Least. Would you welcome a freeze or do you worry about the quality of your local services . Do let us know. And what do the met police need to do to regain your trust . Six former officers have been charged with sending, quote, grossly offensive, racist messages on whatsapp. Well get the insider opinion from a former met detective. Former met detective. Were also going to be talking about cuddles today. Do you like a cuddle . Would you pay for a cuddle from a stranger . For a cuddle from a stranger . Yes, were going to be talking about that a little bit later on. This is a lady who charges significant, not just a stranger, a licenced cuddle therapist for a cuddle. Yes. Is that something you find yourself doing . Do let us know. Gb views at gb news. But first, lets get at gb news. But first, lets get a bulletin round up with paul. A bulletin round up with paul. Good morning. Its 931. Im paul hawkins with the latest from the gb newsroom. Price from the gb newsroom. Price rises are continuing to slow due to a fall in the cost of food and energy. Latest figures from the office for National Statistics found Consumer Price index inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july. Forjune it was to 6. 8 in the year to july. For june it was 7. 9. To 6. 8 in the year to july. Forjune it was 7. 9. Its now the lowest rate since february last year. However, the last year. However, the governments preferred measure of inflation cpi does not include housing costs like mortgage payments. The bank of england will decide whether to raise Interest Rates or not on september 21st, next years rise in regulated rail fares in england will be below 9. Regulated fares cover roughly 45 of journeys, including season tickets. The government p99s season tickets. The government pegs regulated rail fare rises to the Retail Prices index measure of inflation or rpi , measure of inflation or rpi, which is higher than cpi. Fares will rise from next month. Uk will rise from next month. Uk border force and maritime authorities are on red alert as multiple small migrant boats have been spotted in the English Channel. Sources have told gb news that border force is expecting an extremely busy day of migrant activity. 50 people were taken into dover harbour dunng were taken into dover harbour during the first arrival at half three this morning. Six afghan men drowned when their small boat got into difficulties last weekend. In england will face weekend. In england will face australia in the world cup semi final this morning. The lionesses take on the matildas in the National Stadium in sydney for the right to face spain in sundays final. England the current european champions are the favourites to win the world cup. Australia, however, are the only team to have beaten england under coach Sarina Wiegman, a 2 0 win at wembley in april, which ended their 30 match unbeaten run kick off is at 11 am. This morning. You can get more on all their stories by visiting our website, gb news. Now back to you, tom and. Ellie now back to you, tom and. Ellie welcome back. Youre watching britains newsroom with me and tom harwood. And before we get into the news this morning, we want to talk to you about cuddles, because we are to going be talking about a cuddle therapist a little bit later on who is charging significant who is charging a significant amount money to hug people. Amount of money to hug people. Indeed, she calls herself a licenced therapist. Our licenced cuddle therapist. Our reporter jack carson , caught up reporter jack carson, caught up with her, will be playing out that interview a little bit later in the programme. But i suppose question that we suppose the big question that we have everyone at home is have for everyone at home is would you pay for a cuddle . Would you pay for a cuddle . I certainly wouldnt. No, i dont really like cuddling strangers. Strangers. For i think hugs can be for me, i think hugs can be some of the nicest things. But but, but with a stranger. So this is this is the thing. I get incredibly english about, you know, he is very of know, sort of he is very sort of i get dont know. I think it i get i dont know. I think it has to be. Well signalled. And both parties have to be entirely consent. Yes. Consent. Yes. Yes. Consensual hugs are very natural. You dont want a surprise hug. Thats what im trying to say. Surprise hugs. No and you wouldnt pay for it. And you wouldnt pay for it. So . So its interesting because ive watched some of this interview bit this interview a little bit earlier today and its not just sort of paying for a hug. Its like its half an hour of cuddle therapy. And so thats all sorts therapy. And so thats all sorts. But but not not like that. No, its a fascinating interview. We will be playing it out a little bit later. But yes. Do you get in touch . What what does licenced cuddle therapy actually mean . And would you be interested in it . Yeah, let know. Vaiews gbnews. Com but on onto our main story this morning. Ons figures released the hour show released in the last hour show that inflation has fallen from 7. 9 in june to 6. 8 in july. Yes , both the chancellor and yes, both the chancellor and the Prime Minister have said this latest Consumer Price index, which is the headline measure of inflation, shows that the governments plan is working i whereas labours chancellor , whereas labours chancellor, shadow chancellor, got ahead of myself, there. The election myself, there. The election hasnt happened yet. Rachel reeves has said this morning inflation in britain remains high and higher than many other Major Economies as well. Our economics and Business EditorLiam Halligan joins us now. Good morning to you, liam. I wouldnt pay for a hug. You would pay a hug. Would pay for a hug. Seems kind of hug. Risk seems some kind of hug. Risk assessment. Mean, talk about a assessment. I mean, talk about a mood killer. Assessment. I mean, talk about a moyeah,. Er. Assessment. I mean, talk about a mo� yeah, were together on this yeah, were together on this one, liam. Yeah, were together on this onei liam. Yeah, were together on this onei certainly look, im just i certainly look, im just saying, know, we dont need saying, you know, we dont need to economy. We to pay in a market economy. We shouldnt begrudging people shouldnt be begrudging people who to. Who might want to. We cant agree with you on that one. But, liam, you sat in this seat about a week or this very seat about a week or two ago, and you said if the next inflation figures started with be happy. So with a six, youd be happy. So are you this morning . Are you happy this morning . Good news. Of course this is good news. Of course weve gone. Mean, back in may, weve gone. I mean, back in may, inflation 8. 7, 7. 9. In june inflation was 8. 7, 7. 9. In june 6. 8 in july. So that means , to 6. 8 in july. So that means, to be clear, the basket of goods that the ons monitors. Be clear, the basket of goods that the ons monitors. Is 6. 8 more expensive now than it was in july 2022. So prices are going up, but theyre going up less fast than they were before. Its important to say that im really pleased youve said that because we were just discussing this in probably a third of brits think that lower inflation means lower prices, that thats why more people need to watch tv news then theyll understand. Its clear. Yeah, i mean, it is quite incredible to think that because minister said because the Prime Minister said hed inflation. Hed halve inflation. Cant genuinely believe i cant genuinely believe that that that most people think that that would halving prices. Would mean halving prices. Thats right. Thats no, thats right. Thats right. We are talking about rates of change here rather than levels. But its good that levels. But its good that inflation is down at 6. 8. Look, Rachel Reeves is right. Inflation in the us is 3. 2. Inflation in the us is 3. 2. Inflation in the eurozone is 5. 5. Were still at 6. 8. On the other hand, a lot of eurozone countries hugely subsidised their energy in a way that we dont. And in america theyre fracking , which means their fracking, which means their energy costs for households and firms per unit are a third of ouis. Ours. But looking into the detail of this release from the ons , of this release from the ons, core inflation is not down, its steady. Whereas headline inflation is down. So. So explain the difference between headune explain the difference between headline and core inflation. So headline inflation is as broad a measure as the ons can get their arms around, if you like. Thats the Consumer Price like. Thats the Consumer Price index that has been coming down and quite, quite sharply. Liam, were just going to interrupt you for a second. We need to cross live to dover now. We will be back to you, liam, but were going to cross over to mark white in dover now the uk maritime authorities are on red alert for an expected busy day of small boat activity. Mark of small boat activity. Mark white, what is happening in dover right now . Well you join dover right now . Well you join us live in dover overlooking the key site in dover harbour as the first of those Border Force Vessels. The catamaran defender has arrived in the key site here. Now, december barking. We can see live images of those people who were picked up from from at least one small boat. It who were picked up from from at least one small boat. It might be two small boats. Im just waiting for word from our producer as to how many he thinks might be on that particular boat at the moment. But certainly from when it was coming in, we could see the front of that vessel , the back front of that vessel, the back of the vessel full of channel migrants who were picked up there in the English Channel. So it may well be that this vessel has picked up two vessels in the channel were just waiting to get that confirmed. Two vessels. Yes. My producerjust confirming yes. My producer just confirming that there were two small boats picked up by this Border Force Vessel. And whats happening out in the channel at the moment is a very significant day of migrant activity. The first busy migrant activity. The first busy day since that terrible tragedy at the weekend when six people lost their lives, when a migrant boat got into difficulties in french waters , a border force french waters, a border force declared effectively within their internal structures a red alert in anticipation of what they were expecting today. And they were expecting today. And we can reveal that now as we speak, there are at least 910 small boats sightings with Border Force Vessels attending those reported sightings , the those reported sightings, the dover lifeboat and the ramsgate lifeboat have both been called out to pick up migrants from small boats because of already at this early stage in the day Border Force Vessels are being overwhelmed by the numbers that are coming over french vessels involved as well. It is now and controversially, of course , controversially, of course, routine for them once these boats take off from the french shore to just hang back and effectively escort these vessels to the 12 mile point, the Halfway Point between france and the uk. And at that point, of course, then they are picked up by border force or uk lifeboats. Whoever is near there are ,. Whoever is near there are, were also told, multiple reports of vessels Merchant Shipping out in the English Channel shipping out in the English Channel, cargo vessels and other shipping out in the channel reporting that they are seeing small boats in the channel. So a very significant day of migrant activity expected. Mark, just briefly , would you mark, just briefly, would you expect that today , given the expect that today, given the amount of activity were already seeing this early in the morning , would you expect that today could well be our largest day of crossings yet. Crossings yet. I think theres a definite possibility. We saw last week possibility. We saw last week that we reached that largest number crossing in a single day this year, 755 people crossed in a single day. Now the reason that so many are crossing today is really ever since that tragedy and saturday, the weather conditions have not been idealin weather conditions have not been ideal in the channel. Todays a Weather Window and we know from these Weather Windows that that bnngs these Weather Windows that that brings them across in significant numbers. That significant numbers. That Weather Window is due to close a bit later tomorrow. So theyve only got a day in a bit. And so expect them to come across throughout the day and into the evening. And the big concern thats been reported to me from maritime authorities is , is the maritime authorities is, is the fact that the people smugglers are now putting more and more people on these boats, whereas before they were putting , you before they were putting, you know, maybe between 40 and 50. Now its easily well north of 50, 60 or sometimes 70 boat people on these boats. And whats happening is that leads to people falling off the boats, disintegrate last week as well as this tragedy, the authorities reported they attended seven separate call outs to migrant in the water that they had to pull from the water. So its becoming a real issue and real concern today given what a busy day this will be. Yes of course. And a reminder of just how perilous this journey can be. Our Home Security editor there, mark white. Thank you very much, for mark, giving us that update. Uk maritime authorities are on red alert today, as mark white was describing. Theyre was describing. Theyre expecting a very busy day of activity channel. He just activity in the channel. He just described that already in this early stage of the day Border Force Vessels are overwhelmed in the channel. Small, small boats nine have currently been seen in the channel and its a reminder, isnt it . Six people lost their lives in the channel at the weekend and the authorities will be all too aware of that. And they wont want similar scenes today. So course, well keep today. So of course, well keep you that. Absolutely. You across that. Absolutely. As there is more news in the channel as there is more news in the channel, we be back to mark channel, we will be back to mark throughout but throughout the morning. But lets the moment to lets get back for the moment to our economics and business edhon our economics and Business Editor, halligan. Editor, Liam Halligan. Sorry for interrupting leah. Interrupting you there, leah. Definitely cutting away definitely worth cutting away to dramatic to those pictures. Dramatic pictures absolutely and to those pictures. Dramatic pictl sharp absolutely and to those pictures. Dramatic pictl sharp reporting utely and to those pictures. Dramatic picthharp reporting asely and to those pictures. Dramatic picthharp reporting as ever1d very sharp reporting as ever from white. Very sharp reporting as ever frorabsolutely. White. Very sharp reporting as ever frorabsolutely. But|ite. Very sharp reporting as ever frorabsolutely. But you were absolutely. But you were explaining difference absolutely. But you were explainirthe difference absolutely. But you were explainirthe headline ice absolutely. But you were explainirthe headline level between the headline level of inflation, is down and inflation, which is down and core inflation, which actually isnt. E e so theres this measure yeah. So theres this measure called core inflation, which some economists to examine, some economists like to examine, and basically inflation and its basically inflation without food prices, without Energy Prices , without some Energy Prices, without some imported goods which are subject to fluctuations in Exchange Rates and so on. I dont really rates and so on. I dont really rate this measure. Its great in a world where people dont eat and drive and heat their homes. But in the real world they do. But in the real world they do. But as you say, tom rightly, youve spotted that core inflation hasnt moved. It was 6. 9 june. Its 6. 9 in july. 6. 9 in june. Its 6. 9 in july. I think call me old fashioned, but a much better kind of subindex for understanding where inflation is to going be going, inflation is to going be going, in my view, is the Producer Price index. In my view, is the Producer Price index. This in my view, is the Producer Price index. This is in my view, is the Producer Price index. This is the cost of inputs that firms, factories , inputs that firms, factories, Hospitality Industries , the Hospitality Industries, the stuff they need basically to produce the goods and services that they then sell us almost the wholesale price. Yeah. So if input prices for producers are coming a slowing or even coming down, you can expect in a competitive market in the months to come, they will be passed on. Now im very pleased to say that the producer input index that the producer input index that the ons produces, it went negative last month almost unremarked upon. I mentioned it on gb news and in my columns and so on, cause hardly any attention, but its just gone even more negative now. That does mean that prices are falling. Not just going falling. Theyre not just going up means input up less slowly. It means input pnces up less slowly. It means input prices are falling. Let me give you the precise numbers, lest anyone say i dont know what im talking about in the year to june, the Producer Price index brackets inputs because theres an output. Want to trust me in june during the year to june, the Producer Price index input numbers fell fell in absolute terms by 2. 9. And in the year to july they fell by 3. 3. Now this is very, very good news. That does include energy. Of course , does include energy. Of course, it also includes raw materials, wholesale food and so on. And i reckon this this Producer Price index input series indicates that inflation is going to carry on coming down at a reasonable clip. All things considered, clip. All things considered, though, even though this is a decent inflation number, its not low enough yet to mean that the bank of england is going to have the intellectual confidence to stop raising rates. But when you talk about pnces but when you talk about prices coming down, the question then is, are they going to be passed on to the indeed, indeed , which then its for ministers not to impose price controls as john glenn, the chief secretary to the treasury, told gb news earlier, you wouldnt expect us to impose price controls now. To impose price controls now. I wouldnt, minister, but i would expect you to raise an eyebrow publicly in the direction of retailers and others who are clearly taking advantage of a high inflation environment to raise prices more generally, even when their input pnces generally, even when their input prices are falling. Wholesale food prices have been coming down, farmers costs have been coming down, fertiliser, fuel, all the other things that farmers need , those lower input farmers need, those lower input pnces farmers need, those lower input prices are not being passed on. And indeed the minister, the chief secretary treasury, said hed still expect food Price Inflation to be currently 15 14. 8 to be around 7 or 8 towards the end of the year. It should be falling food Price Inflation should be a negative territory by the end of the year for consumers. Territory by the end of the year for consumers. And i dont for consumers. And i dont really understand why that isnt happening. Isnt a bit really understand why that isnt ha shenanigan isnt a bit really understand why that isnt ha shenanigan going snt a bit really understand why that isnt ha shenanigan going on a bit really understand why that isnt ha shenanigan going on in bit really understand why that isnt ha shenanigan going on in the of shenanigan going on in the supply chain, i suppose one way in which the Producer Price index through into index will not flow through into the Consumer Price index is , is the Consumer Price index is, is if these Public Sector pay awards actually cause whats known as a demand pull inflation rather than cost push inflation. The i newspaper this morning is quoting the bank of england saying they think inflation might tick up next month because thats when all of these new pubuc thats when all of these new Public Sector pay rises kick in. Could that push inflation back up . Up . And we saw a hint of that. I agree with that analysis. A line clearly fed to the newspaper from on high. Ive got a scoop. No, Somebody Just told me something that they want to be in newspaper. The minister in the newspaper. The minister said news, you said earlier on gb news, you know, he said this low inflation journey, it may not be a Straight Line, right . That was Straight Line, right . That was key. There may be upticks. Key. So there may be upticks. Look, if we had bank of look, if we had a bank of england had more england that had more credibility , if we had a bank of credibility, if we had a bank of england that hadnt been so wrong for so long about the high inflation were to going inflation that we were to going face. And dont just blame the war in ukraine. We had a 30 year high in january high in inflation in january 2022 the ghastly invasion 2022 before the ghastly invasion of ukraine. If the bank of england hadnt been so wrong for so long, they now have the so long, they might now have the credibility look the credibility to look the financial and political and Media Establishment in the eye andindeed Media Establishment in the eye and indeed the British Public and indeed the British Public and say, you know what, weve done 14 rate rises. Lets just see what happens. Lets just hold little bit and hold firm for a little bit and see what happens. Because we know Monetary Policy , interest know Monetary Policy, Interest Rate changes. In other words , rate changes. In other words, work long and variable work with long and variable lags. We know that there arent many things that are clear in economics, but that is one of them. So they should be holding firm, they havent the firm, but they havent got the credibility hold because credibility to hold firm because theyve been so slow to recognise that weve got an inflationary problem. This is why credibility really, really matters were to end up matters. Were going to end up with rates for longer with higher rates for longer than otherwise than wed otherwise need. Imposing more ordinary imposing more pain on ordinary firms and households. Well, liam, thank you so much for that so clear to the for making that so clear to the audience. So many different elements, sometimes audience. So many different elersort s, sometimes audience. So many different elersort of sometimes audience. So many different elersort of one sometimes audience. So many different elersort of one numberetimes audience. So many different elersort of one number and es audience. So many different elersort of one number and you see sort of one number and you think, well, thats it. But theres a lot of detail beneath that, halligan is that, and Liam Halligan is across it all. Hes the man with the detail. Thanks very much. Thanks liam. Thanks very much. Now, the north the now, people in the north of the country forking high country are forking a high proportion their wages out on proportion of their wages out on council than people live council tax than people who live in london. This has prompted call from this has prompted a call from the alliance to issue the Taxpayers Alliance to issue a month freeze to a 12 month council freeze to help ease the burden of the cost of living crisis. But what would happen to our local Services Like schools, rubbish and recycling collections if this went ahead . Well lets speak to the Media Campaign manager of the Taxpayers Alliance, conor holland. And conor, thank you for joining us this morning. I suppose the big question is, isnt it the case that council tax is lower in places like westminster because incomes are higher in places like westminster . And so proportionally , these councils proportionally, these councils find it easier to get more with lower rates . Lower rates . Well, its also pegged to property prices , but thats no property prices, but thats no excuse for the disparity. Thats no reason to accept that people who havent got the broadest shoulders are having to stump up most of the burden. We look at west devon, where we have some of the lowest wages in the country, and your average earner paying country, and your average earner paying your average amount of council paying 10 in the council tax is paying 10 in the pound and that cant be acceptable during a cost of living crisis when people are really struggling make make really struggling to make make ends we to see ends meet, we need to see something done this. We something done about this. We need councils freezing need to see councils Freezing Council and finding Savings Council tax and finding savings is Freezing Council tax the way to go with this . Or does it not just need to be a rebalancing of the books to keep it proportionate to income or keep it pushing it to the cost of a property . The value of a property . Would that not make more than just it more sense than just freezing it across the board . Well, problem is whats well, the problem is whats driving massive burdens is driving these massive burdens is out of control. Spending or out of control. Spending or failure to think of residents when budgets are being set. I would say that a council like west devon, where residents are paying west devon, where residents are paying 10 in the pound on their council tax, they have a responsibility to deliver good value. I mean, you look in west devon, the chief executives earning over £100,000. Hes not paying earning over £100,000. Hes not paying 10 of his wage on council tax and theres a much better deal for people in london who have higher property prices relative to property prices. In relative to property prices. In westminster, people are paying only 10. 1 on council tax. And when its linked to wages, its only 2. So theres a huge disparity here and its unsustainable. Funding councils unsustainable. Funding councils in entirely the wrong way. So Many Councils are reliant on not just council tax but also on not just council tax but also on grants from Central Government to provide services. Wouldnt it be better if councils could keep sort of value uplift of developing property, for example , on their property, for example, on their land . Its important that this land . Its important that this is looked at and measures are taken to ease the pressure on on residents because theyre the ones who are being battered by this. Theyre the ones who are facing the hardship because of it. And since council tax was introduced back in in 1993, weve seen council tax burden relative to salary, more than double. Weve seen council tax nationally increased by nearly 80 in real terms. So there does need to be this does need to be addressed because people are being pummelled by their council tax. Okay. So youre suggesting this 12 month tax freeze this 12 month council tax freeze. What will that actually mean, though , for peoples local though, for peoples local services . What would it mean for services . What would it mean for schools . What would it mean for rubbish and recycling collections if this actually went ahead . Went ahead . Well, its obviously important that the key services are protected. I think what people are frustrated about, particularly when theyre paying high amounts of council tax, is that council are doing that the council are doing things which arent key services. Massive services. Theyre paying massive salaries to town hall bosses or theyre know, in theyre, you know, engaging in Property Development or maybe in some cases like south cambridgeshire, theyre experimenting with four day weeks and things like that. So experimenting with four day weekitand things like that. So experimenting with four day weekit should1gs like that. So experimenting with four day week it should look ke that. So experimenting with four day weekit should look like1at. So experimenting with four day weekit should look like is. So what it should look like is councils finding efficiencies and savings and passing those savings taxpayers while savings onto taxpayers while protecting the key services. Protecting the key services. It is interesting, of course , because we have just been speaking to economics and speaking to our economics and business halligan Business EditorLiam Halligan pfices Business EditorLiam Halligan prices going up. Inflation prices still going up. Inflation at 6. 8. That means that any sort of freeze would mean a real terms cut in the amount being spentin terms cut in the amount being spent in real terms. Spent in real terms. Well, like i said, since council tax has been introduced , when you adjust for inflation, council tax has increased by nearly 80. So its not necessarily the case that its going to be always on the way up in real terms. These things need to be you adjust for inflation, but these things are going up over and above inflation and that burden is falling on hard pressed people who are having to deal with these increases in pnces deal with these increases in prices and the harder high level of energy bills weve seen over the 12 months. The last 12 months. Okay, conor holohan, really good see you morning. Good to see you this morning. Thank you so much for your time. Yeah come. Yeah still much more to come. To the prime reaction to the Prime Minister, rishi sunak, saying his is working. It his plan is working. Is it really . These inflation rates are 6. 8. This is britains are still 6. 8. This is britains newsroom on gb news. The peoples channel, the temperatures rising , boxt solar, temperatures rising, boxt solar, proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Good morning for most areas, its a dry and fine day today. Lots of sunshine to come. There will be a few isolated showers, but most places will be dry and with light winds it will feel very as well. Heres the very warm as well. So heres the picture them first thing on picture of them first thing on this wednesday morning. A lot of dry weather to start the dry fine weather to start the day. Sunshine word go. Day. Sunshine from the word go. There be more cloud again there will be more cloud again affecting with affecting parts of scotland with risk few showery outbreaks risk of a few showery outbreaks of i dont think of rain here. But i dont think the quite as heavy the showers quite as heavy as they were tuesday. Elsewhere they were on tuesday. Elsewhere then we could see an isolated shower. But i think be shower. But i think youll be fairly unlucky catch on. Most fairly unlucky to catch on. Most places dry, sunny spells places be dry, find sunny spells and warm as well and feeling pretty warm as well with winds. Temperatures with light winds. Temperatures reaching to 25 reaching 14 the far north to 25 or towards the southeast. So or 26 towards the southeast. So feeling that feeling very warm in that sunshine head through the sunshine as we head through the rest into the rest of wednesday into the evening then more evening and overnight. Then more of then most places of the same then most places will dry under clear will be dry under those clear skies again. We could see some mist and fog patches, more cloud across with a few across scotland with a few showers and then through showers here. And then through the cloud the night some low cloud starting from the starting to filter down from the nonh starting to filter down from the north so turning a bit north sea. So turning a bit cloudier temperatures north sea. So turning a bit cloudthink temperatures north sea. So turning a bit cloudthink willamperatures north sea. So turning a bit cloudthink willam|quite res north sea. So turning a bit cloudthink willam|quite so low dont think will be quite so low as they were on the previous night, but still towards the west, spots falling west, some rural spots falling close 9 10 so close to 9 or 10 degrees. So fairly cool end to the night. Here most will be here again, most places will be dry to start thursday morning. Lots sunshine again from the lots of sunshine again from the word cloud word go. A bit more cloud towards east coast. Slowly towards the east coast. Slowly burning towards burning back towards the north sea. Again, sea. Coastal areas. But again, we catch an isolated we could just catch an isolated shower. But most places will be dry, probably the warmest. The temperatures i think temperatures will be, i think towards head towards the west as we head through afternoon, where in through the afternoon, where in those feeling those light winds feeling very warm could highs warm indeed. We could see highs reaching 24 degrees. But reaching 23 or 24 degrees. But temperatures bit temperatures a little bit suppressed that gb news away. Good morning. Good morning. Its 10 am. On wednesday, the 16th of august. This is britains newsroom with tom harwood and me, Ellie Costello and the plan is working. Thats what Prime Minister rishi sunak said in reaction to the news that inflation has fallen to 6. 8. Well have the very latest reaction from across the united kingdom, uk maritime authorities are on red alert for an expected busy day of small boat activity in the English Channel. Well be checking in at dover with mark to white give you the latest updates. Weve had nine small boat dinghy sightings so far in dover this morning. And far in dover this morning. And what do the met police need to do to regain trust . Do to regain trust . Six former met Police Officers have been charged with sending grossly offensive racist messages on whatsapp. Well get the inside opinion from a former met detective and cuddle people from all over the world travel to get hugs from a professional cuddler who lives in the West Midlands. Its part of her cuddle therapy. Therapy. Yeah, thats the story being brought by our West Midlands reporter and its a fascinating one. It got us talking this morning and were asking you, would you pay for a licenced bit of cuddle therapy . Gp gb views at gb news is the address to email in with your thoughts on that one. But first, lets get a news bulletin with paul. Bulletin with paul. Good morning. Its 1001. Bulletin with paul. Good morning. Its1001. Im paul hawkins with the latest from the gb newsroom. And our top story this morning is price rises continuing to slow due to a fall in the cost of food and energy. The latest figures from the office for National Statistics and Consumer Price index , inflation or cpi, dropped index, inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july for june it was 7. 9. Its now the lowest rate since february last yeah lowest rate since february last year. However the governments preferred measure of inflation cpi does not include housing costs like mortgage payments. Costs like mortgage payments. The bank of england will decide whether to raise Interest Rates or not on september the 21st. Chief secretary to the treasury, john glenn , says the government john glenn, says the government are on track to half inflation by the end of the year. Todays significant drop to the lowest rate of increase since february last year is welcome news. But i dont want to say were complaining in government because it wont be a Straight Line path necessarily , Straight Line path necessarily, but we are on track to get to halve inflation by the end of the year. 3 by this time next yeah the year. 3 by this time next year. And then on to 2, which is the long term target that weve always wanted the bank of england to get back to next years rise in regulated rail fares in england will be below 9. Regulated fares cover roughly 45 of journeys, including season tickets. The government p99s season tickets. The government pegs regulated welfare rises to the Retail Prices , index measure the Retail Prices, index measure of inflation or rpi, which is higher than cpi. Fares will rise higher than cpi. Fares will rise from next march. The average from next march. The average house prices increased by 1. 7 in the 12 months to june figures from the office for National Statistics found the fall in house Price Inflation was gentler than seen in previous months. The average uk house price was £288,000. In june , price was £288,000. In june, £5,000 higher than 12 months ago. But £5,000 below the recent peakin ago. But £5,000 below the recent peak in november last year. The north east of england saw the highest jump in average house pnces highest jump in average house prices of 4. 7, while london saw the lowest with a decline of 0. 6. Uk border force and maritime authorities are on red alert as multiple small migrant boats have been spotted in the engush boats have been spotted in the English Channel. Sources have told gb news that border force is expecting an extremely busy day of migrant activity. 50 people were taken into dover harbour during the first arrival at half three this morning, six afghan men drowned when their small boat got into difficulties last weekend while fires continue to blaze across the mediterranean in both france and spain, this was the situation last night on the side of a mountain in the canary islands. Nearby villages were evacuated by this morning, nearby villages were evacuated by this morning , the fire had by this morning, the fire had already devastated about 320 acres near the mountain volcano. Thats spains highest peak. Thats spains highest peak. Nigel farage is urging the transport secretary to block the expansion of the ultra low emission zone, or ulez , to the emission zone, or ulez, to the outskirts of london. He says mark harper could use section 143 of the Greater LondonAuthority Act to block the expansion. Mayor sadiq khan has expansion. Mayor sadiq khan has overseen the expansion, which covers Greater London in its entirety and launches on august the 29th. Anyone whos interested in bidding for the collapsed retailer wilko has until the end of today to put in an offer. The high street chain fell into Administration Last week, 12,500 jobs across 400 stores are in jeopardy. Today is stores are in jeopardy. Today is the deadline set by a administrators for the first round of offers , and england round of offers, and england will face australia in the world cup semi final this morning. Lets take you live to the scene outside the National Stadium in sydney, where, as you can see, fans are milling around. Theres just under an hour to go until kick off. Its a sell out 75,000 capacity crowd. Watch the lionesses take on the matildas for the right to face spain in sundays final. England the current european champions are the favourites to win the world cup. Australia however, are the only team to have beaten england under Sarina Wiegman, under coach Sarina Wiegman, a 2 0 win at wembley in april ended the lionesses 30 match unbeaten run kick off is 11 am. This morning. Unbeaten run kick off is 11 am. This morning. This is gb news this morning. 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 back to tom and. Ellie news now back to tom and. Ellie good morning. Its 1006. Good morning. Its1006. Youre watching britains newsroom with tom harwood and me, Ellie Costello. Lots of you getting in touch this morning, not just on inflation, which , of not just on inflation, which, of course, is our biggest story at the moment. Also on council tax and cuddles. And cuddles. Cover it all here we do as long as it starts with a c no on cuddles. Its interesting because we do have this interview coming up with a licenced cuddle therapist in the west and has West Midlands and sarah has written in to say the best cuddles came from my granny who cuddled me endlessly. I think thats what we were saying earlier, actually. If its someone know, its probably earlier, actually. If its s biteone know, its probably earlier, actually. If its s bit more know, its probably earlier, actually. If its s bit more personal. Its probably earlier, actually. If its s bit more personal. Yeah. Obably a bit more personal. Yeah. You love and if its someone you love and you really need it, youve had a really hard day and someone gives cuddle. Family, gives you a cuddle. Your family, its lovely. But its really lovely. But strangers cuddling im not strangers cuddling you. Im not one for that. You know, the whole thing, free hugs whole free hugs thing, free hugs are thats my as are lovely. No, thats my as long as as long as you like. Again, think if its i again, i think if its unexpected and i sort of freeze up. But if you can if someone is, you know, if its open, theyre big sign free hugs. Why not . Why not . Im not for it. Im not for it. Clive says dont pay for cuddles instead buy a cat. Yes cat cuddles are lovely and dog cant cuddle you back. No, they can go on your chest or on your lap. Its lovely. Dog hugs are far better than hugs. Dogs are just a proper size really. I always force my dog to cuddle me. I just hold captive. Should we. Should we finish on what david has said . Because david says its time to quit the day become a cuddle day job and become a cuddle therapist. Googled it and therapist. Just googled it and saw they can charge up £100 saw they can charge up to £100 per. Perhaps its per session. Perhaps its a lucrative career option. Lucrative career option. We are in a cost of living crisis. I understand why people would be charging that for would be charging that much for a us know what you make a hug. Let us know what you make of that or any of the stories that were talking about today. Gb news. But ellie, gb views at gb news. But ellie, what a wonderful segue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe wonderful segue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are1derful segue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are inerful segue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are in a ul segue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are in a cost� gue. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are in a cost ofe. Gb views at gb news. But ellie, thwe are in a cost of living we are in a cost of living crisis, but inflation has fallen from 7. 9 june to 6. 8 in from 7. 9 in june to 6. 8 in july. Yes, both the chancellor and the Prime Minister said the Prime Minister have said this price index this latest Consumer Price index , which is the headline measure of inflation, shows that the governments plan is working well. Is it really . Lets get the views of dr. Roger newell, former adviser for the bank of england. And i suppose at face value , this is a fast fall in value, this is a fast fall in inflation is the Prime Minister right . Is the chancellor right . Is the plan working . Is the plan working . No and no. And i think it would be a good idea if someone sent cuddles to all of them. Sent cuddles to all of them. Ive been saying that this would happen for well over a year and its happening and i feel like im living in an alternative reality. First of all, real reality. First of all, real inflation, whats called core inflation, whats called core inflation, has not fallen as of today. It is still 6. 9. So the fight lets kerb inflation by raising Interest Rates has not worked and is not working. Inflation is still where it was 6. 9. We have caused we have im sorry. Sorry. No, please continue. No, please continue. No, please continue. We have cost push inflation, which means not in Consumer Spending in inflation. Its not dnven spending in inflation. Its not driven by people spending. Its dnven driven by people spending. Its driven by people spending. Its driven by the cost of materials and services over which people have little control. Goes up and then going down in cost, push inflation, all of those materials and Services Begin to fall by themselves and this has been going on since wheat started to grow again in ancient biblical egypt. And raising biblical egypt. And raising Interest Rates does nothing to stop it. They are now falling stop it. They are now falling milk , butter, bread, gas prices, milk, butter, bread, gas prices, yes, but the government is crowing that they have something to do with it. They have nothing whatsoever to do with it. And in fact , there are 14 Interest Rate fact, there are 14 Interest Rate rises. Have i believe, prolonged the time before these inflation elements start to fall. They would have fallen earlier. So we would have fallen earlier. So we are going to see a huge drop in inflation over time. But it is nothing to do with the bank of england or rishi sunak and they can crow about it as much as they want, but the real inflation figure is still unchanged this month. Today, unchanged this month. Today, this morning, at 6. 9, raising Interest Rates has wrecked the economy and has not helped rogen economy and has not helped roger, would you agree that core inflation might well have more of an element of demand pulling inflation, whereas that headline figure of cpi inflation perhaps is more to do with the cost push inflation and perhaps thats why its moving more. Its moving more. Would you would you say that theres perhaps an element of demand pull inflation here and perhaps this is one of the concerns that the government has about all of these big Public Sector pay awards that that might actually keep prices a little bit higher than otherwise they would be. Its a good argument, but im afraid i dont buy it. With respect to the wage rises are relatively small in relation to everything else. They are also less than the rate of inflation was a certainly the cpi rate of inflation until it just fell. So inflation until it just fell. So thats certainly not whats driving it. And if youre driving it. And if youre talking about demand, pull inflation. Tom you know, real Consumer Spending driven inflation when you raise Interest Rates, that goes down fast in america where they do have Consumer Spending, inflation, the federal reserve, their central bank, their bank of england, if you will, raised Interest Rates and the inflation dropped by more than half and its now 3. It worked there. Its not working here. I dont know how many times this has to happen before people listen to the thousands of economists who are saying this is just wrong. You must stop my gosh, please dont have a 15th Interest Rate rise. Rise. But do you think there will be roger, i mean, many people are going to be looking at this very nervously now, arent they . Oh, yeah. I mean, i think that this is kind of like its an alternate reality. Were being told its gaslighting. You know , the Prime Minister and his know, the Prime Minister and his cabinet, though , grab theyll cabinet, though, grab theyll grab anything floating by to justify whats going on. Hey, look how great weve done. Inflation is falling. And i think theyll boost that argument to keep raising Interest Rates because its all they can do. If they just sit by and let core inflation drop as those other elements of cpi inflation continue to drop and it goes back as it did naturally mean in 2009, the then bank of england did not touch Interest Rates. We had cost push inflation. It ran itself out a couple of years later without them changing the Interest Rate. But if they did that now, they would admit that they i mean, they would have to admit that they would have to admit that they have killed us with 14 Interest Rate rises, which were not only unnecessary but totally ineffective. Ineffective. Well, what would you say to those who say that Interest Rates needed to go up at some point . We couldnt have had them at near zero levels forever. At near zero levels forever. This was sort of an aberration that came around at the time of the financial crisis. Normal Interest Rates are not near zero. Absolutely , totally, totally absolutely, totally, totally correct. And andrew bailey, the governor of the bank of england, stepped into his role at the time of the pandemic. And he meant well, certainly in trying to save the british economy, he realised the pandemic was here, things were going to be dreadful , so he left Interest Rates low and even though he started to raise them in december of 2021, long before others did , he long before others did, he didnt raise them enough and he didnt raise them enough and he didnt raise them frequently enough. Didnt raise them frequently enough. And he waited too long. Enough. And he waited too long. And then he had to felt he had to dump all of this on us, which he doesnt. He could have just left it alone, as so many eminent economists have told him. And whats happening now would have happened by itself. And my personal theory is it would have happened a heck of a lot earlier if he had just left it alone. But hes killed off it alone. But hes killed off the mortgage, the property, the rental industry. Hes destroyed the lives of millions of british businesses and consumers. And that has what is left us where we are. So, you know , my we are. So, you know, my goodness, i hope he doesnt do it anymore. But i fear, ellie, that he probably will, because you know, hes hes hes stuck in this in his rut now and they cant get out of it. And with rishi jumping up and down saying, hooray, hooray , look, saying, hooray, hooray, look, were winning, were winning, were winning, were winning, were inflation, the were curving inflation, the media and the public, you know, this stuff is really boring to people. This isnt football, you know, politics. And know, this isnt politics. And they listen to this and cpi inflation went up and the cost bush went with the governor you know, i mean, they really dont care. But when they get home and they their and they open their envelope and they open their envelope and they oh my god, mortgage they see, oh my god, my mortgage has £200, what has gone up another £200, what the going you know, the hell is going on . You know, it hits its very, very, very difficult for the average briton. No . Well roger, you set it out really clearly there in terms that everyone can can can feel in the country at the moment. You very much for moment. Thank you very much for your analysis morning, your analysis this morning, rogen your analysis this morning, roger. Former adviser roger. Rob, their former adviser to bank of england and hes to the bank of england and hes so right, isnt it . Its when it affects the poundsin its when it affects the pounds in pockets when pounds in our pockets and when you that bill for your you see that bill for your mortgage 200, 300, mortgage going up by 200, 300, £400 thats when you £400 a month, thats when you feel it or the pint of milk, thats no longer a quid. And its just know, two and its just you know, two pints basket shopping for most people. I think where theyve i think thats where theyve been most. To us been hit the most. To let us know actually, response to know actually, your response to that morning, 6. 8 that this morning, 6. 8 inflation how that inflation figure. How that affecting you at home . Do you . Affecting you at home . Do you . Let us know . Vaiews gbnews. Com. Well, the government has been urged to talk to employers about changes to grading standards following the pandemic. This to ensure students are not quote unquote disadvantaged. Unquote disadvantaged. Well, it comes as pupils across the country are expected to find out their a level and btec exam results tomorrow with quual saying it expects this Years National a levels to be lower than last year. Well, lord reith , lucas well, lord reith, lucas education commentator , joins us education commentator, joins us this morning. Education commentator, joins us this morning. Thank you very this morning. Thank you very much for your time. I suppose we much for your time. I suppose we must begin this conversation by pointing out that grades shot up dunng pointing out that grades shot up during the pandemic. There was significant grade inflation, i suppose its inevitable that grades will after that that bout of inflation can come down back to sort of more normal levels. To sort of more normal levels. Yes. And they should. Its that. Yes. And they should. Its that. Thats yes. And they should. Its that. Thats right. But dealing with the consequences of it is important. I with the consequences of it is important. I think geoff barton has got it right. Important. I think geoff barton has got it right. Parents should has got it right. Parents should be ready to hug. There may well be ready to hug. There may well be some disappointments, but i think hug with good reason, because employers are interested in what someones like underneath what their potential is, how they will fit in. Theyre not fussed about the odd grade. They that parents can grade. They that parents can tell their children truthfully that they should get out there and be looking for what comes next with all the confidence that they would have had if theyve got a greater to higher because that isnt really what employers care about. I remember being shown around ibms apprentices and the one that they were up. This was a degree they were up. This was a degree apprentices and the one they were most proud of, most putting forward had got three cs at a level , but he was just a level, but he was just a brilliant programmer, so its a levels are a levels, life is life. Hm. Do you think universities i mean, if a level students tomorrow either want to enter the job place or they want to go to university, do you think those grades, those entrance level grades will have to be lowered to in line with these lowered to be in line with these lowered to be in line with these lower grades that were expecting . Because surely were just lots of pupils just going to see lots of pupils actually, not getting their actually, just not getting their places university. Actually, just not getting their placethinkrniversity. Actually, just not getting their placethink that rsity. Actually, just not getting their placethink that may be a real i think that may be a real problem. I think universities have got stuck on grades , have got so stuck on grades, theyve ceased to do interviews. A lot of them, theyve ceased to really Pay Attention to the personal statement. They dont pay personal statement. They dont Pay Attention what schools Pay Attention to what schools say kid anymore. Say about the kid anymore. Theyve got stuck on grades. And now that grades are to going be difficult because individual children will have been affected in completely different ways by the. Theyre going to the pandemic. Theyre going to find difficult to find it very difficult to handle. So getting into University May well be a challenge. And schools , the challenge. And schools, the government ought to be helping schools help those children because theres nothing wrong with the kids. Its just the with the kids. Its just the real bad luck of the pandemic. And looking at a level students, these this is the cohort that didnt set their gcse exams because of course , we gcse exams because of course, we were in lockdown. They were given those predicted grades. Given those predicted grades. They are now sitting exams for the very first time. And these are the exams that put them into the workplace or send them off to university. Do you think that would have negatively impacted them, that this is their first exam experience . Exam experience . Some some of them will be completely shocked and disorientated by it. I mean, its going to be so random. You just dont know who you will be, will be badly affected , which is will be badly affected, which is why im sure employers will look broadly , look beyond that and broadly, look beyond that and say whats the potential here . And universities really ought to look at. Theyd be looking at their admission systems and saying this, this wont do. We cant just rely on and exam grade. It never was any good. And certainly isnt under these circumstances. Circumstances. Think its a really no, i think its a really important point that you make that so many of these universities no longer look at the statements. Do the the personal statements. Do the interview, the person behind interview, see the person behind the grade . Its a really, the grade . No, its a really, really important point. Thank you much for talking you so much for talking us through issue. For through this big issue. For many, many families up and down the country tomorrow. Many, many families up and down the absolutely. 1orrow. Many, many families up and down the absolutely. Thank you, lord absolutely. Thank you, lord lucas. If you are a parent lucas. And if you are a parent or a grandparent of somebody receiving exam results tomorrow, or youre actually or indeed if youre actually receiving exam results yourself tomorrow , us how youre tomorrow, let us know how youre feeling. Perhaps youll ready feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for tomorrow. As lord feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, tomorrow. As lord feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, weforrow. As lord feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, we hope . As lord feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, we hope not. Lord feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, we hope not. Wed feeling. Perhaps youll be ready for says, we hope not. We wish lucas says, we hope not. We wish you well. The best of luck to you, but do let us know how youre feeling. It could be a happy hug. It could be a happy hug. Could be a happy it could be a happy half congratulatory thats congratulatory hug. Thats very true. Congratulatory hug. Thats very tru well, still to come, the united kingdom. Maritime authorities on red alert authorities are on red alert for an busy of small an extremely busy day of small boat well bring boat activity. Well bring you the from which news . Britains news channel. Britains news channel. Temperatures rising. Boxt the temperatures rising. Boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Good morning. For most areas, its a dry and fine day today. Lots of sunshine to come. There will be a few isolated showers, but most places will be dry and with light it will feel with light winds, it will feel very warm as well. So heres the picture of them. First thing on this wednesday morning. Of this wednesday morning. A lot of dry weather to start the dry fine weather to start the day. From word go. Day. Sunshine from the word go. There will more cloud again there will be more cloud again affecting of scotland with affecting parts of scotland with risk showers, outbreaks risk of a few showers, outbreaks of but dont think of rain here. But i dont think the quite as heavy as the showers quite as heavy as they tuesday elsewhere. They were on tuesday elsewhere. Then isolated then we could see an isolated shower. I think youll be shower. But i think youll be fairly unlucky to catch on. Most places dry, find sunny places will be dry, find sunny spells and feeding warm spells and feeding pretty warm as light winds. As well with light winds. Temperatures 14 in the temperatures reaching 14 in the far to 25 or 26 towards far north to 25 or 26 towards the southeast. So feeling very warm sunshine we head warm in that sunshine as we head through rest of wednesday through the rest of wednesday into overnight. Into the evening. And overnight. Then same then most then more of the same then most places be dry under those places will be dry under those clear again, we could see clear skies again, we could see some patches, more some mist and fog patches, more cloud across scotland with a few showers through showers here. And then through the clouds the night some low clouds starting down from the starting to filter down from the nonh starting to filter down from the north turning bit north sea. So turning a bit cloudier temperatures i cloudier here. Temperatures i dont quite so low dont think will be quite so low as they were on the previous night. But still towards the west, rural falling west, some rural spots falling close 10 degrees. So close to 9 or 10 degrees. So fairly cool end to night fairly cool end to the night here. Places will be here. Again, most places will be dry start thursday morning. Dry to start thursday morning. Lots of sunshine from the lots of sunshine again from the word a bit more cloud word go. A bit more cloud towards coast slowly towards that east coast slowly burning the north burning back towards the north sea areas. We sea coastal areas. But again, we could an isolated could just catch an isolated shower. But most places will be dry, probably the warmest the dry, probably the warmest of the temperatures i think temperatures will be, i think towards head towards the west as we head through afternoon, in through the afternoon, where in those for being very those light winds for being very warm could highs warm indeed, we could see highs reaching or 24 degrees. But reaching 23 or 24 degrees. But temperatures bit temperatures a little bit suppressed that east suppressed towards that east coast. Soon the temperatures rising, proud rising, boxt solar proud sponsors on. Company right through until 7 00 this evening. Gb news the peoples channel. Britains watching. Watching. Good morning. Welcome back. Good morning. Welcome back. At the time is 1026. Sure with britains newsroom on gb news with tom harwood and me, Ellie Costello and uk maritime authorities are on red alert for an expected busy day of small boat activity in the English Channel boat activity in the English Channel, perhaps the busiest on record this year. Well, joining us live this morning from dover is gb news is home and security editor mark white. Good morning to you, mark. And last time we spoke to you, you said it looked as though Border Force Vessels could become overwhelmed. And could become overwhelmed. And whats situation like there whats the situation like there now . Now . Well, theres no doubt thats the case. There are multiple incidents now being responded to this busy day is well underway. This busy day is well underway. And as we speak, im going to get out of the way and give you a shot down towards dover harbour. The a shot down towards dover harbour. The dover a shot down towards dover harbour. The dover lifeboat a shot down towards dover harbour. The dover lifeboat is just coming to in dover harbour with a group of people they picked up from at least one small boat. There is another small boat. There is another Border Force Vessel which will give you a look at in a second. But well stay with these shots off the lifeboat coming in for us. But also in the harbour. When you came to me last, was a Border Force Vessel defender. Border force vessel defender. Now, our producer was counting as he came off close to 130 people were on this particular Border Force Vessel, taken off two boats and that means that its 635 people, up to 65 people. Now on each of these migrant boats that are coming across, which is a very significant and Serious Development as far as maritime authorities are concerned. The reason is because with so many people on the dinghies , they are people on the dinghies, they are being overwhelmed very easily by the waves. People are falling the waves. People are falling overboard , as we saw, of course, overboard, as we saw, of course, with that incident on saturday in which about 65, we were told migrants were on board. That vessel when it got into difficulties five miles off the french coast. And six people died. Well, what we can report died. Well, what we can report today is that trend from the people smugglers , it seems, is people smugglers, it seems, is continuing. Until just days ago continuing. Until just days ago , a week or so ago, we were looking at a maximum of probably about 50, 55 people coming on these small boats. So the fact that theyre squeezing even more migrants on board the boats tells its own story of the potential dangers out there. In fact, you saturday yesterday i should say, last week on the same week that they were dealing with that tragedy off the french coast. Authorities say their coast. Authorities say their response. To seven separate response. To seven separate incidents in which migrants who were on these boats were either washed off the boat or ended up in the water somehow. So that is in the water somehow. So that is very concerning to them. It indicates its a trend towards much more risks being taken by the people smugglers and much more dangerous crossings. You can see the dover lifeboat now sort of coming towards the entrance towards the quay where the people on board this vessel will disembark next to that. Now i think we can show you a shot of the other Border Force Vessel. This is the Border Force Vessel volunteer. Now, again, my vessel volunteer. Now, again, my producer here telling me that he believes there are two loads of channel migrants two small boat loads on this particular vessel. So a rough calculation, at least 300 to 350 people have arrived in dover harbour so far this morning. And these incidents are continuing in the channel. We are looking at good weather conditions throughout the rest of today. Its a Weather Window, so we expect that throughout today. Well continue to get arrivals and it may well be a record day in terms of the number who have crossed. So far this year, which was 755, a target set last week. Well, mark, thank you very much. Well be back to you, of course, through the course of the morning as more developments take place down there in dover as mark was saying, theres a lifeboat coming in with dozens more migrants on board. And it always does strike me as extraordinary. The government tries to dissuade people from coming invest in schemes. It builds accommodation in rwanda, it buys barges. It says dont come. But then as soon as a migrant boat gets halfway across the channel, we go out and pick it up and we bring the people here. Well, not even halfway, as we were hearing last week, actually , on what vessel is , it depends on what vessel is closest. Theres closest. I mean, if theres a boatin closest. I mean, if theres a boat in distress, its whoevers closest. So thats the dover lifeboat nearer to lifeboat and its nearer to france. Theyre coming back to the children. The water, upset they get in the water, upset the a little bit, and we the boat a little bit, and we pick them up lots more to come. However, were also going to be getting this story on cuddle getting to this story on cuddle therapy, thriving in the West Midlands. What on earth is that all get to it. After the all about . Get to it. After the. News its 1031. News its1031. Im paul hawkins with the latest from the gb newsroom. Our top story this morning. Then price rises are continuing to slow due to falls in the cost of food and energy. In the cost of food and energy. The latest figures from the office for National Statistics found Consumer Price index inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july. Inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july. For 6. 8 in the year to july. For june it was 7. 9. Its now the lowest rate since february last year. Lowest rate since february last year. Next lowest rate since february last year. Next years rise in regulated rail fares in england will be below 9. Regulated fares cover roughly 45 of journeys, including season tickets. The including season tickets. The government pegs regulated rail fare rises to the Retail Prices index measure of inflation, or rpi, which is higher than cpi. Fares will rise from next march. Some breaking news house pnces. Some breaking news house prices have continued to slow across the uk in the 12 months to june. Figures from the ons to june. Figures from the ons show house price growth of 1. 7 compared to 1. 8 in the year to may. House prices are growing fastest in the northeast of england, 4. 7 in the year to june. England, 4. 7 in the year to june. London house prices have june. London house prices have actually fallen by nought point 6. Gb ib news can reveal people smugglers have packed small boats with up to 65 people in each dinghy, which usually carry 50 people at maximum capacity. More than 300 people have already been taken to dover harbour, uk border force are on red alert as border force is expecting an extremely busy day of migrants activity in england will face australia in the world cup semi final this morning. This is live outside the National Stadium in sydney where a sell out 75,000 capacity crowd will watch the lionesses take on the matildas for the right to face spain in sundays final. Face spain in sundays final. England the current european champions are the favourites to win the world cup. Australia, however, are the only team to have beaten england under coach sanna have beaten england under coach Sarina Wiegman, a 2 0 win at wembley in april, ended the lionesses 30 match unbeaten run. Kick off is in just under half an hour. You can get more on all an hour. You can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Direct website, gb news. Com. Direct bullying website, gbnews. Com. Direct bullying sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment. Lets get silver investment. Lets get a quick snapshot then of todays markets. The pound will buy you markets. The pound will buy you 1. 27, five, 8 and ,1. 1674. The price of gold is £1,493. 63 per ounce. And. The ftse 107,382 ounce. And. The ftse 107,382 points direct bullion sponsors. The Financial Report on news investments that matter. Investments that matter. Do you stay with us. Were going to be getting your reaction to those inflation figures. Were going to be talking about the a level results tomorrow. How are results out tomorrow. How are you perhaps you might you feeling . Perhaps you might need a hug tomorrow morning. Do need a hug tomorrow morning. Do let us know. Yeah, absolutely. Emailing gbviews gbnews. Com. Thats the address to email. This is address to email. This is britains newsroom here on news. The peoples channel, britains news. News. The peoples channel, britains news. Channel good morning. Its 1038. Britains news. Channel good morning. Its1038. And good morning. Its1038. And this is britains newsroom here on gb news. And i have to say that a lot of you have been getting in touch on all of our stories this morning, actually on council tax. And we spoke to the Taxpayers Alliance a little bit earlier in programme. Bit earlier in the programme. Steve has written in to say, im from warrington and the council seems be adding more to the seems to be adding more to the Council Tax Bill all the time. I think a lot of people around the country have the same thoughts as you. Steve yeah, and theres a real with the disparity of real issue with the disparity of where the country and where you are in the country and how much you your council how much you pay on your council tax. Says my brother and tax. John says my brother and i have identical bedroom have identical three bedroom semi detached. He lives semi detached houses. He lives in whilst i live in in putney whilst i live in birstall. My brothers council tax £700 a year, whilst mine tax is £700 a year, whilst mine is huge, its now at £1,780. This seems grossly unfair, especially given that my brothers Council Services are in fact far, far better than mine. No, that is. Thats a thats a stark, stark difference. A stark, stark difference. Thats a grand more youre paying thats a grand more youre paying for each month. Yes each yeah paying for each month. Yes each year. Sorry. Thats significant , isnt it. Thats significant, isnt it. Thats significant, isnt it. Each month would we really would be Higher Council tax. One would be and lots of you getting in touch as well in the situation in dover. Weve just spoken to our Home Security editor, mark white. There says that border force there who says that Border Force Vessels overwhelmed vessels are being overwhelmed and people have and estimated 350 people have arrived boats far arrived in small boats so far today. Its only 1030 in the morning. Chris says there is a fixation about migrants crossing the channel by small boat. Nothing has been said about the boats. I admit i had a very simplistic view, but the type of boat that theyre using , for boat that theyre using, for example, is easily example, dinghy, is easily punctured. They stick a knife in them before they launch and they know theyre be brought know theyre will be brought here lifeboat. The easiest here by lifeboat. The easiest boatis here by lifeboat. The easiest boat is the best boat, he says, well , lots more views coming well, lots more views coming across the programme, of course, but back to our top story. Inflation has, of course fallen from 7. 9 in june to 6. 8 in july. In july. Yes, both the chancellor and the Prime Minister have said this latest Consumer Price index , which is the headline measure of inflation, shows that the governments plan is working. But what impact will this have in lots of different sectors . Were going to focus in now on commuters. Joining us this morning is lisa hartle r gb news, london reporter and lisa, what effect is this happening having on on train prices . Having on on train prices . Well, so next year the government say that the price to travel on the trains will be below 9. Why 9 . Because 9 is the retail price index 12 months leading up to july last year, ministers made a similar move and they calculated the price rise for the next year below inflation. But that was also a 5. 9 increase, the largest price hike increase, the largest price hike in ten years. Usually before the pandemic. The government would take this price. Were talking about their retail price index , about their retail price index, add 1 and that will come into effect the following january. But obviously different this yeah but obviously different this year. Were not quite sure how theyre going to calculate it yet. They havent announced that a transport a department for transport spokesman well continue spokesman said well continue to protect passengers of protect passengers from cost of living pressures. Increase living pressures. Any increase will delayed until march, will be delayed until march, temporarily freezing fares for passengers to january and february for february and january, rather, as the government continues with its plan to halve inflation. Now, the government regulates about 45 affairs on british railways. They include season tickets and off peak travel for Long Distance journeys. Train operators set prices for other fares. But its thought that because of contracts that were brought in during the pandemic, these prices are set to be or expected to be close to what the government will announce. And just speaking to some of the commuters this morning, some of them have been telling me that because service theyre because of the service theyre getting, paying getting, theyre already paying a theres been a lot of money. Theres been strikes, delays. Strikes, theres been delays. They dont think that they should any more than should be paying any more than they prices they already are with prices already set so high and other people said they think the whole system a look at system needs to have a look at with many people not with so many people not commuting work day, commuting into work every day, they know, why cant they said, you know, why cant we a day week pass we have a three day week pass that we can use, things like that we can use, things like that. That we can use, things like that. The government wont that. But the government wont be the train be announcing what the train fare be today. They fare rises will be today. They said its going to be said that its going to be a very decision for them very difficult decision for them to have and theyll to have to make and theyll announce they will a announce what they will be at a later date. Well, well look well, lisa, well look forward perhaps not look forward to or perhaps not look forward to or perhaps not look forward those price rises forward to those price rises in the thank very much the future. Thank you very much for us there outside for joining us there outside waterloo station. Down the line . Whats coming down the line . Whats coming down the line . Stephen pound is well, Stephen Pound is joining studio. Joining us in the studio. Stephen down the line its stephen her down the line its a great should should we great sorry, should we should we just our our panel just introduce our our panel here talk news . Dawn here to talk to the news . Dawn neesom, course, the former neesom, of course, the former editor of the daily star joins us as well as the former labour mp Stephen Pound. Stephen, you jumped a great jumped in there with a great joke. It again. Joke. Lets just say it again. Sorry i said whats coming sorry i just said whats coming down line . Sorry i just said whats coming dothats ine . Sorry i just said whats coming dothats coming line . Whats coming down the line . Whats coming down the line . Excellent. See the excellent. I dont see the point myself of price rises. The points. Oh, very good. Oh, very good. Good. Oh my. Oh very good. Oh my. Oh very good. Oh my. Im slow morning, jim. Im slow this morning, jim. Im slow this morning, jim. Need any encouragement. But just on that, actually , but just on that, actually, on train prices, what do you on the train prices, what do you make of that . Going up again for commuters . You know why commuters . You dont know why anyone come back anyone would want to come back to office. Anyone would want to come back to wasffice. Anyone would want to come back to was itce. Anyone would want to come back to was it not to . Thats was it not going to . Thats the problem. People will find alternative ways of travel and stick they just wont do stick to it. They just wont do it. Itsjust so stick to it. They just wont do it. Its just so ridiculously expensive to expensive mind you, compared to driving which is driving as well, which is getting expensive. I mean, getting more expensive. I mean, the story getting the other story i was getting annoyed about morning was annoyed about this morning was charging the charging strife for the blackwall london. Charging strife for the blackwell, london. Charging strife for the blackwell, the london. Charging strife for the blackwell, the choint yeah, well, the whole point of the black hole tunnel, when its opened, i seem to remember its round about the or something. Hey, the idea was that you paid a certain amount of money till a sinking fund. Then it till on a sinking fund. Then it was paid off and then it was free. Same as the severn bridge, but stoned me. They carried on one of these temporary taxis like income tax. One of these temporary taxis like thats income tax. One of these temporary taxis likethats the income tax. One of these temporary taxis likethats the younger1e tax. One of these temporary taxis likethats the younger introduced thats the younger introduced to fight the napoleonic wars. You remember the 1803 you remember the napoleonic 1803 you remember the najremember them fulsome lost remember them fulsome lost them. Them. But you were on the french side . No, the irish sea. No, the irish sea. But it is interesting because train drivers, of course, have been asking for higher pay. Fewer people have been using the trains. Fewer people have been trains. Fewer people have been commuting. Well, surely the only commuting. Well, surely the only way to square that circle is for pnces way to square that circle is for prices to go up . Well, no, i think its to make the point that we have a capacity problem on the railways where certain of the lines are overcrowded, some of them are underused and i think we underused and i think what we need do is to make it need to do is to make it attractive for people to get off the road out of planes onto the road out of planes and onto trains. It is fiendishly trains. But it is fiendishly difficult a train ticket difficult to book a train ticket nowadays. Sir jacob nowadays. I mean, Sirjacob Rees Mogg here. Are rees mogg was in here. These are always got always perfectly easy. Ive got an my mobile. I said, an app on my mobile. I said, what youve got a mobile and you know , but indeed there was know, but indeed there was semaphore. But i think know, but indeed there was semaphore. But i think nanny probably anyway. But the point is he comes up from somerset and he said, you know, theres like 17 different price and that is absolutely barking. Yeah. But at the moment you cost you £350 to go to liverpool, a manchester which is and yet if you book it in advance it comes right the way down. I mean may i say pubuc way down. I mean may i say Public Ownership is probably the best way forward. Oh, im not sure. Anyone sure you remember the bad old days of the rail . The british rail . Oh, great. Oh, great. Mean, ive heard the oh, so i mean, ive heard the horror stories, but. But we must move on but. But we must move on because have been teasing because we have been teasing this morning. Do either of this all morning. Do either of you like cuddles . You like cuddles . Well, it depends who the other person is. Yeah, exactly. Well. Yeah, exactly. Well. Yeah, exactly. Well. Well, this story here is the worst. Johnson. Id probably say no i oh, oh, West Midlands reporter jack carson has been exploring the benefits of whats called cuddle therapy. Yes some sessions cost up to £70 an hour. Heres what he found. Heres what he found. Heres what he found. Nearly two thirds of people say theyve experienced a Mental Health problem. And the Charity Health problem. And the charity mind says 1. 6 Million People are now on the waiting list for treatment from Mental Health services. A stressful job, social isolation and financial problems are all factors which impact our Mental Health, and people are turning to private therapy as a way to get the help they need. Natasha wicks from coventry provides therapy to clients but with a difference. Clients but with a difference. Natasha is a licenced cuddle professional and says her service is about providing people with physical support. Positive touch has been shown actually under an mri. Actually under an mri. Neuroscientists can see the brains orbitofrontal cortex actually releases the chemicals that are required to give us those feelings of well being. So oxytocin , serotonin , amongst oxytocin, serotonin, amongst others, all the dopamine , the others, all the dopamine, the happy hormones, theyre all released when we do that, and it nurtures a feeling of well being. Relax and its been shown to lower your Blood Pressure to release anxiety relief , pain pressure to release anxiety relief, pain with the pressure to release anxiety relief , pain with the science relief, pain with the Science Behind a hug so positive. Natasha believes the popularity of her therapy is on the rise. I think that we are going back to being more in touch with ourselves. If you think back to the sort of 80s 90s, people didnt really talk about their problems. Thats their problems. Thats not what their parents 50s were raised parents in the 50s were raised to and then talking to do. And then talking therapies sort of whittled their way over from the us. And at first thought, oh, that first we thought, oh, that sounds you mumbo sounds a bit, you know, mumbo jumbo dippy kind of thing. Jumbo hippy dippy kind of thing. But in the uk, but i think now in the uk, especially since covid, people are more aware of how are very more aware of how important that touch is. And so absolutely, i just think its to going get bigger and bigger when it comes to her clients, natashas range from 18 to 80 year olds, both here in the uk and abroad. But with people travelling from all over the world, whats the clients perspective on the benefit of a hug . This client, benefit of a hug . This client, who were calling ellie to keep her identity private, says she tried cuddle therapy when traditional methods of help werent improving her health. Really its it has changed my life. I reached out to natasha about why its over a year ago now , and ive had a few now, and ive had a few different types of therapy in the past and nothings really worked for me. So i thought i wanted to give this a try. And from the first session i couldnt believe how much of a difference it had. It was almost like in immediate release. Difference it had. It was almost like in immediate release. Im very anxious person. Ive got very anxious person. Ive got quite severe anxiety and i can see every month when i come down how much its improving and how much of a difference there is with precious life throws at every one of us wrapping our arms around each other can have arms around each other can have a bigger impact on improving Mental Health than you might think. Jack carson , gb news, jack carson, gb news, coventry. Coventry. Hm. Hm. Hm. Yeah, i think we were both going. It was the thing that slightly unsettled me was the stroking. Yes. You dont laying stroking. Yes. You dont laying on the chest and the stroking. On the chest and the stroking. For me, its all very, very strange. Were still joined by Stephen Pound and dawn neesom who are on our panel with us this morning. What do you make of it . For cuddles, of it . Cash for cuddles, different strokes, obviously, but think what really but i mean, i think what really its the saddest pieces its one of the saddest pieces of ive ever seen, because of news ive ever seen, because what is how weve what it just shows is how weve broken in society. Broken down in society. Dont have the human we dont have the human contact anymore. Dont have contact anymore. We dont have the arm around shoulder the old arm around the shoulder that for a whole that we used to for a whole range reasons where dont range of reasons where we dont touch and i think touch each other. And i think people need that human people actually need that human contact. Come definitely. If the come on. Definitely. If the engush come on. Definitely. If the english put an around english ever put an arm around the shoulder, which sort of nobody they took the lip nobody before they took the lip and word, im and in the puppy word, im sorry, sorry. Sorry, im sorry. Interesting is that whats interesting is that you the of you remember when the idea of these who brought into these pets who were brought into hospitals people were hospitals and people were stroking and getting lot stroking them and getting a lot of therapeutic from it, of therapeutic benefit from it, i see that i can i can kind of see that i can understand that. But the thing with one, you who with this one, you know, who would to such a job would volunteer to do such a job anyway who would the anyway and who would pay the money . £70 an hour for that anyway . Wouldnt much anyway . Wouldnt it be much better had family or better if you just had family or friends and you know, a manly hour around the shoulder . You dont have perhaps if you dont have family, friends, perhaps family, friends, i mean, perhaps its for its a loneliness issue for people very lonely. Loneliness is endemic in this country. Is. And country. It really is. And obviously helped by the obviously not helped by the pandemic when a lot of people were locked away and havent got back habit the back into the habit of the socialising people socialising and seeing people that to. And if youre that were used to. And if youre living and living on your own, and particularly for elderly, its, you lot of people you know, a lot of people are incredibly lonely. Think incredibly lonely. But i think stephen think that it is stephen said, i think that it is very that now have to pay very sad that we now have to pay for something that should be just of life. You know, just part of life. You know, having a hug with mate or, you having a hug with a mate or, you know, stroking a friend, which which think its very which you do. I think its very sad. Need do this. Sad. But we need to do this. I have a concern about the safety of the actual cuddle therapist and people who would pay therapist and people who would pay to go into that persons home and be very close to them. They might assume it was something else. You know, i think would, yeah. What is think you would, yeah. What is odd think you made odd about this, i think you made an point about the an interesting point about the british sangfroid. Say in british sangfroid. As we say in greenford. Look, if you go greenford. But look, if you go to france, you know, people put their you. Mean, their arms around you. I mean, ive got a lot of polish friends and every time i meet them, it doesnt matter what their or doesnt matter what their age or what or the what their sex or the orientation is. Ill get the three so do get three kisses. So you do get that. Maybe this is the brits that. So maybe this is the brits catching rest of catching up with the rest of europe. But ultimately, i think catching up with the rest of eur all i wanted was the human touch. Well, on that note, shall we move on to one of our other stories because stories this morning . Because its quite a lot of the its leading quite a lot of the papers this morning. Its a lot of discussion online as well. The going the governments are going to raise state pensions by more than inflation by declaring interest. Interest. Well , no, the interest. Well, no, the thing is, weve got this triple lock. Look, the problem is it completely skewed at the present time. The fact you have to remember the brutal reality and you know this more than anybody, if all three of you know this, who votes people of doesnt vote . Of my age, who doesnt vote . People your age and so any people of your age and so any government is always going to choke our mouths with gold. When you with gordon you think with gordon brown, with licences, you with a free tv licences, you know, the all the money he threw at pensioners. At the pensioners. And dawn this is this yeah. And dawn this is this is parties are saying is both parties are saying exactly thing time exactly the same thing at a time when both are saying we when both parties are saying we need to really control spending, we need to control inflation. They going increase the they are going to increase the state more than inflation. Well, yeah , as stephen said, well, yeah, as stephen said, its the triple lock thing , its the triple lock thing, which which both parties have pledged keep. I mean, labour pledged to keep. I mean, labour are get rid of it are not going to get rid of it for but think stephens for sure, but i think stephens hitting nail on the head. Hitting the nail on the head. Theyre basically the theyre basically it is the older generation vote on older generation that vote on both particularly the both sides, particularly the conservatives. They want that conservatives. So they want that vote. And you know, and i think this story is like people people are about this are getting angry about this now. What . I think we now. You know what . I think we demonise the older generation in this so much. Its like, this country so much. Its like, oh, it easy. You know, oh, you had it easy. You know, you afford home and you could afford a home and youre property worth youre sitting on property worth millions pounds , etcetera. Millions of pounds, etcetera. Can we just stop doing a can we just stop doing that . A lot old people in lot of old people in this country, this is rich, country, but this is not rich, are well off. They are are not well off. They are living homes theory that living in homes in theory that are of money. Are worth a lot of money. But they dont, doesnt, doesnt that lead the doesnt that lead then to the point that shouldnt we not give everyone. Exactly the same . Shouldnt we the very real we look at the very real pensioner poverty in this country does exist country which does exist and give then look at give them more and then look at the millionaires who are pensioners not them pensioners and not give them above inflation pension rises. Above inflation pension rises. You can you can refuse your your state pension if you if you are rich and if youve got a conscience, then you should do that in theory. But tom, if you start means testing who give start means testing who you give pensions setting that system start means testing who you give pensionprobablying that system start means testing who you give pensionprobably costhat system start means testing who you give pensionprobably cost more stem start means testing who you give pensionprobably cost more than up will probably cost more than actually pensions rise. Actually the pensions rise. Okay, dawn, stephen, youre going to be with us throughout the morning. Do stay with us. We do just have some breaking news, which more than 17,000 which is that more than 17,000 channel crossed channel migrants have crossed illegally uk so far illegally into the uk so far this year. Thats what gb news can reveal. This morning. The figure who was reached as uk authorities brought at least 500 migrants into dover harbour this morning. 500 this morning alone. A very, very busy day of alone. A very, very busy day of small boat activity. Yes, as of 10 30 am, three Border Force Vessels and three lifeboats had returned to dover harbour with those they took from at least eight small boats i and we will be back in dover live with mark white throughout the morning. Well be getting you updates on what could be the busiest day of boat travel. So far this year. Were gb news, britains news channel. The temperatures rising , boxt the temperatures rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Good morning. For most areas , its a dry and fine day today. Lots of sunshine to come. There will be a few isolated showers, but most places will be dry and with winds it will feel with light winds it will feel very warm as well. So heres the pitch of them. First thing on this wednesday morning, a lot of dry fine weather start the dry fine weather to start the day. From the go. Day. Sunshine from the word go. There cloud again there will be more cloud again affecting of scotland with affecting parts of scotland with risk a few showery outbreaks risk of a few showery outbreaks of i dont think of rain here. But i dont think the showers quite as heavy as they were on tuesday. Elsewhere then could see isolated then we could see an isolated shower. But think youll be shower. But i think youll be fairly to on. Most fairly unlucky to catch on. Most places we find spells fairly unlucky to catch on. Most placfeeling find spells fairly unlucky to catch on. Most placfeeling prettyi spells fairly unlucky to catch on. Most placfeeling pretty warm spells fairly unlucky to catch on. Most placfeeling pretty warm as ells fairly unlucky to catch on. Most placfeeling pretty warm as well and feeling pretty warm as well with light winds. Temperatures reaching to reaching 14 the far north to 25 or 26 towards the southeast. So feeling very warm in that sunshine through the sunshine as we head through the rest into the rest of wednesday into the evening overnight. More evening and overnight. Then more of then places of the same then most places will be dry under those clear skies could some skies again. We could see some mist patches. More cloud mist and fog patches. More cloud across with a few across scotland with a few showers here. And then through the low clouds the night, some low clouds starting filter from the starting to filter down from the north a bit north sea. So turning a bit cloudier temperatures cloudier here. Temperatures dont think well be quite so low they were on the previous low as they were on the previous night. Still towards night. But still towards the west, spots falling west, some rural spots falling close 10 degrees. So close to 9 or 10 degrees. So fairly end the night fairly cool end to the night here. Places will be here. Again, most places will be dry start thursday morning. Dry to start thursday morning. Lots of sunshine from the lots of sunshine again from the word a bit more cloud word go. A bit more cloud towards that east coast slowly burning the north burning back towards the north sea areas. But we sea coastal areas. But again, we could catch isolated could just catch an isolated shower. Places will be shower. But most places will be dry. Warmest the dry. Probably the warmest of the temperatures be, i think, temperatures will be, i think, towards west head towards the west as we head through afternoon, in through the afternoon, where in those light winds feeling very warm we could see highs warm indeed. We could see highs reaching degrees, but reaching 23 or 24 degrees, but temperatures bit temperatures a little bit suppressed east suppressed towards that east coast temperatures coast icc, the temperatures rising, proud rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on gb news news weather. Weather. Good morning. Its 11 am. On wednesday, the 16th of august. This is britains newsroom on gb news with tom harwood and me, Ellie Costello coming up today gb news can reveal 300 people have already arrived in dover this morning via small boats, dinghies with a capacity of 50 are carrying 65 people. We can also reveal the cross channel migrant total has passed 17,000 for this year. The plan is working. Thats the plan is working. Thats what Prime Minister rishi sunak has said in response to the news that inflation has fallen to 6. 8. Well have the latest reaction from across the united kingdom. Kingdom. And nearly 6000 penalty fines were issued in july for breaches of glasgows low emission zone. Thats according to new figures. Gb news scotland reporter tony mcguire will be joining us live later. Later. On well, do you get in touch on any of the stories that were talking about today . We know you will have a reaction to that figure that gb news can exclusively reveal, which is 17,000 people have crossed the channel this year. What channel so far. This year. What do you make of that . What do you think needs to be done . Gb views at gb news. But first, lets get at gb news. But first, lets get a news bulletin with paul hawkins. Hawkins. Good morning. Its 11 01. Hawkins. Good morning. Its11 01. Im good morning. Its11 01. Im paul hawkins with the latest from the gb newsroom. Price from the gb newsroom. Price rises are continuing to slow due to a fall in the cost of food and energy. Latest figures from the office for National Statistics found Consumer Price index inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july for june it was 7. 9. Its now the lowest rate since february last year. Lowest rate since february last year. However, the governments year. However, the governments preferred measure of inflation cpi does not include housing costs like mortgage payments. Costs like mortgage payments. The bank of england will decide whether to raise Interest Rates or not on september the 21st. Chief secretary to the treasury, john glenn, says the government are on track to half inflation by the end of the year. Todays significant drop to the lowest rate of increase since february last year is welcome news. But i dont want to say were complacent in government because it wont be a Straight Line path necessarily, but we are on track to get to halving inflation by the end of the year , 3 by this time next the year, 3 by this time next yeah the year, 3 by this time next year. And then on to 2, which is the long term target that weve always wanted the bank of england to get back to next years rise in regulated rail fares in england will be below 9. Regulated fares cover roughly 45 of journeys, including season tickets. The government p99s season tickets. The government pegs regulated rail fare rises to the Retail Prices index measure of inflation or rpi, which is higher than cpi. Fares which is higher than cpi. Fares will rise from next march. House will rise from next march. House pnces will rise from next march. House prices have continued to slow across the uk in the 12 months to june. Figures from the off to june. Figures from the off from the office for National Statistics show house price growth of 1. 7 compared to 1. 8 in the year to may. House prices are growing fastest in the north east of england, 4. 7 in the year to june. London house the year to june. London house pnces the year to june. London house prices have actually fallen by 0. 6. Gb news can reveal more than 500 people on board several small boats have been taken to dover harbour, pushing the number of migrant arrivals past 17,000 this year. A home and security editor, mark white is in dover with the latest for us. Mark well, border force had been prepared for a very busy day of small boat activity. A red alert effectively in terms of their stance here. We now understand that since early this morning, three Border Force Vessels , the three Border Force Vessels, the dover lifeboats , the Ramsgate Dover lifeboats, the ramsgate lifeboat and shortly the dungeness lifeboat will have come here to dover harbour with the occupants of at least eight small boats. We are putting the figure at close to 500 so far. But as we speak, more sightings in the English Channel, as its say , it is going to be a very say, it is going to be a very busy day of activity in the channel the first real busy day of activity since that tragedy on saturday when six people drowned off the french coast. Drowned off the french coast. Thanks, mark. Thats our Homeland Security editor, mark white. Wildfires continue to blaze across the mediterranean in both france and the canary islands. This was the situation islands. This was the situation last night on the side of the mountain in tenerife. Nearby villages were evacuated. By this villages were evacuated. By this morning, the fire had already devastated about 320 acres near the mountain volcano that spains highest peak. Nigel spains highest peak. Nigel farage is urging the transport secretary to block the expansion of the ultra low emission zone ulez to the outskirts of london. He says mark harper could use section 143 of the Greater LondonAuthority Act to block the expansion. Mayor sadiq khan the expansion. Mayor sadiq khan has overseen the expansion, which covers Greater London in its entirety and launches on august the 29th. Anyone whos interested in bidding for the collapsed retailer wilko has until the end of today to put in an offer. The high street chain fell into Administration Last week 12,500 jobs across 400 stores are in jeopardy. Today is stores are in jeopardy. Today is the deadline set by administrators for the first round of offers in england. Have just kicked off their world cup semi final against australia in the National Stadium in sydney, watched by 75,000 capacity crowd , millions around australia and also here in the uk. This is the live scene at a farm park in croydon in south london. One of many across the country where england fans are watching the lionesses england the current european champions who are also the favourites to win the world cup and not forgetting the sizeable australian expat population in the uk. This is an aussie fan event in vauxhall in central london, australia. However are the only team to have beaten england under coach sanna have beaten england under coach Sarina Wiegman and the score is currently goalless with four minutes gone. This is gb news across the uk on tv , in your across the uk on tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news. Now its back to. Tom good morning to you. Youre watching britains newsroom with tom and ellie. The time is 1106. And we are talking this morning about about this gb news exclusive that 17,000 people have crossed the channel so far this year. Were in a good Weather Window at the moment and there is a red alert from maritime authorities today in the channel. They fear that many, many people could try and cross the channel today. And it is a very perilous journey, as we know it absolutely is. And well be crossing back live to dover very, very shortly because, of course, hundreds have already crossed this morning. Mark white has all of the details for us live in doveh the details for us live in dover. Mark, 300 more this morning alone. Morning alone. Well, its actually more than that now. We can confirm that up to 500 people have crossed the engush to 500 people have crossed the English Channel. So far today with multiple sightings. The border force, as you said in your introduction , were prepared your introduction, were prepared for a very significant day of small boat activity in terms of their sort of internal procedures for being prepared for that. They went to red alert in terms of their resources and their worst fears, i think are being realised with what is happening out in the channel. Given that we are still till what, 11 in the morning just after and we are looking at up to 500 people who have crossed the channel the first boat Border Force Vessel came in under the cover of darkness really at 330 this morning. That really at 330 this morning. That just shows you how this when there are good days, it is a 24 hour sigh cycle in terms of the activity that youll get with the people smugglers pushing them out from the beaches. Them out from the beaches. You cant drive what you say. You cant drive what you say. See . Yeah. See . Yeah. Yeah, it does look, though, weve had a technical issue there with mark white. Were just going to try and regain that. It looks as though hes there for us. Mark, please do continue. Im afraid just do continue. Im afraid we just had technical difficulty there i yeah. Yeah. So as i was saying, that first boat from border force, that came in, we thought about 50 or so were on board that. Then this morning it got really busy just kind of after 6 am. With multiple sightings of small boats, not just being spotted by the coastguard and the French Authority with their spotter planes and their vessels there. But passing shipping the big container ships that plough up and down the English Channel and other vessels as well , and other vessels as well, reporting in that they were seeing small boats crossing the channel. So border force, they were out there with three vessels out in the channel. But very quickly they had to call on the lifeboat service, the rnli, for assistance. So we saw dover lifeboat going out. We saw ramsgate lifeboat, and then the dungeness lifeboat heading out. Dungeness lifeboat heading out. Now, most of those have returned to dover harbour. The last two to dover harbour. The last two Border Force Vessels had two dinghies worth each on board. And when we counted them off, it was up to 65 people that it seems were on these dinghies. Not every dinghy today has had 65, but quite a few of them, at least four, we think, have had up to 65 people on board. And thatis up to 65 people on board. And that is a real concern for authorities because what that means is that more people are falling overboard and being swept overboard , just ending up swept overboard, just ending up in the water. So seven incidents last week as well as the tragic incident in which six people died and as you say, mark, were seeing this high risk strategy, arent we, of the Human Trafficking gangs who are packing people into those dinghies when they have this small Weather Window . And thats whats making these journeys even more dangerous . Dangerous . Yes, absolutely. Im just going to step to the side at the moment. So allow you to get a shot down. A live images of the harbour. You see one of the harbour. You see one of the border force catamarans that was out in the channel since very early this morning. Now just early this morning. Now just anchor there at the quay side having unloaded upwards of about 125, closer to 130 people. And yes , its these Weather Windows yes, its these Weather Windows really in terms of the fact that weve had such unpredictable and bad weather in recent months in the channel that every time we get calm conditions, then we get a surge. Last week we reached a Record Number of crossings for one day this year when 755 people were taken off small boats. And again today its boats. And again today its certainly possible that we could get near that figure if not surpass it, because although things are a little quiet after the initial surge and these Border Force Vessels, two of them, that you can now see in them, that you can now see in the harbour, just waiting for their next tasking , what will their next tasking, what will often happen is you get an Early Morning surge of vessels taking advantage of the tidal conditions to come over. And then later in the day, therell be other surges. So prepare for be other surges. So prepare for more sightings in the channel. Well, mark, we will be back with you as and when we get those sightings throughout the morning. And an extraordinary day unfolding in the English Channel right now. Yes and mark will keep us up to date as the morning continues. Johns been in touch. Good morning to you, john. And says if smugglers are using boats if the smugglers are using boats to across to send migrants across the channel to send migrants across the channel, they channel, where are they obtaining these from . And obtaining these boats from . And why intercept and why cant we intercept and prevent purchase of these prevent the purchase of these boats arrest those involved boats and arrest those involved at breaking the at that stage breaking the illegal chain . Well, very interesting say john, interesting you say that, john, because the government has actually deal actually just created this deal with turkey, which is essentially that Suella Braverman describes it as smashing Human Trafficking smashing the Human Trafficking gangs because dinghies the gangs because dinghies at the moment manufactured moment are mostly manufactured in so they can stop the in turkey so they can stop the manufacturing of dinghies there and then travelling across europe , they can in turn stop europe, they can in turn stop that illegal supply chain so that illegal supply chain so thatis that illegal supply chain so that is happening, but its clearly not enough at the moment for what were seeing on the ground. It could be another record breaking day, more potentially more than 755 people, the record that people, which the record that was broken last week that deal, of course, signed last week. Some extraordinary pictures that alongside it of these that went alongside it of these warehouses full of the material that was found. But lets get that was found. But lets get back to inflation now, which has fallen from 7. 9 in june to 6. 8 in july. Yes both the chancellor and the Prime Minister have said this latest Consumer Price index, which is the headline measure of inflation, shows that the governments plan is working. Well. Joining us this morning is jeff moody, our southwest of england report editor. And, jeff, what is the view down there in the southwest . It there in the southwest . It well, ive come to the call beans cafe, which is here in bideford to try and talk to some locals about what they make of these figures and in general how theyre surviving the cost of living crisis. We dont seem to have any drinks at table, have any drinks at this table, which bit unfortunate. I which is a bit unfortunate. I was hoping for a fried breakfast, never mind. So breakfast, but never mind. So ken, do you make these ken, what do you make of these figures . Basically its figures . I think basically its very good news because its all going in the right direction. There are still problems. Obviously, mortgage Interest Rates are going to be really concerned. Looks as though were having technical difficulties there looks as though were having techrjeff difficulties there looks as though were having techrjeff moody lties there looks as though were having techrjeff moody down here looks as though were having techrjeff moody down ine looks as though were having techrjeff moody down in the with jeff moody down in the southwest. We will try and re establish that connection. Oh it sounds like we might be having this connection having this this connection right here down to north devon. Geoff, are you back with us . There we are. To keep inflation down. To keep inflation down. Hello . Yes, i believe you cut away from us for a minute or two. We had a few technical problems. Can you hear us all right now . Geoff, please. Geoff, please. Can you hear me . Mother good. Can you hear me . Mother good. Good. Sorry to have interrupted we had interrupted you there. We had a few technical problems. Interrupted you there. We had a fewtell1nical problems. Interrupted you there. We had a fewtell us al problems. Interrupted you there. We had a fewtell us again blems. Interrupted you there. We had a fewtell us again whats. Interrupted you there. We had a fewtell us again what it looks tell us again what it looks as though those technical problems figures might be continuing. Figures actually the figures have actually very the sense that very good news in the sense that the is falling the inflation is falling substantially, really the substantially, but really the two things that concern two big things that are concern people here going to be people here are going to be mortgage Interest Rates. And obviously the question of increases in their wage levels, which are obviously wage levels are higher now than inflation. So that thats an important factor for us here in in in in in bideford in this area. Its a tourist and service economy. So wages is going to be an important factor. And also obviously , business costs obviously, business costs particularly energy, which fortunately is falling. Fortunately is falling. So, andrew, you want you run a website, develop a Web Development company, dont you . What do you think are the main issues for you . Well, i run my business at low cost, really. So i work from home and how i operate, i dont really get affected by a lot of these problems, but my customers do. And the biggest problems is do. And the biggest problems is energy cost. Really. I speak to one customer yesterday. Its energy costs are still 4 or 5 times what they were 20 or 20. Now so hes making more money in terms of sales. But it is Profit Margins is smaller , so hes margins is smaller, so hes working harder for less. And the energy they need to come energy costs they need to come down a lot quicker. If you want businesses not to bankrupt businesses not to go bankrupt basically. Basically. Youve been for here 20 pat, youve been for here 20 years. Did you say 20 years or more . Yes how do you think bideford has changed in that time . Well , it time . Well, it were losing a bit of the community. The heart of bideford by the town centre. It does need a bit of a boost and i think thats where we need to try and get our two local councils to invest a little bit more of the money that the government is hopefully going to share out a bit more equally with us. Yes, its good news at the inflation. Its coming down, but i do believe that our i dont profess to know too much about it, but i think we need to rely on the bank of england to be a little bit more proactive. I think they were very slow to react. And if the Producer Price react. And if the Producer Price is coming down, the government should be sharing these things with us. Please, if you talk to us, then we might be able to understand a little bit more and not cause all the anger and the angst that is in the in the community today. Okay, lovely. Thank you very much going be much indeed. Were going to be down day testing the down here all day testing the barometer finding out what barometer and finding out what people think. So if you are in the bideford area anywhere in the bideford area or anywhere in nonh the bideford area or anywhere in north down and see the bideford area or anywhere in norwere down and see the bideford area or anywhere in norwere at down and see the bideford area or anywhere in norwere at the down and see the bideford area or anywhere in norwere at the corbyns and see the bideford area or anywhere in norwere at the corbyns cafe. See us. Were at the corbyns cafe. Oh, you go. So an open oh, there you go. So an open invitation. Jeff thank invitation. Jeff moody, thank you much. Really good to see you so much. Really good to see you so much. Really good to see you the sunshine and you there in the sunshine and really to hear from real really good to hear from real people. Decisions people. Which decisions like this actually impact. And this will actually impact. And figures like this will actually impact. So thank much for impact. So thank you so much for that. Theyre north devon. Absolutely and some of these people were asking is the asking about what is the difference this difference between this producers consumer producers price index, Consumer Price headline level price index, the headline level of and the rest of of inflation and all the rest of it. Get the details now it. Lets get the details now with our business economics with our business and economics editor halligan with on the editor Liam Halligan with on the money. Money. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Thats what rishi sunak and jeremy hunt are telling us. Inflations falling, said the Prime Minister this morning. But were not at the morning. But were not at the finishing line and we must stick to our plan. So what of these to our plan. So what of these headune to our plan. So what of these headline Consumer Price index Inflation Numbers during the year to june , the Consumer Price year to june, the Consumer Price index rose 7. 9, but during the year to july, we learned at 7 am. This morning in inflation was up just 6. 8. A significant reduction in anyones money. But but but the uk still has the highest inflation among the g7 advanced industrial countries, 6. 8 compares to 5. 3 across the eurozone and just 3. 2 in the us. One reason is Cheaper Energy pnces us. One reason is cheaper Energy Prices in the us and the eurozone. Another reason is our food Price Inflation, because food Price Inflation, because food prices, they were up 14. 8 dunng food prices, they were up 14. 8 during the year to july. Food prices, they were up 14. 8 during the year to july. Still during the year to july. Still very, very high inflation, though, down markedly from 17 3. 3 the month before. Some thing called core inflation is also stubbornly high. Whats that . Thats inflation. If you strip out food energy and some import costs and you look at the underlying inflationary pressures, according to statisticians across the economy, that stayed put stubbornly at 6. 9, that will worry members of the bank of englands Monetary Policy committee having said that, i would urge those mpc members to look instead at the Producer Price index because the Producer Price index because the Producer Price index because the Producer Price index is now negative. In june , it was down 2. 9 compared june, it was down 2. 9 compared to june 2022, and in july it was down even more, 3. 3. That means the cost of the inputs that producers need to provide the goods and services that they then sell to us. Those prices are actually now falling. So lets hope that those price production Price Reductions are passed on soon. So what will the bank of england do . Weve had Interest Rates rising all the way up to 5. 25 since the end of 2021, 14. Successive Interest Rate rises. Will there be another . I think there will. When the mpc makes its next announcement on the 21st of september. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but of course its good news if youre a saver , because eventually a saver, because eventually those high street banks, they will pass and they are passing some of those Interest Rate rises on. So you get a bit more return on your spare cash. Having said that, for many hard pressed households, Mortgage Rates have been rising. But because Interest Rates should soon peak , we are already seeing soon peak, we are already seeing some lower Mortgage Rates much to the relief of many home owners. We must stick to our plan, says the government. Plan, says the government. Theyre hoping inflation comes down even more. Will it come down even more. Will it come down enough to meet rishi sunaks targets of around 5 by the end of the year . We will soon see for now, at least, the cost of living crisis. Its not cost of living crisis. Its not yet over, but there could be light at the end of the tunnel. Light at the end of the tunnel. Well, Liam Halligan, thank you so much for bringing us that detailed overview of the meaning behind that headline figure and what may well still to be come. But still to come on this programme, six more former met officers have been charged with sending grossly offensive racist messages on whatsapp. Well bnng messages on whatsapp. Well bring you all of the details here with britains newsroom on gb news radio. Gb news radio. Good morning. Its 1125 gb news radio. Good morning. Its1125 and youre with britains newsroom here on gb news with me tom harwood and Ellie Costello. Now , the metropolitan police now, the metropolitan police has said that six of its former officers have been charged with sending grossly offensive, racist messages on whatsapp. The officers have been charged , but all of them retired charged, but all of them retired from. The force between 2001 and from. The force between 2001 and 2015. So the question is risen is this a good use of police time and priorities . Well, lets put that now to former met Police Detective peter blakesley, who joins us now. And peter, this is an now. And peter, this is an active case and those former officers are going to appear in court on the 7th of september. So we do need to be really careful with legalities. But what the cases like this do for trust in the police . Well liam broady, the met commissioner , broady, the met commissioner, whos not been in place for a year yet, has been extremely vocal from the time he was appointed saying, i am going to clean up this organised action. Hes repeatedly said that and hes got a huge job on his hands. Its maybe be that the remit stretches beyond serving officers , but of course these officers, but of course these officers, but of course these officers charged are yet to stand trial. Innocent until proven guilty. But if mr rowley is looking beyond just officers in the organisation, he will of course be looking at staff as opposed to Police Officers. And opposed to Police Officers. And hes going to be thoroughly across the behaviour of all and sundry. Then hes got a huge job on his hands. It does seem that we have heard so many stories of impropriety in the metropolitan police and indeed in other Police Forces as well. And the argument is always is this endemic within the force or is this a few bad apples . And you often hear different arguments on either side of that debate. The few bad apples argument has long since gone because unfortunately, Police Officers are being convicted in courts up and down the land on a virtual weekly basis, a very serious crimes. Tragically, your viewers crimes. Tragically, your viewers and listeners will be familiar with the names of wayne cousins and david carrick. Two absolute monsters who really dont deserve any more airtime. But deserve any more airtime. But there are many, many more officers who have been convicted officers who have been convicted of very serious crimes from rape to child Sexual Offences to sharing indecent images. Theres been a litany of these cases and it is deeply, deeply worrying. I wish sir mark rowley all the best in his efforts to clean up the metropolitan police, not only for the public, but for the good cops, the good cops do not want to be working alongside wrongdoers , monsters or people wrongdoers, monsters or people whose behaviour is utterly and acceptable. What do you think it does for morale . If you are a Good Police Officer whos gone into the job because you want to help society, because you want to fight crime and youre seeing your colleagues in the court being charged with these sorts of offences, it cant do a lot for your own morale. Well while possibly officers might go, yes, the clean ups happening. Yes, were getting rid of these people. I tend to post all these people. I tend to post all these cases onto my social media feed and theres a huge amount of reaction from the public, of course, so many of whom are going, what is going wrong with our police . And then people who conversely say, well, maybe this is a good sign. Theyre getting to grips with it. This problem is far from over because of course, people were allowed into policing without the necessary vetting checks being carried out for a considerable amount of time. There are people in policing with criminal convictions who have simply got to go because they cant stand up in a witness box at Number One Court at the old bailey and swear to be a witness of truth when theyve got criminal convictions for dishonesty, for example. Thats absolutely fundamentally wrong. But again, i would be foursquare behind. I would be foursquare behind. Sir mark rowley and other chief constables wanted to clean up their police services, but its going to be a long and winding road now, just finally, of course, there has been concern about vetting in the past, in the last four years or three years, theres been this mad dash to recruit 20,000 extra Police Officers. Police officers. Lots of criticism about that process , about potentially not process, about potentially not enough vetting there to. Oh, undoubtedly , because oh, undoubtedly, because theyve gone for quantity and not quality. We may remember bofis not quality. We may remember Boris Johnson saying well recruit 20,000 Police Officers when he was serving as Prime Minister and when a Prime Minister and when a Prime Minister makes that kind of pledge, Senior Officers feel that political pressure. And that political pressure. And its blatantly obvious that some of the candidates that got into service are way, way beneath the levels that they should be standards. Now, i hope, are going to rise. I hope that vetting procedures are going to be thorough, exhaustive. So we get the right people into policing. And i hope policing once again becomes a vocation thing where people want to do it for decades, not just a couple of years to get something on their cv and clear off to another line of work. Well, heres hoping, peter brexit, always really good to see thank you so much for see you. Thank you so much for your time. Well, in response to the former metropolitan the six former metropolitan Police ChargedPolice Officers being charged with sending racist messages on whatsapp, the met police have said this. As soon as we were said this. As soon as we were made aware of these allegations , acted to launch , we acted to launch an investigation in the honest majority of met officers are fully behind this work. Are tired of being let they are tired of being let down by a minority in policing and they are aware of the damage. Behaviour can do to damage. Poor behaviour can do to our relationship with the communities we serve. Communities we serve. Well, still to come, well be joined by dawn neesom and Stephen Pound with all of todays stories. Todays top stories. Thats after your morning News Headlines with paul hawkins i thanks, hum em thanks, tom. Its 1131. Im thanks, tom. Its1131. Im paul hawkins with the latest from the gb newsroom. Price from the gb newsroom. Price rises are continuing to slow due to a fall in the cost of food and energy. Latest figures from and energy. Latest figures from the office for National Statistics found Consumer Price index inflation or cpi , dropped index inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july. Index inflation or cpi, dropped to 6. 8 in the year to july. For to 6. 8 in the year to july. For june it was 7. 9. Its now the lowest rate since february last yeah lowest rate since february last year. However, the governments preferred measure of inflation cpi does not include housing costs like mortgage payments. Costs like mortgage payments. Next years rise in regulated rail fares in england will be below 9. Regulated fares cover roughly 45 of journeys, including season tickets. The government pegs regulated rail fare rises to the Retail Prices index measure of inflation or rpi , which is higher than cpi. Rpi, which is higher than cpi. Fares will rise from next march. House prices have continued to slow across the uk in the 12 months to june. Figures from the months to june. Figures from the ons show house price growth of 1. 7 compared to 1. 8 in the year to may. House prices are growing fastest in the north east of england, 4. 7 in the year to june. London house the year to june. London house pnces the year to june. London house prices have actually fallen by 0. 6. Gb news can reveal more than 500 people on board. Several small boats have been taken to dover harbour, pushing the number of migrants arrivals by small boats past 17,000. This yeah by small boats past 17,000. This year. Uk border force are on red alert as they are expecting an extremely busy day of migrants activity and england are playing australia in their world cup semi final in sydney. Watched by millions around australia and also here in the uk. This is the scene right now at a fan park in croydon in south london, one of many across the country where england fans are watching the lionesses take on the matildas. Meanwhile aussie fans also watching the game at this fan zone in vauxhall in central london, australia. The only team to have beaten england under coach serega Sarina Wiegman its currently nil nil in that match. 31 minutes gone. You can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website gbnews. Com now back to tom and. Ellie now back to tom and. Ellie direct bullion sponsors the finance report on gb news for gold and silver investment. Gold and silver investment. For that, lets get a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 27, five, 7 and ,1. 1679. The price of gold. Is £1,494. 61 per ounce. Gold. Is £1,494. 61 per ounce. And the footsie 100. At 7367 points. Direct bullion sponsors the Financial Report on gb news for physical investment. Physical investment. Well, still to come with, have the latest from dover with mark white. With over 500 people crossing the channel so far today, that and dawn neesom and Stephen Pound will be here with all of this mornings top stories. This is britains newsroom here on gb news. Dont go anywhere. Anywhere. The temperatures rising , boxt the temperatures rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Good morning. For most areas, its a dry and fine day today. Lots of sunshine to come. There will be a few isolated showers, but most places will be dry and with light winds it will feel very warm as well. So heres the picture of them. First thing on this wednesday morning. A lot of dry fine weather start the dry fine weather to start the day. From the go. Day. Sunshine from the word go. There more cloud again there will be more cloud again affecting parts of scotland with risk showers, outbreaks risk of a few showers, outbreaks of but i dont think of rain here. But i dont think the as heavy as the showers quite as heavy as they on tuesday elsewhere. They were on tuesday elsewhere. Then we could see an isolated shower. Think youll be shower. But i think youll be fairly unlucky to catch most fairly unlucky to catch on. Most places be dry, find sunny places will be dry, find sunny spells and feeding pretty warm places will be dry, find sunny sp cloud across scotland with a few showers and then through cloud across scotland with a few shonight and then through cloud across scotland with a few shonight somernd then through cloud across scotland with a few shonight some low hen through cloud across scotland with a few shonight some low clouds ough the night some low clouds starting to filter down from the nonh starting to filter down from the north so turning a bit north sea. So turning a bit cloudier temperatures cloudier here. Temperatures i dont quite so low dont think will be quite so low as were on previous as they were on the previous night. But still towards the west, spots falling west, some rural spots falling close 9 or 10 degrees. So close to 9 or 10 degrees. So fairly cool end to the night here. Most places will be here. Again, most places will be dry thursday morning. Dry to start thursday morning. Lots from the lots of sunshine again from the word more cloud word go. A bit more cloud towards that east coast slowly burning back towards north burning back towards the north sea areas. But again, sea coastal areas. But again, we could catch isolated could just catch an isolated shower. Will be shower. But most places will be dry, the warmest the dry, probably the warmest of the temperatures think temperatures will be, i think towards the west as we head through the afternoon, where in those feeling very those light winds feeling very warm could see highs warm indeed. We could see highs reaching degrees. But reaching 23 or 24 degrees. But temperatures a little bit suppressed towards that east coast temperatures suppressed towards that east coast boxt temperatures suppressed towards that east coast boxt solar, peratures suppressed towards that east coast boxt solar, proud res rising, boxt solar, proud sponsors on. 7 00 this evening. Gb news the people. Channel people. Channel welcome back. Its 1140 people. Channel welcome back. Its1140 and welcome back. Its 1140 and youre with britains newsroom on gb news with tom harwood and me. Election costello lots of you getting in touch on council tax. Were having a discussion earlier on the discrepancy in council tax. Depending on where you are in the country. Paul says come to huntington, the council here charges £2,500 in council here charges £2,500 in council tax. Its awful. Yeah. Council tax. Its awful. Yeah. Ruth says she lives in bridgend. Our council tax is over £30,000 a year and services are pathetic, she says. Can anyone beat that . And drew says, i live in east lancashire under a blackburn postcode in a four bed semi and my council tax is constantly on the up. Whereas roy says our council tax is. £2,499 a year. Council tax is. £2,499 a year. And yet our service passes are abysmal. Yeah no, not good at all. Jackie says the council tax on a three bed terraced house in my area. Jackie, wed like to know where you are. Is over £2,000 a year. We are finding it absolutely extortionate. Im sure lots of you feel the same at home. Do get in touch on that story or indeed any of the other stories that were talking about today. Gb views at gb news. Absolutely. During the course of programme, weve learnt of this programme, weve learnt that have that almost 500 migrants have crossed the English Channel. We are course for potentially are on course for potentially the largest day of small boat arrivals this year. The coastguard are on red alert. Yes. So we coastguard are on red alert. Yes. So we will bring you that update throughout the morning. But your reaction, your response to that story as well . Very much welcome. Now, nearly 6000 penalty fines were issued in july for breaches of glasgows low emission zone. The increase is partially due to the soft launch of the scheme, which happened in june. Now, the scheme aims to combat air pollution in the city centre. Fines totalling. Just centre. Fines totalling. Just under £600,000 have already been issued. Well our scotland reporter tony mcguire joins us now very good morning to you, tony. So tell us a bit more about these fines, 6000 of them issued in july by. Yeah, thats correct. So if yeah, thats correct. So if we go back to the 1st of june, that was really the launch of their lease in glasgow and a lot of people obviously came out against it then. However, it did go despite even a last go ahead despite even a last minute court attempt to block it. However, in the first it. And however, in the first month of june, we saw just shy of about 3000 fines issued each one of them all around the £60 mark. So the baseline fine now thats part of the period of familiarity that Glasgow City Council wanted to get drivers to get used to the new restrictions. However, those it the smaller for a period of only the £60 fine disappeared at the start of july. And therefore we know that around 777 fines above that baseline of 66 for going against the league wear dished out in july , bringing the total gains july, bringing the total gains of the council to around £600,000. Now even one of them was a driver who had committed a fourth breach with the same vehicle , putting out £480, which vehicle, putting out £480, which is the top end cap for drivers of goods, vehicles and cars. However £960 is the maximum for each jvs and buses. So the each jvs and buses. So the council obviously have explained that this is a two tier process. So there was always going to be a jump this month. But opposition particularly from the Fightback Campaign , have Fightback Campaign, have actually said that air quality levels in the city have been Holding Steady at a good level for quite some time now, and theyve accused the council of just making this a money making exercise. Similarly a taxis season. Restaurants have all spoken out about their really damaging impact that has had to the Nightlife Economy and tony, just in the last little bit of time that we have , im fascinated. This is an le z zone in this is an l e z zone in glasgow. Now, of course, the big contentious thing in london was ulez ultra low emission versus low emission. Now, is this just glasgow wanting to sound different from england or is there something profoundly different in perhaps the level of emissions that are allowed. Of emissions that are allowed. So certainly this is glasgow is really keen to be scotlands first zone with a low emissions wanting to be ahead of edinburgh and dundee and aberdeen, which are all expecting these low emission zones in the near future. However, is that want to future. However, is that want to be fast . Theres many people obviously complaining that perhaps it wasnt particularly well thought out. Six hundreds of Glasgow City Councils own vehicles have fallen short but certainly yes that that desire tome for wanting to be first the cost of that has been perhaps less time for the public and for workers who come in and out the city to become accustomed to the new rules and regulations. New rules and regulations. Tony mcguire, thank you very much for the very latest there from glasgow. Outside a shiny looking new signs yellow emission zone. Well, were spreading out across the country. Yeah, they are. Well, were yeah, they are. Well, were joined now by our our panel this morning, former editor of the daily star, dawn neesom and former labour mp stephen powell. Theyre back with us talk theyre back with us to talk about a plague of raccoons to start dawn who like beer. Start with. Dawn who like beer. Thought i thought cheer i thought i thought id cheer us about talking about us all up about talking about raccoons a beer and raccoons who like a beer and break into your house. Sorry, rookie raccoons. Not just raccoons. Not right. This is a plague of young bats are dead. Giveaway. Giveaway. Is. This is obviously this is. This is in obviously germany and basically could be austria. It could be. Absolutely. Theres record of 200,000 raccoons up last year. So the population is out of control. And people are coming back from the holidays to discover that raccoons have broken into their houses and office blocks as well. In the centre of berlin, where berlin has 1000 raccoons living in the actual city and they can break in jars. And this one, theres one here actually climbed one here that actually climbed up office box. But the up a glass office box. But the breaking and theyre getting breaking in and theyre getting into so not only into your kitchen. So not only theyre everything, into your kitchen. So not only theyre drinking erything, into your kitchen. So not only theyre drinking all thing, into your kitchen. So not only theyre drinking all the g, into your kitchen. So not only theyre drinking all the beer as well. So like beer and now well. So they like beer and now theyre your house theyre wrecking your house drunk raccoons. But why is paper calling but why is the paper calling them . Them . Right. Okay. The reason theyre called raccoons is because were introduced because they were introduced into germany. Theyre not a native. A native species introduced into germany in the 1920s at the same time as the party was on the rise and Hermann Goering actually personally ordered the release of a breeding pair into the wild so he could go hunting them raccoons. I heard it all on beer. I heard it all on beer. Theyre like foxes in in london. And theyre brazen. Absolutely brazen. I mean, the foxes arent quite drinking. The beer yet. No, theyre not far off. But our thoughts are foxes are patriotic and plural and liberal and democratic. Liberal and democratic. Theyre all like knives round my way. You can hear him yowling and screaming every night. I thought it was the worst sound, but the beatles are really going to have to rerelease rocky raccoon room raccoon came into the room fairly soon. Its not just fairly soon. But its not just in youve plagues of in wales. Youve got plagues of feral goats beating people up in china. Youve got bears in california. Youve no end of california. Youve got no end of problems this. You know, problems like this. You know, frankly, its political frankly, i think its Political Correctness gone mad. I mean, all being allowed all these animals being allowed to and free. You know, to roam wild and free. You know, we had a snake in greenford the other day. We had to rescue it from house because it was from a house because it was called underneath the solar panels you were being panels. You know, were being menaced feral lets menaced by these feral lets just shoot them all, just go and shoot them all, shall we . Especially if its not. Especially if its not. Actually, was bad. We should. We should shoot the badgers, but whole nother story. But thats a whole nother story. Stephen probably im stephen im probably im probably to lot of probably going to get a lot of emails now. Lets not get into that. Emails now. Lets not get into tha probably stephen well probably best. Stephen well move we . Daily move along, shall we . Daily telegraph move along, shall we . Daily telegraisi move along, shall we . Daily telegrais going to fly the flag labour is going to fly the flag for bisexuals and asexual. Well, i have lived a full and rich life, you know. Oh youve got to tell us something, stephen. Ive knocked around the world a bit, you know. Im familiar with most of the sea ports, but ive never ever come across this sexual definition. Can about before can we talk about sex before lunch . You just have. Lunch . Well, you just have. Okay. Okay. You dont demonstrate it, if you dont demonstrate it, keep peachy. Keep it kind of peachy. The welsh sonnet have actually decided to fly. Not just the flag, you know, just the flag, the, you know, the usual of gay pride. The usual sort of gay pride. Everything got new everything that youve got a new character, characteristic character, a new characteristic called it was called what i thought it was aromatics, aromatic. Aromatics, but its aromatic. Its a romantic romantic. Its a romantic romantic. People who dont feel romantic attraction to me. Well, i thought it was aroma, but who got their rocks but people who got their rocks off by sniffing. But you know. But the thing these people but the thing these are people and whole category and theres now a whole category of these romantics with flags and and what it means is and grey. And what it means is people can have sex with people who can have sex with people without having any emotional well, emotional attachment. Well, round a name for round my way, we have a name for that english. Yes. Is pretty much everyone yes. Is pretty much everyone on tinder at the moment. I mean, why do they need a name and a flag . Yeah what colour is the flag . Yeah what colour is the flag . This is just grey. This is just every single universal. Its not black or white, isnt it . Universal. Its not black or whiwell,|t it . Universal. Its not black or whiwell, i it . Universal. Its not black or whiwell, i bow to your well, i bow to your knowledge, mate. Been called a young its just been called a young person going out, meeting people , a social life. Yeah. , having a social life. Yeah. Why they need to flag and why do they need to flag and also it in with groups also to lump it in with groups that have historically faced oppression very odd. Oppression is very, very odd. Its one thing paying £70 for a cuddle, but its. A cuddle, but its. Youre not over that, are you . Should we squeeze 7 should we squeeze in another story as well . Because im delighted by this headline in the sun from russia with loaf, people who had next door neighbours were russian neighbours who were russian spies. Spies. This is yeah absolutely. This is story. Its on is the amazing story. Its on the of all the papers the front of all all the papers weve got. Be careful we weve got. Be careful what we say its live case say because its a live case now. Have been charged. Now. They have been charged. Its a putin spy ring, allegedly spent hiding in spent ten years hiding in the suburbs. This is of suburbs. And this is two of these people that have been arrested charged. Careful arrested and charged. Careful what the the what we say. And the couple the suns been there suns been down there interviewing neighbours interviewing their neighbours and lines is and one of the best lines is that baked cake and that they baked us a cake and its like, this doesnt sound like a james bond thing, does it . Baked a the cake. Its it . They baked a the cake. Its a great headline. But the bulgarians and wasnt it from russia with love. I think the spy and that was actually a bulgarian certainly was but many cakes being baked but if i can just speak up for no fault which is my manner we had the kruegers, you know, and they decided the decided to find the most anonymous suburb anywhere, decided to find the most anonymotinsuburb anywhere, decided to find the most anonymotin london. Nywhere, anywhere in london. And so they chose northolt, which just down which happens to be just down the nato headquarters. The road from nato headquarters. And and you know, they got and yeah, and you know, they got caught eventually, everybody caught eventually, and everybody said, i absolutely idea. You said, i absolutely no idea. You know, obviously , you know, the know, obviously, you know, the red singing most Red Army Choir singing most nights was a giveaway. But these people, theyve a or an people, theyve got a bnb or an airbnb in Great Yarmouth and airbnb be in Great Yarmouth and a semi detached in a semi detached house in northolt. And what i want to northolt. And what i want to know what are they spying on . Know is what are they spying on . What got that theyre what have we got that theyre fascinated because i thought fascinated by . Because i thought our is leak like our secret service is leak like a i absolutely no a sieve. I had absolutely no idea. Remember the last idea. But you remember the last bulgarian spy in this country was a guy george popoff, was a guy called george popoff, who with a poison tip who was killed with a poison tip umbrella kgb. I to who umbrella by the kgb. I to who was the colonel in the kgb at that time . Oh, mr putin, indeed. Oh, mr putin, indeed. I mean, im not saying it, so im just saying connect the dots. The dots. My stories like this. Youre not wrong. Dawn is on the front of every single newspaper captures the british imagination. Stories like that. Could our neighbours be spies . Well, exactly. Well, exactly. I mean, this is the thing. I mean, spying. I think its more of a boy thing. I dont know. It leaves bit cold and its leaves me a bit cold and its like, yeah, you start looking at especially this, the fact with this right, they were this story is right, they were baking into serbia. Baking cakes into serbia. Theyve here ten theyve been here for ten years andifs theyve been here for ten years and its anybody could be a spy. Spy. How do we fit in . Are we bake cakes . Yeah, exactly. Imagine a cakes . Yeah, exactly. Imagine a northern comrades. Lesson one never mind miniature cameras it is lemon drizzle. Take. Is lemon drizzle. Take. Thats what the english do. Thats what the english do. Oh, amazing. Oh, amazing. I wonder if they serve tea with it, though. As well, because you really. Youd have to blend in, would you . There is something about suburbia i to say. Suburbia, i have to say. Samovar kind of gave it the samovar kind of gave it away because. You ever seen north have you ever seen the north korean in london . Korean embassy in london . Course i have. Not only of course i have. Not only have it, matey, i was have i seen it, matey, i was chair of planning when they decided conisbrough decided to move into conisbrough and had a plaque, and because i had a plaque, a residential semi detached and because i had a plaque, a r different nefarious countries , different nefarious countries, representatives in english suburbia, but they dont call themselves they call themselves themselves they call themselves the democratic peoples republic of korea. They do. They hate being called of thumb. Called rule of thumb. That the word any country that has the word democratic at the front is, yeah, is precisely. Wasnt just suburbia as it wasnt just suburbia as well. Great yarmouth great well. Its Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth. You would, yarmouth. Because you would, wouldnt spy. Wouldnt you, if you were a spy. Holiday. You have your holiday. You have your holiday. You have your holiday. You have you great. Yarmouth. You have you great. Yarmouth. Well, dawn, steven, have well, dawn, steven, you have been morning. Been brilliant this morning. Thank much for your coming. We kept it clean. We kept it clean. Yes, just about. Yes, just about. Yeah. I mean very, very yeah. No i mean very, very clean. Of it. Clean. All the rest of it. Just time to share a couple of, you know, for you, lots of lots of you have been in touch today. David says on the migrant issues, 17,000 the issues, 17,000 across the channel. This year, over channel. So far this year, over 500 said 500 so far today. David said its these boats its obvious that these boats are and unseaworthy. Are overloaded and unseaworthy. The french have a duty to stop them, even getting into uk waters and john has written in about ulez. About ulez. Says he lives in the he says he lives in the expanded ulez young expanded ulez and now Young Children wont be coming to sunday dinner because theyll have to pay £12. 50. Its a good point. Its a good point. No, absolutely. Well, thats all have time today. All we have time for today. Lets with the live lets check in with the live desk. Martin what do desk. Martin and pip, what do you for us next . You have up for us next . Good afternoon to tell you about. Over the next three hours, including yeah, a red alert in the channel weve seen over the channel as weve seen over 500 illegals have rocked up to dover today. Were going to asking were going to be asking is today the day when the government lost control government finally lost control of borders . Of our borders . , theyre breed, plus, theyre a dog breed, tremendously popular with celebrities as lady gaga celebrities such as lady gaga and hugh jackman. But now one charity is urging people not to buy french bulldogs because of their extreme features. Maybe you have one. Get in touch. Well be telling you all about that, plus much more. How much would you much more. How much would you pay much more. How much would you pay for a cuddle . Heres the pay for a cuddle . Heres the weather forecast. Weather forecast. The temperatures rising. Boxt the temperatures rising. Boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Good morning. For most areas , its a dry and fine day today. Lots of sunshine to come. There will be a few isolated showers, but most places will be dry and with light winds, it will feel very warm as well. So heres the picture of them. Thing on picture of them. First thing on this morning. A lot of this wednesday morning. A lot of dry fine weather start the dry fine weather to start the day. From the word go. Day. Sunshine from the word go. There more cloud again there will be more cloud again affecting of scotland with affecting parts of scotland with risk of a few showery outbreaks of but i dont think of rain here. But i dont think the showers heavy as the showers quite as heavy as they on tuesday. Elsewhere they were on tuesday. Elsewhere then isolated then we could see an isolated shower, i think youll be shower, but i think youll be fairly to catch on. Most fairly unlucky to catch on. Most places find sunny spells places we dry find sunny spells and pretty warm well and feeling pretty warm as well with winds. Temperatures with light winds. Temperatures reaching north 25 reaching 14 the far north to 25 or 26 towards the southeast. So feeling very warm in that sunshine through the sunshine as we head through the rest into the rest of wednesday into the evening overnight. Then more evening and overnight. Then more of then places of the same then most places will under those clear will be dry under those clear skies we see some skies again, we could see some mist patches. More cloud mist and fog patches. More cloud across with few across scotland with a few showers here. Then through showers here. And then through the night, some low clouds starting filter down from the starting to filter down from the nonh a starting to filter down from the north a bit north sea. So turning a bit cloudier temperatures cloudier here. Temperatures dont quite so dont think well be quite so low they were on the previous low as they were on the previous night, still towards the night, but still towards the west, some rural falling west, some rural spots falling close 10 degrees. So close to 9 or 10 degrees. So fairly cool end the night. Fairly cool end to the night. Here places will be here again, most places will be dry start thursday dry to start thursday morning. Lots from the lots of sunshine again from the word go. A bit more cloud towards that east coast. Slowly burning the north burning back towards the north sea. Areas. Again, burning back towards the north seecould areas. Again, burning back towards the north seecould justireas. Again, burning back towards the north seecould just catch again, burning back towards the north seecould just catch an again, burning back towards the north seecould just catch an isolated we could just catch an isolated shower. Places will be shower. But most places will be dry, the warmest. The dry, probably the warmest. The temperatures will be, i think towards the as head towards the west as we head through in through the afternoon, where in those light winds being very warm indeed, could highs warm indeed, we could see highs reaching 23 or 24 degrees. But temperatures bit temperatures a little bit suppressed that east suppressed towards that east coast rcc, the temperatures rising, proud rising, boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Or or. Or or. Or. Or or. Or or. Or. Good afternoon. It is midday. And you are watching the live desk here on gb news with pip tomson and Martin Daubney coming up this wednesday lunchtime , uk up this wednesday lunchtime, uk inflation falls sharply for the second month in a row. Chancellor jeremy hunt says the news shows the governments plan is working, but adds were not at the finish line. Well have of the latest reaction have all of the latest reaction with Liam Halligan gb news can reveal that more than 17,000 channel migrants have crossed illegally into the uk so far this year. This year. The figure comes as authorities brought at least 500 migrants to dover harbour earlier today on a very busy day of small boat activity. We are of small boat activity. We are live at the port with our Homeland Security editor and new analysis has revealed that in some regions of the country, people are spending more than 10 of their average