam system, nature of the exam system, because nowadays, again, compared to like 20, 30 years ago, have search engines, we ago, we have search engines, we have chat gpt, all these software here, and we need young people to be able to sort of apply their skills and knowledge rather just recall lists of rather than just recall lists of dates. Of theres a need dates. Of course theres a need to the basic again as to have the basic like again as a teacher, the numeracy a maths teacher, the numeracy skills, tables. Skills, your times tables. But a lot of its about application of knowledge. So actually whilst i encourage learn encourage my students to learn the key formulas, i know in maths physics and the maths and physics and the combined science, they were exam aids being able to aids is actually being able to apply the knowledge and apply those. The knowledge and the thats more the skills thats more useful. So maybe actually exams have so maybe actually exams do have to with times a bit. Yeah. So and this applies perhaps to university this point that they say, you know, the kids need to be taught how to think, not what to think. Think. Not what to think. Think. Yes. And this is a key part because sometimes they get very capable students who come to me and theyve got good results. But actually ask them a question about their opinions and whats happening in the world and the news and theyre like, so you havent taught us that. And i think key point. Think thats the key point. Education not just imbuing education is not just imbuing them the facts, them with the facts, but actually skills think for actually the skills to think for themselves. Ives yeah, i mean, i know when growing with when i was growing up, as with mark, probably was all just mark, probably it was all just exams, exams. And so many exams, exams, exams. And so many people done so much people would have done so much better if theyd have had coursework, for example , more coursework, for example, more coursework, for example, more coursework to do. You know, not everybody performs in that exam environment. Do they . Environment. Do they . Yeah. Because again, the exam again, the whole system is can you perform that one day at the age of 16 or 18. It seems a bit archaic in some ways because someone might have a great understanding of maths or engush understanding of maths or english or, or physics, but on that day, for various that one day, for various reasons, theyve slept badly or, or pending work. Or maybe theyre pending work. It be any number of it could be any number of reasons slightly reasons they slightly underperform may underperform and the result may not reflect their actual capability. And again, if youre capability. And again, if youre an employer, you want people that do the job. And again, that can do the job. And again, its a again, i its always tough for examiners in the government you trying to find something that reflects someones the day but someones ability on the day but actually the job in actually can they do the job in the future . Bobby, thank very much bobby, thank you very much indeed. Passed test. Bobby, thank you very much indeeithanks. Passed test. Many thanks. Thank you. Mark thank you, pip. Thank you. Know amazon workers experiencing their biggest industrial action biggest day of industrial action in long dispute. In the year long dispute. Thats according to the gmb union, which has organised the latest strikes. Gb news is West Midlands reporter jack carson joins us from coventry. Good afternoon , from coventry. Good afternoon, jack. Why are they striking and is it going to affect our deliveries . Deliveries . Well, the point on delivery, not so much because this is a Fulfilment Centre here in coventry. The same with the second Fulfilment Centre that the striking out in rugeley as well. So theyre kind of the middle point between in the kind of parts and kind of packages here. Go on to the distribution centres, which is then where of course they are delivered to customers around. Of course for this area in the West Midlands. So not so much an impact on deliveries. Thats what amazon are trying to reassure customers with this industrial action. But pay with this industrial action. But pay of course is the main dispute that the gmb union are in dispute with. Over £15 an in dispute with. Over £15 an houris in dispute with. Over £15 an hour is the demand that they are wanting. That goes up from the 11 to £12. Now that amazon say they pay their staff, they say they pay their staff, they say they pay their staff, they say they pay above the National Living wage and actually they are giving their workers fair benefits. On top of that. Now, benefits. On top of that. Now, in the last hour we were talking about this secured fencing that you can probably see behind me that was kind of here this morning, very much contained the rally that was taking place just after ive just been after 7 00. Ive just been speaking to someone from amazon just minutes ago was just a few minutes ago that was saying actually while the saying that actually while the gmb that they gmb were suggesting that they that amazon were trying to cage their in, it is actually their workers in, it is actually their workers in, it is actually the landlord of this Industrial Estate has put that estate that has put up that fencing and got nothing to fencing and its got nothing to do amazon at all. So do with amazon at all. So interesting that the landlord has decided to put this fencing up. Of it did mean that up. Of course, it did mean that the workers that werent on the picket line this morning did have route into the have a safer route into the fulfilment here and there have a safer route into the fulfibeent here and there have a safer route into the fulfibeen security here and there have a safer route into the fulfibeen security one and there have a safer route into the fulfibeen security on the d there has been security on the entrances to protect those workers have been coming workers that have been coming in. Course, weve been in. Of course, weve been heanng in. Of course, weve been hearing this hearing from the gmb this morning about, of course some of the working conditions that they say workers have to say some of the workers have to come and very much the come through. And very much the feeling momentum well, feeling of momentum as well, because, course , since because, of course, since january this amazon january when this Amazon Warehouse went on strike, theyve been the only one. But now with rugeley up in staffordshire, now getting involved as well , it does staffordshire, now getting involved as well, it does mean that the gmb union believes that they are gaining momentum. We they are gaining momentum. We did an amazon spokesperson did ask an amazon spokesperson for a comment this strike for a comment on this strike action and they said that they regularly review their pay to ensure they offer ensure that they offer competitive wages benefits. Competitive wages and benefits. And say since 2018, minimum and they say since 2018, minimum pay and they say since 2018, minimum pay has risen by 37 and that they work hard to provide benefits. A positive Work Environment, an excellent career, opportunities. Career, opportunities. Jack, thanks very much indeed for updating us. But lets deliver you now the news headunes deliver you now the News Headlines with rhiannon. Headlines with rhiannon. Mark, thank you. Good afternoon. Its 133. Your top stories from the newsroom. The private sector is being called on to help clear the backlog and cut record high waiting lists. Cut record high waiting lists. 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened across england to carry out hundreds of thousands of scans, checks and tests. Eight of the new facilities will be operated by independent companies, but services will be free to patients. Five will be run by patients. Five will be run by the nhs. The latest figures show the nhs. The latest figures show waiting lists almost hit 7. 5 million at the end of may. Thats the highest since records beganin thats the highest since records began in a man has been jailed for life with a minimum of 28 years for murdering the cousin of boxing champion tyson fury, 22 year old liam oprey stabbed Richard Burton to death in Greater Manchester in august last year during a brawl hed already had a conviction for carrying a knife in public before the murder. A social before the murder. A social Media Influencer, andrew tate, whos been released from house arrest in romania, says he will be exonerated. And he and his be exonerated. And he and his brother have been held in bucharest, charged with human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. They deny organised crime group. They deny the charges against them. Tate, the charges against them. Tate, who has British American citizen , welcomed his release, saying the indictments based on nothing and the truth is beginning to prevail and planned strike action for this weekend by British Airways staff has been cancelled after a significant pay cancelled after a significant pay deal was reached. Unite unions says the agreement means around 24,000 employees will receive a 13. 1 increase over 18 months plus a £1,000 one off payment. Industrial action was due to start at Gatwick Airport today. Lasting until tuesday. Today. Lasting until tuesday. And you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Direct website, gb news. Com. Direct bullion website, gbnews. Com. Direct bullion sponsors. The finance report on gb news for gold and silver investors arent. Arent. Heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2691 and ,1. 1601. The price of gold is £1,521. 63 per ounce. And the ftse 100. At 7494 points. Direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for physical oh. Welcome back to the live desk. Lets have a look at what the labour party is claiming. A problem for england with housing saying its been deprived of 212,000 new homes since the last election. They say due to the election. They say due to the governments failure to meet a manifesto target of building 300,000 new homes each year. 300,000 new homes each year. Well, this comes after new figures released it found that in 20 2122, the government fell 67,000 short of that target. And 67,000 short of that target. And in the two years before that , in the two years before that, they fell 88,050 7000 homes short, respectively. Short, respectively. Lots of figures. What about the policies . Lets speak to the the policies . Lets speak to the senior Political Correspondent from the guardian, aubrey allegretti. Aubrey, thank you for your time. Clearly, the for your time. Clearly, the problem not for just the problem is not for just the government, but for labour as well. These well. That they have these policies. Then the mps have to sell it. If you like, in the constituencies and thats when the problems begin with the, you know, for some know, the nimby factor for some times reasonable reasons. Times quite reasonable reasons. It. It seems. Yes, theres always going to be a tension between Central Government which dictates the sort of overall target and then local government, which is in charge of implementing that target and obviously much smaller level , target and obviously much smaller level, making sure that the new homes are being built. Now, there have been concerns raised about the governments kind of lack of commitment to the 300 new 300,000 new homes target because michael gove last year said it was going to be advisory instead of mandatory. And thats meant that we have seen for three successive years in a row that its fallen short. The government is still, it says, on track to meet its overall target of building 1 million new homes. This parliament. But whether or not thats really going to be enough for young people to be able to buy a property, get their first foot on the property ladder, that doesnt look like its the case at all. Will the plans announced by michael gove make a difference, though, homes though, creating more homes in the our cities like the hearts of our cities like like cambridge was given as an example . Example . Absolutely. Michael gove, i think, has sort of felt like hes had his hands tied behind his back a little bit because there have been numerous rows over planning. Theres very over planning. Theres a very sort powerful within the sort of powerful rump within the conservative party, is conservative party, which is very against the government kind of dictating to local areas exactly many homes should be exactly how many homes should be built there. But the housing secretary, in a speech a few weeks was saying that inner weeks ago, was saying that inner city should be targeted. City areas should be targeted. Now, think that that might now, youd think that that might sort of welcome news all sort of be welcome news all round, but of course, immediately we talked about wanting to see a new urban quarter in cambridge as being at the top of his list of priorities. And we saw local leaders there, including the local conservative mp anthony browne, against this browne, rallying against this and saying it was completely unsustainable there wasnt unsustainable that there wasnt the kind of infrastructure in the kind of infrastructure in the city to be able to sustain the city to be able to sustain the building of all those properties and all the properties there. And all the influx of people moving as well. So regardless of what the so again, regardless of what the secretary of state wants and what governments desire is, what the governments desire is, he seems to be continually met with opposition, even local with opposition, even from local leaders that the leaders who think that the governments going too far or too fast. P g other issue, of and the other issue, of course is that it seems that in course, is that it seems that in terms of the house building, its the Big Developers that have stranglehold on this. And have a stranglehold on this. And its not just the number of homes, but its the type of homes, but its the type of homes because of course the Big Developers to build these, homes because of course the big dev quite stay local, id quite like to stay local, id like able live near my like to be able to live near my family in the area i grew up family and in the area i grew up in. There arent enough in. But there arent enough homes here or i cant afford to buy a home here because the amount constituency is amount in the constituency is too are too small. So there are certainly there as well. Certainly issues there as well. You touched the fact and you touched on the fact that the by election, i mean, it is interesting does seem is interesting and it does seem to be coming up so high on the political agenda ahead of a general we think general election. We might think its the nhs its the economy and the nhs perhaps, are real perhaps, that are the real touchstones. Perhaps, that are the real tou absolutely. Housing is absolutely. Housing is something obviously fewer something that obviously fewer people have access to at the moment. Fewer young people. Moment. Fewer young people. There are some really interesting statistics. I think its about 49 of 25 to 34 year olds owned their own home back in 2009 2010, and its now fallen to Something Like 39. So very drastically. That means obviously , that young people obviously, that young people dont have kind of capital or an asset that they can be investing in, which ultimately will squeeze their finances in the long term. And of course, if people if the sort of Housing Market remains in the grip of landlords , then it means that landlords, then it means that younger people who cant afford to buy a house are subject to the whims of whatever their landlords want put the rent landlords want to put the rent up to. And means that up to. And that means that dunng up to. And that means that during cost of living crisis during the cost of living crisis , their bills go , theyre seeing their bills go up more. Up more and more. I it was lisa nandy i think it was lisa nandy that said, the governments at war itself over housing, war with itself over housing, but labour is saying it would give English Councils more powers to build on green belt land. Yes , thats right. Its one yes, thats right. Its one of the options being explored because Greenbelt Land obviously has this very sort of hollowed and sacred status in the Planning System , and yet there Planning System, and yet there are some examples of where it seems that there are perfectly adequate places that housing could be built. And i feel like i read time and time again about where applications have been denied and in sort of far more suitable areas. So i think labouris suitable areas. So i think labour is trying to kind of harness as much potential for young people as possible. Also realising that the potential growth implications housebuilding and allowing people to get the sort of foot on the property ladder will really help with growth. And that been a target not just that has been a target not just of the Prime Minister rishi sunak, but labour sunak, but also the labour leader. Keir starmer yeah. Think that could do you think that could backfire them bearing in mind backfire on them bearing in mind what happened with ulez the backfire on them bearing in mind what boroughs with ulez the backfire on them bearing in mind what boroughs in th ulez the backfire on them bearing in mind what boroughs in terms z the backfire on them bearing in mind what boroughs in terms of the the outer boroughs in terms of the sort of blue wall as such that labour maybe to try to get labour maybe want to try to get into and that that could really backfire on you know, this backfire on them. You know, this this attack on green belt as this attack on the green belt as the might show it , it this attack on the green belt as the might show it, it has the tories might show it, it has the tories might show it, it has the potential to, if not done kind of properly and sensitively and showing people the benefits and showing people the benefits and making sure ultimately that you bring people with you. It seems like a long time ago now, but its still within this parliament. You might remember the chesham and amersham by election back in i think 2021 that viewed in part as a that was viewed in part as a sort of big backlash to the governments plan ring laws that were being proposed at the time by the then housing minister , by the then housing minister, robert jenrick, and the government immediately sort of backtracked and got worried about pursuing those. So it is something that voters have shown before if government before that if the government goes fast, theyre willing goes too fast, theyre willing to punish the government for. Yeah, yeah. Aubrey very good to speak to you. Thanks for joining to speak to you. Thanks forjoining us, senior Political Correspondent at the guardian. You. Guardian. Thank you. Russias main Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny, faces a further 20 years behind bars on extremism. Extremism charges that are widely seen as politically motivated. As politically motivated. As Vladimir Putin continues his unprecedented repression on dissent, reminiscent of the soviet era. Well, hes already serving a nine year sentence in a high security prison normally reserved for russias most dangerous criminals. Reserved for russias most dangerous criminals. And hes dangerous criminals. And hes accused of parole violations , accused of parole violations, fraud, contempt of court already saying he expects a long stalling sentence. Well, lets get more now with russia. Commentator danny armstrong, who can join us. And danny , the can join us. And danny, the interesting thing is hes actually been tried effectively in prison. In that prison. Yeah, thats true. Its actually a makeshift court in penal colony. Number six is a penal colony. Number six is a maximum security prison around about 150 miles east of moscow. About 150 miles east of moscow. And Alexei Navalny has said that he expects around about 18 years, just shy of two decades, added to his sentence. Hes already serving 11. 5 years in prison on charges of fraud. Hes going up against charges of extremism. And you should find out the outcome of those charges today. Now, its important to note that he did invoke stalin. He he referenced that this will be a stalinist sentence if it is those 18 or 20 years as it may be. Now, thats important on on a couple of fronts. Its important as it gives Alexei Navalnys view on Vladimir Putin sort of continue thing this styling era of repression this this terror, this cult of personality. And its also personality. And its also important to note that stalin was seen as a great moderniser and a great wartime leader at one point who was the perfect antidote to the establishment. Now, Alexei Navalny gets a lot of his support from the anti establishment youth who would like him as the leader of like to see him as the leader of russia. And Vladimir Putin gets russia. And Vladimir Putin gets his support from those that actually have experience from those that those years preceding Vladimir Putin. When it was it was complete chaos in russia. Vladimir putin is seen as somebody who brings about order and who brings about order in the face of these these challenges to his power as weve seen with yevgeny prigozhin, in that failed mutiny recently. But Alexei Navalny is seen as this major, major opposition, this major, major opposition, this major, major opposition, this major, Major Political power that can stir up that dissent amongst the anti established youth. And of course , vladimir youth. And of course, Vladimir Putin still see that as a threat. And to have Alexei Navalny in prison is, of course, something that Vladimir Putin would want. But its a threat to what Vladimir Putin is actually trying to do. And its important to at that as well. Hes to look at that as well. Hes trying get back to the rabid trying to get back to the rabid and respected status of the ussr , and thats where he gains most of most his support among of his most of his support among the masses. Of his most of his support among the dani, masses. Of his most of his support among the dani, mas also of his most of his support among the dani, masalso interesting dani, whats also interesting is that journalists have been allowed briefly into the penal colony for the start of the trial and for the end of it. Why not the middle . Why not the middle . Why not the middle . Well, thats very interesting question. Russia sort the kremlin has come out and said this is a matter for the courts. It may be that they just want to keep that under wraps. And what is actually going on and what is actually said in that trial or under wraps. Its also may be to prevent Alexei Navalny from having that platform come to voice any sort of to voice , any voice any sort of to voice, any sort of protest or to voice any sort of protest or to voice any sort of protest or to voice any sort of message to his his supporters, of course. I mean, you could hold up any sort of sign or make any sort of gesture that could become a popular meme. Its all important to keep that on the down low to keep that on the down low to keep that sort of repressed , as it that sort of repressed, as it were, because thats where political opponents of Vladimir Putin do gain a lot of their support in social media and of course, in those independent medias and media abroad, as we see in that little makeshift court there in the penal colony. Number six in maleckova. Number six in maleckova. Yeah, were just seeing keep that under wraps. Yeah, were just seeing these pictures coming in live now. Danny as you speak from there, this is, what, about 150 miles east of moscow and clearly there are, as we have indicated, some reporters there. But how much of his story will actually get out . And these new procedures will get out to the russian public and be disseminated there . And be disseminated there . Well , i and be disseminated there . Well, i think the russian pubuc well, i think the russian public can make up its own mind. If anybody who is sort of less naive to russian politics or certainly of the past century would know its been strewn with saviours that are seen as sort of the perfect antidote to the establishment, but then become the establishment and become something even worse than the tyrants they were meant to depose. Alexei navalnys story is one of opposition to Vladimir Putin, of course , but there is putin, of course, but there is also a back story to him. Also hes been accused of racism. Hes been accused of racism. Hes been accused of being nationalist and imperialist. Thats also got out into the western world. So people will make their own mind up about this. But it certainly is one of those things thats split into generations. The generations. I mean, the generations. I mean, the generation , generation of the young, anti establishment russians who would some sort of would probably want some sort of shift from Vladimir Putin shift away from Vladimir Putin and more western leading western leaning rather, and the generation who actually have some some experience of what it was like before Vladimir Putin, before this kind of order was was brought into russia. Was brought into russia. Russian russia. Commentator danny armstrong, thanks ever so much for your thoughts and analysis there. We were just analysis there. We were just looking at live pictures from the makeshift courtroom, the penal colony where Alexei Navalny is about to be sentenced in this high security prison. That sentencing is about to start. He is facing a further 20 years behind bars. Charges against him include creating an Extremist Organisation and financing extremist activity cities. And even after today , i cities. And even after today, i think he is also expecting further charges to follow. Well be following the verdict or the sentencing here on gb news. Do stay with. Us stay with. Us a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office with the gb news forecast, drier and warmer weather is on the way for later next week. More on that in a moment. But for time a moment. But for the time being, weve the same old being, weve got the same old a lot of across eastern lot of showers across eastern parts country. Drier parts of the country. Drier towards west, but only ahead towards the west, but only ahead of weather system of the next weather system thats for the thats moving in for the weekend, bringing another spell of and rain. Of unseasonable wind and rain. Now bring some rain now that will bring some rain into Northern Ireland through the showers in the the evening. The showers in the east but tending east disappearing, but tending to continue across north east england for a time. Cloud cover increasing across the country. The rain turning heavy and persistent in Western Areas and Northern Ireland at risk of localised flooding because of course saturated ground here following on following the wettest july on record as start off record. As we start off saturday, it is looking poor out there. If youre not a fan of there. If youre not a fan of wind and rain, certainly weve got plenty of it pushing across Northern Ireland into england and wales. The winds really picking up across irish sea coast the south picking up across irish sea coassouthwest the south picking up across irish sea coassouthwest of the south picking up across irish sea coassouthwest of england� uth picking up across irish sea coassouthwest of england and and southwest of england and wales around coast, 60, 65 mile per hour wind gusts could cause some impacts for outdoor activities. Camping for example, really conditions really unseasonable conditions out there. And as the rain comes down, temperatures only reaching around 13, 14 celsius through central. Showers for central parts. Showers for scotland Northern Ireland. Scotland and Northern Ireland. And all of this pulls through on sunday, improved day , sunday, a much improved day, plenty sunshine to start plenty of sunshine to start things off, especially through central still a few central parts. Still a few showers about and still 1 or 2 showers about and still 1 or 2 showers as we start off next week. And temperatures again struggling at the start of next week before it then turns drier and warmer for a brighter outlook with boxt solar. Proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news i john gb news because i was sick and tired of not heanng i was sick and tired of not hearing my views being represented , not just mine, but represented, not just mine, but so many people that i knew and spoke to. I just couldnt get my voice out there. I couldnt say anything. I couldnt do anything. Whatever the narrative was, i of had couldnt do anything. Whatever th we think different things. Weve style. Weve got a different style. Here to be gb news is here to be optimistic positive about optimistic and positive about the future. Kind of the future. Its real kind of dynamic flow ing with the dynamic and flow ing with the audience very much at the heart of it. A big family. Like a big family. Like a big family. Here at gb we talk here at gb news, we talk about the things that matter to you. Hearing the voices from right across towns and right across our towns and cities , especially our towns, cities, especially our towns, all sides of the argument represented with a heavy dose of opinion. Were on a mission here to make a difference and the gb news family really is here for you. And whatever time of day you can watch or listen , britons can watch or listen, britons watching, britains watching. Watching, britains watching. Were proud to be gb news the peoples channel. Britains news channel. Britains news channel. Then lee anderson here join me on gb news on my new show, the real world, every friday at 7 pm. Where real people get to meet those in power and hold them to account every week well be hearing your views from up and down the country. In the real world. Join me at 7 00 on gb news britain on news channel its 2 00 here with a live desk here on gb news. And coming up this friday afternoon on the mother and stepfather of ten month old jacob crouch , who was month old jacob crouch, who was found dead in his cot in december 2020, are due to be sentenced in the next few minutes. Well have the proceedings live from Derby Crown Court. Live from Derby Crown Court. Is it a new cure for the nhs backlog . Can the governments initiative for more private clinics help solve the crisis . Even the Health Providers say waiting lists need longer term treatment. Treatment. Mortgage meltdown. The Mental Health crisis thats growing alongside the Interest Rate hikes. How nearly one half of hikes. How nearly one half of young mortgage holders say they are now suffering. Are now suffering. And also coming up, trump says its a sad day for politics in america , but is it a good day in america, but is it a good day for his Political Team . The former president riding high in the polls after his latest Court Appearance. Now he says one more indictment will ensure my election. First, the latest headunes election. First, the latest headlines with rhiannon. Headlines with rhiannon. Thanks, mark. Good afternoon. Its one minute past to your top stories from the newsroom. The stories from the newsroom. The private sector is being called on to help clear the nhs backlog and cut record high waiting lists. 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres will be opened across england to carry out hundreds of thousands of scans, checks and tests. Eight scans, checks and tests. Eight of the new facilities will be operated by independent companies , but services will be companies, but services will be to free patients. Five will be run by the nhs. The latest figures show waiting lists almost hit 7. 5 million at the end of may. The highest since records began. Liberal democrat records began. Liberal democrat mp for Edinburgh West Christine Jardine says the pm should have acted sooner. Acted sooner. Why didnt they do something before they were strikes . Why didnt they do something to support the tens of thousands of staff in the nhs whove been pushed to breaking point by three years of covid waiting lists . All of that. The resource was there and it was available to the nhs to use. Why didnt he use it before . Now that is what annoys me and that, you know, if there is something that is possible to help people to cut back waiting lists, he should have been looking at this sooner. Soonen a soonen a man has been jailed for life with minimum of 28 years life with a minimum of 28 years for murdering the cousin of boxing champion tyson fury. 22 boxing champion tyson fury. 22 year old liam oprey stabbed Richard Burton to death in Greater Manchester in august last year during a brawl. Hed already had a conviction for carrying a knife in public before the murder. Outside before the murder. Outside court, police read out a statement on behalf of the victims family , his nieces and victims family, his nieces and nephews have different parents. Now, as the hurt is too much to bear. His son is fatherless. No one is the same, and we dont know if we can find the path to get back to the old us. We are all broken. We will never forget rico as the memories we share have been imprinted onto our minds and hearts. And a mother and stepfather are due to be sentenced for the murder of a ten month old baby. Murder of a ten month old baby. Jacob crouch was found dead in his cot at his derbyshire home in december 2020. Hed suffered 39 rib fractures , visible 39 rib fractures, visible bruises and several internal injuries. Craig crouch was convicted on wednesday of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty. The babys mother, cruelty. The babys mother, gemma barton , was also found gemma barton, was also found guilty of Child Cruelty and causing or allowing his death. Causing or allowing his death. Social Media Influencer andrew tate, whos been released from house arrest in romania , says house arrest in romania, says hell be exonerated. He and his brother have been held in bucharest, charged with human trafficking, rape and forming an organised crime group. They deny organised crime group. They deny the charges against them. Tate, who has British American citizenship, welcomed his release, saying the indictment is based on nothing and the truth is beginning to prevail. Planned strike action for this weekend by British Airways staff has been cancelled after a significant pay deal was reached. Unite union says the agreement means around 24,000 employees will receive a 13. 1 increase over 18 months, plus a £1,000 one off payment. Industrial action was due to start at Gatwick Airport today until tuesday. The mayor of until tuesday. The mayor of london has announced plans to expand the ulez scrappage scheme. All londoners with a non compliant car will now be able to apply for a grant of up to £2,000 to replace their vehicle. Critics say the changes are too little, too late and it comes after labour leader sir keir starmer urged sadiq khan to reflect on the ulez expansion following the partys by election loss in uxbridge last month. And five active ists last month. And five active ists involved in a stunt at the Prime Ministers house in North Yorkshire have been released on bail. Four of them who scaled the property and draped black fabnc the property and draped black fabric over his home, were arrested on suspicion of causing criminal damage and causing pubuc criminal damage and causing public nuisance. Rishi sunak wasnt at home at the time. Hes currently on holiday with his family in california. The group was protesting against the Prime Ministers decision to grant new nonh ministers decision to grant new north sea oil and gas licences. North sea oil and gas licences. This is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by simply saying play gb news. Now back over to mark and. Back over to mark and. Pip welcome back to gb news. The governments plans to use private clinics to cut nhs waiting lists have been met with sceptics by some experts. There arguing that it ignores the root of the problem. The kings fund in particular says that strike action is contributed to the waiting list and that attention should also be paid to Staffing Levels to bnng be paid to Staffing Levels to bring the numbers down. Health minister Maria Caulfield admitting that the current waiting list more than 7. 4 Million People would still rise despite this expanded use of the private sector. Private sector. Lets cross to the department of health and join our Political Correspondent , olivia utley. Correspondent, olivia utley. This plan. Olivia we have seen this plan. Olivia we have seen it before , havent we . It was it before, havent we . It was done under tony blairs Labour Government. It was done under government. It was done under tony blairs Labour Government and with Great Success it must be said. Tony blair opened 30 health centres. They werent quite called diagnostic centres, but something very under a something very similar under a different name and in the end by two thousand and seven, nhs waiting lists were cut to an average of six weeks. Now, at the moment the average is 14. 5 weeks, but that hides, you know, great variation. Youve got lots great variation. Youve got lots and lots of people whove been waiting months and months and months nhs appointments. Months for nhs appointments. The waiting now at 7. 5 waiting list is now at 7. 5 million and rishi sunak is under quite a lot of political pressure to get it down sooner, rather than later. He has said over and over again that yes, labour might be ahead in the polls, but he will be measured by how he delivers on those five priorities that he outlined last september when he became Prime Minister. And one of those was cutting nhs waiting lists. Now whether these new 13 diagnostic centres will be enough to make any material difference, well have to wait and see. As i say, at the moment, nhs waiting list is a record level at 7. 5 million and even the governments pretty optimistic suggestions say that this will these new centres will add 750,000 new tests and scans each year. Will that really make a big dent . Its not quite clear , but the government has said that if they do work well, diagnostic centres will be rolled out across the country. And of course when theyre able to use that private sector capacity that should make a little bit more of a difference than some of the internal nhs proposals weve seen before. Proposals weve seen before. Yeah, i think 13 new Community Diagnostic Centres theyre talking about in detail. Eight of them will be run privately. And it does seem the south west particularly are going to benefit. Theres quite going to benefit. Theres quite a few earmarked for that area , a few earmarked for that area, quite a few earmarked for devon and cornwall. Yes, i think its five of the eight private centres will be in devon and cornwall. The other three, which will be actually rolled out later this rolled out sooner later this yean rolled out sooner later this year, are in the West Midlands. So in 2024 we should see the south benefit a from south west benefit a lot from this that will a big step this that will be a big step forward for health care the forward for health care in the south west, which often south west, which is often thought sort poorer thought of as the sort of poorer cousin of the nhs. Cousin of the rest of the nhs. Its a one of the poorest areas in the country and its very rural. So Health Care Centres are spread out and often are very spread out and often quite difficult to access. So its interesting that the government this government has started with this area and of course if it does work well then it could provide a blueprint for a really good blueprint for a way to crack, crack down on those nhs waiting lists as we head into next year. And the general election. General election. And just to address the whole issue of industrial relations as well and the staffing of course , how will this play out, beanng , how will this play out, bearing in mind the sensitivities the doctors , sensitivities with the doctors, particularly still with their industrial action . Well, absolutely. And of well, absolutely. And of course, diagnostic centres are all very well, but there are still five nhs ones and if they cant be staffed properly because doctors are on strike, then whether theyre open or not is a little bit of a moot point at the moment. It feels as though there is still a very, very big chasm to cross between where the nhs doctors are and where the nhs doctors are and where the nhs doctors are and where the government is in terms of pay rises. The government has offered a 6. 5 pay rise. Nhs Junior Doctors are holding out for a 35 pay rise. Rishi sunak says that its these strikes and the unions unreasonable demand, which is contributing to those nhs waiting lists. But of course Junior Doctors would say, well, the nhs has staffing problems because Junior Doctors arent paid properly. Plenty of doctors have moved to australia , new have moved to australia, new zealand etcetera, so it feels as though that problem, which is probably the real crux of the nhs, is issues, is yet to be solved. And some people are saying that this, this new diagnostic sensors could be a little bit of a sticking plaster solution. Solution. Olivia, thank you for updating us there at the department of health. Thanks very much. Very much. We want to take you to Derby Crown Court where the mother and stepfather of month old stepfather of ten month old jacob crouch , who was found dead jacob crouch, who was found dead in his cot in december are in his cot in december 2020, are being sentenced now. Well, craig crouch, convicted on wednesday of murder and also three counts of Child Cruelty. Three counts of Child Cruelty. And then the babys mother, gemma barton, found guilty of Child Cruelty and causing or allowing his death. Jacob had suffered. 39 rib fractures as suffered. 39 rib fractures as a 19 bruises and internal injuries the court had heard likened to those seen in a car crash. The footage you are watching there was of them when they were being arrested. Well, we can go to the crown court where craig crouch, crouch and gemma barton are being sentenced for the death of ten month old jacob. In your conversations with ms barton, you were domineering, aggressive, boastful and arrogant. You ms barton responded with meek and submissive, misplaced affection. In you. Mr crouch told implausible bragging lies to ms barton and to others about your supposed wealth status and importance, qualifications and experience sense among your many lies you falsely told ms barton you regularly met with senior politicians , including the prime politicians, including the Prime Minister , flew helicopters , minister, flew helicopters, earned a high salary in a Senior Management role, had custody of your daughter and had qualified in sociology massage and hairdressing. You, ms barton hairdressing. You, ms barton chose not to challenge these obvious lies, though in your heart you must have known they were untrue. Mr crouch. You were were untrue. Mr crouch. You were a shopfloor worker doing a decent job. You could have been well satisfied with what he promised you, ms barton. A car and money. There was no car. And you gave him control of your money. He had debts. You gave him control of your money. He had debts. You had money. He had debts. You had your suspicions, but preferred to put them out of your mind as you accepted at trial, you took much of what he said with a pinch of salt, quote, put pinch of salt, but, quote, put blinkers on, unquote. Blinkers on, unquote. Well, thats mr justice kerr at the court. The judge going on to say that he and the jury had to say that he and the jury had to see many distressing pictures of jacob after being abused. He said hed been a happy, smiling baby never complained baby whod never complained about hed about the treatment hed received the wider family , received for the wider family, said mr kerr. The pain said mrjustice kerr. The pain caused by his death would go on for many years to come. It was nothing less than tragic. He said, would never said, that jacob would never become toy, and then a man become a boy toy, and then a man will continue, of course, to monitor the hearing with some, we have to say, distressing details of course, being outlined in the case and just absolutely horrific when you see pictures of little jacob there. And just to explain that , we and just to explain that, we are mr justice and just to explain that, we are mrjustice kerr are seeing mrjustice kerr speaking, but for legal reasons, we cannot show you the defendants. Lets go back to mr defendants. Lets go back to mr justice kerr for this sentence. In circumstances of this case, i have to consider the aggravating features of this offence of murder taking into account the combination of that offence and the other offences associated with it. The first associated with it. The first and very serious aggravating feature is jacobs age and vulnerable city. He was a small baby who had not yet learned to walk or talk. Sadly, he never walk or talk. Sadly, he never did so to state the obvious, he could not defend himself. Could not defend himself. Second, for that reason , your second, for that reason, your attacks on him were an abuse of trust of the grossest kind, and you knew he was dependent on the adults caring for him to protect him from harm instead of protecting him , you killed him. Protecting him, you killed him. Third, you failed to seek any medical help for jacob third, you failed to seek any medical help forjacob at any medical help for jacob at any time before 7 15 am. On 30th december 20th, 20. Even when he was gravely injured as you must have known, he was. Had you or have known, he was. Had you or ms barton sought such help, he would have needed morphine , but would have needed morphine, but he would have lived and recovered from his injuries. Recovered from his injuries. Fourth, you exploited the selfishness, weakness and gullibility of ms barton to influence her against protect her son from you. You used lies and bullying tactics on her to deflect any suspicion that she might have, that you were mistreating jacob. You sought to attribute his bruises and cuts to natural causes. You accused to natural causes. You accused ms barton of not trusting you when you went up to jacobs cot without her present , you even without her present, you even falsely. Falsely. Well, as you can see, we just having to break away from the court case for legal reasons. We will return to it. As mr justice kerr continues with a sentencing. At the moment of craig crouch underway, as weve just hearing there , indicating just hearing there, indicating that jacob had not yet learned to walk or talk, said mrjustice to walk or talk, said mr justice kerr. He, in other words, not able to defend himself. Just to able to defend himself. Just to remind you, the court had earlier heard that the ten month old baby had 39 rib fractures as 19 in visible bruises and internal injuries, likened to those seen in a car crash victims. I think we can return to the court now. To the court now. You maintained these false stories for years up to the trial. You sought additional protection for yourself , protection for yourself, resuming your influence over ms barton, sending her a valentines card and inventing a character called robert , character called robert, supposedly a solicitor with the aim of exerting control over her use of Legal Services in order to minimise the risk of her telling the truth about what you had done to jacob that night. And i consider next the other associated offences. There are three represented by counts six cruelty to jacob during his lifetime. Lifetime. Its that is mrjustice kerr continue doing before passing sentencing. Hes been going over sentencing. Hes been going over the counts that crouch and barton were convicted of earlier this week. Some of the details coming out of this trial, especially when you see the pictures of that baby , they are pictures of that baby, they are so distressing. And im not even so distressing. And im not even a mother. This is a absolutely horrific one of the one of the details thats just come out is that craig crouch, the stepfather, failed to seek medical help even when he knew that little boy, jacob crouch, was gravely injured. Had he was gravely injured. Had he sought morphine for him, that baby would have survived. Baby would have survived. And the judge had indicated in this seven week trial that obviously he and the jury had had to go through the evidence presented and the pictures and just to remind you that crouch was convicted and earlier this week of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty while gemma barton had been cleared of both murder and manslaughter , but murder and manslaughter, but then found guilty of causing or allowing the death of the child and one count of Child Cruelty. And one count of Child Cruelty. Now, whats happening at the court at the moment is that the judge, mrjustice kerr , is going judge, mrjustice kerr, is going through what he calls aggravate features. Now, actually features. Now, this actually works into what minimum term may be imposed for a life sentence in relation to craig crouch , at in relation to craig crouch, at least to remind you , is 39 years least to remind you, is 39 years old, because as well as any life sentence, the judge has the ability then to impose a minimum sentence for a life term. So thatis sentence for a life term. So that is the process that is underway at the moment at Derby Crown Court. That is stepfather craig crouch, who was found guilty this week of murdering ten month old jacob at his derbyshire home on the 30th of december, 2020. Mr justice kerr is explaining that the minimum term must be served before crouchs case can be reviewed by the parole board to consider if he can be released on licence, you will be noticing and hearing that the judges remarks are sometimes being cut out. That is, for legal reasons and also to avoid a graphic descriptions because this is just such an appalling, horrific case. So sometimes this feed has to be suspended. But the judge , mrjustice kerr, is the judge, mrjustice kerr, is saying there is no doubt jacobs mother , gemma barton, failed to mother, gemma barton, failed to protect her child. Protect her child. Well return to the court as that sentencing continues. And update you as appropriately. But as we say, they do have to break away because of the nature of the evidence that the judge is going through. Now, the bank of england has acknowledged that interest will to stay Interest Rates will need to stay higher for longer to tackle inflation. Yesterday, the latest hike, up 5. 25, piling more hike, up to 5. 25, piling more pressure on households. Indeed the Mental Health charity mind now warning that 48 of younger people say its damaged their wellbeing. But the government says it will stay the course to try to get inflation back under control. While chancellor jeremy hunt told gb news that the latest nought point two 5 increase would help them reach their goals without the country falling into a recession, any rise in Interest Rates is a worry for families with mortgages, for businesses with loans. But underneath that decision is a forecast that says that this time next year, inflation will be 2. 8 and we will have avoided recession. And what the bank of england governor is saying is that we have a plan thatis saying is that we have a plan that is bringing down inflation solidly, robustly and consistently. Consistently. Well, lets speak now to vicky nash , who is associate vicky nash, who is associate director of external relations at mind and vicky, in terms of what you found, especially youngsters with what this is doing to them into their Mental Wellbeing, its pretty striking, isnt it . Isnt it . Absolutely. Well we know its really tough for a lot of people at the moment through the cost of living crisis and the impact that these increase in Interest Rates, particularly on mortgages, are having, is really starting to and our starting to bite. And our findings, i mean, everyone is concerned about whats happening, but young people are particularly feeling even more more concerned , more worried. More concerned, more worried. Partly, we think, because theyre worried that they might never be able to get onto the onto the kind of Housing Market now to buy that first house. It feels like an impossible reach. And also because theyre less likely to be earning money. So they cant build up enough money. Theyre earning less money. Theyre earning less money. Its harder to build up that for that mortgage. That deposit for that mortgage. So it just feels like its almost like its something thats never to happen to thats never going to happen to them. Really showing them. But its really showing through in all of our kind of demographic and ages about how these Mortgage Rates are these these Mortgage Rates are really to bite. Really starting to bite. Its crushing , isnt it, and its crushing, isnt it, for them mentally and emotionally, because you grow up andifs emotionally, because you grow up and its one of the things you aspire to in this country is for many people, owning your own home. So to think you might not get that chance, its tough. Its really tough. And what we know is that theres a really kind of vicious cycle between Mental Health problems and if youre struggling with your your struggling with your your struggling with your Mental Health, but youre also kind of worried about money and they kind of just they feed off each other. And when youre then adding the fact that your adding into the fact that your your situation could be your housing situation could be threatened either because of the roof that youre under might be be away you you be taken away from, you or you cant find roof to get you or cant find a roof to get you or your family into exacerbates that fear and that concern and that fear and that concern and that downward spiral. So its a really difficult time for people and they often struggle to work out how do i get support for my Mental Health, how do i get support financially as it support financially as well . It feels overwhelming. Yeah because support financially as well . It f calls to our information line and also to the visits to the website. Lots of people seeking that kind of Financial Advice and information on. Wed really encourage people to continue to do that , to kind of call out do that, to kind of call out information line. Visit our website, mind. Org. Uk and all contact their local citizens advice to get that tailored information about what their opfions information about what their options are, what they what benefits that they could kind of receive. And Financial Support and what to do if youre really struggling with being able to kind of pay that mortgage cost as well as obviously speaking to your banks or building societies. Okay, vicky, thank you very much joining us. And much indeed forjoining us. And of course, well continue to monitor how people are dealing with this particular problem. Thanks indeed. Thanks very much indeed. To derby we can now return to Derby Crown Court, where craig crouch and gemma barton are being sentenced the death of ten sentenced for the death of ten month old jacob crouch. Month old jacob crouch. Guided and deluded way to build something you believed would be or at least resemble a Stable Family life , albeit one Stable Family life, albeit one firmly grounded in your own overbearing dominance and control of those around you. These points afford limited mitigation when you have not shown any remorse for what you did , you have not explained what did, you have not explained what you did or apologised to any of your many victims. Direct and indirect. I reduced the minimum term by two years to take account of the limited, limited mitigating features i have identified. The minimum term you identified. The minimum term you will serve will therefore be one of 28 years. I turn to the concurrent sentences on counts six, seven and eight. On count six. The offence is one of sustained cruelty to jacob over many months, causing first bruising and then rib fractures. Although the maximum sentence has increased since the offence was committed and the new higher maximum does not apply to your offence, the current guideline , offence, the current guideline, effective from 1st april 2023, appues effective from 1st april 2023, applies with appropriate adjustment as i shall explain later of its kind the offences of the utmost seriousness is the suffering caused to jacob was intense and prolonged and the harm is category one and the culpability is at level a, the range in the current. So thats mr justice range in the current. So thats mrjustice kerr, so thats mr justice kerr, the judge there at Derby Crown Court, explaining that in terms of the life sentence handed down to craig crouch, the minimum term that he will serve is 28 years. He is 39 years old. That makes him 67 before he will be available for any consideration of parole or release. Mrjustice of parole or release. Mr justice kerr saying minimum mitigation and that the suffering he had caused to the baby intense and prolonged. I think we can return prolonged. I think we can return to the court because of course we still have gemma barton to be sentenced as well. And antidepressants again in 2021. That psychiatric evidence does not itself provide strong support for you having a significantly impaired mental function , which substantially function, which substantially diminishes your culpability. By which i mean the level of blame that attaches to you for these crimes. At the most, your crimes. At the most, your history of mental disorder may have made you more easily susceptive to manipulation influence and coercion amounting to psychological violence in a domestic context. But i would accept that anyway, even without the psychiatric reports. Mr crouch did exert such influence and did manipulate you in a manner account to what is now amounting to what is now commonly called coercive and controlling behaviour. Of that controlling behaviour. Of that there is ample evidence in the many Text Messages that were read to the jury at the trial. I read to the jury at the trial. I accept also that your time on remand in custody has been more distressing and difficult than it would otherwise have been because you have been treated for Breast Cancer while in custody. D. I take all these custody. D. I take all these matters into account. On count matters into account. On count two causing or allowing jacob to die. There is a new guideline as ihave die. There is a new guideline as i have said, effective from first april 20th, 23. It applies in this case, but subject to adjustment because the maximum sentence is increased to life in imprisonment for offences committed after 28th june 20th, 22 is 14 years in your case because the offence was committed before that date in 2020, it is permissible to look at the older guidelines dating from january 2nd, 2019, but contrary to the submission made in your defence, it is not appropriate or lawful to ignore completely the more recent guideline. The same is the case guideline. The same is the case when we come to counsel. So again we are being taken away from the court while mrjustice from the court while mr justice kerr goes through the circle cumstances. In regards to gemma barton , in regards to gemma barton, in terms of applying, of course the various considerations he has just outlined that she has had a new level of culpability. Had a new level of culpability. I think we can return to the serious cases, including some that may attract a sentence above what used to be the maximum. Maximum. The degree of blame is in these cases categorised as very high at the top of the scale, which before that consisted of high, medium and lesser culpable duty. The definitions and degrees of harm are the same. Degrees of harm are the same. The sentencing ranges and starting points are unchanged for cases of high, medium and lesser culpability. The crown lesser culpability. The crown accepts that a downward adjustment must be made to the ranges and starting points to take account of the lower maximum sentences applicable at the time. These two offences were committed , i returned to my were committed, i returned to my findings. I were committed, i returned to my findings. I am sure that you, ms barton became aware during the evening or night of 29, 30th december 2020 that jacob had been seriously assaulted by mr crouch serious enough that any reasonable parent would call for immediate and Urgent Medical attention. I am not sure that attention. I am not sure that you perceived him to be in danger of serious injury at any time before that. I am sure that you must have been aware that at least some of the bruising went beyond accidental knocks and scrapes. You were jacobs main carer. I scrapes. You were jacobs main carer. I am not sure scrapes. You were jacobs main carer. I am not sure that scrapes. You were jacobs main carer. I am not sure that you were aware at any time before his death that his ribs had been fractured. The medical evidence included acknowledgement that rib fractures are not always perceived by onlookers and okay, so that is justice kerr sentencing gemma barton and before passing sentence hes been making the comments that she knew jacob had been seriously assaulted. Not sure that she perceived him to be serious, but she must have noticed bruising on him that went beyond accidental scrapes. Lets return to that sentencing one where you ought to have been aware of the risk to have been aware of the risk to him of serious physical harm, rather than a case where you were actually aware of that risk, at least i cannot be sure you were on the night he died. You did become actually aware of the risk to him of serious physical harm and indeed aware that mr crouch had seriously assaulted him. The harm is category one because the victim has died rather than suffered injury. Certain features point injury. Certain features point to high level culpability. First, there were prolonged and multiple incidents of serious cruelty. The evidence was there cruelty. The evidence was there to see, but you chose not to face up to it. Second, very significant force was used against jacob. Again, the signs were visible , but you ignored were visible, but you ignored them and treated the injuries as accidental. Third, there was accidental. Third, there was deliberate disregard for jacobs welfare. It is also pointed out by the crown that you failed to take any steps to protect the victim from offences in which those features were present. That adds nothing. Failing to protect the victim is very similar to deliberate disregard for the victims welfare and moreover is part of the definition of the offence. There definition of the offence. There is one significant feature pointing to lesser culpability that you are, as i accept it, a victim of Domestic Abuse , victim of Domestic Abuse, including by coercion or intimidation linked to the offence. Mr crouch intimidated you into trusting him with sole care of jacob, even though he was clearly unfit for that role. For example , he accused you of for example, he accused you of lacking trust in him when you wanted to join him upstairs on occasions when he was bathing jacob, you did not have the confidence to confront him. When he kicked jacobs cot. I reject he kicked jacobs cot. I reject the submission of the crown that the submission of the crown that the level of your culpability is very high with category one harm thatis very high with category one harm that is unrealistic on the facts and would be difficult to apply if correct because the offence predates june 2022. Yet the sentencing range for that category exceeds the maximum sentence. I think the level of culpability is at the borderline between high level b and medium level c, i will take seven years as the starting point, but level c, i will take seven years as the starting point , but there as the starting point, but there are no statutory aggravate features. The Non Statutory aggravating features relied on are first failure to seek medical help at the time of the assault or in the ten hours or so that followed. Again, i bear so that followed. Again, i bear in mind that as the crown accepts, there is some danger of double counting. The second double counting. The second jacob suffered grievously before his death that is significant because you let it happen. Third, you joined in a deliberate cover up and told lies from the outset and up to and during the trial. The and during the trial. The fourth, the offence was committed. Committed. Again, were just breaking away. While some sensitive details are put through in the sentencing by mrjustice kerr. But so to update you that he said there was deliberate disregard for jacobs welfare, there was a deliberate cover up, he said, up to the point of the court case, although he acknowledged that she had been a victim of Domestic Abuse earlier, saying that craig crouch had exerted influence and was manipulative , coercive and was manipulative, coercive and controlling behaviour , said the controlling behaviour, said the judge. So lets return now, i think, to more on the sentencing of gemma barton. You must endure for letting it happen. I do not count in your favour, mr crouchs coercive and controlling behaviour towards you because i have already taken that factor into account in determining the level of your culpable duty. Balancing the aggravating and mitigating features. As mitigating features. As i conclude that the former outweigh the latter. And i would increase the sentence to one of eight Years Imprisonment, subject to what im about to say. I will turn now last. I will turn now last. Okay. Justice kerr continuing his sentencing there. For legal reasons. That feed has cut out. But hes been saying that gemma barton , jacobs mother, must barton, jacobs mother, must have been aware of the abuse that was going on on the night little jacob died. She would have known the abuse that that stepfather, craig crouch was committing against jacob. That is him. He has just been sentenced by the judge to a minimum 28 years in prison. Just to remind you, gemma barton, cleared of manslaughter and murder. But found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. And one count of child a child. And one count of Child Cruelty. So thats what she is cruelty. So thats what she is being sentenced to now. I think we can return to the court and hear shortly from the judge, who is obviously balancing, as he said, the aggravating and the mitigating circumstances as and the fact that shes been remanded in custody already , remanded in custody already, where indeed she was being treated for Breast Cancer, said the judge. But but also a history of mental disorder , as history of mental disorder, as she said, and coercive and controlling behaviour exerted on her by her partner , craig her by her partner, craig crouch, who as you heard, had been convicted in these last few minutes or sentenced, rather, of his conviction to a minimum 28 year life sentence for the murder of baby jacob. And the pictures you are looking at there, those moving pictures were of craig crouch and gemma barton when they were arrested. The judge has said arrested. The judge has said that the evidence was there for gemma barton to see of little jacobs injuries. And you chose not to face up to it. You treated his injury as accidental. Accidental with deliberate disregard for his welfare. You disregard for his welfare. You failed to take steps to protect jacob. But he did say that he takes into account that she was a victim of Domestic Abuse, including coercion and the other defendant, craig craig crouch, who has just been sentenced, he accepts that he victimised her into entrusting him with the sole care of jacob and that she didnt have the comfort since to confront him about his abuse of the baby. The baby. Just to remind you that in terms of addressing gemma bartons role in this, in the aggravation features that mr justice kerr was running through, he said that jacob had not yet learned to walk or talk. He was not able to defend himself , and he was not able to defend himself, and yet there had been a failure to seek any medical help for him, even when he was gravely injured and indeed, that medical help, he said, would have helped to his aid, his recovery, i. E. He would have survived , lived if that medical survived, lived if that medical help had got to him in time. Back to court case. Back to the court case. The non the Non Statutory aggravating features are as follows. Follows. So lets just remind you a little bit more about what the trial has heard. The family of ten month old jacob, who was murdered by his stepfather, craig crouch, who has now been jailed for minimum of 28 years. They have said that their pain will last a lifetime in a victim personal Statement Read out in court, jacobs father said he could not understand this is jacobs natural father. Andrew jacobs natural father. Andrew smith said he could not understand how stepfather craig crouch could kill his son. Now jacobs natural father, andrew smith , said, i never even got to smith, said, i never even got to meet him. All i have is a photo to remember him by. I will never be able to hug him and celebrate his achievements. I will never his achievements. I will never be able to buy him his first pint when he turns 18. I mean, he said to jacob, to craig crouch , you have taken jacob and crouch, you have taken jacob and all the memories we would have shared and thats obviously the underlying prosecution case that in terms of the sentencing beforehand, prosecutor mary prior case, he said that even though neither defendant had any previous convictions , the most previous convictions, the most tragic aspect was that if either had gone for medical help, jacob would have lived. Therefore , for she said, the therefore, for she said, the failure to obtain any treatment for the severe injuries , she for the severe injuries, she contributed significantly to his death. Which is why obviously mr justice kerr is taking these additional aggravating factors into play when hes deciding the sentence. Now for gemma barton to remind you for your allowing death of a child and one count of Child Cruelty , we can return of Child Cruelty, we can return now to the sentencing. Three years, which would make a total of 11 years. The sentencing is are required to run consecutively. But i am required to apply what is called the principle of totality , which the principle of totality, which means that i must impose an overall sentence which is proportionate to the seriousness of the offending overall. Of the offending overall. Applying that principle , i will applying that principle, i will reduce each of the sentences by half a year, which makes the sentence on count 2 1 of seven and a half years and the sentence on count seven, 1 or 2 and a half years is the overall sentence is therefore one of ten Years Imprisonment. For Years Imprisonment. For completeness, miss barton , i completeness, miss barton, i confirm that i have considered that the statutory question of dangerousness and whether to impose an extended sentence and have concluded that you are not dangerous within the meaning of the statutory statutory provision and that an extended sentence is not necessary to protect the public. Given the length of your determinate sentence and the removal of the pernicious influence on you of mr crouch. Mr crouch, please mr crouch. Mr crouch, please stand the sentence of the court is imprisonment for life, for the murder of jacob crouch with a minimum term of 28 years less the time you have already spent in custody while on remand, which i am told is 395 days as at today on count six cruelty to jacob during his lifetime. The sentence is eight Years Imprisonment to run concurrently i okay. That sentencing has just taken place. So gemma barton, the mother of jacob crouch, will serve ten years in prison. She has been found prison. She has been found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. Jacobs the death of a child. Jacobs stepfather , craig crouch, has stepfather, craig crouch, has been given a minimum term of 28 years and just to indicate that the judge was saying he did not consider gemma barton dangerous, therefore he would not be adding to that culpability. To that culpability. In terms of the sentencing. In terms of the sentencing. But the seven and a half and two and a half years for the two. You separate charges of Child Cruelty and allowing the death of a child than to be run concurrently. So a total , as we concurrently. So a total, as we say, of ten years, but indicating that he said before the sentencing that she had been the sentencing that she had been the victim of coercive and controlling behaviour from crouch and indeed, she also had a history of mental disorder and he obviously had taken that into consideration as mitigating factors. Factors. We do think we can now return to the sentencing and then the statutory surcharge may be dealt with administratively without further listing of the case. You may now both go down with the officers. Please its the end of that case. The two of them taken down after what obviously has been very upsetting details. The judge indicated for both him and the jury in this seven week trial, they had been found guilty earlier at Derby Crown Court this week, but then, as we heard from the victim statements , theyve been waiting for this sentence today, justice said jacob natural father had been done. But clearly its not going to bring the little baby back. And the circumstances where he died in his cot and they found 39 rib fractures , 19 visible 39 rib fractures, 19 visible bruises and internal injuries. The Court Hearing that the injuries likened to those seen injuries likened to those seen in a car crash victim. This was a ten month old baby who had not even started to walk or to talk. And it must have or to talk. And it must have been hard for you hearing all the details at home or wherever youre watching or listening to us from, just to let you know that in court , the public that in court, the Public Gallery was packed and some of the nine members of the 11 person jury who returned to watch this sentencing, they wept as the statements were read from little jacobs family as they outlined the impact that the murder has taken on them. They are absolutely destroyed, as you would imagine. Would imagine. Well be heading back to Derby Crown Court. Our correspondent Theo Chikomba is there and well be hearing from her outside the court and, of course, the reaction. With course, the reaction. Stay with us here live desk welcome back to the live desk. Now lets update you on the situation in russia where main Opposition Leader Alexei Navalny is facing a further 20 years behind bars. As with now, behind bars. As with now, extremism charges levelled against him, widely seen as politically motivated. Of politically motivated. Of course, Vladimir Putin continuing whats been said. A soviet style repression against dissent. Dissent. Mr navalny is already serving a nine year sentence in a high security prison normally reserved for russias most dangerous criminals. That sentence being served for parole. So dangerous criminals in that prison. An and he has already said that he expects a long stalinist sentence for these latest charges. Lets speak now to russian politics commentator stefan stepanenko, whos joining us. And stefan , we know that there and stefan, we know that there are reports waters outside. Theyre seeing the case which is being held actually within the prison, relayed on on a screen. But how much is the russian pubuc but how much is the russian public going to learn about whats about this . Whats going on about this . Hello , the russian public is hello, the russian public is going to learn exactly what theyre told on the Russian Television , which is going to be television, which is going to be the russian state line of navalny being a dangerous criminal, convicted for Economic Crimes and not for political reasons. Now, of course , with his now, of course, with his sentences being nine years already , it is expected by already, it is expected by almost everyone, especially by himself, that the 20 years are going to be awarded, maybe a few years less. But in reality, we years less. But in reality, we know that hes going to stay in prison as long as putin is in power and no less , which was why power and no less, which was why this trial is being held in a high security prison and not in a courtroom in moscow. Navalny a courtroom in moscow. Navalny is not being taken out of prison. Hes staying there and hes going to stay there probably for the rest of his sentence, unless hes moved to another prison. Hes moved to another prison. The russian authorities dont want a figurehead like him to be mobile. This is the potential mobile. This is the potential for breakout breakout, although very little one. But also it did distances him from the rest of russia. He is clearly somewhere far away. Nobody knows or the russian public doesnt know where he is. Really hes far away. He cant be touched. He away. He cant be touched. He then becomes somebody who is not real in the perception of the russian elite. Okay. Well, well obviously okay. Well, well obviously monitor that particular hearing as it continues in that high security prison. Stefan, thank you very much indeed for that. But were just going to break away because we now have got more Derby Crown Court on more from Derby Crown Court on the sentencing stepfather the sentencing of the stepfather and mother of jacob crouch and the mother of jacob crouch found dead in his cot in 2020. Theo chikomba is outside the court and theo absolutely heart rending details, of course, gone through by the judge there in the sentencing. The sentencing. Yes, indeed. Well, a difficult day for the families on both sides having to hear some of the evidence. Again from the judge who summarised this afternoon, just after 2 00 pm here at Derby Crown Court. But of course, today , though, craig of course, today, though, craig crouch was sentenced to 28 years minimum in prison and gemma barton was sentenced to ten years. Now craig crouch himself was convicted of murder and three counts of Child Cruelty after the jury deliberated for four days following a seven week trial here at the crown court. And gemma barton was cleared of murder, an alternative charge of manslaughter and two counts of Child Cruelty and the death of a Child Cruelty and the death of a child or and, of course , but child or and, of course, but also found guilty of causing or allowing the death of a child. And a third count of Child Cruelty. And this afternoon, when the judge was summarising the case, he spoke about how the couple met in 2019 on an online date dating site. The love was genuine , but the couple genuine, but the couple themselves were destructive to those who they were around and they did. And gemma didnt question his lies about his career and a few months after the couple met at the and when jake was born, bruises began to appear on his body and craig , he appear on his body and craig, he was the one who struck the blows that led to jacob death. And of course , today, though, they were course, today, though, they were sentenced both to 28 years. Craig in prison and the mother for ten years. But of course , for ten years. But of course, its been a difficult last few weeks for families on both sides. Theo, was there any reaction from either defendant as they were sentenced by mrjustice kerr yes. Kerr yes. Well, both the defendants were in the dock this afternoon and both of them for majority of the time were looking down. But when the sentences were handed to them, their faces continually looked to the ground. Or perhaps looked to the ground. Or perhaps some sort of remorse. Its not some sort of remorse. Its not quite clear. But whats deep in their heart. But they both look down with some distraught faces , i would say. And before the sentencing, we had these the witness statements , the impact statements, if you like. And of course, one of like. And of course, one of those from his natural father , those from his natural father, peter, indicating quite how difficult this has been for them to go through this, what, seven weeks of evidence you. Weeks of evidence you. Yes, thats right. So earlier this afternoon, we heard a victim personal Statement Read out in court by the prosecutor , out in court by the prosecutor, mary prior, kc this was andrew smith, the biological father, whos jacobs father. He said, i never got to meet him. All all i know is him by photo. And thats all i can remember him by. And ill never be able to hug him and celebrate his achievements. And he went to on say, ill never be able to buy him his first pint. When he turns 18. So that was a Statement Read out in court today written by his biological father. And you were in the courtroom, theo, was sentencing was passed. I understand some of the jurors were in tears. This the jurors were in tears. This case is so distressing for all parties involved. Id there were parties involved. Id there were indeedit parties involved. Id there were indeed it was a packed court. You can see from both sides. And, of course, the jurors had some emotion on their face, looking directly into the dock. And as we heard the summary from the judge reiterating some of what was heard over the last couple of weeks in that seven week trial. So it was a week trial. So it was a difficult day indeed for them. Some of the detail we can just remind our viewers is that the special paediatrician told the court that the condition that jacob had suffered is caused by rupturing of the bowel and had been caused by a kick stamp or punch within so much force injury as were similar to those which were suffered by victims of serious road traffic collisions. So of course some collisions. So of course some difficult evidence theyve heard over the last couple of weeks. Theo, thank you very much indeed for that. Just to remind you that craig brown sentenced to life sentence 28 years minimum, gemma barton , ten minimum, gemma barton, ten years. Those are the details is very distressing, but more reaction, of course, to come throughout the afternoon. Weathers for you next the temperatures rising in boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hi there. Its Aidan Mcgivern here from the met office. With the gb news forecast, dry and warmer weather is on the way for later next week. More on that in a moment. But for the time being, weve got the same old a lot of showers across eastern parts of the country. Drier towards the west, only ahead towards the west, but only ahead of next weather system of the next weather system thats the weekend thats moving in for the weekend , bringing spell of , bringing another spell of unseasonable rain. Now unseasonable wind and rain. Now that will bring some rain into Northern Ireland through the evening. Showers east evening. The showers in the east disappearing, but tending to continue across northeast england for a cloud cover england for a time. Cloud cover increasing across the country. The rain turning heavy and persistent Western Areas and persistent in Western Areas and Northern Ireland at risk of localised flooding because of course, ground here course, saturated ground here following the wettest july on record as off record. As we start off saturday, it is looking poor out there. If youre not a fan of there. If youre not a fan of wind and rain, certainly weve got plenty of it pushing across Northern Ireland into england and wales. The winds really picking sea picking up across irish sea coast and into the south coast and then into the south and southwest of england and wales coast , 60, 65 and southwest of england and wales coast, 60, 65 mile wales around coast, 60, 65 mile per hour wind gusts could cause some impacts for outdoor activities. Camping for example, really unseasonable conditions out there. And as rain comes out there. And as the rain comes down, temperatures only reaching around 13, 14 celsius through central parts. Showers for scotland and Northern Ireland. And of this pulls through on and all of this pulls through on sunday and much improved day. Plenty news happy friday. Its 3 pm. Its patrick christys. Its gb news. And king charles has given a massive snub to harry and meghan. They will not be invited to attend the queens memorial. Good news. Of course it is Meghan Markles birthday as well. So happy birthday, meghan. Take a look at this. Now the nhs finally is going private. If only wed done this years ago, we wouldnt be in the situation were in now. But guess what . It turns out they care a bit more about hitting diversity quotas than they making us all than they do about making us all healthier. A load this healthier. Get a load of this story yes. Could it story as well. Yes. Could it really real that illegals really be real that illegals will be allowed to stay under labour . A local labour councillor has come out giving loophole legal advice to Illegal Migrants in the labour party. Has welcome a labour has by. Welcome to a labour future, possibly. Right. Okay. Future, possibly. Right. Okay. Were also going