Transcripts For GBN GB 20240703

Were taken to hospital, including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools on the wirral when their bus overturned after colliding with a car. Dozens of conservative a car. Dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. A former prime in overall taxes. A former Prime Minister, liz truss , and former minister, liz truss, and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith, are among those to have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers the promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises. Putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative Party Conference, jeremy hunt has told the times he wants to stop the vicious circle of ever rising taxes , but ruled out tax rising taxes, but ruled out tax cuts in the short term. Former Party Chairman sir jake berry, who organised the pledge, says it holds the chancellor to his word. All too often we have seen these promises and pledges made by mps across the political divide that havent materialised. That is why this tax pledge is different. It isnt connected to the conservative party. It is a direct pledge from me and my constituents in rossendale and dannen and to the british people that i will not vote to put taxes up. Its for keeps. It is a pledge that i will stick to as long as i am a member of parliament. The Prime Minister says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists. Rishi sunak , whos on motorists. Rishi sunak, whos expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use in england. Local councils in england also face a clampdown on using traffic offences to boost their budgets. The transport secretary says todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Over pay, jobs and conditions. Many parts of the country will have no services and those that do run will finish earlier than usual. Mark harper says the current offer on the table is reasonable. Reasonable. Its clearly a political strike timed to coincide with the conservative Party Conference. You dont have to think very carefully to see thats the case. Look, its a fair offer on the table. Train drivers get paid an average salary of £60,000 for a full day, 35 hour week. The pay rise thats on the table that they wont put to their members would take that average salary to £65,000 a year. Now, look, i think most of your viewers will will look at that and think that is actually quite fair and reasonable. Reasonable. Well, aslefs general secretary mick whelan accused the transport secretary of not negotiating. Negotiating. Well, its not political. Its industrial. Well, its not political. Its industrial. Mr harper and his cronies for the last 16 months have been accusing us of attacking all sorts of events on strike days, which we havent done because we seen done because we havent seen mr harper. Decided make harper. We decided to make a point today. Wheres wally . Wheres mark . Come and see us. We striking to get the we are striking today to get the attention the tory party and attention of the tory party and the to resolve this the government to resolve this dispute. Dispute. Have been injured two people have been injured after a involving the after a crash involving the flying scotsman. The train was flying scotsman. The train was involved in a slow speed collision with another heritage train just hours before visitors were due to board. It at aviemore station. The National Railway museum says a shunting incident happened whilst a steam train was being coupled with the royal scotsman train carriages. Royal scotsman train carriages. This is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker. By radio and on your Smart Speaker. By saying play gb news now its over to. Martin over to. Martin thank you very much, tamsin. Okay, lets get stuck now into todays juicy menu. All eyes are on the chancellor at the more than 30 tory mps signed the letter demanding tax cuts to help struggling british families as the growing rebellion puts pressure on jeremy hunt as taxes shape up to be a key battleground at the conservative Party Conference, which starts today. Tomorrow, sorry, it comes after the institute for fiscal studies revealed the tax burden is the highest. Its ever been since records began 70 years ago. Well joining me now to discuss this is political commentator Benedict Spence. Commentator Benedict Spence. Hello there, benedict. So the tories are revolting 33 of them. A former Prime Minister a former leader, priti patel, Jacob Rees Mogg, john redwood , some rees mogg, john redwood, some heavyweight names in there. What are their demands . Are their demands . I mean, they want there to be no more tax increases. Its no more tax increases. Its unclear whether or not this is for the remainder of this parliament or in perpetuity. But i think jake berry has said for as long as he is an mp, he doesnt plan to back any more tax rises. And you can understand why that is. As youve alluded to, tax youve just alluded to, the tax burden at its highest, i burden is at its highest, i think it almost in living memory, certainly outside of wartime and a time of rampant wartime and at a time of rampant inflation and where costs of all sorts of things are going up and with no necessary end to that on the horizon , then, you know, we the horizon, then, you know, we all know that families are sort of feeling the pinch across the country. Its not just, you country. And its not just, you know, always know, the poorest who are always the hit in these the first hit in these eventuality. Also the eventuality. Its also the middle, the middle, the middle, the tory middle, the classic of tory voter is classic sort of tory voter is really feeling the pain as well. And you can imagine how it would be there to be any kind of be were there to be any kind of tax rises going the next tax rises going into the next election short election with such a short window to go before the next election. Simply go election. It simply wont go down, particularly well. So you can see a number of tory can see why a number of tory mps, especially, i imagine some who perhaps rather nervously who are perhaps rather nervously eyeing their own seats, might be thinking, there are very thinking, look, there are very few things actually that can few things actually that we can do would upset the public do that would upset the public that might be able to get that we might be able to get away with at this moment, increasing burden increasing the tax burden even higher certainly not higher is almost certainly not one of them. And bandit, this echoes protection echoes a Taxpayer Protection pledge america that pledge from america that legislators have been urged to back since the 1980s. Will this have any teeth or, as you say, is this a few tories nervously eyeing the next general election . And this is them kind of talking tough looking tough, their constituents, but really the Prime Minister is under no obugafion Prime Minister is under no obligation whatsoever to pay any attention to this. The prime attention to this. The Prime Minister is under very limited obligation. But i think what what these mps will know is that the Prime Minister is already in a very tricky situation. You know, its tricky situation. You know, its not looking good for things at the next general election. I the next general election. I think that all this does is simply put little bit more simply put a little bit more pressure highlight the issue pressure and highlight the issue of put it further up on the of tax. Put it further up on the agenda because, you know, its quite clear we are entering quite clear that we are entering into the beginnings of the election cycle. Rishi sunak has come out his missives on come out with his missives on things like net zero. Theres talk about how hes going to try to make things easier for motorists across the country. Its clear battle its clear that those battle lines are being drawn. Rishi sunak think , feels a bit stung sunak i think, feels a bit stung by the accusations of being inaction by the labour party by the accusations of being inacihei by the labour party by the accusations of being inacihei trying the labour party by the accusations of being inacihei trying toz labour party by the accusations of being inacihei trying to be|bour party by the accusations of being inacihei trying to be action arty. So he is trying to be action man. He is trying to be seen to be somebody who is to borrow that expression, taking control of which is what of the situation which is what youd want from the Prime Minister and sort of comes in stark contrast to sir keir starmer, been sort starmer, who has just been sort of the fence doing of sat on the fence doing relatively trying to of sat on the fence doing relati as y trying to of sat on the fence doing relati as little trying to of sat on the fence doing relati as little attention 0 of sat on the fence doing relati as little attention to draw as little attention to himself as possible. The problem, course, with all of problem, of course, with all of these are if youre going these things are if youre going to big, bold plans, to make sort of big, bold plans, they cost and wonder they cost money. And you wonder if there is the sort of the temptation in there somewhere to try raise taxes, it might try to raise taxes, it might be sort as, you know, sort of framed as, you know, like we saw during the like we saw during during the Energy Windfall tax. Energy crisis, a windfall tax. It might be sort of framed as trying to the wealthiest in trying to tax the wealthiest in society rather than it being sort of across everybody. But i sort of across everybody. But i think point is think that the point that is being made here is it is falling on everybodys shoulders. And just broadly people just broadly speaking, people are feel that the are beginning to feel that the situation very unfair, situation is very unfair, whether are or poor. Whether they are rich or poor. People are paying people feel that they are paying too much tax given how much money spend money theyre having to spend on everything life. Everything else in life. I mean, there might be yeah, i mean, there might be a lot of people out there, benedict, who think that the tories to the party of tories used to be the party of low tax. Yes, they voted tory seem they corbynism we seem they got corbynism and we got since got the highest taxes since World War Two and no sign of respite. I mean, jeremy hunt has respite. I mean, jeremy hunt has been saying theres no prospect of tax cuts at the autumn statement. And it makes you statement. And it makes you wonder, you know, whats the difference between the labour party and the conservative party on taxation . Seem to be a on taxation . They seem to be a uni party. Both parties have high tax. High tax. The tricky thing about that is about the tories being seen as the party of low tax, which is true certainly under Margaret Thatcher and was certainly true. What truss was thats what liz truss was selected members be. Selected by the members to be. But we saw in post brexit, but as we saw in post brexit, actually Boris Johnson was able to win a majority , not simply to win a majority, not simply because brexit in of itself, but the that he was going to be the idea that he was going to be a different tory, a different sort of tory, the sort of tory that would drive the the economy, and the regrowth of the economy, and that would through that ultimately would be through things investment, things like investment, levelling up, that sort of levelling up, all that sort of thing actually about state thing was actually about state intervention. About intervention. It wasnt about cutting or it cutting regulation or taxes, it was the state getting was about the state getting involved. That, im involved. And to do that, im afraid you do need a higher tax stake. Will also stake. People broadly will also be looking around at the state of the country and theyll see things like hs2, which almost certainly looks like its going to its clipped. That to have its wings clipped. That is something requires is something that requires pubuc is something that requires public look at the public funding. They look at the fact there ever, ever fact that there are ever, ever were inching closer to were inching ever closer to energy shortages. And that is energy shortages. And that is something that is to something that is going to require intervention. They require state intervention. They look that the east look at the fact that the east of england ends up drought look at the fact that the east of engyear ends up drought look at the fact that the east of engyear because drought look at the fact that the east of engyear because idont1t every year because we dont build reservoirs. That every year because we dont build require reservoirs. That every year because we dont build require statevoirs. That might require state intervention. There are of intervention. There are lots of things that lot of things actually that a lot of voters, think, kind of feel voters, i think, kind of feel that the government ought to be taking lead on that taking the lead on that they havent the tories up havent been under the tories up to that would require state to now. That would require state intervention think is intervention that i think is where worries of these mps where the worries of these mps come because only way come in, because the only way you do that realistically in you can do that realistically in the by the state the short term is by the state stepping either thats stepping in and either thats through which through borrowing, which as weve is, know, the weve seen is, you know, the debt levels in this country are catastrophic through catastrophic or theyre through increasing taxes. And i think thats what this is about. Its trying ward off that trying to ward off that temptation to well, we temptation to say, well, yes, we know infrastructure is crumbling temptation to say, well, yes, we knthisnfrastructure is crumbling temptation to say, well, yes, we knthis country, ture is crumbling temptation to say, well, yes, we knthis country, but is crumbling temptation to say, well, yes, we knthis country, but youumbling temptation to say, well, yes, we knthis country, but you haveing temptation to say, well, yes, we knthis country, but you have t0| in this country, but you have to really, bite your really, you know, bite your tongue try not to dip tongue and just try not to dip further into the publics pocket in solve these issues. In order to solve these issues. Okay. Spence, okay. Ben spence, an excellent to the excellent kick off to the program. Do trust the tories program. Do you trust the tories on taxation . Know. On taxation . Let us know. Vaiews gbnews. Com. Of vaiews gbnews. Com. A lot of people them out of people are wearing them out of their these claims. Dont their of these claims. Dont forget, you get lots more on forget, you can get lots more on that story on our website gbnews. Com. The Fastest Growing National News website in the uk. Well done lads ladies. Its well done lads and ladies. Its got the best analysis and opinion as well as all the latest news. Please latest breaking news. So please click over there, please. Not dunng click over there, please. Not during okay. Moving to during my show. Okay. Moving to on our next story now. Another teenager was tragically stabbed to in london this week in to death in london this week in croydon in putting that specific incident to the side, i want to have a broader discussion about the knife crime epidemic plaguing britain. More than 50,000 knife crime offences were recorded in england and wales in the year to march 2023, and the number of fatal stabbings hit its highest level since records began earlier this year , with 16 began earlier this year, with 16 teenagers stab to death in london this year alone. So i want to ask what steps can we take to end this brutal knife crime epidemic thats sweeping across britain . Well, join me now is the former chair of the hanngey now is the former chair of the haringey independent stop and search monitoring group, ken haynes, and the former metropolitan police detective, Peter Bleksley , who also is a Peter Bleksley, who also is a good friend of this programme. Ken, im going to start with you. The ken, im going to start with you. The figures are brutal. You. The figures are brutal. 2023is you. The figures are brutal. 2023 is already higher than all of 2022. No sign in sight. Obviously what were doing at the moment in terms of a strategy isnt working. What do we need to do to tackle this issue . Quite simply , what i would quite simply, what i would like to see happen is schools that have these youngsters for most of their formidable life, the important part of their life. I would like to see some of the schools seem to be like taking the approach like a bury the head in the sand. Theyre they dont think that theyve got an issue with young people and carrying knives. So what they dont do, they dont have any programmes in the schools to actually address that. So until actually address that. So until actually address that. So until a tragedy happens , then they get a tragedy happens, then they get people like we need to People Like Us in. We need to get there much more earlier get in there much more earlier into and become part into the school and become part of programmes. Because of their programmes. Because what happens the what happens with the youngsters, a fear youngsters, theres a fear factors, im sorry to say, ive seen the caption here where you seen the caption here where you see these horrendous knives and what you see this this is causing more trauma and more fear in the community and how it impacts on young people. Well, impacts on young people. Well, they might thinking, oh, i need to step my game up. I need to get one of those knives and this is we all we all got responsibility as adults of how we actually impart this information onto young people. Information onto young people. Talking about adult responsibility. Why is it the responsibility. Why is it the responsible party of schools to step in . Does that not suggest that theres a failing on the parental level . Look , the government has look, the government has taken taken away us parents chastising or, you know , giving chastising or, you know, giving the child a slap when he does things wrong, were giving the child so much power here, but we havent given them the response, told them about the responsibility that goes with the power that they have so they could call childline up. They can get their parents into a great deal of trouble. If the great deal of trouble. If the parents decided to hold them to account by physically giving a chastising them. My thing is chastising them. My thing is what i say to school is, is because the school has them for the most of their productive life and they have to come back into the home environment. Now, once the parents may be at work, but once the kids go out onto the street, the parents are not aware of what that the street face of their child is. They see the home face and thats all cute , but would melt at the cute, but would melt at the mouth. But what is their name or what are they doing on the streets . Okay. Peter bleksley , its up okay. Peter bleksley, its up to schools to sort this out. I mean, is that a fair assumption to make . I mean, what about the police . I mean, youre a former copper. You were on the front line. Youve had to deal with this stop and search has been talked about endlessly as part of no doubt of the solution. But no doubt people like ken would say its part of the problem. Whats your your we deal with your take on how we deal with this street . This on the street . Ken and i have known each other for number of now, other for a number of years now, and had very and weve just had a very respectful discussion in the green we dont agree green room, and we dont agree on upon everything. I course, on upon everything. I of course, yes, huge supporter of yes, im a huge supporter of stop and search by the police when its lawful, when its justified , when its justified, when its proportionate, yes, it can be firm if need be. Sometimes it very has to be. And i could very much has to be. And i could talk endlessly about the need for substitute for it. There is no substitute for it. There is no substitute for stop and search, but it needs to be done. As ken and needs to be done. As ken and i reached agreement upon in conjunction with the local community, which requires neighbourhood policing, there needs to be people from the community no matter who they are reporting in to the police about the kids they know the young people they know that are taking knives out onto the street. When knives out onto the street. When the police are aware of that information, they can launch targeted operations and hopefully find the knives , hopefully find the knives, arrest the people, get them both off the street. Ken, we talked about the community there and theres obviously an issue with stop and search, often called racism. Is it six times more likely a young black man is likely to be stopped and searched . But when you look at the figures, black men times more men are also five times more likely someone death likely to stab someone to death and four times more likely to die. With that in mind , can you die. With that in mind, can you accept stop and search is accept that stop and search is a targeted form of policing and the same way it was in glasgow and in liverpool where the majority of people doing the offences happened to be White Working Class boys. And yet we seem to have this problem with theres a barrier to more hands on policing because the police, the police are terrified of being called racist. Yes well, agree. As i said with peter, we had a conversation and it was quite clear that stop and search has a part to play. But whats that look like . It doesnt look like youre getting the tsg to come in when theres a serious incident happen and then disturbing the good work that the Neighbourhood Police are doing. The simple fact is that doing. The simple fact is that young people will carry knives if they dont feel like theyre safe. But what makes them do that in the first place and what could make them stop to talking them in school . Sounds like one thing, but when we look at whats been effective in the past, in places like glasgow, the Violence Reduction unit, yes, immediate yes, it was an immediate custodial sentence after a penod custodial sentence after a period and also period of amnesty and also joined up thinking things joined up thinking on things like relocation. If like rehousing relocation. If theyre trouble in their theyre in trouble in their local but soft local community. But soft soaping in schools isnt working i what also works is like people like myself, im doing something in brent called positive spaces, where we go into these what we call hotspot areas, these trouble areas, they put people my team in those areas to have an interaction with the school kids after they leave school , antisocial leave school, antisocial behaviour at the height and also im talking to those involved in the low level drug dealing, the young people that get caught up into that and what we do, we dissuade them from actually committing to that hazarded lifestyle by by giving them diversion, diverting them into more positive activities. Now again , as i said, its a mindset again, as i said, its a mindset thing. Knives dont kill people. Its the mindset of the person carrying that kills people. And if we dont tackle that, we can be going more for the symptoms rather than the cause. The cause is what is so important that we need to address. Peter. Weve seen effective policing, robust policing in places like glasgow and liverpool where basically they go in. So youve got two weeks to weeks and if any of you are carrying a knife in two weeks, youre nicked, youre banged up, why cant we do that sort of thing in london . Is the political will there or do we have a mayor in sadiq khan, actually, who threatened to cut down on stop and search because of it being racist . And our politics is just terrified of losing votes. How do we get to losing votes. How do we get to the bottom of this . By being more robust all of what youve just mentioned is a factor coupled with the fact that we have a liberal, fluffy woke ideology in the corridors of policing power where they are more worried about perception and they have conversations about how will this look in the papers than they are about proper , targeted, robust proper, targeted, robust policing that probably will save lives. So what would that look like . Okay, london is the epicentre of this, as is birmingham, but london this week is in the headlines again for all the wrong reasons. What would you do if youre in charge . The Neighbourhood Police officer so every beat, every ward has that Police Officer ward has got that Police Officer who local Community Know , who the local Community Know, can contact, where to find can contact, know where to find them, know their name and well trust also, Community Trust them. Also, community leaders, people doing the work like ken does, teachers pet parents need to be encouraged to report the information into the police when they know who the knife carriers are , they can knife carriers are, they can target them. Stop them, search them, seize the knives and arrest them. Its really is not rocket science. Rocket science. Ken, do you agree with that . Ken, do you agree with that . Now, what would you put in place alongside those Excellent Solutions . What would put in solutions . What would you put in place this now . Place to stop this now . I would put as i said, i would put in place things like getting people getting people, other into other grassroots groups into those hotspot areas at the times that we find that the trouble, the troubles are happening, i would also have the extended aunties and uncles to Single Parents who are struggling with with the boys in their home to actually have that build up, that trust level. I will also that trust level. I will also try to increase the trust and confidence in that that we have in the black community with the police. I would try to bridge i will bridge that gap to a to give them greater confidence. So that if they feel the need to go and pick up the phone, that theyre able to pick up the phone with without without being called grass an informer. Called a grass or an informer. But because be looked at as something doing something positive our community, positive for our community, which called stitching, which is called stitching, bringing community together, bringing the community together, we need a joined up thinking on all sides. The police have made all sides. The police have made errors in the past, but we can overcome it. I work with the police. I support the police and i would like to see that were getting closer and im getting more positive outcomes when they do their stop and searches an excellent, robust and friendly debate. Ken hines, Peter Bleksley, superb stuff. Thank you very much, gents. Excellent. Okay, lets move on to our next story now. Members of the Train Drivers Union aslef are walking out once again today as the long running dispute over pay jobs and working conditions continues. It feels like groundhog day, doesnt it . These strikes are timed to hit the conservative Party Conference in manchester. Whos who says strikes arent political and that begins tomorrow. Of course, another strike has been planned for next wednesday as well. Well, joining us now from outside station outside london, Waterloo Station is our National Reporter theo Theo Chikomba. Theo, these have been going on now since christmas. Will they ever end . Christmas. Will they ever end . Whats the latest . Whats the latest . Very good question. When will very good question. When will they end . Thats the question. They end . Thats the question. Not only these train drivers who are part of the aslef union, but also the passengers who want to be getting the trains today. If be getting the trains today. If you are coming through waterloo today, you are getting trains from places like guildford, woking and basingstoke , but woking and basingstoke, but further afield towards the west there arent any trains, particularly after 145 this afternoon. Now they say in terms afternoon. Now they say in terms of inflation, its been going up as weve seen in the last couple of years, but that hasnt kept in line with their wages. They argue and say its actually a real terms pay cut. And today weve heard from both the transport minister, but also the general secretary for aslef union, and hes arguing that the government are setting them up to fail when it comes to negotiations. And this is what he had to say. He had to say. Weve seen mark harper since january of last year when he took over and he told me that the rail minister was going to facilitate talks before those talks took place. They put out an offer that hadnt seen an offer that we hadnt seen that ripped up every term and condition we had, it condition that we had, and it was and they was untenable. And then they begged back to the begged us to come back to the table and we up a framework table and we set up a framework around discussion about around that discussion about what do. And then they what we would do. And then they came back after wed taken all our red lines out of discussion and make work. And tried to make it work. And that an offer, all our that gave us an offer, all our red lines in, they set this up to and when every time they to fail and when every time they say fair and reasonable, i see the lies and deceit. Yeah, the words lies and deceit. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Earlier this year, aslef Union Members were offered a 4 pay Union Members were offered a 4 pay rise over a period of two years, but that did mean a change towards their conditions. There have also been conversations about modernisation , particularly in modernisation, particularly in rural areas where there arent as many train workers or should i say, office staff working at the offices there. And that means people have to rely on on the machines that are there , the the machines that are there, the ticket machines. I spoke to one person earlier today, and she was saying, well, for someone elderly like me could just about use my phone, she argued. Use my phone, which she argued. And of course, this is having an impact across the country. But of course, when it comes to pay this is something that they think is important. When it comes to inflation. Next week, though, there will be having another strike day on wednesday. And thats also a similar day to whats happening with rmt Union Members wholl be also taking industrial action and underground as well. So underground workers as well. So the question is , when will this the question is, when will this end . But for passenger fares, its also a mixed emotion supporting those who are on the picket lines, but also needing to use the services as well. To use the services as well. Theo chikomba thank you for that update from Waterloo Station. Well, mick, the grinch station. Well, mick, the grinch lynch stole last christmas. Whats the best thing will be having the same conversation this christmas as youre watching or listening to gb news saturday me. Martin daubney saturday with me. Martin daubney loads on the show loads more coming up on the show yet today, first, lets take yet today, but first, lets take lets a look at the weather lets take a look at the weather with marco. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. Well mixed bag of weather well see a mixed bag of weather across the uk over the next few days. And weather at some wet and windy weather at times, equally some warm times, but equally some warm spells sunshine, too. Weve spells of sunshine, too. Weve got pressure moving in from got low pressure moving in from the southwest at the moment. Thats the current band thats bringing the current band of weather into of wet and windy weather into the north and of uk and the north and west of the uk and certainly head through certainly as we head through the evening overnight evening into the overnight period, outbreaks wet period, further outbreaks of wet and windy weather north and windy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and many and eastwards across many areas, becoming towards and eastwards across many areas, becwnorth east towards and eastwards across many areas, becwnorth east of towards and eastwards across many areas, becwnorth east of scotland towards the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the of sunday and the early hours of sunday and also trailing weather front, also a trailing weather front, bringing rain to bringing a band of heavy rain to parts of wales, north west england and the north midlands too. In clearer slots too. In the clearer slots towards south east, a towards the south east, its a pretty muggy night. Pretty warm and muggy night. Temperatures than temperatures no lower than 16 or 17 few spots, 17 celsius in a few spots, a little bit fresher towards the north and northeast as for north and northeast east. As for sunday, well see a three sunday, well, well see a three way split. That of rain way split. That band of rain continuing affect the central continuing to affect the central slice the northern slice of the uk, northern england, wales england, parts of wales certainly seeing a heavy certainly seeing a few heavy bursts that rain bursts of rain that rain gradually go gradually easing as we go through day towards the through the day towards the south east. A brighter picture and sunshine and or 2 showers and sunshine and 1 or 2 showers towards northwest. Towards the north and northwest. But in the sunshine in the south east temperatures doing very well for the year very well for the time of year into locally towards mid into the low locally towards mid 2023 celsius, 24 is 75in 2023 or 24 celsius, 24 is 75in fahrenheit. Even towards the fahrenheit. And even towards the north, bad at 17 or 18 north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees, that band of rain continues to affect that central slice of the uk on monday. If anything, a time anything, pepping up for a time again. Further heavy burst of again. So further heavy burst of rain here at times again brighter towards the south east and the and brighter towards the north west. We head into north west. And as we head into tuesday wednesday, its tuesday and wednesday, its a case of sunshine and showers and fairly gb news radio. Hello. Good afternoon. Im hello. Good afternoon. Im Tamsin Roberts in the newsroom here at the headlines at 1230. The driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the m53 yesterday has been named as stephen shrimpton. The 40 year stephen shrimpton. The 40 year olds family say he suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute describing him as a loving husband and father. 15 year old husband and father. 15 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , including a taken to hospital, including a 14 year old boy whos injuries are said to be life changing. Are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools on the wirral when their bus overturned after colliding with a car. When their bus overturned after colliding with a car. Dozens of colliding with a car. Dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. Former Prime Minister liz truss and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith are among those to have signed up, along duncan smith are among those to have signed up , along with seven have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers. The promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises, putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative party. Conference the prime party. Conference the Prime Minister, meanwhile, says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists. Rishi sunak , whos on motorists. Rishi sunak, whos expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use in england. And the blanket use in england. And the transport secretary mark harper says todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Many parts of the country will have no services and those that do run will finish earlier than usual. Will finish earlier than usual. Well, those are the headlines and you can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Now back to. Martin thanks for that, tamsin. Welcome back to gb news saturday with me, martin dodi on your tv onune with me, martin dodi on your tv online and on your Digital Radio. Now, before the break, we had a full frank and fair debate on how to tackle soaring knife crime in britain with ken haynes and Peter Bleksley. And its and Peter Bleksley. And its prompted loads of you to get in touch with your thoughts on this thorny topic. First is jane, who says there are no deterrents in this country for any crimes. We need tougher sentences for violent crimes, whatever the age of the assailant , parents for of the assailant, parents for young people should also be accountable for their children. Accountable for their children. An excellent point there, jane. Jane janet adds this doesnt the responsibility lie with the parents . Or is the issue that these gangs are taking the place of parents who either arent around or dont care . We seem to have created a feral society. Have created a feral society. Strong word there, jane. Michael adds this given the surge in knife crime across the uk, there seems no deterrent in place to stop it. Or courts in my our courts, in my view, are too soft on those who carry knives. And andy says, im so fed up of heanng andy says, im so fed up of hearing people saying its the fault of society, the community and parents of youngsters taking knives on the streets. How about we call it what it is . Bad people doing bad things. People doing bad things. Excellent views there. And excellent views there. And please do keep them coming in on knife crime. And also, do you trust the tories on tax . And weve got loads of stuff coming up in the show, including suella isnt meeting the archbishop of wokery, justin welby. Do you wokery, justin welby. Do you blame keep those views blame her . Keep those views coming in and of course subscribe to our Youtube Channel and follow us on our socials. Were of course, at gb news. Now, this next story is a real heart warmer because the convoy of 100 black cabs have taken children with serious or terminal illnesses to disneyland paris for the weekend , and the paris for the weekend, and the annual Charity Event set off from londons canary wharf on friday after the children and their carers were collected from hospitals and homes around the capital. Our london reporter lisa hartle was at the start of this very special event. Were going disneyland. Yes thank you. Before the sun had risen, children and their families gathered at canary wharf to begin their trip to disneyland. Begin their trip to disneyland. Paris. 100 black cab drivers taking children with serious or terminal illnesses on the trip of a lifetime and excited like a were not playing a dinosaur. Were going to be mickey mouse. Were going to the disneyland. How are you feeling . Happy . How are you feeling . Happy . Excited. Excited. Excited. You could barely sleep last night. Could you . Could you . Its amazing thing to do because after transplant, its something that she can look fonnard to. Like as a gift, really. And its it means a lot i this one thinks hes still in a dream. He only found out last night, and he keeps asking me, am i Still Dreaming . And im like, nope, nope, absolutely real. This is the 28th real. So yeah, this is the 28th time, the magical taxi tour charity has taken children to disneyland , all accompanied disneyland, all accompanied by medical teams and a police escort. Escort. Paramedic ian wilmer says many of the children wouldnt be able to go on holiday without medical support. Hopefully this is an opportunity for the family to get together , to switch off from get together, to switch off from from all the hospitals and stuff and just go and have a fantastic time in disney that that othennise they couldnt you know, couldnt do because know, they couldnt do because because theyre unwell and because theyre unwell and because theyre unwell and because they cant away because they cant get away without of without without that kind of support so hopefully a support. So hopefully its a really a great weekend for really its a great weekend for them and they can just think about having fun being about having fun and being kids for while. For a while. Charity has taken over the charity has taken over 6000 children on the trip since it began in 1994. Each cabbie gives their time and use a vehicle for free and accompanies the family. Theyre driving for the family. Theyre driving for the family. Theyre driving for the weekend. The weekend. Oh, a lot of them have never beenin oh, a lot of them have never been in a taxi, never been on a ferry. And the idea of going to disney, their eyes just light up. You know, theyre all going to see mickey mouse. We have to see mickey mouse. So we have a dinner for them in a big gala dinner for them in disney as well. Disney as well. And after a goodbye wave for military personnel, the children headed off on a magical weekend theyll never forget. Destination in disneyland. Lisa destination in disneyland. Lisa hartle gb news, london. It doesnt that just warm your cockles . This is gb news saturday with me. Martin daubney. Loads more coming up on the show, including a surge of migrant boats are expected to descend on the italian island of lampedusa once again. Will europe ever get again. Will europe ever get control over its southern border . All of that and more to come. Youre watching. Listen to gb news. Britains news channel sunday mornings from 930 on gb news is. Welcome back to gb news news is. Welcome back to gb news saturday with me, Martin Daubney on your tv online and on your Digital Radio. Now lots of you have been sending us emails on that tory tax rebellion and mark says this nice to see that 33 tory mps have pledged never to vote for tax increases again. Its tax increases again. Its similar to the pledge my wife and i have made never to vote conservative again. Mark youre a harsh taskmaster. Michael says a harsh taskmaster. Michael says this if the government stop wasting billions of pounds and reduce the size of the state, there will be plenty of money to provide good public services. Michael common sense spoken. It will never catch on. Bill says this if the government stop wasting money on such things as hs2 hotels for migrants and sending foreign aid to countries in the space race, then we could reduce tax on the general public again. Bill. Way too much common sense. Now, please keep those views coming in. Excellent stuff. On to our next story , a superb. On to our next story, a superb debate coming up here because a surge of migrant boats are expected to descend on the italian island of lampedusa once again, strong winds have prevented. The migrant boat arrivals for the past eight days, but three boats landed on the island yesterday. And this comes after more than 11,000 migrants arrived on the island in under one week. Well, joining me now is International Human rights lawyer david hey, a great friend of the show, as is the director for the centre of migration and economic prosperity, stephen wolf , lets prosperity, stephen wolf, lets start with you. Wolfie meloni pledged to stop the boats in italy. Shes not only failed, italy. Shes not only failed, but numbers have more than doubled. Should we be concerned . In britain . In britain . I think we should be concerned in britain because obviously whatever numbers come in to the European Union through its southern and western in crisis points of where most of the migrants come in, many do make it over to the United Kingdom. After all, we are one of the four countries, germany, italy, france and the uk that take 75 of most of the economic migrants and Illegal Migrants that come into the European Union. And Giorgia Meloni has union. And Giorgia Meloni has vowed , and again with strong vowed, and again with Strong Language , that italy will not language, that italy will not become the migrant wasteland for or for the eu. But or for the eu. But unfortunately, shes failing to achieve what this government is doing and stopping the boats from coming into italy. From coming into italy. Okay, one of the things over to you, david. Hey that meloni has proposed is a deportation decree to illegals who lie about their age or are a threat to national security. My Simple National security. My simple question to you, david, is how on earth do you prove either of those things . I mean, for example, if you try and prove of an Asylum Seekers age , the an Asylum Seekers age, the human rights people say you cant do that, you cant take dental youre dental records, youre not allowed anything there. Allowed to do anything there. And you find if and how do you find out if somebody is a threat to national security, they are security, if they are undocumented security, if they are unc good ented security, if they are unc good afternoon. Well you good afternoon. Well you cant essentially. Thats the cant essentially. Thats the thing. And you know, if many of your viewers and listeners remember back the spring remember back in the arab spring around 20, 2011, we saw all of this before we saw deals with basically dictators in north africa. We saw promises of stopping boats and deporting people. None of it happened. And people. None of it happened. And a decade later, its the same promise as different politicians andits promise as different politicians and its the same thing. The problem that we have here in the channel problem that we have here in the channel, things arent channel, these things arent effective or cant be done. Effective and or cant be done. And exactly what youre and thats exactly what youre seeing over in over in lampedusa at the moment. And steven wolf, when you look at the numbers, as i said, 133,000 illegals have arrived on italys shores in one year alone, compared to 108,000in the uk since 2018, when we first altered measuring the dinghies arriving on the channel coast. So this is a huge, huge number. But lets not forget meloni was elected to power on the pledge of stopping the boats. And first she said shes sending a naval blockade. She sending a naval blockade. She declared a state of emergency in july. Stephen, is it oppressing reality that no matter how tough politicians talk , including our politicians talk, including our own, like king canute, they are powerless to stop this tide. Powerless to stop this tide. Stephen wolf, just gone. Lets put that to david. Hey, david, did you hear the question . Did you hear the question . I did. I did. I did you hear the question . I did. I did. I think did you hear the question . I did. I did. I think its very interesting when you look at that, because those promises are a lot of the things that you see, the more extreme politicians we have here politicians that we have here saying we should be doing saying what we should be doing in channel. And if theyre in the channel. And if theyre not think not working in italy, i think thats fairly good evidence that there working there wont be working here either. So, again, more, either. And so, again, more, more ideas that simply wont work. Thats why mean, work. And thats why i mean, earlier week actually earlier the week i actually applauded step applauded and took the odd step of Suella Braverman of applauding Suella Braverman for the comments that for some of the comments that she made and the fact that she brought an international brought that to an international stage. It wont work. Brought that to an international stagare it wont work. Brought that to an international stagare you it wont work. Brought that to an international stagare you back it wont work. Brought that to an international stagare you back with nt work. Brought that to an international stagare you back with us, work. Brought that to an international stagare you back with us, stephen are you back with us, stephen wolf well, i thought i was hit there. Okay, so let me put that question. Let me put that question. Let me put that question to you again. When you look at the numbers, 133,000 have arrived in italy. Maloney have arrived in italy. Maloney threatened to send out a naval blockade. She also declared a state of emergency in july. None of that has done a single thing. In fact, numbers have gone through the roof. Is she powerless to stop this in the same way rishi sunak is . I think theyre powerless and theyre the wind. Theyre whistling in the wind. Most the European Union most of the European Union politicians who strike very Strong Language , as weve seen Strong Language, as weve seen here, actually are not here, but actually are not really enacting anything of strength and force because they are restricted by their membership of the European Union, which is controlled by European Union commissioners and other politicians in the parliament that will do whatever they can to link in with those same, similar types of non Governmental Organisations , non Governmental Organisations, oceans, the similar people in the Legal Services that will try and find laws to prevent them from acting tough and the reality is theres been over 1 Million People coming into the eu from all the different border areas, 80 in greece coming in from the polish side into germany. That germany is threatening to close its borders for non schengen business. So you have this big issue, but this has been going on for so long in in in europe, since 2014 when you had the Syrian Crisis and over 2. 5 Million People went to germany. That is a huge cost to germany. That is a huge cost to germany. That is a huge cost to germany. That is a huge cost to germany. Its over ,10 billion a year. The eu has spent massively in our Research Well over ,110 billion,110 billion in a ten year process dealing with illegal migration or what they call irregular migration. They call irregular migration. Its not stopping. Its carrying on. And until they decide to have something really strong between the countries and stop being wishy washy about how they deal with it, this will continue i and david, what do you make of Suella Bravermans comments this week in terms of illegal immigration . She calls an existential threat to the west and she hit out at multiculturalism. How helpful do you think those kinds of comments are. David so im comments are. David so im sorry, i was you know, i think i think i applauded a lot of what she said. But also, i think those particular parts of the speech, i dont think theyre very helpful. You know, i applauded helpful. You know, i applauded a lot of what she said about, you know, bringing it to global know, bringing it to a global stage that need to address it stage that we need to address it on a a global level. And on a on a global level. And thats one of the things that i think was very, very good. Her comments about multiculturalism. I theyre as i dont think theyre helpful as you not much you know, im not very much a fan of much most of what fan of pretty much most of what she said or done in the past. But i think there were very good elements and elements of the speech and particularly touched particularly when she touched on the with applicants that the issues with applicants that are are lgtbq and are claiming or are lgtbq and what countries from. What countries they come from. And very, very grown and there was very, very grown up conversation that needs to be had in that area. And i saw obviously quite, you know, that she and myself as supporting her came in for an awful lot of negative comments to both of you. But first, to steve and wolf, a key date on on the horizon is october the 9th, when were expecting the finding from the Supreme Court, of course, to the rwanda deportation scheme to be announced. Steven wolf, how do you think that will go . Oh well, i think thats balanced on a knife edge. Its really difficult to assess it generally. I think in legal terms , there is lot of legal terms, there is a lot of scope the government to be scope for the government to be successful. In successful. Well, in this particular application in my feelings are that the supreme feelings are is that the Supreme Court rule against it and court may rule against it and try and push more narrower points saying its got to be related solely to the individual as the lower courts have suggested. And therefore, youre suggested. And therefore, youre almost trying to find legislation deal with an legislation to deal with an individual individual basis, individual by individual basis, which would be a total failure individual by individual basis, withe would be a total failure individual by individual basis, withe scheme. E a total failure individual by individual basis, withe scheme. Butotal failure individual by individual basis, withe scheme. But wheniilure individual by individual basis, withe scheme. But when your individual by individual basis, withe scheme. But when you come of the scheme. But when you come to Suella Braverman, shes not the one thats suggesting the only one thats suggesting that illegal that large scale illegal migration impacting migration is impacting negatively this country. Joseph negatively this country. Joseph borrell, who is a eus external commissioner , has said, and i commissioner, has said, and i quote , that migration could be quote, that migration could be a dissolving force for the European Union. Weve had other senior eu commissioners saying that the mass migration coming into the eu could actually lead to its end and it is a disaster for so the question people have to ask once again always is we need to be kind and generous to those people genuinely fleeing. But you also have to be honest, if were not going to stop it, this is whats going to happen to your country and the European Union as a whole. That discussion also needs to be held on braverman at least on Suella Braverman at least began to deal with that in her speech. And david, hey , in terms of and david, hey, in terms of that october ninth ruling, its going to be central to the next general election pledge for sure. If the if the Supreme Court finds against the government, if the rwanda plan is blocked. Do you fear that we could be heading for almost a repeat of the showdown between the legal system and the government that we saw during brexit . And if that happens, how damaging could that be . I think i do. And i think the government also are a bit worried about what the judgement may be because we saw the sabre rattling about echr. It was rattling about the echr. It was almost battle cry and almost like a battle cry and not. And so theres a reason that that was put out, i think into the public. And i do think its highly possible that it could go against the government. Now, that happens us, then now, if that happens us, then were likes of were looking at the likes of the stepping in. I dont the echr stepping in. I dont think, you know, even if it goes in favour of the government that were going to anyone going were going to see anyone going on soon. So it on planes any time soon. So it will go down to the echr and then thats ahead of a coming general election. So i think youll see a lot of elections airing around that point, even if we get to that point where the Supreme Court gets in the way of the government. And dont forget that elections every election since 2010, the public has voted to take back control of our borders. Are we going to be heading, do you think, for an all mighty face off and political, ali, what does it mean the what does it mean for the conservative party they lose . Conservative party if they lose . Will be everyones against will this be everyones against us . Way to stop this is us . The only way to stop this is to vote conservative and might actually that help them in the next election if they next general election if they say system is rigged say the entire system is rigged against the will of the people . I think whats going to happen is people are going to feel fed up with the whole idea that voting and being member of the voting and being a member of the electorate and a democracy actually electorate and a democracy actuaithey see that the if they see that the conservative party have failed to a policy theyve conservative party have failed to out a policy theyve conservative party have failed to out in a policy theyve conservative party have failed to out in their. Icy theyve conservative party have failed to out in their own theyve conservative party have failed to out in their own paperslve put out in their own papers before the general election and it didnt go ahead, then people are going to say, whats the point of voting . And to a certain extent, the elites want that. They dont want to that. They dont want us to really have democracy really have a true democracy where vote like they where the people vote like they did brexit. They want to have did in brexit. They want to have little that are in control little camps that are in control of things, but will be a of things, but it will be a disaster. Itll be a disaster of things, but it will be a disithe r. Itll be a disaster of things, but it will be a disithe conservatives. Aster be for the conservatives. Itll be a any policy of a disaster for any policy of trying to control migration in the United Kingdom. And i think itll a very day for itll also be a very sad day for our system. As a junior our legal system. As a Junior Lawyer growing up, never lawyer growing up, i never really enjoyed idea of the really enjoyed the idea of the echr. Couldnt understand why echr. I couldnt understand why our system, which our common law system, which worked , well linked, worked tremendous, well linked, positively with the what was then our own highest courts in then our own highest courts in the land now being usurped by one in a different country. We one in a different country. We worked well with our own politics. That was a disaster at the time. Connecting of the human rights act to an extent, was i just believe we had a better way of dealing with it with our own common law system. It will be a failure and i think it will be a disaster for morally for the country. David presumably youre david hey, presumably youre a supporter of the echr as an International Human rights lawyer, a lawyer, would you welcome a referendum topic . Certainly. Ive ive made it very clear i dont think we should come out and i see that we are going to this is one of the things that i think the next election is going to be fought on. And if the government loses and if this ends up in the echr, which is quite possible, i think you can very much see a big divide in or out and a referendum, i think would certainly if we have would be certainly if we have to, way to go to, the fairest way to go fonnard. Okay, david. Stephen. Wolf, we hey and stephen. Wolf, we have leave there. Thank have to leave it there. Thank you. Excellent debate. Youre you. An excellent debate. Youre watching. Listen to news watching. And listen to gb news saturday daubney watching. And listen to gb news satur more daubney watching. And listen to gb news satur more coming daubney watching. And listen to gb news satur more coming up daubney watching. And listen to gb news satur more coming up on daubney watching. And listen to gb news satur more coming up on todaysv loads more coming up on todays show. But first, lets take a look weather with marco. Look at the weather with marco. Hello, marco petagna. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your weather heres your latest weather update from the met office. Well a mixed bag weather well see a mixed bag of weather across over the next few across the uk over the next few days. Wet windy weather days. Some wet and windy weather at but equally some warm at times, but equally some warm spells too. Weve spells of sunshine, too. Weve got moving in from got low pressure moving in from the moment. The southwest at the moment. Thats current band thats bringing the current band of windy weather into of wet and windy weather into the west the uk and the north and west of the uk and certainly as we head through the evening the overnight evening into the overnight period, wet evening into the overnight perinwindy wet evening into the overnight perinwindy weather wet evening into the overnight perinwindy weather moving wet evening into the overnight perinwindy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and eastwards across many areas, becoming confined towards becoming mainly confined towards the into the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the sunday and the early hours of sunday and also a trailing front, also a trailing weather front, bringing a heavy rain to bringing a band of heavy rain to parts wales, north west parts of wales, north west england the north midlands england and the north midlands too. Slots too. In the clearer slots towards south east, its towards the south east, its a pretty muggy night. Pretty warm and muggy night. Temperatures than or temperatures no lower than 16 or 17 a few spots, 17 celsius in a few spots, a little bit fresher towards the north and northeast east. For north and northeast east. As for sunday, see three sunday, well, well see a three way split. That band of rain continuing to the central continuing to affect the central slice northern slice of the uk, northern england, wales england, parts of wales certainly few heavy certainly seeing a few heavy bursts of rain that rain gradually easing as we go through the towards the through the day towards the south east. Brighter picture south east. A brighter picture and sunshine 1 or showers and sunshine and 1 or 2 showers towards and northwest. Towards the north and northwest. But sunshine in the but in the sunshine in the south east temperatures doing very year very well for the time of year into low locally towards mid into the low locally towards mid 2023 or 24 celsius, 24 is 75in fahrenheit. Even towards fahrenheit. And even towards the north, bad at 17 or 18 north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees, band of rain degrees, that band of rain continues affect that central continues to affect that central slice uk on monday. If slice of the uk on monday. If anything, pepping time anything, pepping up for a time again. Heavy bursts again. So further heavy bursts of here at again of rain here at times again brighter south east brighter towards the south east and brighter towards the north west. Head into north west. And as we head into tuesday wednesday , its tuesday and wednesday, its a case sunshine showers and case of sunshine and showers and fairly in the sun. Fairly warm in the sun. And thank you very much marco. Loads yet on todays marco. Loads more yet on todays show, archbishop show, including the archbishop of canterbury has been snubbed by Suella Braverman after he tried to initiate talks on immigration. So is she right to turn down the meeting and how much influence should the church even have on government policy . Even have on government policy . That good afternoon. Its1 p. M. Good afternoon. Its1 pm. And good afternoon. Its 1 pm. And welcome to gb news saturday. Im Martin Daubney and for the next two action packed hours , ill be two action packed hours, ill be keeping you company on tv online and on your Digital Radio. Coming up in this hour, tory mps pledge not to support any new taxes on hard pressed brits. But taxes on hard pressed brits. But will rishi sunak even listen . Next, the archbishop of canterbury has been snubbed by Suella Braverman after he tried to initiate talks on immigration. How much influence should the church even have on government policy, or should they just keep their noses out . They just keep their noses out . And train drivers are walking off the job once again today as their dispute over pay and working conditions runs bowls on. Will they ever be an end to these infernal strikes . And these infernal strikes . And please do get in touch. Send me your thoughts on gbviews gbnews. Com or message me on our socials were of course at gb news. But first, heres the News Headlines with. Tamsin marten. Thanks very much and good afternoon from the gb newsroom. Its 1 01. The driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the m53 yesterday has been named as stephen shrimpton. The 40 year olds family says the father of two suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute, describing him as a loving husband and father. 51 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , including a taken to hospital, including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools on the wirral when their bus overturned after colliding with a car. When their bus overturned after colliding with a car. Dozens of colliding with a car. Dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. Former Prime Minister liz truss and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith are among those to have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers the promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises. Putting pressure on rishi rises. Putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative Party Conference. Jeremy hunt has told the times he wants to stop the vicious circle of ever rising taxes , but ruled out tax rising taxes, but ruled out tax cuts in the short term. Former Party Chairman sir jake berry, whos organised the pledge, says it holds the chancellor to his word. All too often we have seen these promises and pledges made by mps across the political divide that havent materialised. That is why this tax pledge is different. It isnt connected to the conservative party. It is a direct pledge from me and my constituents in rossendale and dannen and to the british people that i will not vote to put taxes up. Its for keeps. It is a pledge that i will stick to as long as i am a member of parliament. The Prime Minister says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists. Rishi sunak, whose expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use in england. Local councils in england also face a clampdown on using traffic offences to boost their budgets as the transport secretary says, todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay jobs and conditions. Many parts of the country will have no services and those that do run will finish earlier than usual. Mark harper says the current offer on the table is reasonable. Reasonable. Its clearly a political strike timed to coincide with the conservative Party Conference. You dont have to think very carefully to see thats the case. But look, theres a fair offer on the table. Train drivers get paid an average salary of £60,000 for a full day, 35 hour week. The pay rise thats on the table that they wont put to their members would take that average salary to £65,000 a year. Now look, i think most of your viewers will will look at that and think that is actually quite fair and reasonable. Well, aslefs general secretary mick whelan accused the transport secretary of not negotiating. Negotiating. Well, its not political. Its industrial. Well, its not political. Its industrial. Mr harper and his cronies for the last 16 months have been accusing us of attacking all sorts of events on strike days, which we havent done because we havent seen mr harper. To make harper. We decided to make a point today. Wheres wally . Wheres mark . Come and see us. We to get the we are striking today to get the attention and attention of the tory party and the government to resolve this dispute. Dispute. Two people have been injured after a crash involving the flying scots when the train was involved in a slow speed collision with another heritage train. Hours before visitors were due to board it at aviemore station, the National Railway museum says a shunting incident happened whilst a steam train was being coupled with the royal scotsman train carriages as 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 its over to. Martin and thank you over to. Martin and thank you very much , tamsin, for that very much, tamsin, for that update. Okay, lets get stuck now into todays hot topics. All eyes are on the chancellor after more than 30 tory mps signed a letter demanding tax cuts to help struggling british families. The growing rebellion puts pressure on jeremy hunt as taxes shape up to be a key battleground. At the battleground. At the conservative Party Conference. This and this comes after the institute for fiscal studies revealed the tax burden is the highest its ever been since records began. 70 years ago, where . Joining me now to discuss this is political commentator Benedict Spence. Benedict, the Benedict Spence. Benedict, the tories are revolting. 33 of them. A former Prime Minister in liz truss , a former party liz truss, a former Party Chairman and jake berry, ian duncan smith, a former leader, priti patel , Jacob Rees Mogg, priti patel, Jacob Rees Mogg, sir john redwood. The list goes sir john redwood. The list goes on. Its a bit rich though, isnt it . I mean, weve got the highest taxes since world war ii. Yes , its jolly good of them yes, its jolly good of them to wait until we actually reach that burden before they said, all right, now this is the line in the sand. No new taxes after this. And its only a few of us that are actually signing up to it. Its one of those it. I think its one of those things where, you know, as as youve said, were heading into the Party Conference week, the Party Conference next week, this know, were this weekend, you know, were almost of on almost certainly sort of on on the a general the precipice of a general election starting, you election cycle starting, you know, sunak has come out know, rishi sunak has come out with revised position on with his revised his position on things like net zero, things like hs2. This is very clearly sort of a push to grab the attention voters. And attention of the voters. And i think that this is a similar thing. Think have to thing. I think you have to remember, of course, everybody say, remember, everybodys well aware the tories aware of this. The tories are sort really struggling in the sort of really struggling in the polls right now. And i imagine an awful lot of constituents are looking at the tories and they are well, on, what are saying, well, hang on, what is difference between this is the difference between this Government Labour what government and labour and what has over the has been the difference over the last years . There is, last 13 years . There is, i think, a sense from a lot of tory mps that they have to make a they have to sort of a stand, they have to sort of differentiate themselves, so much if the labour much so that even if the labour Party General party does win the next general election, perhaps of these election, perhaps some of these individuals give themselves a fighting of succeeding, fighting chance of succeeding, of to own seats of holding on to their own seats if they are able to sort of differentiate themselves if they are able to sort of diffn party ate themselves if they are able to sort of diffnparty at themselves if they are able to sort of diffnparty at large selves if they are able to sort of diffnparty at large andzs if they are able to sort of diffnparty at large and saying the party at large and saying things like this, no taxes things like this, no new taxes for working families. Things like this, no new taxes f think working families. Things like this, no new taxes f think something|g families. Things like this, no new taxes f think something|g faris. Ies. I think is something that is going resonate ultimately at going to resonate ultimately at a election. First a general election. The first thing think lot of thing i think that a lot of people is they ask people do is they ask themselves, am i than themselves, am i poorer than i was at the start of this parliament . For most People Parliament . And for most people in the uk right now, the answer is an ovennhelming to that. Is an ovennhelming yes to that. At the point is the yeah. And at the point is the tories have traditionally been the low yet the party of low tax and yet here we are. It feels like weve voted Jeremy Corbyn terms voted Jeremy Corbyn in in terms of Economic Policy on of the Economic Policy on taxation in may. Pound taxation in may. Stephen pound cough loud there coming cough out loud there hes coming up but isnt the up in a minute but isnt the fact of matter. Its okay to fact of the matter. Its okay to talk like this and rattle talk tough like this and rattle your do a bit of a your sabres and do a bit of a tap dance at a conference but people care about the pounds and the pants in their their the pants in their in their purses pockets and what they purses and pockets and what they want not raise want isnt a pledge not to raise taxes but a tax cut. Taxes but a tax cut. Well, this is where its going to get very tricky because, of course, reason because, of course, the reason why sunak has a majority why rishi sunak has a majority is because rishi sunak is is not because rishi sunak is a fantastic Prime Minister. The reason he has majorities because bofis and reason he has majorities because boris and he won Boris Johnson won it and he won it the idea that he was going it on the idea that he was going to very different kind of to form a very different kind of government to the one that we to form a very different kind of goverr have. To the one that we to form a very different kind of goverr have seen. E one that we to form a very different kind of goverr have seen. E orexample, might have seen. For example, under thatcher the past or under thatcher in the past or even truss would have even that. Liz truss would have had, which was about low taxation, low government spending, government spending, low government interference. There is, i think, an understand broadly an understand thing broadly across the country that there are of life that across the country that there are state of life that across the country that there are state does of life that across the country that there are state does have life that across the country that there are state does have to ie that across the country that there are state does have to involve the state does have to involve itself predominantly in itself in, predominantly in frastructure fallen by frastructure that has fallen by the and i think that the wayside. And i think that the wayside. And i think that the fear is from a lot of tory mps government will mps that the government will look to sort of prop that up with increased borrowing and increased spending and you know, its all very well sort of sitting saying, okay, well sitting here saying, okay, well things railways, things things like railways, things like things the like reservoirs, things like the electricity does need electricity grid, this does need to it its not to be addressed. But it its not unreasonable to say how much more of the burden can fall on the taxpayer. Ultimately, what you need if youre going to be in a first world country and youre going to have first world Country Services and infrastructure growth you infrastructure is growth and you cant have the kind of cant really have the kind of growth we need. If you growth that we need. If you continue to sort of edge that tax burden up higher. So think tax burden up higher. So i think its difficult one for rishi its a difficult one for rishi sunak try balance because its a difficult one for rishi sunanf try balance because its a difficult one for rishi sunanf hisy balance because its a difficult one for rishi sunanf his new alance because its a difficult one for rishi sunanf his new constituents, |se a lot of his new constituents, a lot of new voters are they lot of his new voters are they voted for Boris Johnson on the understanding that actually government to take government was going to take more role in their lives. More of a role in their lives. And that is obviously isolated. And that is obviously isolated. A people that a lot of people who feel that government should be about government should all be about minimising interference and minimising interference and minimising is a minimising tax. So it is a tricky one that the Prime Minister and im minister has to balance and im not sure that he knows not entirely sure that he knows yet which one he prefers, which one thinks going be the one he thinks is going to be the vote winner. Yeah. And this part of yeah. And is this part of rishi sunak . Liz truss problem . Shes at the at the shes appearing at the at the conference at a fringe Event Holding growth rally called holding a growth rally called make britain grow again. And no doubt this taxation pledge is part of her spearhead. And in fact, all the people on this list will no doubt be there is this actually liz truss rattling her sabre, trying to undermine rishi sunak. Well, there is rishi sunak. Well, there is almost there is almost certainly an element of that, yes. And it remains the great sort of curiosity about this, this dynamic, which is that. Liz truss i think if you were to ask the ordinary member of the pubuc the ordinary member of the public holds very little popularity because of, you know, whatever there, but whatever happened there, but remain amongst remain is very popular amongst tory members and amongst a lot of mps because of course she did beat rishi sunak become beat rishi sunak to become leader first place. And leader in the first place. And its a tricky one for him because i think rishi sunak knows, broadly speaking, the country is in no doubt who is probably more better of probably the more the better of the two in terms of who to trust. Liz truss or rishi sunak. Theyre going to go for rishi sunak every time. They dont trust liz truss. Whether or not thats or is beside the thats fair or not is beside the point. That is the situation. But itself, she but within the party itself, she is obviously sort of trying is very obviously sort of trying to pressure ramp up to ramp up the pressure ramp up the gears and she has a lot of support for many tories support for that. Many tories feel very uncomfortable with this what was call a more this what was would call a more sort johnsonian approach sort of johnsonian approach to government, the government, which is that the state a bigger interest in state takes a bigger interest in peoples not peoples lives. Thats not what they got for. Politics its they got into for. Politics its certainly not they certainly not what they joined the tory party for. Bannau expense. Lets okay, bannau expense. Lets leave it there. A three letter word in really word that ends in x that really excites tories tax x. Lets move on our next topic. You can on to our next topic. You can get more of that on a story get lots more of that on a story on our website. Of course. Gbnews. Com, which is the fastest gb news. Com, which is the Fastest Growing National Website in growing National News website in the done lads. The uk. Hurrah well done lads. And the best and ladies. Its got the best analysis and opinion as well as all the latest breaking news. Go there. But please, not during my show. Onto our next story now because the archbishop of canterbury has been snubbed by Suella Braverman after reportedly trying to initiate talks on immigration. Justin welby has previously condemned the home secretarys rhetoric and argued the plan to send Asylum Seekers to rwanda is morally unaccept notable and against the judgement of god. Well, meetings between archbishops and home secretaries are not unusual, as tom jones might say. But is the church becoming too political . Well joining me now is the former brexit party mep, belinda de lucy and former labour mep steve pound. Im going to start first with you, belinda. Is there any with you, belinda. Is there any wonder that Suella Braverman whos whos under fire as it is , doesnt want to meet the archbishop of wokery as some people call him, who said that rwanda specifically, which dont forget, is coming to judgement on october the 9th, very soon, is against the judgement of god. Why should she listen to him . I think she already knows what he thinks anyway, so i dont see what shes going to get from being lectured by him again and call me old fashioned. Martin think our migration martin but i think our migration policy should be determined and shaped by the people of this country and by our elected representatives, not by our kings , not by our archbishops, kings, not by our archbishops, but by the people and our elected representatives. What does he not understand about that . Secondly, his concern isnt moral judgement on anyone who wants to control the borders or change the treaties. I think it is immoral to prioritise fees and reward those who least need saving, those who are already in safe countries, rich , relatively safe countries, rich, relatively rich, agile , fit young men over rich, agile, fit young men over and above those who are at risk of death, who are in the camps. Of death, who are in the camps. This this group of people is being rewarded by our treaties at the moment, and thats immoral to prioritise them. I think its also unchristian to strip developing countries of their workforce and with this big carrot that the west is dangung big carrot that the west is dangling over to take all their fit and young people away from their country, how on earth are they ever going to develop if this shift of people keeps happening . So the whole moral argument hes wrong argument i think hes got wrong and to church a lot. Im and i go to church a lot. Im a big curvy gal and i feel very protective over the church and i feel very let down by our leaders who keep interfering in politics lecturing and politics and keep lecturing and judging who judging ordinary brits who say, do we quite like do you know what . We quite like our having borders. We our country having borders. We like our our culture and our traditions our history and like our our culture and our tradvalues. Our history and like our our culture and our tradvalues. And ur history and like our our culture and our tradvalues. And we|istory and like our our culture and our tradvalues. And we justy and like our our culture and our tradvalues. And we just like d our values. And we just like a fair that prioritises fair system that prioritises those most in need and respects. The british taxpayer. Pound so, so well is Stephen Pound so, so well is there anything left for me here . You know, i dont often see myself in Suella Braverman shoes and i dont often have a huge amount of sympathy for her. But the thought of being lectured by another, you know, entitled old etonian toff, you know , like the etonian toff, you know, like the we used to call it oil wells, i think we used to call him. I have to say, is slightly worrying. But i think whats confused rising about in confused rising about this in many is it obviously many ways is it obviously theres read across theres no read across here because not an anglican. Because shes not an anglican. She belongs to a buddhist sect called the group, which she belongs to a buddhist sect caformerly group, which she belongs to a buddhist sect caformerly ratana group, which she belongs to a buddhist sect caformerly ratana buddhism,h is formerly ratana buddhism, formerly the friends of western ratana think they ratana buddhism. I think they had and, you know, you had a split. And, you know, you dont want to be in the room when buddhists so when the buddhists kick off. So and their motto is and in fact, their motto is actually finding strength in refuge. I think may refuge. But i think that may mean something different, spiritual mean something different, spiritthink. I think. I think. See. Not not not dover oh, i see. Not not not dover beach. But but look, the reality is its very, very easy to say things stop boats, put things like stop the boats, put a it. But its very, a limit on it. But its very, very to actually do it. And very hard to actually do it. And i think if youve got an absolutist position like archbishop will archbishop welby, who will simply everybody simply say absolutely everybody should come, because everybody if suffering, if they identify as suffering, they know, thats they should. You know, thats bonkers. And i think that actually and feeds the actually fuels and feeds the sort prejudice which i hope sort of prejudice which i hope none this desk would none of us at this desk would actually want to see. None of us at this desk would act|okay want to see. None of us at this desk would act|okay. Ant to see. None of us at this desk would act|okay. Obviously, welby isnt okay. Obviously, welby isnt here defend and he here to defend himself and he would no doubt that if would counter no doubt that if he believes its against the judgement of god, what Suella Braverman is doing, sending what he would call defenceless poor refugees to rwanda , then he refugees to rwanda, then he would see it as his duty. His mission, his calling to intervene. What would you say to that . I say very respectfully that he needs to spend a bit more time down on the ground. He time down on the ground. He needs to spend a bit more time in lampedusa, where the top three countries that are represented by these migrants are not at war. Tunisia, guinea , ethiopia, ivory coast. None of them are at war. Thats the majority are represented by those countries. He needs to understand. And that suella was completely right, that there is a huge difference between those fleeing those fleeing fleeing death and those fleeing discrimination or degrading treatment. And until he recognises that hes actually not not being realistic and its putting our country the people and genuine Asylum Seekers at risk. Stephen, aside from from this specific incident, is part of this do you believe the fact that the church of england, in fact, religion in general, christianity, is kind of falling off the radar a bit in terms of turnout at churches anyhow . Or is welby and the church in general looking for a new purpose or something to try and own something to be wholly on . Well, i have to say i find this cringe making. Its the idea of sort of rick the vic playing the guitar on, you know, on sunday morning masses. Look, i mean, i have to say that, you know, the eternal verities of faith are still there. Theyre not going not changing. Theyre not going away. I think away. You know, and i think that, you know, ebb we that, you know, we ebb and we flow. Remember on dover flow. You remember on dover beach poem about beach that marvellous poem about you slow melancholy, you know, the slow melancholy, withdrawing religion, withdrawing tide of religion, but in again. So, but it comes back in again. So, look, i think if youre saying that you remember they used to say the british say about the british that theyd empire and they theyd lost the empire and they hadnt found i think hadnt yet found a role. I think the Church England is the church of england is confused. Know, im not confused. You know, im not an anglican, and ive always thought that the relationship between thought that the relationship betwee envious, uncertainty. Is they envious, uncertainty. And i think the reality is we know we stand for and we know what we stand for and we know what we stand for and we know christ does belong in know that christ does belong in the in the market the community, in the market place, to actually place, and we need to actually make point. But to actually make that point. But to actually destroy own which destroy your own argument, which is way which i think that is in the way which i think that archbishop done in a archbishop welsby has done in a way that, oddly enough, Rowan Williams never and williams never did. And certainly chartres certainly when Richard Chartres was bishop of was the was the bishop of london, made a very, very london, he made a very, very different case. London, he made a very, very diffwhat case. London, he made a very, very diffwhat do e. London, he made a very, very diffwhat do you think about that, what do you think about that, beunda . What do you think about that, belinda . That seems to what do you think about that, beithat . That seems to what do you think about that, beithat wokeist that seems to what do you think about that, beithat wokeist you hat seems to what do you think about that, beithat wokeist you lgbtqems to what do you think about that, beithat wokeist you lgbtq issues be that wokeist you lgbtq issues , Climate Change, refugees , it , Climate Change, refugees, it seems to be a new calling. Its a shame. Yeah, its a shame in a way, because i think now more than ever, we need that spiritual nutricia action. You know, Mental Health is , is know, Mental Health is, is becoming a big thing at the moment, especially with our young people. Actually, that meditation space and you find in church is what a lot of people i think could do with at the moment. And theyre putting People Church by people going off church by making theyve got making it political. Theyve got involved Climate Change. He involved in Climate Change. He got with brexit saying got involved with brexit saying no the no deal was immoral. The archbishop said our archbishop of york said our father problematic because father was problematic because of the use of the word father. Of the use of the word father. The beautiful male high value word father. I call him god. My word father. I call him god. My father and i will keep calling him that. But getting involved in gender, gender, ideology, getting involved in race politics, of course, politics, because of course, welby is all into decolonising the now against the church now is against unifying people. Our christianity should rise above the divisions of identity politics, not encourage it. So i do think its lost its way a bit. But this country, its foundations are christians, are values, our traditions are and they need to defend them and start priority rising. Stop prioritising everyone else because of course in the bible. Is it true that theres neven is it true that theres never, ever been a time in this nations history i can think of when weve actually needed moral leadership more . Theres never been we look around been a time when we look around us, weve been given all the gifts that god can bestow us, and making a horlicks of and were making a horlicks of the pve and were making a horlicks of the ive never been the whole thing. Ive never been a when actually need a time when we actually need that and theres that leadership and theres never time when weve had never been a time when weve had this sort milquetoast, limp, this sort of milquetoast, limp, wokery leadership instead. Well said, steven. Well said, steven. Maybe archbishop is maybe the archbishop is trying that that that trying to be that that that candle in the hes trying candle in the storm. Hes trying to voice of god. Hes to be the voice of god. Hes trying best. Would argue, trying his best. He would argue, you know, to show moral leadership if he believes there is none from people like Suella Braverman. Well, im sorry hes not doing it very well. I mean, i take your point. Its better to light a candle than to curse the darkness. I mean, you can darkness. But, i mean, you can actually you know . And actually do both, you know . And i id rather actually i think id rather actually build a power station than light a candle. Like to actually build a power station than light a cesomething ke to actually build a power station than light a cesomething done. Actually build a power station than light a cesomething done. Andrlly build a power station than light a cesomething done. And theres get something done. And theres so church of england is so much the church of england is one of the biggest in one of the biggest landlords in this its immensely this country. Its immensely wealthy. A amount wealthy. It can do a huge amount of things. Instead of just of things. And instead of just just saying, oh dear, Suella Braverman wont me, braverman wont talk to me, i mean, and going off in a huff, you know, with a surplus flapping wind. I mean, flapping in the wind. I mean, im thats thats not im sorry. Thats thats not very impressive. And i wonder actually part and i wonder actually if part of could be he could of the issue could be he could open up some Church Properties to well, his lambeth well, or his lovely lambeth palace. I mean it is often those in ivory towers who want open borders high immigration borders and high immigration because it never impacts them. But dont well see but i dont think well see that. I think hes that. Look, i think hes obviously good man, but has obviously a good man, but he has lost touch with the people. I think he should focus on filling the helping people the churches, helping people spiritually. You know, spiritually. And also, you know, he calling for the he could be calling for the protection christians, protection of christians, persecuted around the world. You know, has know, at the moment, nigeria has christians a christians being killed at a rate than higher than rate bigger than higher than anywhere else in world. He anywhere else in the world. He never about that. He never never talks about that. He never talks souls of the talks about the souls of the country together. Its country coming together. Its always the woke always jumping on the next woke thing. Old saying thing. And as the old saying goes, if you marry the spirit of the age, youll be widowed by the age, youll be widowed by the and they just to the next. And they just need to stick traditional values. The next. And they just need to stic but traditional values. The next. And they just need to stic but nigeriaiitional values. The next. And they just need to stic but nigeria is onal values. The next. And they just need to sticbut nigeria is inal values. The next. And they just need to sticbut nigeria is i mean, ues. The next. And they just need to sticbut nigeria is i mean, they but nigeria is i mean, they have boko haram, which have this boko haram, which which actually means books are forbidden. The is forbidden. The bible is forbidden. The bible is forbidden. Is forbidden. I mean, that is appalling. And what are we doing about what are doing about that . What are we doing about that . What are we doing about what are we about pakistan . What are we doing happening doing about whats happening in north know, North Eastern india . You know, we the churches. We just dont see the churches. It seems to be that the it just seems to be that the archbishop of county is twisting himself round and round into a sort tighter sort of tighter and tighter a spiral agony instead of spiral of agony instead of actually doing something. Belinda and stephen, actually doing something. A belinda and stephen, actually doing something. A debateia and stephen, actually doing something. A debateia aanotherhen, thats a debate for another time. Thank you very time. Thank you. Thank you very much. Was awesome. Much. That was awesome. Was a bit worried about us i was a bit worried about us agreeing for minute. Agreeing there for a minute. I it. I liked it. I liked it. Thank heavens this isnt live. Where you stop talking. Stephen. Stephen. Thank you. Oh, thank you. Oh, thank you. Lets move on. Members of the train drivers aslef are Train Drivers Union aslef are walking again today walking out once again today as the long running dispute over pay the long running dispute over pay jobs working conditions pay jobs and working conditions rumbles on. These rumbles on and on. These strikes are the are timed to hit the conservative Party Conference in manchester, begins manchester, which begins tomorrow. Has tomorrow. Another strike has been wednesday. Been planned for next wednesday. Well outside well joining us now from outside london, station our london, Waterloo Station is our National Reporter theo Theo Chikomba. Theo, its groundhog day. Once again on the trains. Whats the latest . Whats the latest . Once again , they are at the once again, they are at the picket line again , aslef. Union picket line again, aslef. Union members train drivers from across the country are striking today as the 1 1 day this week and another next week on wednesday. Next week , wednesday, wednesday. Next week, wednesday, they will also be striking alongside rmt Union Members those Railway Workers and underground workers will also be striking as well. Here, though, at waterloo, there arent many trains. The last one i saw on the information boards inside that one, 45, most of the trains have been coming from places like woking, guildford and basingstoke. This is all about basingstoke. This is all about pay , basingstoke. This is all about pay , working conditions and pay, working conditions and their jobs as well. Theyve been offered 4 over a period of two years and thats in exchange for the way that they work , the way that they work, something which they rejected earlier this year in april. Weve heard from the transport minister today who is saying these picket lines and what theyre doing today is political, which they refuse aslef unions. Leaders has said aslef unions. Leaders has said that that is not the case. And hes saying the government are setting them up to fail when it comes to negotiating. And this is what he had to say. I havent seen mark harper since january of year when took over of last year when he took over and he told me that the rail minister was to going facilitate talks those talks took place. They put out an offer that we hadnt seen that they ripped up every term and condition that we had. And it was untenable. And then they us to come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe1ey us to come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table us to come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table and us to come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table and we; to come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table and we set come back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table and we set upne back had. And it was untenable. And thnthe table and we set up at back to the table and we set up a framework around that discussion in about what we do. And in about what we would do. And then back after weve then they came back after weve taken lines out of taken all our red lines out of discussion and tried make it discussion and tried to make it work. And that gave us an offer all in, they set all our red lines in, they set this to fail. And when every this up to fail. And when every time they say fair and reasonable, i see words lies reasonable, i see the words lies and deceit, people will and deceit, well, people will be wondering next . And deceit, well, people will be woraslef| next . And deceit, well, people will be woraslef union next . And deceit, well, people will be woraslef Union Members say they aslef Union Members say they havent spoken to the government since 20th, 22, and they since january 20th, 22, and they havent had a pay cut for almost five years, which they say particularly with the challenges with inflation, which weve seen in the last couple of years, doesnt match with pay rises for all of them. And they say in real terms, its a pay cut. So in terms of the publics opinion of whats happening, its mixed. Some do support and others say this isnt the right thing to do. Service is should be on on days like today where many people will be wanting to travel across the country sporting matches, family events and of course , we understand as well course, we understand as well with the conservative Party Happening there, the event happening there, the event happening in manchester. So of course many things happening across the weekend. Its yet another day of striking. When will this end . Its unclear at the moment. Go Theo Chikomba at Waterloo Station. Waterloo station. Well, mick the grinch stole last christmas. Theo, i bet you last christmas. Theo, i bet you a christmas drink well be having this conversation once again in december. Youre watching and listen to gb news saturday with me. Martin daubney loads more coming up yet on todays show. But first, lets take look at your all take a look at your all important weather marco. Important weather with marco. Hello, marco petagna. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres latest weather heres your latest weather update from office. Update from the met office. Well see mixed bag weather well see a mixed bag of weather across the next few across the uk over the next few days. Some wet and windy weather at times, but equally some warm spells sunshine, weve spells of sunshine, too. Weve got in from got low pressure moving in from the southwest at the moment. Thats bringing the current band of windy weather of wet and windy weather into the uk. The north and west of the uk. And certainly as we head through the evening into the overnight period, wet period, further outbreaks of wet and weather moving north and windy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and many areas, and eastwards across many areas, becoming and eastwards across many areas, becwnorth east scotland the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the hours sunday and the early hours of sunday and also trailing weather front, also a trailing weather front, bringing a band of heavy rain to parts of wales, north west england midlands parts of wales, north west englind midlands parts of wales, north west englin the midlands parts of wales, north west englin the clearer midlands parts of wales, north west englin the clearer slots viidlands too. In the clearer slots towards the south east, its a pretty warm muggy night. Pretty warm and muggy night. Temperatures no lower than 16 or 17 few spots. A 17 celsius in a few spots. A little bit fresher towards the north northeast. As for north and northeast. But as for sunday, well see three sunday, well, well see a three way that of rain way split. That band of rain continuing affect the central continuing to affect the central slice the uk, northern slice of the uk, northern england, of wales england, parts of wales certainly seeing a few heavy bursts that rain bursts of rain. That rain gradually easing as we go through day towards the through the day towards the south east, picture south east, a brighter picture and and or showers south east, a brighter picture and the and or showers south east, a brighter picture and the north or showers south east, a brighter picture and the north and showers south east, a brighter picture and the north and northwest towards the north and northwest in the sunshine in the south east, temperatures doing very time year very well for the time of year into low locally mid into the low locally towards mid 2023 celsius. 24 is 75in 2023 or 24 celsius. 24 is 75in fahrenheit. And even towards the north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees, that band of rain continues to affect that central slice of the uk monday. If slice of the uk on monday. If anything, pepping up for time anything, pepping up for a time again. So further bursts again. So further heavy bursts of at times again of rain here at times again brighter towards south east brighter towards the south east and towards the and brighter towards the northwest. As head into northwest. And as we head into tuesday wednesday, its tuesday and wednesday, its a case sunshine showers case of sunshine and showers and fairly in the sun. Thank fairly warm in the sun. Thank you very much, marco. Still ahead on todays show, the king will reportedly refuse prince harrys request for an apology. Well get the latest on apology. Well get the latest on the never never ending sussex saga from royal commentator on the latest in the sussexes saga. All of that and more to come. Im Martin Daubney and this is gb britains news channel gb news, britains news channel britains news channel. Hello good afternoon from the gb newsroom. Here are the headlines as at 130. Im Tamsin Roberts , the 130. Im Tamsin Roberts, the driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the m53 yesterday. Has been named as stephen shrimpton. The 40 year stephen shrimpton. The 40 year olds family says he suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute the coach. Theyve paid tribute describing him as a loving husband and father. 15 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , all including taken to hospital, all including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools on the wirral when their bus overturned after colliding with a car. When their bus overturned after colliding with a car. Dozens of colliding with a car. Dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. An increase in overall taxes. Former Prime Minister liz truss and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith are among those to have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers. The promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises. Putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative party. Conference meanwhile, the party. Conference meanwhile, the Prime Minister says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists. Rishi sunak, who is expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use in england and the transport secretary mark harper, says todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay , long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Many parts of the country will have no services and those that do run will finish earlier than usual. Will finish earlier than usual. Those are the headlines and you can get more on all of those stories. Just visit our website stories. Just visit our website , gbnews. Com. Now its back to. Martin thanks, tamsin, for that update. Excellent. As always. Welcome back to gb news saturday with me, Martin Daubney on your tv, online and on your Digital Radio. Now, lots of you have been getting in touch on the topics weve been discussing so far on the show today on rail strikes. Jeanette says this rail strikers are able to continue because they are only losing a couple of days. Wages the Rail Companies should lock them out for the full week every time the unions call them on strike. The service is always disrupted for the days before and after the strike anyway. Jeanette its a great point because they wind down before the strike because they wont work late and then they wont work late and then they and then they dont get back on the shift. The next day. And we effectively lose the and so we effectively lose the half day before the half day after a three day strike basically us in for the basically does us in for the full i echo full five days. I echo that sentiment. Now looks like the sentiment. Now it looks like the story on Suella Braverman snubbing the archbishop of welby has caused quite a stir. Graham says this. He says, of course , says this. He says, of course, Suella Braverman is right to turn down the meeting with welby. Hes a pompous, outdated and interfering man. He should be impartial. No wonder people are leaving this c of in droves. Graham, speak your mind. In an graham, speak your mind. In an actual fact, you echoed the sentiments of what belinda de lucy and Stephen Pound said. They felt that , well, we should they felt that, well, we should just stick to the church and stop meddling in politics. John says this the archbishop of canterbury is completely out of touch. He claims that his that its immoral to refuse to accept Illegal Immigrants. I say it is Illegal Immigrants. I say it is it is immoral to spend money on the Illegal Immigrants which should be spent on our homeless and our poor and the dreadful situation in this country. Sean, situation in this country. Sean, im sure many people out there in gb news land will be echoing what you say. Surely we what you say. Surely we separated from the state i think in 1891 the church was meant to keep its nose out of politics. That simply hasnt happened. Okay, keep your views coming in. Now on to our next story. King charles were reportedly refused to apologise to prince harry, despite the duke of sussex asking for his father to say sorry. Harry has said publicly that he wants an apology from his family before constructive peace talks could take place. But a friend of the king says hes not prepared to apologise. Well, joining me now is the former royal correspondent at the sun. The legend , that is the sun. The legend, that is charles rea charles is always a pleasure and never a chore to see you on gb news. Here we go again. Talk about groundhog day on the trains. Its groundhog day on the sussexes. Day on the sussexes. It is martin, and personally, i would be extremely disappointed if charles both as king and a father, actually said sorry to. Harry for anything, sorry to. Harry for anything, because i dont think that the king has done anything wrong with the sussexes at all. And lets not also lets not forget as well that its not just the fact that the king is being asked to say sorry. Youve got william and catherine in the background. Now, harry has used a machine gun approach and slagged off his his family in netflix documentaries and in his. Book okay. Charles has gone down there just just you still there, charles . Keep on, mate. Yes, perfectly. Yes, perfectly. Yes, perfectly. Okay. Okay. Okay. Right. So this story is from the gb news website, by the way, the gb news website, by the way, the Fastest Growing news website in britain. And it says that charles wants to hit the reset button , but not at any price. Button, but not at any price. Forgive me for asking this this basic question, charles, but what does the king have to apologise about . In any case . Nothing martin nothing at all. I mean, hes gone out of his way, you know, to help meghan get into the royal family and, you know, both catherine and meghan had great introductions into the royal family, unlike , like, you royal family, unlike, like, you know, previous ladies like Princess Diana and sarah, duchess, duchess of york. When duchess, duchess of york. When they come in, they were very much left to fend for themselves. And meghan in particular, was welcomed into this royal family and we saw the king partially walk her down the aisle at her wedding. Theyd gone out of their way to embrace her being an american and a divorcee , those things didnt divorcee, those things didnt count. You know, the fact that she is comes from an ethnic background , again, didnt count background, again, didnt count the sussexes who made the points that that the royal family were being racist towards her. And its not true. Not at all. Yeah. And charles, the store was originally posted on the daily beast site and its from a friend of the king. All these kinds of stories akua what would you say or is this tittle tattle . Because it just seems to me that it just kind of tattle . Because it just seems to me that itjust kind of rumbles me that it just kind of rumbles on and on and on and really , why on and on and on and really, why cant the sussexes just win their neck in and be quiet . Well, i agree with you. Why cant they just, you know, shut up , sit in cant they just, you know, shut up, sit in their cant they just, you know, shut up , sit in their montecito home up, sit in their montecito home and just leave the royal family alone . There is no question about that. But you asked a very about that. But you asked a very pertinent question about whether this story could be true. Now, this story could be true. Now, unfortunately, as you well know, you know, royal reporter , as you you know, royal reporter, as you know, cannot just ring up the palace and ask to speak to the king or the prince of wales or whatever. You have got to rely on your sources at the palace. And i would firmly believe that this is someone who is within the royal circles who is making this point. And sometimes the point is being made with the knowledge of the principal , knowledge of the principal, either the king or the prince of wales. Wales. Ray, thanks. Were going to ray, thanks. Were going to have to leave it there. Another royal mess and yet more hot air from the ginger winger, it seems. Well this is gb news saturday with me, daubney saturday with me, Martin Daubney plenty on the show plenty coming up on the show with the Party Conference season upon policy upon us. What major policy announcements are on the table and what might cause the biggest divisions this year . Ill have all of the details on that. Youre watching and listening to gb news, britains news channel this evening. Gb news is the peoples. Channel welcome peoples. Channel welcome back to gb news saturday with me, Martin Daubney on your tv online and of course, on your Digital Radio. Now its Conference Season. First it was the lib dems in bournemouth, the tories kick off their Conference Tomorrow in manchester and labour will hold theirs in liverpool. The weekend following Conference Season is a political junkies dream. But for those who dont care about the westminster bubble, whats the point of it all . Well, joining me now is gb news senior political commentator nigel nelson. So, nigel, lets start with that. Obviously, a general election is hoving into view , election is hoving into view, but whats the point of conferences and why should anybody care . Anybody care . Yeah, i agree with you. Yeah, i agree with you. Yeah, i agree with you. They lost the point a long time ago that there used to be a situation where the labour party would make policy at conference and vote on it. They no longer do. The and vote on it. They no longer do. The lib dems actually do do that. But when theyre in government that ministers just ignored whatever the rank and file said. And the tories have never made made policy. So youre absolutely right. Ive wondered for years what the point of conference is , but the point of conference is, but the way that they see it is its a way that they see it is its a way of showcasing themselves. Each party gets a chance to actually take the stage, dominate the ainnaves , tvs. And dominate the ainnaves, tvs. And the other thing is that the active in the various parties do you like to rub shoulders with the people they campaign for . The people they campaign for . And after all, theyre the ones who go out on a cold, wet, rainy evenings to attend meetings, to leaflet it. Theyre the ones who do the hard work. Okay, nigel, turning to the tory conference, which kicks off tomorrow in manchester, of course, the rail unions doing their best to derail that by throwing a strike. But what can we expect to hear thats new . Because isnt part of the problem . Nigel the most of it has been leaked. The hs2 has been leaked. The put in the brakes on the on the war on drivers has been leaked. Most of its been leaked out there already. We yeah. And i also think the other problem is that after 13 years this government is getting very tired. It is struggling to come up with new ideas anyway. So what youve got tomorrow here is that scotland , wales and that scotland, wales and Northern Ireland are in the spotlight for the main speeches. Then youve got grant shapps, the defence secretary , followed the defence secretary, followed by james cleverly, the foreign secretary, the main event happens on wednesday when rishi sunak speaks and what id expect him to talk about there would be fleshing out how we might get to net zero having scrapped a lot of the targets that might get us there. So he did that last week. This week, i would imagine he will try and put some flesh flesh on those bones. Us and of flesh on those bones. Us and of course, theres a question, especially in manchester, whether the tories can still get away with not saying what theyre going to do about the manchester leg of hs2. Manchester leg of hs2. And do you think, nigel, that rishi might might have a bit of a truss problem because shes throwing this conference on growth . Lets get britain growing again. Not very original knicks from donald trump that but today theres 33 tory mps pledging never to raise tax is part of the Conference Season always the people from the fringes are trying to steal the limelight and cause trouble. Limelight and cause trouble. Well, theres a bit of that. Well, theres a bit of that. Its all the more important for this one because i think what were talking about is behind the scenes, theres a leadership battle going on. Theres a wide expectation tory party expectation in the tory party theyll lose the next general election, in which rishi election, in which case rishi sunakis election, in which case rishi sunak is going to have to be replaced. So theres a battle between left and right. So weve seen today on taxation tories want to actually either cut taxes or not increase them. Jeremy hunt has ruled that out. Youve got the problems anyway with things like an ageing population, which means more money to be spent on pensions and the nhs. Some how thats got to be paid for. Youve got the left wing of the party who are upset about Suella Braverman speech in america last week. They think she was demonising gay migrants and theyre furious about that. Theyve complained to the to the tory chief whip about some of some of her language. So i think the interesting parts of this conference is not whats going to be happening so much on the stage, but what will be happening bars and happening in the bars and restaurants around manchester as all the tories get together and start plotting. Indeed, theres an lgbtq dnnks indeed, theres an lgbtq drinks welcome at the conference. The British Group is saying, can the tories win . Saying, can the tories win . Thats a big question. Heres one for you. Seeking truth and understanding in a world where Media Freedom declining , Media Freedom is declining, well, asks for gb well, Caroline Nokes asks for gb news to be shut down this week, didnt she . Thats enough about the one. What do you think the tory one. What do you think we expect from the labour we can expect from the labour party the Labour Party Party or the labour party throwing conference, you throwing a conference, you think, put the think, to try and put the message we are a party that message out . We are a party that is about govern and what can is about to govern and what can we in of specific we expect in terms of specific policy announcements . Because there few of policy announcements . Because there on few of policy announcements . Because there on the few of policy announcements . Because there on the ground few of policy announcements . Because there on the ground so ew of policy announcements . Because there on the ground so far of policy announcements . Because there on the ground so far ,f those on the ground so far, nigel from labour party , nigel from the labour party, yes, thats right. And i think that it will be a labourin and i think that it will be a labour in liverpool. Therell be a lot more jubilant. What youll see is an awful lot more people there. Remember just before tony there. Remember just before tony blair became Prime Minister, the last labour conference beforehand and you had so many people turning up, Business Leaders want to speak to keir starmer and to his shadow cabinet. They want to know whats coming up. They want to get to know the labour leadership. So itll be quite leadership. So itll be quite a lively , lively event in lively, lively event in liverpool. Well, i do wonder liverpool. Well, i do wonder a bit whether youll see an awful lot of policy. The one thing that keir starmer is discovering thing is that every time he puts a policy fonnard, either the tories nick it or they misrepresent it. So i think that its very much a an exercise in making sure the party is united and looks united because this could be the last set of Party Conference cases before the next general election. General election. But, but okay. Nigel nelson, were going to leave it there. I just would love to see some detail from from the labour party. I dont think its good enough to keep saying, oh, we wont be as bad as this lot. There terrible at there are terrible at everything. You know, dont the voters see some voters deserve to see some specific meat on the bone . Specific meat on the bone . Heres what youll get if you vote for the labour party. Vote for the labour party. Nigel yes, and i think there are certain things that need to be done, need to be sorry i lost you. There there are certain things that the labour party need to be doing, but one is to actually correct some misrepresents nation. So for instance , the idea that if some instance, the idea that if some deal can be done to return Asylum Seekers to europe , that Asylum Seekers to europe, that will have to take more than 100,000 of theirs. That is just 100,000 of theirs. That is just not true. Were out of the eu. Thats not going to happen. So its in areas like that. I think that keir starmer needs to actually clarify things and then itll be very much to down the shadow. Home secretary Yvette Cooper to put some flesh on the bones of exactly what labour will do about immigration. Theyve been a bit vague about it themselves so far and id expect a balanced warming speech from the health secretary. Wes streeting ting, whos got a lot ofideas streeting ting, whos got a lot of ideas about how to reform the nhs without spending too much on it. It. Okay, nigel nelson, were going to have to leave it. Leave it there. Thanks for joining us today on gb news saturday. Thank you. Okay. Moving on now. Nearly half parents say their kids eat six or fewer variety of fresh foods each week. Thats according to a study by an organic food brand. The study organic food brand. The study also found 40 of parents have to seek. Guidance also found 40 of parents have to seek. Guidance on also found 40 of parents have to seek. Guidance on how to get to seek. Guidance on how to get their kids to eat healthier food. Now, this comes at a time when 1 in 5 children is ovenneight or even obese. By the time they start primary school. And that figure rises to 1 in 3 by the time they leave school. Well, joining me now is specialist dietician nicola ludlam. Rain. Nicola, thank you for joining us on the show. These are quite eye opening statistics here. It seems to me that we have a generation of children being raised on processed food who increasingly are forgetting what fresh fruit and vegetables even are. Whos to blame and whos to blame . Im a busy working mom. Ive got two little children. I understand the juggle and its really hard. The survey by really hard. The survey by organic showed that 54 of parents are running out of new ideas and tactics to get their little ones to try new foods. And thats what sparked the a to z of great food campaign. So its all about getting kids back in the kitchen, in the supermarket, talking about food, talking about how best to prepare food and if we can get more foods early on, the Research Shows that they become better eaters in the future. And better eaters in the future. And ijust better eaters in the future. And i just think the message out there to parents is dont give up because a new report showed that a child might take between 10 and 15 times to begin to accept a food. After initially saying no. Saying no. Yeah, i mean, that certainly chimes with me. Ill get ill get my daughter on broccoli one of these decades. Shes only nine years of age now, but its part of the problem here cost because lets face it, if you go to supermarket, often times fresh fruit and vegetables seem to be really pricey and a ready meal or a ready pizza in the frozen section, its peanuts and comparison. Its cost an issue. Comparison. Its cost an issue. We are in a cost of living crisis. And i think one of the main messages to get out there is that frozen fruits and vegetables are just as nutritious, if more so than nutritious, if not more so than fresh varieties. So you can fresh varieties. So you can totally go fresh. A lot of the totally go fresh. A lot of the information that im talking about today, theres lots of free guidance on the free recipes and guidance on the organics so you dont organics website. So you dont need to pay to access it. And one one of my favourite one of the one of my favourite supermarkets lidl, supermarkets is aldi and lidl, and can pick up, for and you can pick up, for example, like hummus at £0. 69, you can broccoli and you can get broccoli and vegetables and carrots for less than £0. 50 so think its about than £0. 50 so i think its about education and thats one of the great things about the a to z great things about the a to 2 campaign that it teaches parents how best to prepare the food, especially when theyre little, because as soon as they turn six months old, it a little months old, it can be a little bit ovennhelming. So thats why bit ovennhelming. So thats why im proud be backing im really proud to be backing this initiative. Part of the problem and part of the problem surely, is that kids dont arent learning to i arent learning how to cook. I mean, my was a home mean, my mum was a Home Economics teacher. Learned economics teacher. I learned to cook school. Mum said to cook at school. My mum said to me i 14, thats it. Im me when i was 14, thats it. Im not feeding you anymore. Take care of yourself. And since then ive that and my kids are ive done that and my kids are learning cook. Isnt that ive done that and my kids are learissue . Cook. Isnt that ive done that and my kids are learissue . Learn cook. Isnt that ive done that and my kids are learissue . Learn toyk. Isnt that ive done that and my kids are learissue . Learn to cook1t that ive done that and my kids are learissue . Learn to cook. T that the issue . Learn to cook. I think thats brilliant. And youve clearly got a fantastic response. Able mother and kid response. Able mother and kid children need to be brought into the kitchen and we need to Start Talking about how best to prepare foods, even if its just microwave ing or steaming. These microwave ing or steaming. These are brilliant cooking methods that help to retain nutrients. That help to retain nutrients. But the message out there to parents is get kids involved. They dont have to be involved in every single meal, but get them, get them involved in meal planning. They come to the planning. Can they come to the supermarket month get supermarket once a month and get them interested in food . Because them interested in food . Because the Research Shows that if you make involve them, make food fun and involve them, then more likely to then theyre more likely to eat then theyre more likely to eat the food. Think a top tip the food. And i think a top tip for is serve food buffet for me is to serve food buffet style on the table because those children like control. So even children like control. So even if its getting their own cup serving themselves and then eventually when theyre old enough, boiling pasta on the pan. Okay. Nicola rein, were going to have to leave it there. Great thanks joining great advice. Thanks for joining us news saturday. And us on gb news saturday. And youre me, Martin Daubney youre with me, Martin Daubney loads up todays loads more coming up on todays show but first, lets take show yet. But first, lets take a with marco i hello, im marco petagna. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. Well see a mixed bag of weather across the uk over the next few days. Some wet and windy weather at times, but equally some warm spells of sunshine, too. Weve got low pressure moving from got low pressure moving in from the the moment. The southwest at the moment. Thats current band the southwest at the moment. Thwet current band the southwest at the moment. Thwet and current band the southwest at the moment. Thwet and windy current band the southwest at the moment. Thwet and windy weather band the southwest at the moment. Thwet and windy weather into d of wet and windy weather into the and west of uk. The north and west of the uk. And certainly head through and certainly as we head through the into the overnight the evening into the overnight period, outbreaks of wet period, further outbreaks of wet and windy weather north and windy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and eastwards many areas, and eastwards across many areas, becoming mainly confined towards the scotland the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the and the early hours of sunday and also weather front, also a trailing weather front, bringing a band of heavy to bringing a band of heavy rain to parts wales north west parts of wales north west england north midlands england and the north midlands to in the clearer slots towards the pretty to in the clearer slots towards the and pretty to in the clearer slots towards the and night. Etty warm and muggy night. Temperatures lower than 16 or warm and muggy night. Te celsius1res lower than 16 or warm and muggy night. Tecelsius ins lower than 16 or warm and muggy night. Tecelsius in a lower than 16 or warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a fewywer than 16 or warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a few spots. An 16 or 17 celsius in a few spots. A little bit fresher towards the north and northeast. But as for sunday, well, well see a three way split. That band of rain continuing affect the central continuing to affect the central slice uk, northern slice of the uk, northern england, parts of wales certainly seeing a few heavy bursts of rain. That rain gradually easing we go gradually easing as we go through day towards the through the day towards the south east. Brighter picture south east. A brighter picture and 2 showers and sunshine and 1 or 2 showers towards north and northwest towards the north and northwest in sunshine the in the sunshine in the south east, temperatures doing very of year very well for the time of year into low locally towards mid into the low locally towards mid 2023 celsius, 24 is 75in 2023 or 24 celsius, 24 is 75in fahrenheit. And even towards the north, bad at 17 or 18 north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees as that band of rain continues to affect that central slice of the uk on monday. If anything, up a time anything, pepping up for a time again. Further heavy burst of again. So further heavy burst of rain times. Again rain here at times. Again brighter south east brighter towards the south east and towards the and brighter towards the northwest. As we into northwest. And as we head into tuesday and wednesday, its a case and showers case of sunshine and showers and fairly in the sun. Fairly warm in the sun. And thanks for that update, marco. Now theres loads more coming up on todays show, including the rose bank oil field in the north sea was given the green light this week. But the green light this week. But where. Hello good afternoon. Its 2 pm. And welcome to gb news saturday. Im Martin Daubney and for the next hour ill be keeping you company on your on and on your your telly on line and on your Digital Radio. Coming up in this action packed hour , tory mps action packed hour, tory mps pledge not to support any new taxes on hard pressed brits. But will rishi sunak even listen . Will rishi sunak even listen . Then the Rosebank Oil Field has then the rosebank oilfield has been given the go ahead to the anguish of Climate Change groups. But is this a step towards Energy Independence . Well have a big debate on that shortly. Next, train drivers are walking off the job once again today. Will there ever be an end today. Will there ever be an end to these infernal train strikes . And as usual, please do get in touch. Send me your thoughts on gbviews gbnews. Com or of course, message me on our socials. Were at gb news. But first, heres your News Headlines with tamzin. Martin. Thanks very much. Good afternoon from the gb newsroom. Afternoon from the gb newsroom. At 2 01, the driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the wirral yesterday has been named as steven shrimpton. The named as steven shrimpton. The 40 year olds family says the father of two suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute, describing him as a loving husband and father. 15 year old husband and father. 15 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , including a taken to hospital, including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. Are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools when their bus overturned and on the m50 three, after colliding with a car , the after colliding with a car, the dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. Former Prime Minister liz taxes. Former Prime Minister liz truss and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith are among those to have signed up , along those to have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers the promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises. Putting pressure on tax rises. Putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative Party Conference, jeremy hunt has told the times he wants to stop the vicious circle of ever rising taxes, but ruled out tax cuts in the short term for former Party Chairman sir jake berry , whos organised sir jake berry, whos organised the pledge, says it holds the chancellor to his word all too often we have seen these promises and pledges made by mps across the political divide that havent materialised. That is why this tax pledge is different. It isnt connected to the conservative party. It is to the conservative party. It is a direct pledge from me and my constituents in rossendale and dannen and to the british people that i will not vote to put taxes up. Its for keeps. It is a pledge that i will stick to as long as i am a member of parliament. The Prime Minister says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists. Rishi sunak , whos on motorists. Rishi sunak, whos expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use. In england. Local councils in england also face a clampdown on using traffic offences to boost their budgets. A convicted child rapist said to be a high risk sex offender is wanted by lancashire police. Is wanted by lancashire police. The force says 35 year old Stephen Pennington presents a real risk to children and women if he failed to comply with licence conditions and being recalled to prison. He has links recalled to prison. He has links to blackburn blackpool and wigan police are asking anyone who sees him or knows his whereabouts to contact them. The whereabouts to contact them. The transport secretary says todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions. Over pay, jobs and conditions. Many parts of the country will have no services and those that do run will finish earlier than usual. Mark harper says the current offer on the table is reasonable. Reasonable. Its clearly a political strike timed to coincide with the conservative Party Conference. You dont have to think very carefully to see thats the case. Look, its a fair offer on the table. Train drivers get paid an average salary of £60,000 for a full day, 35 hour week. The pay rise thats on the table that they wont put to their members would take that average salary to £65,000 a year. Now, look , i £65,000 a year. Now, look, i think most of your viewers will will look at that and think that is actually quite fair and reasonable. Aslef general secretary mick whelan accused the transport secretary of not negotiating. Secretary of not negotiating. Well, its not political. Its industrial. Mr harper and his cronies for the last 16 months have been accusing us of attacking all sorts of events on strike days, which we havent done because we havent seen mr harper. To make harper. We decided to make a point today. Wheres wally . Wheres mark . And see us. Wheres mark . Come and see us. We striking today get the we are striking today to get the attention tory party and attention of the tory party and the government resolve the government to resolve this dispute. Dispute. Two people have been injured after crash the after a crash involving the flying scotsman and the train was involved in a slow speed collision with another heritage train just hours before visitors were due to board it at aviemore station. The National Railway museum says a shunting incident happened whilst a steam train was being coupled with the royal scotsman train carriages. This scotsman train carriages. 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 its over to. Martin thank you, tamsin. Superb as even thank you, tamsin. Superb as ever. Okay, lets get stuck now into todays hot topics. All into todays hot topics. All eyes are on the chancellor after more than 30 tory mps signed a letter demanding tax cuts to help struggling british families. The growing rebellion puts pressure on jeremy hunt as taxes shape up to once again be a key battleground at the conservative Party Conference. It comes after the institute for fiscal studies reveal that the tax burden is the highest. Its ever been since records began 70 years ago. So well , join me now to ago. So well, join me now to discuss this is political commentator Benedict Spence benedict, the tories are revolting. Weve got a form of Prime Minister liz truss in duncan smith, former party leader priti patel, Jacob Rees Mogg , john redwood. But rees mogg, john redwood. But heres my problem with this asking for no tax rises feels like thin gruel when we have the highest taxes since world war ii. I ii. I think youre exactly right. I think, you know, having waited all this time under rishi sunak and after 13 years of tory rule to say this is the line in the sand no further this, this this is as far as we will go, i do think, yeah, a lot of people who are very hard up against it will be looking at this proposal and go well thanks, we could have done this with this a while ago. Its now that were struggling. Thank you for saying youre not going struggle going to make a struggle anymore. Course this is anymore. But of course this is something i suppose a lot of tories feel that they have to do. A bit of a divide do. It is a bit of a divide within the tory party at the moment. A lot of tory mps got into on the basis of into politics on the basis of margaret and Margaret Thatcher and thatcherism the idea of thatcherism and the idea of a smaller state and smaller spending and theyve inadvertently found themselves propping government propping up a government that has in levels. So you know, rise in tax levels. So you know, perhaps without wanting to sort of the from underneath of pull the rug from underneath the minister they the Prime Minister, they feel that have this. And that they have to do this. And also i think some mps will be doing this on the one hand fearing the safety their fearing for the safety of their own seats the next general own seats come the next general election. Saying, election. Some will be saying, look sunaks look, this is rishi sunaks deal look, this is rishi sunaks deal. This isnt my deal. If you vote for me, i promise to sort of any new taxes. Of not vote for any new taxes. You sort of separate me from you can sort of separate me from the Prime Minister and i think a few others. You know, there are a few big names in that list as you said, a few others think you said, a few others i think might looking fonnard to the might be looking fonnard to the post. Sunak phase. And, post. Rishi sunak phase. And, you know, do need to remember you know, we do need to remember this the you know, this is the start. You know, this is the start. You know, this early stages of this is the early stages of the general election sunak general election campaign. Sunak has with lots of has been coming out with lots of policies, be it on net zero hs2 motorists, what have you. Its clear hes sort gearing clear that hes sort of gearing up that event. And i do up for that event. And i do think that perhaps the likes of especially the likes of priti patel, very patel, i suppose who are very popular tory popular amongst the tory grassroots, would be sort of sitting with one eye and sitting there with one eye and not on being a not potentially on being a future leader of the tory party, not potentially on being a futu potentiallyf the tory party, not potentially on being a futu potentially havingwry party, not potentially on being a futu potentially having a party, not potentially on being a futu potentially having a larger but potentially having a larger role to play in the future. And i think that thats the line that theyre trying to create here. And i wonder how much benedict is precisely that , benedict is precisely that, because at the tory Party Conference next week, liz truss is holding a side, a fringe debate called make britain grow again. Its no coincidence that she is one of the big signatures on this letter , for this is on this letter, for this is about trying to divide the party, isnt it . Its about trying to make the tory party at present look like a high tax party, with liz truss being the superhero wearing a cape, you can come in and save the day. Can come in and save the day. I think what i would say is i know that this isnt a universal popular opinion, but i do think that the tories are fools if they think that liz truss has much of a future high up the tory party. But to that extent she does make a very useful sort of trojan horse if you like, to sort push these ideas sort of push these ideas through and make something of and therefore make something of and therefore make something of a useful figurehead. But you know, this also i think has to come back to the idea of rishi sunak as man of action. Sunak as a man of action. I think hes been stung by the accusations of being inaction man labour party, which man by the labour party, which of course was know, the of course was the, you know, the natural the tories natural response to the tories calling keir starmer. Calling sir keir starmer. Captain or for so captain hindsight or for so long . You know, i think he has been sort hurt a little bit been sort of hurt a little bit by this perception that he is a Prime Minister to whom things happen rather than makes things happen. Think to go back happen. And i think to go back to, said, you know, the to, as i said, you know, the announcements things hs2 announcements on things like hs2 , is him trying , net zero, this is him trying to sort of grasp the nettle ahead of general election, ahead of a general election, trying look, im not trying to say, look, im not like sir keir starmer, im not just to going sit here and let taxes am to going try taxes rise. I am to going try and be a bit more proactive and perhaps now this is the low tax wing party saying, wing of the tory party saying, well, were on the well, whilst were on the subject being how subject being proactive, how about about a bit more about how about being a bit more proactive its vote proactive on this . Its a vote winner potentially, you winner potentially, and you dont to be sort of going dont seem to be sort of going in on two footed. You in on it two footed. You understand why he doesnt. He wants to separate himself from liz this is perhaps liz truss. But this is perhaps them the initiative and them seizing the initiative and saying, now is the time to saying, well, now is the time to press this advantage. Press home this advantage. Okay. Benedict one of the eye catching speakes speeches. Sorry at the conference is can the tories win by the bruges group on monday . How could the tories on monday . How could the tories win . Benedict you know whats going to work with the voters . What would you do to throw out there to make the conservatives appear concerned . Lviv again and appear concerned . Lviv again and try have hope at the next try and have a hope at the next general election . General election . I think the first thing people have always got to think aboutis people have always got to think about is people vote and whether or not they feel poorer at the end of a parliament than they did of it. That did at the start of it. That isnt entirely rishi sunak fault, but people do justifiably blame so blame the tories in general. So i needs to be big i think there needs to be big eye catching policies on on Economic Growth basically. Now be the be that be that the state, be that private businesses , it doesnt private businesses, it doesnt really matter. Youve just got to something people to have something that people will and go, yeah, will look at and go, yeah, thats create jobs. Thats going to create jobs. Thats growth. Thats going to create growth. The i think its the other thing i think its quite straightfonnard is the other thing i think its quiiroleaightfonnard is the other thing i think its quiirole of|htfonnard is the other thing i think its quiirole of the nnard is the other thing i think its quiirole of the state . Is the other thing i think its quiirole of the state . Its is the role of the state . Its security and law and order above healthcare, above education, everything else. It is securing your borders and securing your rights and liberties. And i think the tories want to win think if the tories want to win the next election, Something Else big on is else they have to go big on is the around the perceptions around immigration. Numbers immigration. Cutting the numbers of immigration, of illegal immigration, certainly, also about certainly, but also its about police streets. Its police on the streets. Its about crime. Its about about knife crime. Its about turning burglaries. Do turning up to burglaries. You do those things. I think those sorts of things. I think you yourself a fighting you give yourself a fighting chance simply because labour dont to a plan on dont seem to have a big plan on the and they dont the economy and they dont really to comfortable really seem to comfortable talking order or talking about law order or immigration. Thats where the tories hammer home their advantage. Benedict spends a huge portion of common sense this saturday lunchtime. Maybe you should involved in the tory should get involved in the tory party. Might a hope. Party. They might have a hope. Okay, move on now. A lot okay, lets move on now. A lot of been in touch on our of you have been in touch on our big story the website because big story on the website because of course, gbnews. Com is the fastest national Fastest Growing National News website uk. Hurrah well website in the uk. Hurrah well done. Website in the uk. Hurrah well done. Its the best analysis done. Its got the best analysis and opinion as well as all the latest breaking news. So go over there. But please, during there. But please, not during my show. So loads of you have been show. So loads of you have been getting in touch on the braverman reportedly rebuffing the of canterbury the archbishop of canterbury request for a meeting on immigration. We had a great debate on that earlier with beunda debate on that earlier with belinda de lucy and Stephen Pound on that topic. Sandra says this i a christian and this i am a christian and i regularly go to church services, but i think archbishop welby should back from political should back off from political comments as i proudly support controlling our borders and my local church doesnt make political judgements. If that political judgements. If that changes, i think it could push many christians away. So sandra, many christians away. So sandra, a lot of people will agree with that sentiment. Joseph says this i believe that religion and politics should not mix , but politics should not mix, but its braverman that has overstepped the mark here, not welby. Her rhetoric is very welby. Her rhetoric is very divisive and demonises people who are in genuine need of refuge. Great point. There from joseph. Keep those views coming in a great balance. Thats what we try and do on gb news and of course subscribe to our Youtube Channel and follow us on our socials were of course at gb news. Now to our next story. The uks biggest untapped oil field in the north sea was given the green light this week. The approval of the Rosebank Oil Field has , of course, faced field has, of course, faced widespread criticism by climate groups. But people who backed groups. But people who backed the project, including Prime Minister rishi sunak, argue its an important step in weaning ourselves off foreign imports and achieving energy security. And achieving energy security. Well, joining me now is senior lecturer in sustainable construction and Climate Change, john grant. A huge friend of the show. Its always a pleasure to see you, john. Thank you for joining us again on the show. Um this would seem to make common sense, wouldnt it . I mean, when you look at the stark numbers were importing 19 billion quids worth of gas per year, 85 of British Homes still have a gas boiler even more connected to the grid via oil. We simply cannot power britain on renewables alone. So why import oil and gas when we have trillions of pounds worth of it beneath our own north sea . Well i mean, its fundamentally the flaw in that is that its not our gas and oil. The oil and gas thats going to be pumped out of rosebank is going to go on to the global market. This is not going to help the people of the uk and once we give them 4 billion, 3. 7, 5 billion of the windfall tax to a danish company, we could actually keep that money and actually do some good for the people. So, you know, were the people. So, you know, were not actually securing gas. Were still going to have to buy it on the global market. This might bnng the global market. This might bring the price of gas down a few cents whilst its pumping. Few cents whilst its pumping. But its not a its not a uk owned. It doesnt come directly owned. It doesnt come directly into the uk. Owned. It doesnt come directly into the uk. It just owned. It doesnt come directly into the uk. It just gets sold into the uk. It just gets sold on the global market. And so youve got that. Then youve got the this global issue that if youve invested in an oil and gas field , youre going to run gas field, youre going to run that to the end. And weve already got five, at least five times more oil and gas than we can burn if were not going to breach our thresholds to set fire to the planet. And so the fire to the planet. And so the idea of opening a new one is just makes no scientific sense. So financially, it doesnt make any sense. Youd be much better in investing that 3. 75 billion into uk businesses, uk energy , into uk businesses, uk energy, you know reduce Peoples Energy consumption rather than force them to buy really Expensive Oil and gas. Lets improve the efficiency. See, lets, you efficiency. See, lets, you know, was quoted for a heat pump by octopus £2,300. So this £15,000 number that gets thrown around is just simply wrong. There are ways of improving our homes , and thats money that homes, and thats money that youll save forever. Youre not youll save forever. Youre not just a short term amount of cash that you can save whilst youre getting a little bit of tax from that foreign business. Running oil in our waters, which, you know , doesnt seem to it makes know, doesnt seem to it makes no sense. It just its a lie. No sense. It just its a lie. Okay john, well hear now to offer the counterpoint that the co founder of the together declaration , alan miller, who declaration, alan miller, who can join us now. Alan, thanks for joining us on gb news saturday. John was quite clear the answer is we need to wean ourselves off oil and impose hefty and gas and impose hefty windfall taxes on the companies who supply it to us, its absolutely nonsense. As it happens , in the last as it happens, in the last 100 years, carbon has transformed our relationship to the world. Its made us be able to live longer, to have development and Wealth Creation and growth is actually what we need to do is have a productivity plan. Have a productivity plan. We need to have a plan that is a cost benefit analysis dispensing with net zero saying this is how we can organise our Energy Independence, our innovation and growth. Thats why this together declaration has actually launched a to cabinet say we need jobs in the United Kingdom and this whole idea, right, that we impose limits and restriction for some kind of notion that somehow its going to make the planet better, is preposterous. Right. What we actually need to do is have jobs, have Wealth Creation , but jobs, have Wealth Creation, but that also involves all sorts of other things nuclear, tidal other things like nuclear, tidal oil and a range of other things. But we need to be able to have Energy Independence and we need to be have energy that is going to be have energy that is going to enable us to do things not when wind stops or when the when the wind stops or when the sun isnt out. Very, very sun isnt out. Its very, very destructive , active to our destructive, active to our Wealth Creation , its limits, its Wealth Creation, its limits, its power cuts , our infrastructure. Power cuts, our infrastructure. And i really think that thats why weve got a new campaign thats called no to net zero. Uk. And id encourage all your viewers to sign the petition on and drive that and have a proper assessment and evaluation about where britain is going in the hundred next years for our energy plan and for where we want to go in terms of growth and the economy and development. Okay. John you are shaking john grant, you are shaking your head so much so i thought it was to going wobble off. What have you got to say to that . No to net zero . Well i mean, okay, net zero, whatever for what were trying to do here is to stop the planet. Stop damaging the planet. The zero is and the net zero is a shorthand. Shorten that shorthand. We shorten that agree. Its an oversimplification for stopping harming all of us. And this idea didnt mention renewables, by the way. I was talking about reducing our energy consumption. But the reality is that weve done the research on renewables and if we can put the money that were currently squandering on expanding oil and gas, that will be stranded assets in the future here in energy. And batteries here in energy. And batteries and energy resources. And this and energy resources. And this this this challenge for a country that has half the wind in europe and the sun is going to rise and fall and we and quite rightly, you know, tidal stream waves, all of these things, there is no Single Technology thats going to do this. But we have plenty of energy if we invest in these resources effectively. This is this idea that oil and gas has been really good for us the last 100 years is true, but its ridiculous that then we then forgive it all the evils going fonnards when weve got the opportunity of such cheap energy that isnt oil and gas and were not then bleeding our money to foreign companies. So we do actually improve the uk. So the way to actually feed cheap energy into uk grids is to make that energy here in the uk not pay that energy here in the uk not Pay Companies abroad. Its just yeah, oil and gas have been have lifted us to this point but their time has passed now and we have to leave that and leave it in the ground. Okay. Alan miller the future okay. Alan miller the future is green. The future is renewable of fossil fuel advocates like you, youre a fossil to. Fossil to. Well, i think its really great that youve got this conversation on gb news and i really applaud the fact that we can have this conversation with john. And i think that were all coming same position, coming from the same position, right. Is were trying to right. Which is were trying to work out whats the most rational, rational, sensible way that out a to be that we can work out a way to be efficient independent. Efficient energy independent. And but the important thing is how we have provision for the public. I dont think we need to limit things and restrict things. I think what we actually need to have is growth and development and productivity. These are things that are unfashionable. Were told, about things like limits of growth and restrictions and suffocation of things. And actually what we needis things. And actually what we need is a kind of festive oil outlook over the hundred next years, a kind of what does britain want to look like in the next hundred years in terms of energy in terms of energy creation, in terms of Wealth Creation, jobs, not north sea oil . We should be like exploring developing exploring that and developing it. Theres jobs and we should be pursuing a range of different areas about our infrastructure and energy needs. And thats why together associate and weve got a cabinet thats dedicated to the energy and the environment , the energy and the environment, amongst other things. And weve got campaign no to net zero got this campaign no to net zero. Uk id encourage everyone to sign it, please. Okay, gentlemen, were going to have to leave it there. John grant and miller, thank to have to leave it there. John gran balance miller, thank to have to leave it there. John gran balance livelyler, thank to have to leave it there. John gran balance lively and. Hank to have to leave it there. John gran balance lively and full to have to leave it there. John gran balance lively and full and you. Balance lively and full and fair debate. Thats the way we like on gb news. Thank like to do it on gb news. Thank you. Moving on our next you. Moving on to our next story, because members the story, because members of the train union aslef are Train Drivers Union aslef are walking out once again today as the long running dispute over pay the long running dispute over pay jobs and working conditions just rumbles on and on. The strikes are timed to hit the conservative Party Conference in manchester, which begins tomorrow. Another strike has tomorrow. Another strike has been planned for next wednesday as well. Well, joining us now as well. Well, joining us now from outside london, Waterloo Station is our National Reporter Theo Chikomba theo. Its Theo Chikomba theo. Its groundhog day. Once again. Is there ever any end in sight for these infernal train strikes . These infernal train strikes . Well thats the question. One person who was just here next to us, he was talking about when will this end . Hes saying another one. And he was like, of course, this is their opportunity to voice their concerns. Aslef Union Members train drivers. There have been here since the early hours of this morning. Just left a few moments ago. But theyve been saying this is about pay their jobs. But of course, working conditions earlier this year, they were offered 4 over a penod they were offered 4 over a period of two years, but that was also in exchange for their working conditions , which would working conditions, which would be changing if that deal was to be changing if that deal was to be accepted. But they still find themselves in this situation. Weve heard from the transport secretary earlier today saying what theyve been doing in terms of this industrial action is political , which they refuse. Political, which they refuse. The aslef Union General secretary saying the government have put them in a difficult place when it comes to negotiations. And this is what he had to say earlier today. Well see. Mark harper, since january of last year when he took over and he told me that the rail minister was to going facilitate talks before those talks took they put out talks took place. They put out an offer that we hadnt seen that ripped up every term and condition that we had. And it was untenable. And then they begged to begged us to come back to the table and we set up a framework around that discussion about what we do and then they what we would do and then they came weve all came back after weve taken all our out of discussion our red lines out of discussion and to make it work. And and tried to make it work. And that gave us an offer all our red they set this up red lines in, they set this up to and when every time to fail. And when every time they say fair and reasonable, i see the words lies and deceit. Last train to leave the last train to leave waterloo afternoon was at waterloo this afternoon was at 145, of the people 145, so majority of the people you do see coming out of the station now coming through the tube entrance next week, rmt Union Members will be striking at taking strike action as well. And underground workers will also be doing the same thing alongside aslef Union Members next week. Wednesday day. So again, its yet another day where theres going to be disruption across the uk , across disruption across the uk, across england, shall i say, for those passengers who will look to use the trains and the advice from network rail is that do check ahead before you travel. So that you dont find yourself stuck wherever that might be when youre planning to travel around the around the country. Theo chikomba thank you for that update. And your your commuter there saying not another one exactly the same as brenda bristol. Here we go brenda from bristol. Here we go again. And round we go. Again. Round and round we go. Seems to be the only dependable thing about trains these is thing about trains these days is that going to be another that theres going to be another strike. Anyway, youre strike. Okay. Anyway, youre watching listening gb watching and listening to gb news me, martin news saturday with me, martin dalby loads more coming dalby is still loads more coming up but first up today on the show, but first lets take a look at the weather with marco. Hello im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. Well a mixed of weather well see a mixed bag of weather across uk over the next few across the uk over the next few days. And windy weather across the uk over the next few datimes, and windy weather across the uk over the next few datimes, but and windy weather across the uk over the next few datimes, but equally nindy weather across the uk over the next few datimes, but equally some weather across the uk over the next few datimes, but equally some warm er at times, but equally some warm spells of sunshine, weve spells of sunshine, too. Weve got moving in from got low pressure moving in from the southwest at moment. The southwest at the moment. Thats bringing current band thats bringing the current band of windy weather into of wet and windy weather into the west of the uk. The north and west of the uk. And through and certainly as we head through the evening the overnight the evening into the overnight period, outbreaks period, further outbreaks of wet and weather moving north and windy weather moving north and windy weather moving north and eastwards many areas, and eastwards across many areas, becoming confined towards becoming mainly confined towards the into the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the and the early hours of sunday and also trailing front, also a trailing weather front, bringing of heavy rain to bringing a band of heavy rain to parts of wales north west england and north midlands england and the north midlands to clearer slots towards to in the clearer slots towards the a pretty the south east. Its a pretty warm muggy warm and muggy night. Temperatures 16 or temperatures no lower than 16 or 17 a few spots, a 17 celsius in a few spots, a little bit fresher towards the north and northeast. As for sunday, well see a three sunday, well, well see a three way split. That band of rain continuing to affect the central slice uk, northern slice of the uk, northern england, parts of wales. Certainly heavy certainly seeing a few heavy bursts rain bursts of rain. That rain gradually as we gradually easing as we go through day towards the through the day towards the south east, picture south east, a brighter picture and and or 2 showers and sunshine and 1 or 2 showers towards north and northwest towards the north and northwest in the sunshine in the south east, temperatures doing very for time of year very well for the time of year into low locally towards mid into the low locally towards mid 2023 is 75in 2023 or 24 celsius, 24 is 75in fahrenheit. And even towards the north, bad at 17 or 18 north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees. That band of rain continues to affect that central slice the on monday. If slice of the uk on monday. If anything, pepping up for a time again. So further heavy burst of rain here at times again brighter towards southeast brighter towards the southeast and the and brighter towards the northwest. As head northwest. And as we head into tuesday wednesday, tuesday and wednesday, its a case of sunshine and showers and fairly in the sun. Fairly warm in the sun. Tom and marco, thank you very much. Theres still loads more coming up yet on todays show, including Northern Irish authorities created authorities have created a unique programme to encourage young people be on our young people to be safe on our roads. Well have all the details im Martin Daubney details next. Im Martin Daubney and youre watching and listening to news, britains listening to gb news, britains news channel. News. The peoples channel, britains news channel. Britains news channel. Good afternoon, im Tamsin Roberts in the newsroom. Its 230. Here are the headlines. The 230. Here are the headlines. The driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the m50 n3 yesterday has been named as stephen shrimpton. The 40 year olds family says he suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute to describing him as a loving husband and father. 15 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , all including taken to hospital, all including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools on the wirral when their bus overturned after colliding with a car. When their bus overturned after colliding with a car. Dozens of colliding with a car. Dozens of conservative mps have signed a pledge to never again vote for an increase in overall taxes. An increase in overall taxes. Former Prime Minister liz truss and former Party Leader Sir Iain duncan smith are among those to have signed up, along with seven former cabinet ministers the promise means they wont vote for the chancellors autumn statement if it contains tax rises. Putting pressure on rishi sunak ahead of the conservative Party Conference. The Prime Minister says hes slamming the brakes on the war on motorists , brakes on the war on motorists, as rishi sunak, who is expected to address the issue this week, told the sun that harebrained schemes like low traffic neighbourhoods and 20mph zones were being forced on drivers. The department for transport says guidance will be reviewed to prevent their blanket use in england. The transport secretary england. The transport secretary mark harper, says todays strike by train drivers is clearly political and planned to coincide with the tory Party Conference. Aslef members at 16 operators in england have walked out in a long running dispute over pay, jobs and conditions in many parts of the country will have no services. And those that do rumble finish earlier than usual. Do rumble finish earlier than usual. Those are the headlines. Usual. Those are the headlines. You can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website. News. Com now its back to. News. Com now its back to. Martin and thanks for the update. Tamzin superb as ever. Welcome back to gb news saturday with myself. Martin daubney on your tv, online and on your Digital Radio. Now lots of you have been getting in touch on the fresh wave of rail strikes that are taking place today. Graham says this i dont think these strikers live in the real world. My pay rise last year was £0. 05 an hour. Great point. Theyve been offered 65 grand packages and mark harper said thats quite a lot of dosh. Id be inclined to agree. Chris says this another strike. But life seems to go on regardless. Yes, seems to go on regardless. Yes, maybe the rail network isnt needed. Theyre turkeys. Vote for christmas. And on that point, chris, i reckon well lose another christmas thanks to these strikes, just like we did last time. Call me a cynic and i hope im wrong. Clare says this the union bosses should be made to put pay offers to their members and not be allowed to strike further until they do. I strike further until they do. I think the problem is though, theyre allowed and they want to withdraw their services. If they dont think the pay offer is sufficient. So keep those views coming in. The show is nothing without you. On to our next story. Theres a new school term story. Theres a new School Term Begins some students might be thinking about getting behind begins some students might be thinwheelbout getting behind begins some students might be thinwheel 0th getting behind begins some students might be thinwheel of a getting behind begins some students might be thinwheel of a carting behind begins some students might be thinwheel of a car. Ng behind begins some students might be thinwheel of a car. Theehind begins some students might be thinwheel of a car. The award the wheel of a car. The Award Winning road safe roadshow is now touring schools in Northern Ireland designed to make Young Drivers think twice before driving and showing them the consequences of making bad decisions as a driver. Dougie beattie went to sperring college in magaluf for a closer look at the show. And just a warning, the show. And just a warning, there are some scenes in this report that some viewers and listeners distressing. Listeners may find distressing. The knock on the door that is every parents nightmare. This every parents nightmare. This re enactment is part of an Award Winning show that brings together members of the Emergency Services who share their experiences of fatal road crashes with those that have now reached the age to drive. Johnny reached the age to drive. Johnny himars is a paramedic that has been part of this show for more than 12 years. Fortunately , the kids are fortunately, the kids are come to see these shows , arent come to see these shows, arent aware of the aftermath and consequence of being involved in a road traffic collision. Carnage , blood. Carnage, blood. Carnage, blood. Twisted metal. Its just twisted metal. Its just horrific. Its just horrific to see. And its real life events in my life that i try to forget. But again, we like to reinforce and try and come here and build our picture to give these kids a sense of reality, of what its actually like to be involved in these road traffic collisions. This multi agency approach is headed up by the police chief inspector graham dodds fears this years figures of road deaths could get much higher. Deaths could get much higher. So today is about signposting and a very, very clear and almost shocking manner. The dangers of using the roads, the responsibilities drivers and passengers have and that very simple fact that this year alone in Northern Ireland, 48 people have been killed. And 48 people have been killed. And its only the end of september as the head of policing, im assessing and worried that by the end of december this year , the end of december this year, we could have 70 or 80 people dead. We could have 70 or 80 people dead. Rory donegan is dead. Rory donegan is a firefighter that believes its not just the driver that needs to be aware of distractions. To be aware of distractions. Every action on the road has a consequence and we are looking for the young people to understand that getting a driving licence has responsibilities , that they need responsibilities, that they need to make the right decisions because if they dont make the right decisions , they can affect right decisions, they can affect not just their own lives and their families lives, but other road users. It also goes for not road users. It also goes for not just but pedesta browns just drivers but pedesta browns and passengers in the car. And for passengers in the car. You know, distraction driving. You know, distraction driving. If the passenger wants to show a message on a phone, wait to the pull the car in because they can be responsible for killing or maiming somebody. The contributors are all real and their re enactments are based on actual events. But does it have the impact on the students . Students . I personally just pass my theory test yesterday and i wasnt thinking too much about like drive ing and everything. So i think the show is very eye opening. It really puts into respect that this can happen to anyone and anyone could be involved in a car accident and its very traumatising thing to witness and certainly some of the scenes today were definitely disturbing to witness. But its something that i believe everyone have the back everyone should have in the back of that it can happen of their mind that it can happen to anyone. To anyone. Was really good. And it was really good. Definitely makes you aware of the risks and all very informative. Inform ative. Informative. It was quite shocking at times, but thats really what we needed to see. You know, it was the harsh reality of driving on the harsh reality of driving on the road, especially people like myself that are , you know, young myself that are, you know, Young Drivers and you know, to see that we can be dangerous on the road were not careful. Road if were not careful. Dougie beattie gb news magherafelt. Magherafelt. Excellent stuff and a great solution to a growing problem. Were you watching and listening to gb news saturday with me . Martin daubney. Lots coming Martin Daubney. Lots more coming up show , including up on todays show, including the second Republican Debate has taken place in usa. But taken place in the usa. But where was donald trump . Ill speak to our friends across the pond about that precise topic. All of that and much more to come. Youre watching and listening to gb news, britains news gb news radio. And welcome back to gb news saturday with me, Martin Daubney on your tv online and on your Digital Radio. Now where on earth is donald trump . Well, he didnt appear at trump . Well, he didnt appear at the second republican primary debate in the us this week, but of course, trump being trump. He was still a huge topic of conversation. Well, lets have a listen to what his fellow republican candidates had to say dunng republican candidates had to say during that debate on the fox business network. Business network. You know who else is missing in action on donald trump is missing in action. He should be on this stage tonight. He owes it to you two to defend his record, where they added 7. 8 trillion to the debt that set the stage for the inflation that we have. Inflation that we have. And i want to look in that camera right now and tell you, donald, i know youre watching. You cant help yourself. I know youre watching me. Okay . And youre watching me. Okay . And youre here tonight, youre not here tonight, not because polls and not because because of polls and not because of your indictments. Not of your indictments. Youre not here youre here tonight because youre afraid of being on this stage and defending your record. And defending your record. Youre ducking things and youre ducking these things and let me tell you whats going to happen. You keep doing that. No one going to call you one up here is going to call you donald trump anymore. Were going to call donald duck. Going to call you donald duck. All to ask governor. Well, julie, we now is us political analyst eric hamm live from washington , dc. So he here from washington, dc. So he here we are again, eric. Hes missing in action. And yet theyre all talking about the guy. Talking about the guy. Yeah, theyre talking about him, but hes not missing in action. Actually, what were seeing from donald trump is counterprogramming. He was in a counterprogramming. He was in a key battleground state as the debate was actually taking place. Speaking directly to voters and the fact that so much of the oxygen, so much of the energy by those candidates on the stage focussed on donald trump, just shows you just how much of a stranglehold he has over this party and over this primary. Hes still leading in the polls nationally by 50 points over his closest competitor for the gop nomination. And in those early nomination. And in those early battleground voting states, donald trump is still leading by as many as 40 points. And so what we saw that night was not one of those candidates on that stage was actually able to break out and get even remotely close to donald trump. And so what were seeing as were getting closer and closer to the first votes being cast in this primary, donald trump still remains the frontrunner. And it remains the frontrunner. And it looks as though hes going to be running away with us until or unless someone can actually do something to slow down his momentum and eric, meanwhile , he momentum and eric, meanwhile, he may not have been at the debate, but he was holding a gop rally dunng but he was holding a gop rally during which he did a rather amusing, i think anyhow impression of joe biden unable to get off the stage. Lets show that clip now. Lets show that clip now. Now people say bidens going to make it. To make it. Does anybody think hes going to make it to the starting gate . I mean, the guy cant find his way off of a stage. Look, heres the stage. Heres the heres the stage. Heres the stage. Ive never seen this stage. Ive never seen this stupid stage before. Youre stupid stage before. Youre right. Ive never seen it. Right. Ive never seen it. But if i walk left, theres a stair. Stair. And if i walk right, theres a stair. And this guy gets up. A stair. And this guy gets up. Up. Where am. Up. Where am. I where the hell am i . Where am. I. I so, eric, donald trump adding comedy to his cannon there, some might say, but on a more serious point, there were some polling released earlier this week saying that the majority of 18 to 35 year old voters are now plus 20 points in favour of donald trump, which completely upsets the narrative that young people vote for biden. And back to that point, thats because three quarters of all voters think joe biden is simply too old to run as president. How serious a talking point is that . Your side of the pond in america . That poll, i think, is an outlier. I dont believe its right. In fact, while there are those who are deeply concerned about joe bidens age, and rightfully so , we do see a poll rightfully so, we do see a poll where 18 to 35 year olds are solidly in the camp of donald trump. I think thats just completely wrong. And the reason why i say that is because we have also seen polling data that shows that generation 2 voters are ovennhelmingly supporting Democratic Candidates right now. And thats actually backed up by the last eight special elections that we have seen take place across this country, where democrats have won. And so democrats have won. And so i think if republicans are going to hang their hat on that polling data, i think thats going to put them in a worse position as they head into this all important president ial election. Election. Okay, eric ham, thank you for joining us live from washington, d. C. For your expert analysis. As ever, always appreciate you. Thank you very much. Okay. Youve been getting in touch on our big topics of the day throughout the show on archbishop welby being ignored by Suella Braverman. Clive says this as archbishop welby has a real influence over his congregation worldwide, including hundreds of bishops, all of whom could play a proactive part in helping the migrants settle near to their homes. His church also has enormous wealth, which he could put to use. Seeing the home put to use. Seeing the home secretary is a complete waste of his time. And clive, a lot of his time. And clive, a lot of people are agreeing that so far precisely zero no refugees have been put up in any of welbys mansions or churches on oil fields in the north sea. Gary fields in the north sea. Gary says this the thatcher government should never have privatised bp billions. Of privatised bp billions. Of pounds of flow to shareholders, which should have gone to the uk exchequer. The mishandling of our Natural Resource shares is a disgrace. Great point, gary, on healthy eating. We had a report healthy eating. We had a report earlier on soaring childhood obesity. Sheila says this my six year old and three year old love to help with preparing and cooking of their meals. This really helps them to understand healthy eating, sitting down together for as a family also makes a big difference. We have all the same foods and they love it when we appreciate their efforts. Sheila music to my ears. My mums a cookery teacher. She taught me how to cook. Ive taught my kids. Thats the way we became interested in food and a balanced diet. So keep those views coming in. Subscribe to our channel and follow our Youtube Channel and follow us were, of us on our socials. Were, of course, at gb news. Now theres been some good news on the economic front this week. Gdp rose by 0. 3 in the first quarter, more than initially expected by the ons , which means expected by the ons, which means wait for it. The uk has wait for it. The uk has overtaken france and germany in Economic Growth post covid. Well, joining me now is Justin Urquhart stewart, economic economist and co founder of investors advisors regionally. So justin, this one upsets the apple cart, doesnt it . I mean, all weve heard since brexit, i finally got that word into this show is that were at the back of the queue, were done for and yet here we are. Britain is outperforming both france and germany. How outperforming both france and germany. How did this happen . Germany. How did this happen . Yeah, enjoy it. Good news at last. Yeah, enjoy it. Good news at last. Now the problem is, last. Now the problem is, unfortunately, weve got too much data the entire time coming out. And what youre seeing is, of course, is revision of Previous Data. So the Previous Data said youre not doing so well. Were behind the others. So it looks as though and so it looks as though were heading for recession. The figures change this one, the figures change a little bit. It gets a little bit better. Lo and behold, were and lo and behold, were ahead germany, ahead of ahead of germany, ahead of france, still behind the others. And thats but its positive. And thats to actually, you know, to to be actually, you know, to congratulate but congratulate ourselves. But im afraid these revisions, so afraid these are revisions, so we excited we shouldnt get too excited about it. The good news about these sort of figures, though, is it does go the basis the does go back to the basis of the economy saying economy to actually start saying actually, there are some things here can give us here which can give us confidence were not in recession. Technically, were not heading recession. Heading for a recession. Might even heading for a recession. Might eveand it might start and actually it might start seeing more growth. So seeing some more growth. So thats better news. And remember , that confidence is so , that word confidence is so vital and i and the vital for you and i and the primary driver of the uk economy, which not the economy, which is not the government, its actually the consumer still go out and consumer to still go out and spend money, buy houses and spend some money, buy houses and have the confidence to go and do things a long way go. But things a long way to go. But its bit more its a little bit more encouraging. Not all bad news for so its not all bad news for the uk economy. Can i just ask you quickly about this row, about tax that were seeing . 33 about tax that were seeing . 33 tory mps are promising they wont raise tax. Surely what we wont raise tax. Surely what we need, justin, isnt the promise of no more tax rises , but of no more tax rises, but actually a tax cut. Actually a tax cut. Yes, thats where we need to now be much more constructive over taxation and taxation isnt just about actually just trying to hit us with yet more taxes. I mean, thats a its a very easy one to say were not going to do that anymore. What you need to do is actually make tax constructive. Thats to say, using tax to encourage things to happen. Occur . Yes you happen. Does that occur . Yes you look like enterprise look at things like enterprise investment whereby investment schemes whereby people put money into people actually put money into small to get them Small Businesses to get them going, which is where our bigger businesses from. Were businesses come from. Were very good starting good at starting Small Businesses around the businesses all around the country, to country, so you need to encourage those sort of incentives. It doesnt cost the government anything at all, but it theyll probably get it means theyll probably get less in the future. Less tax money in the future. But it means he gets money but it means he gets more money into so into the economy right now. So doesnt matter actually so doesnt matter about actually so much. Issue about the much. That issue about the headlines. Dont want any headlines. We dont want any more taxes. No beacon constructive taxation in constructive over taxation in courage money to be spent by because theres no shortage of money by pension holders. Pension companies, investment companies, and also individuals whove got assets and we know there are awful lot of people still with a lot of cash and assets willing to invest. But the reason they hold back is they confidence. They dont have the confidence. So the government could help with leave aside with that. So leave aside headunes with that. So leave aside headlines saying we dont headlines and saying we dont want taxes. No, thats want any more taxes. No, thats been grown up. Want more been more grown up. We want more intelligent taxation to encourage investment. Thats better. Better. Okay. Justin, what with the freezing of Interest Rates and hopein freezing of Interest Rates and hope in sight with inflation, do you think now were out of the woods or are there still tough times as we approach the times ahead as we approach the winter. Winter. Oh, sadly, its still going to be a very difficult time because we have got Oil Prices Going up and we dont know whats going to be happening in Eastern Europe apart. Fact, it gets lot colder and so if we gets a lot colder and so if we have a beast from the east winter, we can find ourselves in some very difficult situations. We last year, we had a mild winter last year, so were not of it, im so were not out of it, im afraid. But nonetheless, we got through difficult last through a difficult time last yean through a difficult time last year. Many more year. Weve got many more reserves in western europe now than last year, were than we had last year, so were much better for prepared much more better for prepared it. Still more it. But theres still the more the government to the government can do to encourage individuals encourage more individuals to actually that they actually make sure that they insulate their houses more effectively, downside. Effectively, thats a downside. More than actually more effective than actually trying change their different trying to change their different types things like types of boilers and things like that lagging in and that puts them lagging in and things that be a much things like that would be a much easier. As for me, well, id be much happier once the train strike easy and i can get strike is easy and i can get home newcastle. Home from newcastle. Were going to okay, justin, were going to have to leave it there. Thanks for joining us. Always a pleasure. In those pleasure. Especially in those resplendent. Now resplendent red blazers. Now then of a pop at then i had a bit of a pop at justin welby a minute ago, but an eagle eyed viewer sent in this justin welby this apparently, justin welby did six Syrian Refugees did house. Six Syrian Refugees have times in have they fall on hard times in one of his flats . Thats me one of his flats . Thats me told. Anyway, thats it from me. But stay tuned because just being joined by the fabulous nana akua. Nana. What have you got on the menu today . One of his flats. One of his flats. So how many has he got . I mean, for goodness sake, were actually ask whether actually going to ask whether its the church to butt its time for the church to butt out of the whole immigration issue maybe open up issue or perhaps maybe open up some churches put some some of the churches to put some of refugees migrants of the refugees and migrants there. Would there. Perhaps that would be more for justin. There. Perhaps that would be more forjustin. But there. Perhaps that would be more for justin. But no, more useful for justin. But no, weve loads to talk about. Weve got loads to talk about. Were going about ulez, were going to talk about ulez, sadiq khan. Weve got howard cox coming hes obviously going coming in. Hes obviously going to going for the to be hes going for the position of and were position of mayor and were going at whether going to be looking at whether perhaps this is it for little sunak perhaps hes found a little nugget maybe little nugget and maybe the conservative able conservative party might be able to maybe win potentially and maybe win potentially superb. Superb. Great. So. So it could sounds great. So. So it could be for khan. Be curtains for sadiq khan. Could curtains for rishi could be curtains for rishi sunak. Do you hold chance of sunak. Do you hold any chance of the giving us any the conference giving us any hope for the tories . Oh god. Well, as long as they dont start infighting, if they can, you know, if they can keep it the keir it together, then the way keir starmer crumbling with his starmer is crumbling with his ridiculous policy private ridiculous policy on private schools, given schools, although hes given back hes back the charitable status, hes now decided that hes going to keep charging them vat and business rates. So all of that to discuss right. Youve been watching okay. Youve been watching and listen to news saturday and listen to gb news saturday with dalby. Stay and listen to gb news saturday with because dalby. Stay and listen to gb news saturday with because of alby. Stay and listen to gb news saturday with because of courseitay and listen to gb news saturday with because of course weve tuned because of course weve got nana. Its to be got nana. Its going to be superb. First, heres the weather marco. Weather with marco. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. Update from the met office. Well see a mixed bag of weather across the uk over the next few days. Some wet and windy weather at times, but equally some warm spells of sunshine, too. Weve got in from got low pressure moving in from the southwest at the moment. Thats bringing the current band of windy weather into of wet and windy weather into the north and west of the uk. And we head through the north and west of the uk. Andevening we head through the north and west of the uk. Andevening into we head through the north and west of the uk. Andevening into the 1ead through the north and west of the uk. Andevening into the overnightigh the evening into the overnight period, wet period, further outbreaks of wet and weather moving north period, further outbreaks of wet and eastwardsither moving north period, further outbreaks of wet and eastwards across oving north period, further outbreaks of wet and eastwards across many north period, further outbreaks of wet and eastwards across many areas, becoming towards becoming mainly confined towards the scotland into the north east of scotland into the north east of scotland into the early hours of sunday and also a trailing weather front, bringing band heavy to bringing a band of heavy rain to parts wales, north west parts of wales, north west england and the north midlands too. The clearer slots too. In the clearer slots towards a towards the south east, its a pretty and muggy night. Pretty warm and muggy night. Temperatures or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius1res or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius ins or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a few or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a few spots or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a few spots , or pretty warm and muggy night. Te celsius in a few spots , a or 17 celsius in a few spots, a little bit fresher towards the north northeast east. As for north and northeast east. As for sunday, well see three sunday, well, well see a three way that band of rain way split. That band of rain continuing to affect the central slice the uk, northern slice of the uk, northern england, of wales england, parts of wales certainly heavy certainly seeing a few heavy bursts that rain bursts of rain that rain gradually we go gradually easing as we go through towards the through the day towards the south east. A brighter picture and or 2 showers and sunshine and 1 or 2 showers towards north and northwest. Towards the north and northwest. But in the sunshine the but in the sunshine in the south east temperatures doing but in the sunshine in the south ea foremperatures doing but in the sunshine in the south ea foremptimeres doing but in the sunshine in the south ea foremptime of doing but in the sunshine in the south ea foremptime of yearg very well for the time of year into the low locally towards mid 2023 or 24 celsius, 24 is 75in fahrenheit. And towards the fahrenheit. And even towards the north, at 17 or 18 north, not bad at 17 or 18 degrees. That band of rain continues to affect that central slice of the uk on monday. If anything, pepping up for a time again. Heavy bursts again. So further heavy bursts of at times again of rain here at times again brighter towards the south east and brighter towards the north west. Into north west. And as we head into tuesday wednesday, its tuesday and wednesday, its a case and showers case of sunshine and showers and fairly in the sun in a fairly warm in the sun in a world of dull and predictable radio and tv shows. Radio and tv shows. Oh hi on mark dolan tonight, weve got big guests. We drill into the big stories of the day i the show adds up to a brilliant listening and viewing experience. Mark dolan tonight is the most entertaining Current Affairs show ever, and thats a fact. Thats mark dolan. Fact. Thats mark dolan. Tonight, friday, saturday and sunday from 9 00 only on gb news britains news channel. Britains news channel. Hello, good afternoon and welcome to gb news on tv, online and on Digital Radio. Im nana akua and for the next few hours, me and my panel will be taking on some of the big topics, hitting the headlines right now. This show is all about opinion. Its mine. Its theirs. And of course, its yours. Well be debating, discussing, and at course, its yours. Well be debatiwe discussing, and at course, its yours. Well be debatiwe will ussing, and at course, its yours. Well be debatiwe will disagree,|d at course, its yours. Well be debatiwe will disagree, butt course, its yours. Well be debatiwe will disagree, but no times we will disagree, but no one cancelled. So one will be cancelled. So joining me in the next hour broadcast from columnist lizzie cundy and also former labour adviser matthew lhasa. Now, before we get started, lets get your latest News Headlines. Your latest News Headlines. Hello, good afternoon from the gb newsroom. Im Tamsin Roberts. Its 3 00. The driver of a school bus who died after it crashed on the wirral yesterday has been named as stephen shrimpton. The 40 as stephen shrimpton. The 40 year olds family says the father of two suffered medical issues at the wheel of the coach. Theyve paid tribute, describing him as a loving husband and father. 15 year old husband and father. 15 year old Jessica Baker also died in the crash. Four other children were taken to hospital , including a taken to hospital, including a 14 year old boy whose injuries are said to be life changing. The pupils were on their way to Calday Grange and west kirby grammar schools when their bus overturned on the m53 after colliding with a car. Overturned on the m53 after colliding with a car. Dozens of