The public not to speculate on the cause of the fire. Describe it as extremely unhelpful. Well, it as extremely unhelpful. Well, theyre urging anyone with information to get in touch via 101. Well five people have now been arrested on londons Oxford Street after social media posts encouraged people to steal from stores. The tiktok post prompted a heavy Police Presence and two young men were seen being led away in handcuffs. Some outlets shut their doors while crowds gathered and officers issued 24 dispersal orders. A spokesperson dispersal orders. A spokesperson for the mayor of london told gb news anyone whos seen the content encouraging them to commit crime should ignore it strikes by staff at Gatwick Airport will cause disruption dunng airport will cause disruption during the Bank Holiday Weekend as workers announce fresh walkout routes. Its part of an ongoing dispute over pay. The unite union saying that around 230 workers, including Ground Handlers and those who assist passengers , will walk out for passengers, will walk out for eight days from august 18th and then again from the 25th. A surge in illegal people smuggling gangs is to be tackled by a new deal struck between the uk and turkey under the agreement, the Turkish National police will speed up the process of return. Turkish nationals who of return. Turkish nationals who come to britain via illegal channels. Turkeys often used as a major hub for people smuggling gangs due to its geographical location , and reports suggest location, and reports suggest that many vessels used to cross the channel originate from there. This is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news. Now lets get back to. Nigel lets get back to. Nigel well, theres no doubt that jeremy hunt did spring into action pretty quickly after my subject access report from coutts bank was published. Coutts bank was published. Perfectly clear i had been debunked because of my political views and not aligning with the values of the bank. And the question i was asking was how many other people has this happened to. 7 well, jeremy hunt , happened to. 7 well, jeremy hunt, he really did move very, very quickly. He the quickly. He wrote to the financial conduct authority, the regulator, and he said he wanted them to urgently investigate what had gone on. Well now a statement has come out today from the fca as follows we have sent an information request to the largest banks and Building Societies. This follows our societies. This follows our announcement of a data exercise to investigate account closures. Firms have until the 25th of august 2023 to provide information on the number of customers that have been terminated and the number of customers suspended , the number customers suspended, the number of customers denied services. The reason for all of the above, the number of banks complaints that have been received on the issue. This will include asking if accounts have been closed because of expressions of political or other opinions. Political or other opinions. Were asking you both personal and business customers , and business customers, including pawnbrokers, charities and political parties. We will analyse the results and provide analyse the results and provide an initial assessment by mid september. Were undertaking this work to better understand the scale of account closures and the reasons behind them. We will share our analysis with the chancellor. We will share our analysis with the chancellor. We are also will share our analysis with the chancellor. We are also actively chancellor. We are also actively engaging the largest payment firms on this topic. Engaging the largest payment firms on this topic. So the 25 firms on this topic. So the 25 big banks and big Building Societies have but a few days to come back to the fca and to explain themselves. Lets hope explain themselves. Lets hope this really does shed light on the closure of personal accounts , of business accounts and the scale of the problem. So the fca have acted , but where have they have acted, but where have they been. 7 where on earth have the been . Where on earth have the fca been whilst this National Scandal was unfolding, it took me to lift the lid on all of this and for others to start coming out. But the fca should have been on to this a long, long time ago. Well, where have the fca been . Well, i suspect the fca been . Well, i suspect theyve got rather different priorities. You see, if you look priorities. You see, if you look at their website for example, you will see an article entitled Pride Matters hours in Financial Service , years and beyond, service, years and beyond, written by a laura dawes, who holds a senior position within the fca. She talks with great pride about it going to the leeds gay pride event with fca staff and really interestingly , staff and really interestingly, she the man who weve mentioned before on this programme and this is really extraordinary because , you know, sheldon mills because, you know, sheldon mills holds one of the top positions. He is the executive chairman of the fca and he recently went on a march to he said , let me wait a march to he said, let me wait for this. This was a march for transgender non binary gender, non conforming and intersex people. So as a cisgender gay people. So as a cisgender gay man, i was an ally and that made me reflect on the need to continually seek to support and make visible the less than 1 of the population who are transgender and face significant challenges , as in so many challenges, as in so many aspects of their daily lives. Aspects of their daily lives. What the hell . What the hell . Mr mills or any of you at the fca . What the hell is going on . Marches making political statements. What the hell has that got to do with Financial Market regs violation . I would say pretty much nothing. So even though the fca finally been forced to act on the closure of bank accounts, its pretty fit. You know, its pretty unfit for purpose. As an organisation, purpose. As an organisation, they seem to have a completely twisted sense of priorities, but this is the sort of woke time tide that is going through, not just our corporate companies, but clearly its coming from and being encouraged by the regulator for themselves. Maybe that begins to help explain what a mess our Banking System is in because as ever, the fish rots from the head down. Now im joined by bob lydon. Hes an independent Financial Adviser with huge experience in the field of banking, with huge experience in the field of banking , written many field of banking, written many reports on it. Bob to begin with, i was fascinated to see what you wrote about the status of politically exposed persons and just how many people were in that category. Yes, i mean, its that category. Yes, i mean, its something its thousands , isnt it . Its a in its a 90,000. It . Its a 90,000. This hasnt gone mad. You know. Its a 90,000. This hasnt gone mad. You know. And then on gone mad. You know. And then on the other hand, you have countries who can give out their lists, which have got 50 people or something, and they would because those are the countries that should be coming under heavy scrutiny. So its become heavy scrutiny. So its become an industry in itself and fed from a data vendor, usually just the one who, you know, if theyre charged saying 100,000 a year or a month , they have to a year or a month, they have to produce fat lists , dont they . Produce fat lists, dont they . They cant produce a zero list list with which is blank. So its become an industry where more and more people get tagged. And once youre tagged, its a black mark. Very difficult to remove. Yeah 90,000 people, politically exposed persons. Politically exposed persons. And from what i can make out, bob, not one single case of anybody in that category being associated with Money Laundering at any point in the last half a century. Century. Well, i dont think thats necessary to be fair. But you perhaps be talking about 5 or 6. Okay were a country where which is not tagged by the global these global bodies, Financial Action task force moneyval as having high incidence of grift you know, of people taking 10 off the top and yet weve got 90,000 peps. Its ludicrous. Moving on cash, you know bank 5000 Bank Closures around the country. A huge reluctance now country. A huge reluctance now for banks to take cash either from individuals or from businesses. And we learn from businesses. And we learn from the 11th of september that natwest are going to put very strict limits on the amount of cash people can put in and take out. Are the banks trying to out. Are the banks trying to drive cash out the system . Drive cash out of the system . Yes, they are. You know what were talking about. You dont have to read very much into things like the un sustainability goals all the stuff during the pandemic that Cash Transfer fitted the disease. Yeah. And oh, cash is bad for financial inclusion. Everybodys got to have a bank account. Well, hold on. Cash is extremely good for financial inclusion. What youve got is inclusion. What youve got is a really a campaign coming. It really a campaign coming. It presents itself like different heads of the hydra, but its kill off cash, get onto digital Digital Currencies , everything Digital Currencies, everything you know, everything is distributed or done through a visa or mastercard like business arrangement. But where theres a arrangement. But where theres a hell of a lot of fees , 3, 5 off hell of a lot of fees, 3, 5 off the top on every transaction. The top on every transaction. Yeah, they love that. Thats why yeah, they love that. Thats why they want digital currency. They want digital currency. Yeah. Oh, im sure once cash is removed completely, those fees will probably go up and not down. It wouldnt too be difficult at that. Now, difficult to guess at that. Now, bob, the have acted today. Bob, the fca have acted today. You know, theyve given this deadune you know, theyve given this deadline of a 25th of august to the you know, my view is the banks. You know, my view is they have been doing this the banks. You know, my view is tilong, have been doing this the banks. You know, my view is tilong, long have been doing this the banks. You know, my view is tilong, long time been doing this the banks. You know, my view is tilong, long time ag0| doing this the banks. You know, my view is tilong, long time ago because1is a long, long time ago because this has been developing into a huge scandal for a very long time. But when i showed you earlier the statements from sheldon mills, the engagement of the bank with pride and other political campaigns, i mean, what are they doing wrong . Isnt their job to what are they doing wrong . Isnt theirjob to regulate what are they doing wrong . Isnt their job to regulate Financial Markets . Well yes, but its difficult when you have the bank of england say the major stream of england say the major stream of work on green ing the bank of england. Youre right. These are its great for management to have targets like that because they can basically mark their own homework, say, oh, weve achieved this, that and the other. And yet underneath it other. And yet underneath it all, what theyre really supposed to be concentrating on like inflation or bank Service Provision goes to hell in a handbag basket. Its brilliant. But but the answer with the fca. I mean, in my personal experience , was trying to help experience, was trying to help really going back five years a certain type of payment company, to not get banked here. And the fca was on the other side. They fca was on the other side. They were effectively saying , oh, you were effectively saying, oh, you know, banks can cite commercial reasons for somebody they were inventing excuses for the banks not to provide service. So not to provide service. So theyve actually been on the other side of this argument for a very long time, protecting the banks against the customer. Would you agree with me that the fca , bob, would you agree the fca, bob, would you agree with me that the fca is simply not fit for purpose . Well, it has its various purposes and it invents them. I dont know. I mean, lets see the timeline is are very short in my experience. People would you know, the banks would say, weve paused your application , weve paused your application, well, why i need service now . They wouldnt ever say ive rejected you. Theyd delay. They rejected you. Theyd delay. They do Everything Possible to say , do Everything Possible to say, we havent rejected you. So we havent rejected you. So given that when you ask a question or they ask the fca, ask how many people have you rejected . Theyll say no one needs to go through very carefully what the fca has said and think about how the banks can wriggle out of saying, well, yes , well know pretty soon. Yes, well know pretty soon. Well know pretty soon we will. Whether this is at least it isnt a five year process. It isnt a five year process. No, in this case, no. Unlike the covid inquiry . No, absolutely , bob. And thank you absolutely, bob. And thank you very much indeed, lynn, for joining us tonight on the show. Now, its been migrant week all week with the conservatives coming out with statements, everything from sending people to islands to, of to the ascension islands to, of course, their deputy chairman, lee upsetting 1 or 2 people. But what is labours solution . Well, theyve come up with a five point plan. Its funny, isnt it . Everybody seems to use five point plans these days. Were point plans these days. Were going to go through it and see what it actually make any difference at all youre listening to gb news radio. News radio. Well, some of your reaction to the fca , one viewer says to the fca, one viewer says theyre part of the problem. Theyre part of the problem. Bankers, policing, bankers doesnt work any better than the old bill policing themselves. The system is wide open for corruption to take hold, stewart says. Corruption to take hold, stewart says. They are failures in their says. They are failures in their position , probably paid failures position, probably paid failures or professional losers. Not much or professional losers. Not much love for the fca here and ryan says, because like so many of our institutions, they are rotten to the core with wokeism. Well, there we are. Now, todays big announcement came from the government and it is a deal with the turkish government. They say the turkish government. They say our partnership with turkey, a close friend and ally , will close friend and ally, will enable our Law Enforcement agencies to Work Together on this International Problem and tackle the small boat supply chain. Well, it might help a chain. Well, it might help a bit, but it wont really make any difference. But hey, if you believe some of the polling out today, labour are on course for an absolutely stonking majority. Now theres a long way to go, but either way theyre certainly the bookies favourites and theyve come up with their own five point plan on. And ive joined here in the studio peter edwards, former editor of labour list. Peter five point plan, not very imaginative really, is it . I wouldnt say that at all. And you know, they often say that flattery is the greatest compliment. We now have the government pick government starting to pick through of labours through bits of labours plan for so couple for themselves. So a couple of years ago tory ministers were saying not were friends saying not sure if were friends with since 2016 with france labour since 2016 has been calling for closer cooperation. Another point from labours plan and to save time, i wont read it all out. No. Sure what was trying to tackle these source. So now, these issues at source. So now, seven years on from perhaps the pubuc seven years on from perhaps the public recognition of the crisis in britain again the tories are trying to tackle the migrant crisis at source as labour suggested. Now theres five different points in the plan, but it would seem like in a very lethargic and piecemeal way, the government are trying to pick up what labour has been proposing. All right. I mean we cant go through lets through all of it, but lets just deal with the new agreement with youve just mentioned. Wont be france wont be allowed to make agreement this make an agreement on this because union because the European Union now manages asylum policy as a whole. They have a lot of arguments over but they do manage it over it. But they do manage it as a whole. And so we would need to agreement with the eu to do an agreement with the eu on with france. To do an agreement with the eu on theyve with france. To do an agreement with the eu on theyve vveryrance. To do an agreement with the eu on theyve vvery given, and theyve been very given, given thousands given the hundreds of thousands crossing in, crossing the mediterranean in, its not really going to happen, is . Well, got to is it . Well, weve got to disaggregate two Different Things announced disaggregate two different thin week announced disaggregate two different thin week was announced disaggregate two different thin week was with announced disaggregate two different thin week was with turkey. Nced disaggregate two different thiryesek was with turkey. Nced disaggregate two different thiryes ,< was with turkey. Nced disaggregate two different thiryes , weve with turkey. Nced disaggregate two different thiryes , weve alreadykey. Nced yes, weve already got agreements france. Some agreements with france. Some folk in this country believe were wrong to pay money to france. The alternative is we give france nothing and allow the problem to get worse. And my concern, theres a lot of politics in it. And we know that immigration is very important, isnt to swing voters, but people are dying. People are dying in war torn countries then then at risk when they come to turkey , then theyre in at risk turkey, then theyre in at risk again. When they get on a small boat. And then at risk here, not necessarily death, thank necessarily of death, thank goodness, disease goodness, but of serious disease because of processing centres management of processing centres like these people like manston. So these people have been at risk all the way through their journey. What about theyve become a political what about the to in britain . Because of these people because some of these people that are coming are serious criminals. About rest that are coming are serious cri us . Als. About rest of us . Well, you say some. How many . Well, you say some. How many . Too many. And if you and if too many. And if you and if you particularly, you look particularly, particularly at and weve taken some action, but the extent to which albanians whove been encouraged to cross the channel open adverts tiktok , come and open adverts on tiktok, come and join criminal gangs and you talk to Police Forces all over britain, a real problem. Britain, its a real problem. Would challenge britain, its a real problem. That would challenge britain, its a real problem. That becausei challenge britain, its a real problem. That becausei challtheres on that because while theres obviously crime in every country, any country, youre not offering any statistics support what statistics to support what youre theres crime in youre saying. Theres crime in britain weve got to trust. Well, do job, if you well, if you do the job, if you look people are fleeing well, if you do the job, if you lookand, people are fleeing well, if you do the job, if you look and, you people are fleeing well, if you do the job, if you lookand, you know,e are fleeing well, if you do the job, if you look and, you know, ive fleeing well, if you do the job, if you look and, you know, ive been 1g well, if you do the job, if you look and, you know, ive been to war. And, you know, ive been to another world. Theyre not. Theyre not. Some are. Theyre not. Theyre not. Theyre not. Theyre not. Theyre not. Theyre of now theyre not many of them are now coming subcontinent india. The others are coming from countries all over the world. And even if there are genuine refugee is among them, were not handung refugee is among them, were not handling it well. Look theres no question the public are upset about sense of about this. They see a sense of injustice unfairness and, injustice and unfairness and, you huge social waiting you know, huge social waiting lists for british people. They lists for british people. They see people coming in and as they perceive it, getting everything and by the way, you know, whatever the tories come up with, round tonight with, theres a round tonight between Robert Jenrick and lee anderson. Jenrick says, our policies are working. Anderson says theyre not. Theyre not. But really but one thing that really interested me was , you know, it interested me was, you know, it was said today in the five point plan, labour would clear the backlog and end hotel use. How on earth are they to going end hotel use . There are 50,000 people currently in hotels as well. Labour have got tonnes of ideas which the government gradually pinching. So one was to spend the rwanda money. Have to spend the rwanda money. Have to your viewers zero to remind your viewers zero people sent rwanda so far people sent to rwanda so far £140 million to spend the rwanda money on a cross border force. Money on a cross border force. So closer cooperation with france. But also with other countries like turkey clearing the backlog. I think will take time. If they win , its time. If they win, its obviously not going to take a day or a week. Id imagine it will take months. But will take several months. But at the government seem the moment, the government seem to spending money on triaging to be spending money on triaging a problem while out with a problem while falling out with our like france. Our neighbours like france. Labour closer cooperation labour want closer cooperation and they want this cross border force because we know putting folk in hotels, let alone on a thats where are you going to put them a prison ship, where are you going put them . Disgraceful are you going put where are you going to put them . Where are you going to put the we faster processing. We need faster processing. Processing down processing has slowed down and when criminals, when you talk about criminals, nigel again challenge nigel again have to challenge you. Use any you. You didnt use any statistics argue over 10 of the prison population now foreign born. Part of that part of that is what is happening with illegal migration into britain. So generic well, thats so generic that your about albania and your point was about albania and then have a albanias then you have a albanias albania problem. Albania is a massive problem. Let stat. The home let me give you a stat. The home Office Processing 10,000 office is processing 10,000 fewer claims year than it fewer claims per year than it used so all agree used to. So we can all agree left right under this left or right under this government, it is less effective by any given statistic measure of tackling it. And would Labour Solutions are at risk. Would the labour solution to the backlog be just let everyone stay . Course not. Stay . Of course not. And im sure well, some folk on the tory backbenchers say that think have have that labour i think have have wised up over the last decade. They recognise public concern over immigration as a perfectly reasonable thing. But id also remind you in your statistic free zone that labour has a narrow lead on public trust on immigration. According i know, know. I know. Narrow lead. We have got. We have got. We are on course this year. So we have got. We are on course this year. So whos to say maybe 60, 70,000 people will cross the engush 60, 70,000 people will cross the English Channel this year . I would guess thats about what its going to be. 50,000 in hotels . Yes processing is slow. But heres the biggest problem, peter. When people are found not to have a valid asylum claim , to have a valid asylum claim, actually sending them back anywhere proved to be almost anywhere has proved to be almost impossible with our own courts and and labour cant and the echr and labour cant solve that. Well, thing really is well, the key thing really is about how the law is drafted and by judges , because theres been by judges, because theres been the biggest deflection in exercise over the last ten years to blame this on lawyers or quote unquote lefty lawyers, lefty lawyers, lefty lawyers as if as if theyre all the same. A if as if theyre all the same. A lawyer takes an oath to represent their client to the best of their ability based on their training. So the government passed the laws and then government blamed then the government blamed blame other people feel the other people when they feel the laws working. If the laws are not working. If the laws are not working. If the laws working, is laws are not working, that is the governments fault. And if people taken people are being taken off a plane the name of plane at midnight in the name of justice, thats decided in the interests fairness. Well, yes. And indeed, weve seen murderers taken off planes at midnight as result of campaigning. And the government get and the government has to get it right. And the government has to get it rilabour oppositions labour oppositions a final thought. You know, i can thought on this. You know, i can see labour saying , to be see what labour is saying, to be honest. Theyre saying is honest. What theyre saying is not very different to what the governments saying, not very different going through these points. Believe points. Do you actually believe that a labour government, which we may well have september, october next year with a big majority, do you actually think theres anything in these five points boats points will stop the boats coming . Coming . W e that will take yeah, i think that will take time. And ill give you two time. And ill give you two quick one is because quick reasons. One is because i think pragmatic quick reasons. One is because i thinreason pragmatic quick reasons. One is because i thinreason the pragmatic quick reasons. One is because i thin reason the five agmatic quick reasons. One is because i thin reason the five pointsc the reason the five points arent on the front pages every day because theyre not exciting, sexy , but exciting, theyre not sexy, but theyre actually doing the theyre actually about doing the detailed and spending money detailed work and spending money in places. The other in the right places. The other point sunak swings point is rishi sunak swings between ideology say some mean things about sending folk to rwanda and total pragmatism, where he is running terrified of tory backbenchers. As im sure tory backbenchers. As im sure youd agree this just like youd agree with this just like liz truss did, just boris liz truss did, just like Boris Johnson occasionally johnson did occasionally and just did. Just like David Cameron did. They the tory they are terrified of the tory backbenchers and the tory backbenchers and the tory backbenchers dictating backbenchers are dictating conservative government. Terrified of a theyre terrified of a majority opinion this majority Public Opinion in this country. Country. W the majority of people are appalled by whats happening in the channel that were all i think were all appalled. Think were all appalled. People dying. Two thirds people dying. Two thirds people dying. Is what do you the question is what do you do about it . You a row do about it . Do you have a row with france and tell fibs about sending rwanda when sending people to rwanda when its or do you its not happening . Or do you actually get in weeds of the detail . They might have to they might have gone to rwanda, court in strasbourg. Well continue this. Well continue this. Thank you very much. Now as a result of my de banking campaign, ive asked people to come forwards if theyve suffered very badly. And it isnt just the banks. Often payment platforms can be a real problem. And i was written to earlier on this week by a man called martin zurek, a director of limited. Elko direct, of elko limited. Elko direct, a company up in newcastle , and company up in newcastle, and they sell gloves and kit for building sites, etcetera. And building sites, etcetera. And there was a major, major problem with their ebay trading account. Have a look at this on the screen. It was hacked, it went wrong and it finished. Up wrong and it finished. Up £135,000 in debit. This has led £135,000 in debit. This has led to huge problems for martin and hes on the verge. When he hes on the verge. When he emailed me, hes on the verge of losing his home. Im losing his business, losing everything, and it seems that the fca and others simply dont care. Well, Martin Jarrett joins me down the line right now from newcastle. When right now from newcastle. When you say you went to the fca, you went to the police, you went to others , i mean, were you simply others, i mean, were you simply given the brush off good evening, nigel. Yes , absolutely. Ive yes, absolutely. Ive contacted the fca and ive been told this will be escalated to the higher senior level. Thats all i was told. A theres nothing to come back on. There is absolutely no form of communication with them. Ive contacted the police a they essentially stated this is not for them. Yeah or its simply not something that they will get involved in. Now if you have gone and stolen £135,000 from a bank , im sure the discussion bank, im sure the discussion would be different. But because this has been defrauded through ebay. Yeah nobody seems to want to know, but its a big thing. They didnt want to know ehhen its a big platform now. Ebay now say your viewer is now able to start selling again and were resolving the final issues associated with the account. So can you start selling again . Is can you start selling again . Is this now over after a horrible penod this now over after a horrible period or are you still stuck in a mess . A mess . Absolutely not, because first, they have taken a two weeks of frantic phone calls. And i must have spoken to about 30 people who generally didnt care less of getting the amount credited and acknowledged as fraud. But then when they eventually have credited the amount last thursday or friday, yeah, it essentially all of the previous orders are being seen as fraudulent out. So any anything that thats being sold through the platform essentially goes back into debit because the platform seems to think this is all coming from fraud and its not. We service some of our customers for 12 years. Nigel those are repeat customers that come into us. I know youre out. They upset. You know, youre a well established business and ebayis well established business and ebay is a very big platform that millions of us use every single yeah millions of us use every single year. Martin thank you for coming on, sharing your problem. I cant solve the problems of you and everybody else, but i can shine a light on whats going on. And i repeat the question at the top of the show are the fca fit for purpose . What the hell are the fca . What the hell are the fca . Therefore, if things go wrong on ebay and they dont want anything to do with it, i find it quite extraordinary. In a moment, talk an electoral moment, well talk an Electoral Commission breach commission serious data breach and the swankiest pub in britain that burnt down. Now were being told by the police, actually it was arson radio. Yesterday it was the Police Service of Northern Ireland. A big data leak. Overnight, we learn about a whopping great big data leak from the Electoral Commission. When im joined by Mariano Delli Santi legal and policy officer for the open rights group. So whats actually happened here . Well, so what we know, which is actually not really a lot because the Electoral Commission has not really given us too many information about this is there has been a data breach that was communicated yesterday concerning a 40 million, 40 million. So the records of 40 million. So the records of 40 Million People living in the United Kingdom who have been exposed apparently in this cyber attack , whose origin is still attack, whose origin is still unidentified. And this exposed basically the whole electoral register of the United Kingdom. Yeah and i mean, the specs relation that its russia, but it could be. I mean, we just dont know do we know . I mean, like there is no available information as to whom has actually done this. How worried should we be . As i say , we have the police i say, we have the Police Service of Northern Ireland data yesterday thats released mercifully without addresses. But still names. We have this today. Are any of these databases safe . Databases safe . Well, i would say , first of well, i would say, first of all, yes, there is a problem when it comes to the databases, which is very difficult to secure them. And therefore , the secure them. And therefore, the one good way of addressing this would be to delete information as soon as they are not needed anymore. For here, the electoral anymore. For here, the Electoral Commission is telling us that they retain this information for more than ten years, which is probably more than it is actually needed. But i will say actually needed. But i will say this story is more telling of a different issue at stake because on the one hand, you have the Electoral Commission really downplaying the risks which are associated with the data breach, which happened. The which has happened. And on the other , you have the other hand, you have the Electoral Commission who are not really complying with Data Protection rules in the United Kingdom. Kingdom. Thats quite an accusation. And do . And you do . Fundamental what well, its fundamental what what they have said and most importantly, you do have the information commissioner office, the Protection Authority in the Data Protection authority in the Data Protection authority in the kingdom, who seem the United Kingdom, who seem pretty about the pretty complacent about the situation. Is just one situation. And this is just one of the many instances where the information commissioner has not really done a lot about public authorities not being very compliant with Data Protection law. Interesting. Ive got a complaint into the ico office about gdpr breaches and my data and my stuff and my bank being leaked, and they didnt appear to be very interested at all complacent is the word. So could 40 million of us start to receive communications from someone wanting to influence the next general election . Next general election . Well, i mean, this is a speculation. I mean, i guess the speculation. I mean, i guess the important aspect in there is the electoral. Lets say there are two different kinds of electoral registers. One is public and one is not public. The one which has been access is the not public one. And in particular it includes people who have opted out the electoral register. Out of the electoral register. Now, do opt out of now, people who do opt out of the electoral registers are usually people who dont want their home address to be fundamentally accessible in an open register. And this could be because youve been victim of a domestic abuse. This could be because you change your address, because you change your address, because you change your address, because you were problems because you were having problems with. This could be with stalking. This could be like in my case, because im witnessing in a criminal proceeding against some people and i dont want them to be able to find where i live. So there are obviously high risks associated with data about these individuals who opted out, which are now publicly accessible. Well we dont know whether theyre public, accessible or not, but the point is theres a risk. Well we know that if they have been accessed and in a data breach, when they say we dont know if they have been downloaded, the point is because the has been the Information System has been compromised, there is really no way know. On the other way to know. But on the other hand, usually people dont access someone elses computer hand, usually people dont accthe someone elses computer hand, usually people dont accthe sake one elses computer hand, usually people dont accthe sake ofa elses computer hand, usually people dont accthe sake of doing s computer hand, usually people dont accthe sake of doing this. 1puter hand, usually people dont accthe sake of doing this. Theyr for the sake of doing this. They do this because theyre still interested, interested in the information really interesting. Thank you. And your mariano, thank you. And your point about the Electoral Commission, not operating as they should have done, i think is a very, very strong one. Thank you. Now it was called the wonkiest pub in britain. Yes. Youve the news stories youve seen the news stories over the course of last over the course of the last couple of days up there just outside dudley and yeah, the crooked house and it closes and it burns down and a lot of concern from local mp and others. Could this be an issue . Terence job well jack carson gb news is west midlands. Reporter is there outside whats left of the crooked house. So jack, it burns down and then it gets demolished the next day. Is that right . Right . So yes. So it burns down on on saturday. Theres about 30 firefighters that try and fight. The blaze reported that theres a mound of dirt at the top of the access road here meant they had to bring in tens of metres of hose essentially to be able to take down the fire. Forensic teams from the police and the fire service then come in on sunday. Monday, the police have to leave the site because they site unstable. They say the site is unstable. Well, at that then monday well, at that point then monday evening , this is the digger evening, this is when the digger starts demolish this site. Starts to demolish this site. Now, Staffordshire Council now, south Staffordshire Council said that they did not give the permission for the site and for the crooked house to be demolished completely. That was not their agreement. There was a section the building for section of the building for safety it to be safety reasons. It had to be taken down. But the full demolition was in way agreed demolition was in no way agreed upon so is this upon. So there is now this investigation with the police and fire service not only and the fire service not only into criminality. There was into the criminality. There was an from from an update from from Staffordshire Police just an hour said they are now hour ago that said they are now treating here as arson. Treating the fire here as arson. But of course, there is now this investigation the unlawful investigation into the unlawful breach of the town and planning laws with staff for south Staffordshire Council over the demolition itself. But the fact is, nigel, this is the fact that this has been demolished and the fire in itself has really caused hurt to this community because this building, while not grade listed and we know that there was a submission to heritage england have this place grade england to have this place grade listed fact is that this listed the fact is that this this community is really hurting because this was iconic because this was an iconic building built originally in the 18th century. She stood for 200 years as a farmhouse. Of course , and a pub for so many decades. But lets speak to paul craig, whos local resident here. Whos a local resident here. Paul whos a local resident here. Paul, with the rubble paul, i mean, with the rubble behind you , what are your behind you, what are your feelings like here at this site now . Well, its just total devastation , to honest with devastation, to be honest with you. Mean , this this building you. I mean, this this building was lovely , lovely building. Was a lovely, lovely building. It was our heritage. I mean, if it was our heritage. I mean, if you get to places like around the like henley in the country, like henley in arden and like that, they arden and places like that, they build buildings , they build Old Buildings, they cherish dudley seems cherish them. But dudley seems to be on the back foot to be always on the back foot when to things like when it comes to things like that. Nobody cares. And we wont stop until justice has been served. Whoevers done this , i served. Whoevers done this, i mean, the police have said this afternoon that they are treating this as arson. Afternoon that they are treating thisiss arson. Afternoon that they are treating thisis thaton. Afternoon that they are treating thisis that is. Afternoon that they are treating thisis that is that a shock to is that is that a shock to you, knowing, course , here, you, knowing, of course, here, as here over the as youve gathered here over the over days over the past couple of days with hundreds people . With hundreds of people . Not at all blowing, managed , not at all blowing, managed, could see that it was a it was arson and but what youve got to ask yourself is this whats worse, the actual fire or what the knocking of it down. I mean, thats in my opinion , is worse thats in my opinion, is worse than the actual fire. Because if the fire if it was just for the fire, we had some sort of chance of like repairing it. But whether theyve left it like this , they give us no chance, this, they give us no chance, really. I mean, a e street has come out quite strongly in this. It said that this place needs to be built back brick by brick. But before. Before the but that was before. Before the demolition makes this so demolition that makes this so much now to bring back much harder now to bring back the crooked house in any shape or does , but. But theres it does, but. But theres a way it can be done. It can be done. Way it can be done. It can be done. Ill never say never. I done. Ill never say never. I mean, im putting Old Buildings up, down the Black Country museum all the while. Now this museum all the while. Now this is a bit more difficult, but. But it can be done. And but it can be done. And whoevers responsible ought to be made to put it back exactly how it was. Okay paul, thank you for joining us this evening. I mean, that just gives you an example, nigel, of the strong feelings here, the fact is the local people here going feelings here, the fact is the lo lets get out of london, lets decentralise well. The Civil Service numbers in london are up by 33. And if that doesnt shock you enough, city service money, payment salaries and bonuses to Civil Servants , this is up by Civil Servants, this is up by 60 since 20. You cant believe this. Since 2016. So we become ever more centralised and ever more bureaucratised , ever more more bureaucratised, ever more tied up in knots and rules. But the Civil Servants , many of the Civil Servants, many of whom, of course, spent most of their life working from home, do rather well. Lawlessness in rather well. Lawlessness in london. Oxford street has been deteriorating for some months. Huge numbers of people sleeping rough at night, burglaries, violent assaults. But today it violent assaults. But today it went a step further. People using social media to encourage gangs to go and rob stores. And you can see the violent scenes on these pictures, the police getting involved. But mobs, mobs getting involved. But mobs, mobs just trying to get into shops to do, you know, ransack to loot. Do, you know, ransack to loot. Five arrests have been made, but somehow , somehow, because the somehow, somehow, because the similar thing happened in new york last week, where through social media, people were encouraged gather in a pretty encouraged to gather in a pretty violent manner, somehow always got to be found to stop social media platforms being used for criminality. Now, right across criminality. Now, right across the country, we have the rollout of low traffic neighbourhoods. The plan for 15 minute cities, the ulez extension in london. All in all, the motorist is having a very, very difficult time. But what about the businesses . And im going to be joined in a moment by clint pugh from oxford , whos lost his from oxford, whos lost his business a result of a low business as a result of a low traffic neighbourhood. Do his local council even care there . Happening in newcastle, the happening in canterbury, the happening in bristol and yes, of course theyre happening in oxford. Low traffic oxford. Low traffic neighbourhoods plans actually to have what are called 15 minute cities. And of course the argument all around the edge of Greater London and into the counties about the ulez counties outside about the ulez extension at the moment. Extension raging at the moment. But it does seem that have but it does seem that we have a lot of politicians and local councils who are very pro bicycles , but unfortunately most bicycles, but unfortunately most of us need cars. But what about those that are affected by low traffic neighbourhoods . Well, clint pugh is not just the father of some famous actors. Hes a Restaurant Owner and now an anti low traffic neighbourhoods campaigner. Hes part of the together campaign, who we featured and alan miller and others many times on this show. Clint, youre from oxford show. Clint, youre from oxford. Theyve been doing their best to drive up motor cars in the centre of oxford for years with the pedestrian zones in the middle. But tell us your story. Well , as we middle. But tell us your story. Well, as we were coming out of covid, we found the odd leaflet under the door as we were trying to prepare to open our restaurants and we discovered in the end that a word called elton had no idea what it was. Eventually, in may what it was. Eventually, in may of last year, they rolled out along the cowley road. Cowley along the cowley road. Cowley road and the iffley road are two very important roads that come into the Centre Oxford into the centre of oxford and all connecting roads for 1. 2 miles will suddenly blocked and they took away single yellow lines , which it meant we needed lines, which it meant we needed people to come from the shires because cowley road , because on the cowley road, probably rishi sunak has obviously probably gone there. When he was college, probably when he was at college, probably to whats to my restaurants. But whats happened people from the happened is the people from the shires get in. Theres shires now cant get in. Theres nowhere park, so were nowhere to park, so were reliant on the community which will be part of their 15 minute city to somehow support these 200 and something businesses , 200 and something businesses, most of them english, is their second language. So it was an easy target for them to actually close now, of course , im close this. Now, of course, im being very im not being very vocal. Im not against, of course, wed all prefer a greener , cleaner prefer a greener, cleaner oxford, but they could have done prefer a greener, cleaner oigraduallythey could have done prefer a greener, cleaner oigradually. 1ey could have done prefer a greener, cleaner oigradually. Theyyuld have done prefer a greener, cleaner oigradually. They couldave done prefer a greener, cleaner oigradually. They could have ne it gradually. They could have probably third of the probably closed a third of the roads and seen how went roads first and seen how it went. And when called them out,. And when we called them out, of havent done of course they havent done anything and make it any anything to try and make it any better. Its like, suck it and see. An experiment at this stage . Well, im not im not exactly sure, honest with you. All sure, to be honest with you. All i to keep i know is that we have to keep being about it because the being vocal about it because the damage happening. Damage is happening. Ive had one repossessed out one of my sites repossessed out by landlords ive so by the landlords because ive so far rent. Its far behind with the rent. Its im struggling. Having im struggling. Im having to contain restaurants , one of contain my restaurants, one of them at the them only opening at the weekends theres no weekends because theres no point at the point opening it at the beginning been beginning of the week. Ive been called councillor called out by a councillor saying i dont how to run a saying i dont know how to run a business, though course business, even though of course ive running in ive been running businesses in oxford about 35 years. Ive oxford for about 35 years. Ive opened probably 12, 13, 14 restaurants. Im extremely experienced at it. But its how do you cope, having just gone through covid, weve got a painful recession. Weve got the painful recession. Weve got the bank of england hiking up the interest rates, which are not going to kerb the Power Companies , which are the ones companies, which are the ones causing inflation. Far as causing the inflation. As far as im all its going to im can see, all its going to cause damage cause is further economic damage. But if the councils dont listen and ive been saying this back at a meeting, back in november year , that november of last year, that something has to be done. Youre killing the lifeline the killing the lifeline and the blood oxford. Blood to oxford. Traders got have all the traders got together . Were trying. Were the dont forget, were on the back forget, back foot. And dont forget, this through by this was all pushed through by people live local, people that probably live local, that riding around that are into riding around their bicycles, working from home. A very home. Theyre obviously a very clever people, but clever group of people, but theyre sympathetic. Theyre not being sympathetic. Theyre not. And but they theyre not. And also but they wont pleased all wont be so pleased when all this busy, this community, this busy, thriving businesses Thriving Community of businesses closed down because thats whats happen. Whats going to happen. They must feel the local politicians in oxford. And its politicians in oxford. And its a its quite a healthy labour majority when green and liberal and green and liberal. But but labour are clearly there and they must think theyve got pubuc they must think theyve got public support for this or are they just driving this through . Think theyre just driving i think theyre just driving. Ideological idea. They have an ideological idea. Now. We appreciate the idea ,. Now. We appreciate the idea, but its how theyve executed it. This is the problem. But then they did same oxford they did the same in oxford when they did the same in oxford when they whopping they built the whopping great westgate centre, has westgate centre, which has killed centre of oxford. Killed the centre of oxford. Theres parts of the high theres huge parts of the high street and cornmarket street that empty you know, now that are empty or, you know, now full rubbish they have full of rubbish shops. They have killed the community inside, but that then is driving cars into the biggest car park in oxford. So at one hand theyre killing the taken away car the cowley road taken away car parking. Encouraging cars to parking. So encouraging cars to go to the westgate centre, which was labour project, which was the labour project, which should a beautiful should have been a beautiful little no little village, you know, no cars, you i dont cars, you know, i dont understand they dont try understand why they dont try and locals to not, and persuade locals to not, i mean, ultimately, ultimately it seems that a lot of these seems to me that a lot of these councils and cities around the country that itll be ulez will be everywhere, and be pretty much everywhere, and that ultimately they that ultimately ultimately they want to charge us per mile, dont they . Its the money. Its the money. Its the you know, you its the tax. You know, you can coming at the can see that coming at the moment. 5 million moment. At the moment, 5 million drivers. Out on drivers. I mean, i live out on the edge of just outside of oxford. What gather, oxford. From what i gather, i found get 25 found out today ill only get 25 permissions to drive permissions to be able to drive around minute around these five minute areas. That i can go in and cross that means i can go in and cross over to another of these over to another one of these areas. Imagine areas. Now, can you imagine a year twos time . Well well year or twos time . Well well be charged for every one, wont we . As as we . You can imagine. So as as the little old lady, i mean, im thinking about mother law. Thinking about my mother in law. How to to how is she going to get to hospital . What going hospital . What shes going to spend a bus to spend three hours on a bus to get mean, its not get there . I mean, its not going work, it . Going to work, is it . Its obvious. I going to work, is it . Its obvious. I its tax on obvious. I mean, its a tax on the especially in london. The poor, especially in london. But we we dont have an but we dont we dont have an underground can tell you. I mean, ulez, whos ulez going to affect . Its the poor van drivers and those that cant afford cars and i live right afford new cars and i live right out on the edge. Wont bother me. Tuppence well, no, because you i mean all you can afford it. I mean all those, those billionaires those, all those billionaires and the people that probably shouldnt london, shouldnt be living in london, they £12. 50 to them is going to be nothing is it. As they drive around in their gigantic range rovers. Their the rovers. Yeah. But their cars the Little People little but the Little People i mean what is £2,000 going to do. Little but the Little People i nmean,hat is £2,000 going to do. Little but the Little People i nmean, where £2,000 going to do. Little but the Little People i nmean, where is 000 going to do. Little but the Little People i nmean, where is 000 £2,0000 do. I mean, where is this £2,000 per. Thats probably per. I mean, thats probably a £2 isnt it. Billion. £2 million isnt it. Billion. I mean if you i mean you could be living in surrey or kent or Essex Hertfordshire essex or hertfordshire and youre van, youre running a delivery van, but its not compliant with ulez you might get a bit of scrappage for it. A couple of grand, but new a couple of grand, but a new ones going eight, ten a couple of grand, but a new ones andg eight, ten a couple of grand, but a new ones and youre eight, ten a couple of grand, but a new ones and youre suddenlyn a couple of grand, but a new ones and youre suddenly and grand and youre suddenly and suddenly rest, suddenly hundreds and the rest, and hundreds of pounds and suddenly hundreds of pounds and suddenly hundreds of pounds a is your bill. Can the a month is your bill. Can the situation for you, clint, be resolved or is the closed restaurant, is it gone . But the one thing that they never talked about, reducing our Business Rates . Not at all. Business rates . Not at all. Theyve never considered. I mean, the site that i had repossessed , i had credit repossessed, i had no credit from landlord towards covid from the landlord towards covid at all. The closures. We didnt get anything from the government because rents were so high. Because the rents were so high. Yeah. They havent talked yeah. And they havent talked about compensation. I mean, about any compensation. I mean, weve just had, think, four weve just had, i think, four members of the of the local council been redundant council have been made redundant at some ridiculous bill of 400, £500,000. And theyre not talking about saving us. Small business people, you know, have dedicated their lives to running businesses in oxford. Its businesses in oxford. Its shocking. It really is shocking i youve made the argument incredibly. Thank you incredibly powerfully. Thank you for down the studio. Incredibly powerfully. Thank you for thank down the studio. Incredibly powerfully. Thank you for thank d0\for the studio. Incredibly powerfully. Thank you for thank d0\for the sme o. Incredibly powerfully. Thank you for thank d0\for the sme and thank you for having me and sharing story. Sharing that story. Well, yes, horrible. Well, ill. Yes, horrible. Not good. Jacob rees mogg joins me the line from what he me down the line from what he himself describe as what he calls it, gods own county, i think, or Something Like that. Think, or Something Like that. Jacob, what have you got coming up this evening . Well, i used to be the minister for government efficiency , so im obviously efficiency, so im obviously going to be talking about the burgeoning Civil Service, which is ridiculous that its got even bigger when we have plans in place a year ago to shrink it. And those havent been followed through with we were just beginning to turn the supertanker around and the government really needs focus government really needs to focus on cutting the size of this bloated Civil Service. Yep jacob, i agree with you wholeheartedly. It reminds me wholeheartedly. It reminds me actually of a very famous yes, minister, where theyre given the instruction that theyre going to have to reduce the size of the Civil Service and by the end of the review it is of course than it was when course bigger than it was when it. Well, thing it started. Well, one thing that is is the weather. So is looking up is the weather. So lets have a look at the next couple of days. The temperatures rising , boxt the temperatures rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hello there. Im Greg Dewhurst and welcome to your latest gb news weather forecast. It is briefly warmer temperatures reaching mid to high 20s. Plenty of sunny spells, but there will be some rain moving into the far west later on thursday. Looking at the Bigger Picture , a brief later on thursday. Looking at the biof er picture , a brief later on thursday. Looking at the biof warmerre , a brief later on thursday. Looking at the biof warmer weatheref later on thursday. Looking at the biof warmer weather 5 later on thursday. Looking at the biof warmer weather. But spell of warmer weather. But into the weekend this area of low pressure starts to move in, introduces something little introduces something a little bit fresher, particularly across the and the west. So the north. And the west. So looking at the end wednesday looking at the end of wednesday , some across , still some cloud across western , a bit murky western areas, a bit murky around some coast, but plenty of clear us into to clear spells taking us into to the early hours and most places dry. Quite a warm night to come, though. Temperatures for most Holding Around 16 holding up around 15, 16 degrees, perhaps 1 or spots no degrees, perhaps 1 or 2 spots no lower than 17 or 18 celsius for most. Thursday morning. A bright start, plenty of sunny spells. Therell be some low cloud that takes its time to and break takes its time to lift and break and then the day ahead, looking fine and dry. For many, though, the start to increase the cloud does start to increase across west. By the end across the far west. By the end of the day, perhaps 1 or 2 showers developing over the higher and Higher Ground of wales and temperatures lifting 27 to 28, possibly even 29 celsius. Weve not seen these numbers for quite some time. So quite a warm some time. So quite a warm feeling day into friday, though. A weak weather front pushes its way east across the country. First thing introducing then slightly fresher conditions into the afternoon , a mixture of the afternoon, a mixture of sunny spells and scattered showers. Some of these showers showers. Some of these showers could towards the could be heavy towards the north west of the uk and temperatures still around 25 or 26 towards the south east but fresher into the weekend , the fresher into the weekend, the temperatures rising, boxt solar, proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello , good evening. Hello, good evening. Hello, good evening. Its me, Jacob Rees Mogg on state of the nation. Tonight when britannia ruled the waves and much of the world, it did so efficiently and frugally. But now, as our power has shrunk, so our bureaucracy. He goes on our bureaucracy. He goes on growing Civil Service staffing numbers have increased by nearly a quarter in just seven years. At a cost to you, the taxpayer , at a cost to you, the taxpayer, of about £6 billion. If we could rule a quarter of the worlds population ocean with 175 Foreign Office staff , theres no Foreign Office staff, theres no reason why we cannot run our island nation today with 40,000 Civil Servants. How have we gone Civil Servants. How have we gone back in time to the 1970s . Jim callaghans winter of discontent. The age of stagflation, where inflation persists and growth slows . Well, persists and growth slows . Well, thats whats britains oldest Economic Research institute has suggested. Ill be asking somersets favourite economic historian , an edward chancellor, historian, an edward chancellor, whether its all bad news or if there is any hope on the horizon. For those of you who thought the war on the motorist was waged only in urban battlegrounds , think again. The battlegrounds, think again. The crusade has reached the rural streets of gods own county of somerset, just ten miles to the north east of here. A cycle lane has seemingly rocked the county as a glitch in the matrix has led to an epidemic of tripping pedestrians. Plus, weve been pedestrians. Plus, weve been promising you a tour of West Harptree all week, and today is the day here. The trees rustle with the rhythm of west country, jovial tea. The apples are cnsper, jovial tea. The apples are crisper , pollen encrusted bees crisper, pollen encrusted bees hop around the lavender sprigs , hop around the lavender sprigs, the stars scintillate with enthusiasm. And as ever, the sun enthusiasm. And as ever, the sun shines even through the crop watering rain. State of the nafion watering rain. State of the nation starts now. Nation starts now. As always, i want to hear from you. Its the most important you. Its the most important part of the programme. Email me mal mogg at gbnews. Com but now its mal mogg at gbnews. Com but now wsfime mal mogg at gbnews. Com but now its time for the news of the day with ray addison. Day with ray addison. Thanks, jacob. Heres the latest from the newsroom. Our top story, the