Transcripts For GBN Good 20240704

Theres a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. And a chap from amnesty rule. And a chap from Amnesty International says hes a wildly exaggerate the issue and risks delegitimizing the right of peaceful protest. Peaceful protest. Is that his official job title . Chap chap at amnesty . Well, i can name him tom southerden, Amnesty International, southerden, Amnesty International , the uks law and international, the uks law and human rights director , says human rights director, says i prefer chap, says the Prime Minister is wildly exaggerating the issue of this mob rule. Do you think he is . I think thats overinterpreted what the Prime Minister to according all minister said, to according all these reports, the Prime Minister was saying some people are as hes are interpreting this as hes not literally saying that mobs are the country. Be are ruling the country. Be concerning. If prime concerning. If the Prime Minister because minister was saying that because nominally the prime is nominally the Prime Minister is ruling country. But nominally the Prime Minister is ruling country. But think, nominally the Prime Minister is rlthink country. But think, nominally the Prime Minister is rlthink people 1try. But think, nominally the Prime Minister is rlthink people are. But think, nominally the Prime Minister is rlthink people are justt think, nominally the Prime Minister is rlthink people are just taking k, i think people are just taking these words whenever anyone says anything on either side of this debate , its over interpreted debate, its over interpreted and over interpreted and if these things were listened to in context, if people had open and civil conversations with one another, wed probably stop talking past one another as it looks like Amnesty International and the Prime Minister are doing on this issue. I mean, hes talking about the experiences of his own mps, isnt he . Those in the house and those in the house of commons who have stood up in the house commons and said that house of commons and said that they threats, they receive threats, and theres about they receive threats, and there rule, about they receive threats, and there rule, not about they receive threats, and there rule, not least about mob rule, not least tobias ellwood, targeted ellwood, who was targeted outside his home. Also outside his home. Youve also got , of course, mike fraser got, of course, mike fraser standing down. Yeah, but it comes down to definitional arguments right. To definitional arguments right. To some people. I dont think anyone in this country could deny that mp was feel under threat. I mean , weve had keir threat. I mean, weve had Keir Starmers home visited by activists just yesterday. Just stop oil in that case. Just stop oil in that case. Yeah but but but whether you describe that as mob rule or not is the argument, not that this stuff isnt happening. And anyway, this he said and anyway, this is he said this push the police and anyway, this is he said thido push the police and anyway, this is he said thido more. Push the police and anyway, this is he said thido more. Let push the police and anyway, this is he said thido more. Let us;h the police and anyway, this is he said thido more. Let us know police and anyway, this is he said thido more. Let us know whate and anyway, this is he said thido more. Let us know what you to do more. Let us know what you think. Gb views news. Com do think. Gb views gb news. Com do you we risk brawl in you think we risk more brawl in this country . Lets get your this country . But lets get your headunes. Headlines. Thanks, emily. Good afternoon. Its 12 01. Im sophia afternoon. Its12 01. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your top story. Sarah everards killer , wayne cousin everards killer, wayne cousin should never have been a Police Officer. According to an inquiry and chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored and missed. The 33 year old was murdered on her way home in clapham, south london, by the serving Police Officer in march 2021. In query, chairwoman dame angela has warned without a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture, there is nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight. Miss everards family was welcomed. The findings saying she died because he was a Police Officer and she would never have got into a strangers car even after cousins arrest and a review of his vetting clearance , the his vetting clearance, the metropolitan Police Service told the inquiry in 2022 that they would still have recruited him if provided with the same information. Information. I find this astonishing. I make a number of recommend actions to improve recruitment and vetting , covering everything and vetting, covering everything from in person interviews and home visits for new recruits to improvements for information sharing around transfer ease. In addition to the shortcomings in vetting and recruitment that the report shows, very clearly how Police Investigations of indecent exposure were poor for the Prime Minister has told police to use their powers to protect mps after warning the uk is descending into mob rule. Is descending into mob rule. The government has already announced a £31 million Security Package to boost security , package to boost security, following safety fears. Concerns following safety fears. Concerns have been growing over mps being targeted by protesters since the outbreak of the israel hamas war. Schools minister damian hinds says the Additional Support is needed. Its really important to protect our democracy. Thats not just members of parliament, of course, but it includes members parliament. Includes members of parliament. We representative we have a Representative Democracy really democracy and its really important that that can go about its business. Individuals can go about business. And by the about their business. And by the way, members way, their Staff Members and families fear. So i do families without fear. So i do think its right that there is this there is this focus. Think its right that there is this there is this focus. The this there is this focus. The Police Obviously do fantastic work and were all were all very grateful to them. And yes, i do welcome that, that, that focus the Prime Minister focus that the Prime Minister has protecting our has brought to protecting our democracy , our democratic democracy, our democratic process democratic process and democratic participation. Participation. Now, the latest migrant statistic show illegal migration has fallen , but legal migration has fallen, but legal migration is up. Government figures show is up. Government figures show small boat arrivals in 2023 have been down 36 since the year before , and there were five before, and there were five times higher boat return says illegal migration in 2023 was one third fewer than in 2022. However there were 3. 4 million entry clearance visas granted in 2023. Thats 20 higher than the year before. Dame Esther Rantzen year before. Dame Esther Rantzen is campaigning for a fresh debate on a vote for legalised assisted dying in the uk, saying the current law is a mess. She recently revealed she had joined the dignitas assisted dying clinic in switzerland after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. It follows a report which warned that the government must consider what to do if the law is changed in other parts of the uk, the issue is currently being considered in jersey and the isle of both of which are isle of man, both of which are British Crown dependencies. Some British Crown dependencies. Some members public expressed members of the public expressed their opinion on the issue. Their opinion on the issue. I think theyre going to be a lot of ramified nations from this. I mean, they have it legalised in switzerland , dont legalised in switzerland, dont they . Really going to they . But its really going to be something for a long be something that for a long time, the ruling will have time, the ruling class will have access to because of how expensive will be. How expensive it will be. How feasible will it be for the nhs to be able to support it . Theory , i see why . In theory, i dont see why shouldnt legal, why it shouldnt be legal, because every one has a right to die in the way they want to. Why should they suffer when theyre in agony . And this could go on. This agony could go on for years. And is it fair to for years. And is it fair to make people suffer. And hairy make people suffer. And hairy bikers star dave myers has died aged 66, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Psyching his motorcycling cooking duo partner revealed the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at his home with his family. He said he cant put into words how hes feeling at the moment, but everyone who loved dave is devastated. And for the latest devastated. And for the latest story , sign up to gb news alerts story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com alerts. Now its back to tom and. Emily. With a report into the rape and murder of sarah, everard has found that her killer, Wayne Couzens, should never have been given a job as a Police Officer. It also found various chances to stop the sexual predator were repeated , ignored and missed. Repeated, ignored and missed. The report also calls for a complete overhaul of police vetting. Vetting. Well, lets speak to our home and security editor for more on this. Mark white joins us now. This. Mark white joins us now. And mark, this is an excoriating report. You know, i mean, where report. You know, i mean, where to begin on this. There are a catalogue of incidents in Wayne Couzens past, which he should really have been flagged up , acted which he should really have been flagged up, acted on and recognised in those vetting procedures. Recognised in those vetting procedures. He recognised in those vetting procedures. He first, according procedures. He first, according to Dame Angelina, who um, compiled this report , he first, compiled this report, he first, uh , started offending back. In uh, started offending back. In 1995 with a serious alleged Sexual Assault on a child barely in her teens. There were also no other victims. At least four other victims. At least four other victims. At least four other victims that have subsequently been spoken to that never came forward. At the time. Never came forward. At the time. Um, and Dame Angelina believes there may be more victims still out there now that pattern of offending can continued while in 2015 he was in a car in dover where, uh, he allegedly exposed himself , a where, uh, he allegedly exposed himself, a couple reported that to the police. They gave the police in kent the vehicle registration number. A description of cousins and an investigation was carried out. But it was, according to Dame Angelina, a half hearted investigation that was doomed to failure from the start. And although they had identified Wayne Couzens, they appear to have done little else and then the couple that made the original complaint eventually withdrew that complaint. There were other allegations , of were other allegations, of course, against Wayne Couzens in the months and weeks before Sarah Everards murder allegations of indecent exposure in a rural location in kent and at a mcdonalds in swanley in kent. On two occasions. Now that last, uh, set of incidents at the mcdonalds was being investigated by the metropolitan police before Sarah Everards murder. But it wasnt prioritised. So that investigation had not really been acted on. When he went out and murdered Sarah Everard in march of 2021. So an absolute catalogue of failures here that have been highlighted here deeply embarrassing for the metropolitan police. Police, uh, the Civil Nuclear constabulary, where he also worked for the Police Services as a whole, has promised to tighten up its vetting procedures. Vetting procedures. And thats the shocking point as well, isnt it, that this is three Police Forces that could and should have stopped this man from ever being a Police Officer i no, youre absolutely right there, emily. If we start with kent police to begin with, he he joined kent police as a volunteer, a special constable in 2002. Then he subsequently tried to join kent police as a full time officer. But the full time officer. But the vetting procedures then turned him for down that post. However when the Civil Nuclear constabulary , he then later constabulary, he then later employed him and outside force Thames Valley police uh carried out the vetting procedures for the Civil Nuclear constabulary. The Civil Nuclear constabulary. They found that he had serious Debt Management problems , big Debt Management problems, big Debt Management problems, big debt that was poorly managed. And of course, is it a big red flag for any police force in recruiting people . They dont recruiting people . They dont recruit people with serious debt issues because that lays them open to corruption of course, there were also allegations is that, you know, hed, um , that, you know, hed, um, overstated his involvement with the Territorial Army for a time as a volunteer with them. Um, as a volunteer with them. Um, but the Civil Nuclear constabulary ignored that recommendation from Thames Valley police and employed him nonetheless. And then we go into nonetheless. And then we go into the metropolitan police when he eventually joined the met in 2018, again , there were vetting 2018, again, there were vetting procedures that should have really been more robust, he was checked on the Police National computer for with regard to whether there were any incidents of note. Well, there were in the Police National computer database references to an allegation of indecent exposure in kent in 2015. This incident in kent in 2015. This incident in dover and there was also a report in 2013 of him , uh, report in 2013 of him, uh, having gone missing and being reported missing at that time. But it seems when the met police checked out the Police National computer, they recorded that theyd found nothing in relation to Wayne Couzens. So the vetting. Yes very significantly needs to be addressed. And according to the home secretary, James Cleverly , and various James Cleverly, and various Police Forces, they are now involved in trying to have a more robust vetting system. It is just astonishing that this information was there on those computers and was somehow overlooked , whether accidentally overlooked, whether accidentally or by other means. But mark white, thank you so much for bringing us the detail of this damning report. I mean, how many red flags do you need before you decide that someone be someone isnt suitable to be a Police Officer . Anyway, joining us to discuss this further us now to discuss this further is retired Scotland Yard detective inspector hamish brown. Theres mark white, but hamish brown will be joining us very shortly. Hamish, thank you very shortly. Hamish, thank you very much indeed forjoining us. Um, you just heard mark white setting scene , discussing setting the scene, discussing what this has said. The what this report has said. The number of red flags, the number of missed opportunities. Liz. Yes good afternoon. Uh, tim and emily. Yeah, youre absolutely right. Right. This is, uh, unpleasant reading. Its terribly reading. Its terribly uncomfortable. And theres been uncomfortable. And theres been one mistake after another. Um, i want to mention the vetting now, in my very varied retirement, apart from talking on tv and things like that. Um i also do a fair amount of, um, agency work in the criminal justice system. Uh reasonably short terme and part of that has been working with the National Probation service. And what did was service. And what i did was i did home visits , looking at did home visits, looking at properties , prisoners, some high properties, prisoners, some high risk of harm were going to be released to of course, they were under the supervision of the National Probation service. And National Probation service. And i knew what to look for. Im not going to give away the tricks of the trade, what i what i look for, but but when i found things i reported it, and at least it gave the offender manager something to work on and very often those properties werent seen as being or just werent seen as being or just werent seen as being or just werent seen as being, uh, suitable. So in those circumstances, someone going to the house physically speaking to people looking around, you know what to look for. You know where the danger signs are. And goodness me, in signs are. And goodness me, in this electronic age with the Police National computer, with the right consents to go into someones bank account, you cant just do it offhand. Youve cant just do it offhand. Youve got to get their authority. Of course , those red flags will course, those red flags will come to light. There are local intelligence records. There is a plethora of information out there and it beggars belief how all this was missed. Is it just because Police Services are too stretched , are services are too stretched, are having to vet with very thin resources that sort of theyre clicking through file after file after file and occasionally theyll miss something. Or how theyll miss something. Or how could these things possibly have been missed . Well, i just wonder why the police see their priorities. And of course, theyve got to go out and investigate crime. And thats got to be top of the list. But they do have a big recruiting , uh, department. And recruiting, uh, department. And with that, theyve got to look at what theyre going to do when the application has come through. Itsjust the application has come through. Its just not a ticky box situation. It is much more box situation. It is much more than that. Its got to be a dedicated resource. And in fact , dedicated resource. And in fact, you do this with, uh , financial you do this with, uh, financial investigations. Theres a investigations. Theres a separate team. They know what to look for. They know the accounts to go for. They can look for. They know the accounts to go for. They can find out all sorts of peoples backgrounds. And this is absolutely crucial that the police take this on their totally at fault here is real. A big shame for the 160,000 Police Officers up and down the country who arent rapists and murderers , and they rapists and murderers, and they will disgusted as i am. So it will be disgusted as i am. So it is most important. Its the first thing. So if someone joined the police recruiting, recruiting and vetting, youve got to get it right , recruiting and vetting, youve got to get it right, right. Thats a very good point. The other Police Officers will be equally horrified , im sure. But equally horrified, im sure. But how does a man reported to the police . Eight times prior to this rape and murder of Sarah Everard . Eight times for offences including kidnap at knife point and child Sexual Assault. 7 i knife point and child Sexual Assault . I just dont knife point and child Sexual Assault. 7 i just dont understand assault . I just dont understand. Regardless of resources, how that can how that can go. You know, unflagged. Know, unflagged. Well, um, im sure it was somewhere, but there wasnt the dedication, there wasnt the perseverance to look at someones background and that is utterly appalling. So as i say, theyve got to get it right and go back to square one and sort themselves out with the recruiting and vetting as well. Thank you very much indeed for your time. Hamish brown, great to speak to you. Mbappe Scotland Yard. Retired Scotland Yard detective inspector, to great talk to you now. Mob rule is replacing democratic rule. That was the warning of the Prime Minister, as he calls for a more Robust Police response to intimidation , Police Response to intimidation, disruption and subversion. Disruption and subversion. Yes. This comes as the home office announced is yesterday, £31 million aimed at protecting mps in response to the domestic impact of the ongoing israel Hamas Conflict in particular. But this has become an enormous row today, mainly because of these words mob rule. And there have been a number of organisations Amnesty International is one of them that have been critical of the Prime Minister for his comments. Uh, and, and to me , i think that uh, and, and to me, i think that this is these organisations and individuals talking past one another, not necessarily acting in good faith, not asking the questions why. 7 why was the prime questions why . Why was the Prime Minister saying this . Because its reading the full its worth reading out the full quote. There is a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democrat rule, not just mob rule is replacing democratic rule , but calling out democratic rule, but calling out what other people have been saying. And i wonder if hes talking about this kind of scenario. I dont know if we can show here a clip from an english local council in chorley. Lets have a little look at this. I know little look at this. I know enough bloody goes. Get out. What. So this get out. What. So this council was having a local budget debate and as you can see there, protesters , pro palestine there, protesters, pro Palestine Protesters disrupted it. It all seemed to kick off a little bit. One tory councillor shouted something, saying this is chorley , not beep gaza. And is chorley, not beep gaza. And this is how this conflict is taking on such a role. Just in local politics. You think turning events over , you would turning events over, you would think that it was nice 1820 youd think that the british mandate still existed in palestine or israel since 1948. We havent controlled that area. I dont understand why of all places, a local council in chorley is going to be the be all and end all in deciding whats going on in this conflict. What on earth are these people thinking that theyre going to achieve other than just disrupt , achieve other than just disrupt, putting the lives of everyone in a country that, let me remind you, is not a participant in this war. The problem is , im not the problem is, im not suggesting that theres any criminality here. But more generally in this conversation in the Prime Minister was clearly trying to say to the police that they need to step up in terms of how they with in terms of how they deal with protests, terms of how they protests, in terms of how they deal with what hes been calling mob. And, mob rule on our streets. And, i mean, it doesnt take much of a search to look at how mps have been talking about their security recently. Youve got two jewish mps, two jewish labour mps talking about how theyve had to change their security arrangements substantially. They need increased number of plain clothed Police Officers just at their constituency meetings, and nichols, uh, Charlotte Nichols mp, she said she basically cant go anywhere alone. Now because of that fear. Anyone just can come up to you shout obscenities and call you a murderer and go on their way. And i know that weve discussed this as well. Its not its not beyond its not just about mps. Anyone, anyone who is visible jewish in our major cities across the United Kingdom now is fearful of expressing those symbols of their faith, of their ethnicity. But i mean, it is crazy. Youre having a local budget debate at the local council in chorley, and it gets disrupted like that. And weve seen the same. Saw angela rayner, she same. We saw angela rayner, she was at some kind of local event in storms , the protesters, and in storms, the protesters, and it disrupted , very it gets disrupted, very aggressive, shouting im not im not here to denigrate the vital, important work that Chorley Council does. Its just i council does. Itsjust i dont think council does. Its just i dont think that theyve got a foreign policy. Me correct if im wrong. Correct me if im wrong. No, i suppose not. But now everyone has have foreign everyone has to have a foreign policy. Is demanded of policy. This is demanded of everyone, just not just everyone, not just not just everyone, not just not just every democratic body, but every every democratic body, but every every business has to have a foreign policy. Every business has to foreign policy. Has to have a foreign policy. Otherwise boycotted has to otherwise every boycotted has to have policy. Have a foreign policy. The celebrities that dont put note on their instagram put up a note on their instagram accounts will be hounded in the comments. Free palestine, free palestine as if its lady gaga whos fine aiming missiles at, uh, at areas in the gaza strip. I dont know, i mean, its ridiculous. It is true. Everyone has to have a position and most people either dont know enough or they may not have a strong opinion. And coming and thats okay. Anyway, coming up, you get the worst cocktail of it all, which is people that definitely do not enough definitely do not know enough but strong opinion. But have a very strong opinion. The less, theres lots never the less, theres lots of those to , uh. Of those to, uh. Coming up. New figures show the asylum the uk granted asylum to a Record Number of people last yeah Record Number of people last year. Well be breaking down the numbers this very short. Break good afternoon britain 12 25 and the uk granted asylum to a Record Number of people last yean Record Number of people last year, with Home Office Data released this morning showing that more than 62,000 people were granted Refugee Status or other protection following an application last year. Yes, it comes as its also revealed the government is forking out a whopping £15 million a day on putting up Asylum Seekers in hotels. Wasnt Asylum Seekers in hotels. Wasnt too long ago we were told it was 7 million. Before that 4 million. Anyway spending 4. 3 billion more of taxpayer money than budgeted on asylum support in the last year. Now thats according to research from the labour party. Well, the shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said that figures that these shocking figures demonstrated the complete chaos in the system left by the conservatives her words it comes as figures show that the uk granted asylum to 62,336 people last year , the highest ever last year, the highest ever recorded. Recorded. Well, lets speak to the Research Director at the centre for migration control, robert bates, who presumably is all over these figures for us. Um, robert, 62,336 uh, granted asylum last year alone. Uh, your asylum last year alone. Uh, your reaction. Afternoon guys. Reaction. Afternoon guys. Yes. Yes. Um, im quite flabbergasted, to be perfectly honest with you, to be perfectly honest with you, to see these numbers. Obviously, we knew that the conservative party hadnt gnpped conservative party hadnt gripped this issue with anywhere near the level of strength that they needed but to see that they needed to, but to see that their approach to clearing a backlog which already grown backlog which is already grown beyond all belief, um , is to beyond all belief, um, is to essentially just wave through everyone thats already already in system , just shows that in the system, just shows that the conservative party really , the conservative party really, really are not taking this issue seriously. That seriously. And robert, is that what whats going what is that whats going on then, that the then, in your view, that the home office, in a bid to , um, home office, in a bid to, um, reduce that backlog to cut down on that backlog and get rid of it entirely, is just waving through applications with very quick making. Oh, of quick Decision Making. Oh, of course it is. Absolutely is. I mean, i think its, uh, quite a clear comms strategy that the, uh, the government are approaching this issue with. Theyre simply looking to grab the headline of backlog cleared. Um, and hope that, you know, that will that will suffice. And people okay, this people will think, okay, this is a government a this is a competent government that the seriousness that recognises the seriousness with which we treat this issue and are prepared to, you know, really put some muscle behind it. Frankly, mean, it. But quite frankly, i mean, the figures, think, you the other figures, i think, you know, 5. 4 billion a year now being spent on, on and, being spent on, on hotels and, and associated services is it just shows that, you know, the, the rwanda scheme from the get go is doomed to fail. And the fact weve now wasted two, fact that weve now wasted two, two to three years two coming up to three years behind , behind this process behind this, behind this process is wasted time. And now huge wasted costs and yet we still have a backlog that is enormous. Over 100,000 cases. This is down 20. Surely its not every instance where theyre people are being waved through, otherwise there wouldnt be a backlog at all. Surely there is some sort of sense that there is some sort of sense that there is some process here. Some piocess here. Some process here. Well, so the existing, the 130,000 are in the current backlog are what are referred to as non legacy cases. So theyre essentially cases that have um resumed since rishi sunak took oven resumed since rishi sunak took over, took over the helm. So you know they are basically trying to mop up previous errors before they can even get over to the errors that they are currently presiding um, i would like presiding over. Um, i would like to out that i think to point out that i do think its pretty rich for the labour party to be casting aspersions that party um, that the conservative party um, are and completely are a failure and completely flapping on this issue, given that i dont ive heard that i dont think ive heard a single suggestion put single credible suggestion put forward through the forward by them through the entirety of this debate, i think the proposal that theyve the only proposal that theyve actually put forward that seems concrete greater concrete is, you know, greater cooperation with the eu, which essentially up essentially means that we end up with number of asylum with a greater number of Asylum Seekers having piocess. Process. Isnt that one of the isnt isnt that one of the big there big points here, that there is a Greater Movement of people around the world . Were seeing it on the southern border of the United States. Seeing it United States. Were seeing it in engush United States. Were seeing it in english were in the english channel. Were seeing it through the mediterranean. Were seeing it in italy, number in greece. In italy, the number of people being accepted for asylum in france and germany is higher than that in the uk. Is there anything any government can the wave of what is a can do in the wave of what is a Global Movement affecting every country. 7 country . No, youre absolutely right. No, youre absolutely right. Um, i mean, theres been some quite large scale multilateral agreements over the last five, ten years trying to effectively, um, id say id argue liberalise the borders even greater things like the Global Compact for migration in 2018. Um, you know, greater jurisprudence and focus from, from lawyers on things like the refugee convention. There all are all set up essentially to further liberalise the border process. Um i dont think theres been any concerted effort to reassert the importance of national, national, National Sovereignty when it comes to issues of the border. Thank you very much indeed for your time. Robert bates, Research Director at the centre for migration control. I mean, you cant just say, oh, well, theres lots of movement of people around the world. So therefore its not the governments fault that they havent done a great job with controlling borders. You can i mean, were political mean, they were political decisions made in the United States more states that encouraged more people to make that route from , people to make that route from, uh, on the cross the southern border. Thats true. But theres also was an upward trend. Anyway, post pandemic. And i think it would be wrong to look at all of these Different Cases in Different Countries in isolation because we have hundreds of because we have seen hundreds of thousands getting thousands of people getting boats across to lampedusa. We had reports on that, uh, mark white himself went to lampedusa and saw the number of people crossing from africa into that italian island. But weve also italian island. But weve also seen happening in greece. The seen it happening in greece. The eu has been fumbling around with this issue just as the uk has been, absolutely , youre right. Im just worried that if the home office are just waving through applications and a lot of are saying that they of people are saying that they are, if theyre just waving through applications, then that could a massive security could that be a massive security risk. 7 yeah. I mean, risk . Yeah. I mean, unfortunately we seen , um, unfortunately we have seen, um, Asylum Seekers go to on perpetrate crime. Well, we saw we need to have a proper vetting process we to who process. We need to know who these are. We saw that these people are. We saw that famous case or, um, the famous case or, um, of the alkaline attack in clapham where, where this individual had had been on the sex offenders register and got Refugee Status. Anyway , third attempt i anyway, third attempt i wonder, of course, the ones , the wonder, of course, the ones, the ones the government have rejected the home office will also have to then deal with all the appeals that come after that. So there you go. Very long process. Anyway, coming process. Um, but anyway, coming up as Esther Rantzen makes up as dame Esther Rantzen makes fresh a on fresh calls for a vote on legalising assisted dying in the uk, weve been on the streets asking you what you think. Well asking you what you think. Well this is good afternoon britain on gb news. On gb news. Its 1232. On gb news. Its1232. Im on gb news. Its 1232. Im sofia wenzel in the gb newsroom. Your headunes in the gb newsroom. Your headlines the home secretary has told mps Police Officers will be automatically suspended if charged with certain criminal offences , as the comments come offences, as the comments come after the Sarah Everard inquiry found Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer. The 33 year old was killed in south london in march 2021. Her family says she died because he was a Police Officer, and she would never have got into a strangers car. Inquiry chairwoman dame agnou car. Inquiry chairwoman dame agnoli has warned. Without a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture, theres nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight. Operating in plain sight. Even after cousins arrest and a review of his vetting clearance , the metropolitan clearance, the metropolitan Police Service told the inquiry in 2022 that they would still have recruited him if provided with the same information. I with the same information. I find this astonishing. With the same information. I find this astonishing. I make a number of recommend actions to improve recruitment and vetting , improve recruitment and vetting, covering everything from in person interviews and home visits for new recruits to improvements for information sharing around transfer ease. In addition to the shortcomings in vetting and recruitment that the report shows, very clearly how Police Investigations of indecent exposure were poor , the indecent exposure were poor, the latest figures show illegal migration has fallen , but legal migration has fallen, but legal migration has fallen, but legal migration is up. The Government Data also reveals small boat arrivals in 2023 were down 36 on the previous year. However, the uk granted asylum to over 62,000 people in 2023, the highest level ever recorded. Hairy level ever recorded. Hairy bikers star dave myers has died aged 66, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Psyching his motorcycling cooking duo partner revealed the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at his home with his family , including himself. He family, including himself. He said he cant put into words how hes feeling at the moment, but everyone who loved dave is devastated. And for the latest devastated. And for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com slash alerts. For stunning com slash alerts. For stunning gold and silver coins. Youll always value rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report. And news Financial Report. And heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. Todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2644 and ,1. 1678. The price of gold is £1,604. 50 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7649 points. Roslyn gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report good afternoon britain. Its 12 38 good afternoon britain. Its12 38 and dame Esther Rantzen has once again called for a vote on legalising assisted dying. Yes, this comes as jersey, the isle of man and scotland consider legalising euthanasia for permanent residents. Mps warning that this will lead to a divergence from laws between different parts of the United Kingdom. Kingdom. So should euthanasia be legalised in the uk as a whole. 7 legalised in the uk as a whole . Well, gb news has been out on the streets asking what you think, why should they suffer when theyre in agony . And this could go on. This agony could go on for years. And agony could go on for years. And is it fair to make people suffer and not only do they suffer, their families are suffering with them. I think theyre going to be a lot of ramifications from this. I mean , they have it i mean, they have it legalised in switzerland , dont legalised in switzerland, dont they . But its really going to be something that for a long time the ruling class will have access to because of how expensive it will be. How feasible it be for the nhs feasible will it be for the nhs to be able to support it . Its not not an easy question to answer. Yes. Its not answer. Yes. Its not an easy question to say yes and no. I think we must go into it in depth. Depth. Why . In theory, i dont see why it shouldnt be legalised because everyone has a right to die in the way they want to. Die in the way they want to. Hmm. Interesting to hear their opinions. Um i find this a very tricky one. I dont have a strong opinion either way. Um, its not a very nice thing to talk about, really, but its something that certainly Esther Rantzen is pushing up the agenda. And i can understand, of course i can understand if youre to , uh, you know, youre going to, uh, you know, if going suffering if youre going to be suffering thing. Um, yeah. And there are so many cases where the situation at the moment is just untenable , where moment is just untenable, where people arent really able to say goodbye to their loved ones. People are taking their own lives because they dont want their ones to be involved their loved ones to be involved or complicit and then face charges of murder for something that their loved one wanted to happen. That their loved one wanted to happen. And it just creates happen. And it just creates this, this horrible situation that, that clearly we need to move on from. But as you say, emily, there are some real pity falls as well compared to where its happened. Some some parts of the world where there arent the safeguards. Yeah. People slippery slope people say slippery slope should to dave pearce, should we speak to dave pearce, director fundraising director of fundraising and marketing in dying . Marketing for dignity in dying . Uh, dave, you were just listening to the general public giving their view on this so very difficult one for people to come down on one side or the other. What is your view. 7 other. What is your view . I mean, my view is actually augned i mean, my view is actually aligned with what all the polling on the issue shows. And thats have a law polling on the issue shows. And thaterminally have a law polling on the issue shows. And thaterminally ill, have a law polling on the issue shows. And thaterminally ill, mentally a law for terminally ill, mentally competent adults to be able to control their manner and timing of their death if theyre suffering unbearable daily. Uh, whats known as assist dying, actually, than euthanasia actually, rather than euthanasia , because the dying is , because the dying person is fully controlled in control of that process themselves, they request a doctor to take them through the safeguard. But through the safeguard. But ultimately its the dying person whos in control of that process. Um, weve seen this week the Health Select committee publish a that report really a report, and that report really destroys the current law. It shows that the current law is really dangerous. Its forcing people to make some really terrible choices , and it terrible choices, and it identifies evidence that identifies the evidence that shows how we can change the law. Shows how we can change the law. For example, it found that if you a law for terminal you have a law for terminal illness, that law is very unlikely extended. Theres unlikely to be extended. Theres no will no evidence that that will happen. Also theres happen. And also theres evidence actually, if you evidence that actually, if you legalise assisted dying, palliative care, end of life care improves. So theres lots care improves. So theres lots that we can do to improve our law at the moment is both law that at the moment is both dangerous and unpopular for a lot of people who are instinctively opposed to this will point to some parts of the world. Canada, for instance, that seems have a much, perhaps seems to have a much, perhaps too liberal approach to it, with not enough conditions attached to this. And you find people who are in need, uh, not terminal situations. Perhaps they have poor mental health, or there are some reports, i dont know how verified they are of people just in sort of Economic Hardship who are considering it. And clearly it has been implemented in some parts of the world in far too liberal a way. Liberal a way. Well, im glad you raised canada because id like to be absolutely clear. No bill in westminster has borrowed from canada in terms of the type of law and safeguards that it wants. And basically there are two types of law. This is very broad type you see broad laws. The type you see in canada and theres very canada. And theres these very tightly and specific tightly controlled and specific laws have in every laws like they have in every state in australia and new zealand. And thats dignity zealand. And thats what dignity and is campaigning for. And dying is campaigning for. And weve been and thats what weve been backing. The calls esther ransom for a vote. We want that for a vote. But we want that vote be for terminally ill, vote to be for terminally ill, mentally competent adults because we believe that the because we believe that is the right of getting law right balance of getting a law that safe and effective. That is both safe and effective. And the law we have now, as i say, the select committee has made it very it cannot go made it very clear. It cannot go on. I mean, both rishi sunak and keir starmer have have backed calls for a for a vote, and now theres not time for that vote to come this parliament. But to come in this parliament. But whoever coming whoever wins the next coming general election , then its general election, then its going be a matter going to be a matter for westminster to take control of at point. At that point. Mhm. Mhm. May ask you dave, may i ask you a personally why youre passionate about this. Yes. About this. Yes. I mean i think like most people who support are changing the law. We have loved ones who weve seen suffering at the end of their lives and we want Something Better for them. We want have choice to want them to have the choice to control timing control the manner and timing of their. Um, i, you know , their death. Um, i, you know, thats what most people who support a change in the law are saying to us when they sign the government petition, for example , shot 100,000 , thats shot past 100,000 signatures likely to be signatures and is likely to be debated in parliament. The reason people are signing that in such vast numbers is because theyve witnessed their loved ones and they and theyve witnessed their loved ones want and they and theyve witnessed their loved ones want more and they and theyve witnessed their loved ones want more choice ey and theyve witnessed their loved ones want more choice for nd theyve witnessed their loved ones want more choice for them. They want more choice for them. And that scale and then we know that the scale of something of that suffering is Something Like people a day. Will like 17 people a day. Will suffer as they die. And thats even with the very best care in place. So the only way that we can around really can get around that really difficult at the end difficult situation at the end of life is for westminster to grasp this issue, and allow time for a debate and a bill to come forward. And what is process by and what is the process by which that might happen . Weve heard very eloquent people heard some very eloquent people in the house of lords and the house of commons, uh, speaking up for this, but ultimately, i suppose it needs the governments backing. And would governments backing. And would you be concerned if this happenedin you be concerned if this happened in one part the happened in one part of the United Kingdom . But not the whole kingdom . If whole United Kingdom . If scotland legalise this scotland were to legalise this and had some sort of, uh , and then had some sort of, uh, tourism within the United Kingdom, for want of a better word to access this sort of, uh, care with these types of laws , care with these types of laws, its likely you would need to be resident in that country to access it. But youre absolutely right. We up with situation we could end up with a situation that the current mess even that makes the current mess even worse. Where has a law worse. Where scotland has a law that allows dying people this choice. But we and thats choice. But we dont. And thats why select committee has why the select committee has recommended that westminster take action. Its that very specific issue of introducing even greater inequality into a very dangerous and unpopular situation already. So if a private members bill comes forward, i dont expect the government to say yes, this should be law. But the government and keir starmer and rishi sunak have committed to this should allow time for that bill to be fully and fairly debated , and then work debated, and then we can work out the right law for out what is the right law for this country. And i would argue it very much like they it is a law very much like they have australia that is both have in australia that is both safe well safe and compassionate. Well thank you very much indeed for your time, dave pearce, director of and marketing for of fundraising and marketing for dignity in dying. Such a difficult one, very difficult. I know , i know that i difficult. I know, i know that i know people who feel very strongly of this issue. Yes, ive read about canada. Yes, ive read about canada. It does seem theres been a bit of slippery slope there. Of a slippery slope there. People you would have people who you would never have thought would be able to access euthanasia, assisted dying are being able to. But interesting that in australia and new zealand its a very system very different system and perhaps or none perhaps fewer problems or none of the problems that were seeing in canada. Seeing in canada. Us know what you well, let us know what you think. Vaiews gbnews. Uk well, let us know what you think. William gbnews. Uk well, let us know what you think. William has1ews. Uk well, let us know what you think. William has beean well, let us know what you think. William has been seen in Prince William has been seen in pubuc Prince William has been seen in public for the First Time Since missing his godfather s Memorial Service. Have the details service. Well have the details after this. Break. Good afternoon. Britain. Its ten minutes to one and Prince William has been seen in public for the First Time Since pulling out of that service of thanksgiving for his godfather. Yes, Prince William met with young people and Holocaust Survivors at the western marble arch synagogue in london. Well joining us now from outside the synagogue is gb news world correspondent karen walker. So Prince William has been seen and hes been meeting with the jewish community. Yeah, he certainly has. Emily and it still remains a complete mystery as to why he pulled out quite so last minute for that service of thanksgiving for his godfather, King Constantine of greece, tuesday , kensington greece, on tuesday, Kensington Palace today again insists the princess of wales is doing well and actually the engagement today here at the synagogue was originally planned for holocaust Holocaust Memorial day at the end of january , and it was going end of january, and it was going to be both the prince and princess of wales attending. But of course , due to the princesss of course, due to the princesss Abdominal Surgery and recovery, both the prince and the princess of wales took time out from royal duties. And of course, the princess continues to recover. But this is the second of two engagements to do with the middle east. If you remember last week, Prince William made headunes last week, Prince William made headlines by a visiting the red cross to hear about how they are supporting those trapped in gaza. With all the conflicts going on, there. And he also going on, there. And he also attracted headlines by calling for the fighting to stop as soon as possible and for the hostages to be released. But today was to be released. But today was all about tackling anti semitism here at the synagogue in Central London, the west western marble arch synagogue , as you said, arch synagogue, as you said, your introduction, he met both Holocaust Survivors , but he also Holocaust Survivors, but he also spent a lot of time with young people here. And he told those young people, both catherine and i are extremely concerned about the rise of anti semitism , and the rise of anti semitism, and he wanted to really give that message of reassurance to those young people that he, as a future king, stands with them. At this time, of course, theres been a huge rise of both anti semitism and islamophobia since the october seventh terrorist attacks by by the Hamas Terrorists in, in israel. So Prince William was here to give that reassurance. But of give that reassurance. But of course, its off in the backdrop of all of the royal Health Scares which weve had. As i said, theres still been no explanation as to why Prince William wasnt there on tuesday. It appears , though, but prince it appears, though, but Prince William is keeping calm and carrying on, continuing with royal duties. He doesnt seem to be concerned or worried about the princess. Hes definitely putting on a brave face here and he is actually expected tomorrow to be in wales for to celebrate saint davids day with the people of wales. So more details on that tomorrow. But it looks like it was just a blip on tuesday when he had to pull out last minute for that service of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving. Yes. That we dont yes. Strange that we dont have information about have any information about it. And good to hear the reassurance from Prince William with regard to the jewish community. But i do wonder, when are we going to hear words of reassurance about the princess of wales , and when the princess of wales, and when might we first see her back in public . Yeah, well, Kensington Palace, as i said, continue to insist that the princess is doing well. And as i suppose youve probably all seen on social media and such are a lot of questions as to exactly where the princess is, is what we know is that the princess of wales had a pretty major Abdominal Surgery at the at some point in january, she was in hospital for two weeks. She is now back home in windsor recovering. Its thought she also spent the february half tum in norfolk at amner hall with her family. Royal sources assure me that she is actually fine and recovering well, and they havent changed their line that were not expected to see her until at least easter. So its always been planned since we understood that she had gone in for surgery, that were not going to see the princess wales until see the princess of wales until till around easter. So realistic. Were not going to see her in. Were not going to see her in pubuc. Were not going to see her in public for about another month. But of course its just one of a number of Health Scares and tragedies weve had with the royal over the last few royal family over the last few months, particularly with the death kingston , the death of thomas kingston, the prince and prince and princess michael of son law , michael of kent, son in law, which is clearly a very tragic shock for the royal family and thats plus the kings, uh, enlarged prostate followed by the cancer diagnosis. I think there is just a general heightened of concern about members of the royal family, particularly with the princess of wales, because we havent seen her since , well, since seen her since, well, since christmas day. That was the last time you publicly saw but time you publicly saw her, but not until easter. Cameron have to leave there. Well have to leave it there. But you very much for your but thank you very much for your time. Cameron there, our but thank you very much for your time. Correspondent there, our but thank you very much for your time. Correspondent tistraight royal correspondent got straight to up. Mob to the weather coming up. Mob rule democratic rule. Rule replacing democratic rule. Thats Prime Minister thats what the Prime Minister says. A brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on. Gb solar sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello again. Alex burkill here with your latest gb news Weather Forecast. Thats more on settled weather to come as we go through the end of the week. Heavy rain, blustery even blustery showers and even snow for some of us at the moment there is an area of low pressure to the north uk, bringing to the north of the uk, bringing blustery, weather to blustery, showery weather to many. But its waving many parts. But its a waving front southeast thats front in the southeast thats brought persistent rain already today, and will continue to do so for little while before so for a little while before the rain away. As we go rain clears away. As we go through this evening, drier through this evening, some drier weather then the start weather then through the start of albeit with a of the night, albeit with a scattering across scattering of showers across northern before some northern parts before some persistent heavy rain with persistent and heavy rain with some snow pushes into parts some hill snow pushes into parts of south west and into wales of the south west and into wales. Elsewhere, where we see clearer skies through the night, we going temperatures we are going to see temperatures dropping. Watch out for some frost, patches , also frost, some icy patches, also some freezing fog. First some fog and freezing fog. First thing the most thing tomorrow. The most unsettled weather though tomorrow parts of tomorrow will be across parts of the and wales. The south west and in wales. Heavy and some hill snow heavy rain and some hill snow could cause travel could cause some travel disruption some localised could cause some travel disruptiorotherwise calised could cause some travel disruptiorotherwise the sed could cause some travel disruptiorotherwise the rain is flooding. Otherwise the rain is going to spread across much of england bring england and wales could bring some wintry ness over higher ground. In particular, the best chance of staying be chance of staying dry will be across and across parts of scotland and northern but a chilly northern ireland, but a chilly feel to all of us. Temperatures are below average are a little bit below average for of year as we look for the time of year as we look towards the weekend, were towards the weekend, and were going under the going to still be under the influence of an area of low pressure to bring pressure thats going to bring more we go more unsettled weather as we go through saturday. Still the chance ness, but chance of more wintry ness, but signs that sunday going to signs that sunday is going to turn albeit rather turn drier, albeit stay rather cloudy before then, we see the return to some more unsettled weather start the working weather to start the working week. Temperatures rising a little too. Little bit too. By by that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers, sponsors of weather gb news way. Good afternoon britain. Good afternoon britain. Its 1 00 good afternoon britain. Its1 00 on thursday. The 29th of february. We are in. Cousins should never have been a Police Officer. Thats the verdict of a home office commissioned inquiry into the murder of Sarah Everard. Without murder of Sarah Everard. Without a significant overhaul of police vetting, there could be nothing to stop another couzens operating in plain sight. Thats the reports authors warning and rishi sunak has warned that mob rule is replacing democratic rule is replacing democratic rule as he pushes the police to do more to protect mps. But the comments have sparked some outrage, with human rights campaigners who say he is wildly exaggerating the issue. Whos right. 7 right . No whites allowed , said no whites allowed, said a west end play faces criticism as it announces it will stage certain performances to an all black audience. A black only black audience. A black only audience director. Others say its free from the white gaze, otherwise others say its simplistic and racist. But well host a debate. Host a debate. Well, these stories are are fascinating because which one . Because it seems to me that segregating audiences was something that happened in the United States in the 1950s, but they dont want your white gaze there, tom. Its my its my its my gaze. Particularly concerning. Well, perhaps yours, but not not the white persons gaze in general. Do you know this has come up before . This has come up before . I want to know how widespread this because it seems, on this is, because it seems, on the face of it, absolutely outrageous. Is it used for outrageous. Is it used for a play outrageous. Is it used for a play to have an all all black, only, um, day evening showing . I think theres two days that this play think theres two days that this play will be will be shown only for black people. And i wonder, i wonder what if youre mixed race and you wanted to bring along. You wanted to bring along your white mum your your your white mum or your your white mean , youre just white dad. I mean, youre just going to be turned away. Go back to the awful racist elements of the United States constitution. The United States constitution. Was it one eighth . If youre one eighth black, youre counted as black. I mean, at what point are we going to start proportioning off peoples genetics . Its madness. Madness. It is madness. It is madness. Its mad. But but more than that, is racist. Its that, what it is racist. Its exactly the rhetoric of the people who were opposed to, um, marriages between different races. Its exactly the rhetoric of people who who wanted separate, but equal facilities in the United States. Its segregation. Varne. Segregation. Varne. Well, let us know what you think at home. Gb views gb news. Com do you think its wrong to have a showing of a play only for black people . No whites allowed, no white gays . That would be wrong for all whites to. Lets get to your headlines. To. Lets get to your headlines. Good afternoon. Its 1 02. Good afternoon. Its1 02. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your top story. The home secretary has told mps Police Officers will be automatically suspended if theyre charged with certain criminal offences. The comments come after Sarah Everard inquiry found Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer. He killed the 33 year old in south london in march 2021. Her family says she died because he was a Police Officer and she would never have got into a strangers car inquiry chairwoman dame aglionby has warned. Without a radical overhaul of Police Practices and culture, theres nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight. Operating in plain sight. Even after cousins arrest and a review of his vetting clearance, the metropolitan Police Service told the inquiry in 2022 that they would still have recruited him if provided with the same information. I with the same information. I find this as punishing. I make find this as punishing. I make a number of recommendations to improve recruitment and vetting , improve recruitment and vetting, covering everything from in person interviews and home visits for new recruits to improvements for information sharing around transfers. Improvements for information sharing around transfers. In addition to the shortcomings in vetting and recruitment , the vetting and recruitment, the report shows very clearly how Police Investigations of indecent exposure were poor. Indecent exposure were poor. The Prime Minister has told police to use their powers to protect mps after warning the uk is descending into mob rule. The government has already announced a £31 million package to boost security following safety fears. Concerns have been growing over mps being targeted by protesters since the outbreak of the israel hamas war. Schools minister damian hinds says the Additional Support is needed. Additional support is needed. Its really important to protect our democracy. Thats not just members of parliament, of course, but it includes members of parliament. We have a Representative Democracy and its important that that Representative Democracy and its go important that that Representative Democracy and its go aboutiortant that that Representative Democracy and its go about its ant that that Representative Democracy and its go about its business. � |at can go about its business. Individuals can go about their business. And by way, their business. And by the way, their staff families Staff Members and families without fear. So i do think its right that there is this there is this focus. Right that there is this there is this focus. The police is this focus. The Police Obviously do fantastic work and we we are all very we are all we are all very grateful to them. And yes, i do welcome that, that grateful to them. And yes, i do welcothat that, that grateful to them. And yes, i do welcothat the that, that grateful to them. And yes, i do welcothat the primethat, that grateful to them. And yes, i do welcothat the Prime Ministert focus that the Prime Minister has protecting has brought to protecting our democracy , our democratic democracy, our democratic process democratic process and democratic participation. Participation. In other news, hotels for Asylum Seekers are costing the taxpayer £15 million a day, with labour accusing the government of blowing its £1 billion budget. A Home Office Figures suggest the government spent £4. 3 billion more of taxpayer money than budgeted on asylum support in the last year. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said this demonstrated the complete chaos in the asylum system left by the conservatives domestic branson is campaigning for a fresh debate on a vote for legalising assisted dying in the uk, saying the current law is a mess. She recently revealed she had joined the dignitas assisted dying clinic in switzerland after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. After she was diagnosed with lung cancer. It after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. It follows a after she was diagnosed with lung cancer. It follows a report which warned the government must consider what to do if the law changes in other parts of the uk. Issue is currently being uk. The issue is currently being considered in jersey and the isle of man, both of which are British Crown dependencies. Some British Crown dependencies. Some members of the public expressed their opinion on the issue. Their opinion on the issue. I think theyre going to be a lot ramifications from this. Lot of ramifications from this. I mean, they have it legalised in switzerland, dont they . But its really going to be something that for a long time the ruling class will have access to because of how expensive will be, how expensive it will be, how feasible will it be for the nhs to be to support it . To be able to support it . Theory, i dont see why . In theory, i dont see why be legalised why it shouldnt be legalised because everyone has a right to die in the way they want to. Why should they suffer when theyre in agony. 7 and this could theyre in agony . And this could go on this agony could go on for years. And is it fair to make years. And is it fair to make people suffer. 7 people suffer . The inquest into the death of prince and princess michael of kent, son in law, will open tomorrow. Buckingham palace tomorrow. Buckingham palace announced thomas kingston, who was married to Lady Gabriella , was married to Lady Gabriella, died suddenly at an address in the cotswolds on sunday. In a joint statement, she paid tribute to her 45 year old husband, describing his death as a great shock to the whole family. Gloucestershire family. Gloucestershire Coroners Court confirmed the inquest will open tomorrow at 2 pm. And harry baker star dave myers has died aged 66, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Psyching his cancer diagnosis. Psyching his motorcycling cooking duo partner revealed the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at home with his family. He said he cant put into words how hes feeling at the moment, but everyone who loved devastated and. Loved dave is devastated and. And for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com slash alerts. Now its back to tom and. Now its back to tom and. Emily. Good afternoon britain. Its 1 08 good afternoon britain. Its1 08 and a report into the rape and murder of Sarah Everard has found that her killer, Wayne Couzens, should never have been given a job as a Police Officer and chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored and missed. The report also called for a complete overhaul of police vetting. So lets speak to our home and security editor for more on this. Mark this report has highlighted a number of opportunities that were missed to stop this man from becoming a Police Officer. Yes the Police Officer. Yes the catalogue of failings not just affecting the metropolitan police , but the Civil Nuclear police, but the Civil Nuclear constable theory, where Wayne Couzens worked for a time and also kent police, where he was, uh, um , uh, a volunteer police uh, um, uh, a volunteer Police Officer, a special constable , officer, a special constable, uh, but in addition to that , he uh, but in addition to that, he had come to their attention because of allegations of indecent exposure that were made on a number of occasions. On a number of occasions. But these inquiries were not, it seems, properly carried out. According to, uh, Dame Angiolini. She said that they were doomed to failure from the start and the metropolitan police, the Police Service as a whole, has said that they do intend now to tighten up their vetting procedures and indeed to take issues around indecent exposure. More seriously in the way that they manage those investigations. Weve been investigations. Weve been heanng investigations. Weve been hearing from the home secretary , hearing from the home secretary, James Cleverly, who obviously condemned the appalling acts carried out by Wayne Couzens but he did say that the Police Service as a whole was already embarked on on making improvements to ensure that they have much more robust vetting procedures. This is what he said i tragically , the report tragically, the report identifies that cousins was completely unsuitable to serve as a Police Officer and worse still , that there were multiple still, that there were multiple occasions where this should could , should have been could, should have been recognised. Lady eilish found recognised. Lady eilish found significant and repeated problems in recruitment and vetting throughout cousinss career , including overlooking career, including overlooking his chaotic financial situation. His chaotic financial situation. Well, Yvette Cooper , his well, Yvette Cooper, his labour counterpart in highlighting all of those failures, actually, said of the home secretary that she believed , uh, he was, uh , you know, uh, he was, uh, you know, lacking really , uh, in his lacking really, uh, in his response so far. He said, uh, as she said it was too little, too late. Thats listened to yvette late. Thats listened to Yvette Cooper Lady Angiolini says there is nothing to stop another Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight i so although i agree with most of what the home secretary has said , i have to be really blunt said, i have to be really blunt about this. His response is too about this. His response is too weak. It is about this. His response is too weak. It is too about this. His response is too weak. It is too little and it about this. His response is too weak. It is too little and it is too late. And the lack of urgency is unfathomable to me. Urgency is unfathomable to me. Well, the Police Service says, you know, the National Police chiefs council, uh, the various forces affected here say they are involved in trying to ensure that their vetting procedures are more robust. And when it comes to these issues of Sexual Offences that, uh, may have in the past been deemed to be minor , uh, they will be more be minor, uh, they will be more proactive in going after those investigations as well , proactive in going after those investigations as well, and in trying to ensure that those alleged victims are properly managed in this process as well. Managed in this process as well. And one of the concerns about the likes of indecent exposure is the potential for offending behaviour to escalate , and behaviour to escalate, and thats definitely what we saw in Wayne Couzens case. Its extraordinary reading some of the testimonies from some of those who were around Wayne Couzens as a Police Officer who say they gave him nicknames , uh, say they gave him nicknames, uh, for his behaviour, that this was almost joked about within the police before it was picked up on it. On it. Really extraordinary stuff. Mark white thank you so much for bringing us the information. There yes. Absolutely shocking. And how long will it take to improve vetting. 7 yeah, these vetting procedures . Yeah, these things dont just happen overnight. But moving mob overnight. But moving on. Mob rule replacing democratic rule is replacing democratic rule. Are the words of rule. Those are the words of prime sunak, as Prime Minister rishi sunak, as he for a more robust he calls for a more Robust Police response intimidation , Police Response to intimidation, disruption subversion. Disruption and subversion. It comes as the home office announced yesterday a package of £31 million aimed at protecting mps in response to the domestic impact of the ongoing israel Hamas Conflict. Israel Hamas Conflict. Well, joining us now is our Political Editor , christopher Political Editor, Christopher Hope. Christopher very interesting to hear from a serving Prime Minister talking about how theres a growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. It doesnt sound like hes in a position of strength with those words. Words. No. And you might wonder why the pm hasnt taken action before this. Hes called Police Chiefs to number 10 and read the riot act to them. Frankly, he said to them that the growing consensus that mob rule is replacing democratic rule. They replacing democratic rule. They want the Police Officers to ensure that there are officers use existing powers to stop the feeling that the mob is taking overin feeling that the mob is taking over in some parts of the caphal over in some parts of the capital, particularly when there are these these these demonstrations we saw last wednesday , when, of course, when wednesday, when, of course, when the that language about um, sweeping away was, was sweeping israel away was, was projected onto the elizabeth tower which houses big ben. Now our colleague Martin Daubney filmed the projector that was doing that. But no one, no one doing that. But no one, no one went near it. The police stood by watching that being projected. That is against the law. So the big complaint, i think, from people, maybe the jewish community, those who those who are concerned about israel and the way the pressure is getting palestinian is getting from the palestinian demonstrators here is why on earth police not earth is are the police not enforcing laws theyve got . Enforcing the laws theyve got . We more laws, just we dont need more laws, just the police enforce the police to enforce laws theyve and i think thats theyve got. And i think thats theyve got. And i think thats the change tone thats being the change in tone thats being set the Prime Minister today set by the Prime Minister today in downing everyone in downing street. Not everyone is happy about it. Anneliese Amnesty International has said that that talking of mob rule wilfully exaggerates the issue and risks risks delegitimizing the rights of for peaceful protest. So not everyone agrees with the Prime Minister. But i think on top of the £31 million of taxpayers money now being spent to protect mps giving them a hotline to police stations, giving them private security for those most at risk, theres a line in the sand was crossed last week. Last week. Is it fair to say sorry just quickly . Is it fair to say christopher , that theres a battle emerging between the police and the government here . Clearly, rishi sunakis government here . Clearly, rishi sunak is not impressed with how the police have been acting with regards to these protests. Yes. And of course , policing yes. And of course, policing is complicated. Its all very well for rishi sunak to sit in his protected office in downing street and order the police to be firmer with these demonstrators. But out on the demonstrators. But out on the street, police have got to weigh up the fact that if they do arrest people or they are tougher, a very tougher, it could inflame a very delicate situation. So they cant step in when cant always step in when politicians want them to. And i politicians want them to. And i think that is the that is where theres a balance to be struck between allowing some to between allowing some things to pass to order maintain the pass in to order maintain the maintain and stepping maintain the peace and stepping in. And that might kick off even more. Its difficult for the more. So its difficult for the police. Policing. The police. The policing. Uh, the police. The policing. Uh, the police have a difficult job police do have a difficult job to i the line was to do, but i think the line was crossed last wednesday, and thats pm is stepping in today. Now , chris, there are rumours now, chris, there are rumours abound on another story today which is concerning the budget. Which is concerning the budget. The budget which will be delivered a week in under a week now on wednesday. And the now on wednesday. And the rumours are this that a policy the labour party has been promoting for years now and the conservatives have been saying would actually decrease revenue to the treasury, that the conservatives have been saying would be a disaster for the competitiveness and attractiveness of the uk. Are we to believe that the conservative party are now considering this same policy their own form . Reports today told emily that the government might try and axe or row back on this non dom status. Around 60,000 people in status. Around 60,000 people in this country, very rich people pay a this country, very rich people pay a fee to avoid paying tax in the uk on on earnings outside of the uk on on earnings outside of the uk. Um, its been singled out by the labour party for some months now as a way to fund its programme of work. If it forms a government. Now, what might happenis government. Now, what might happen is the government, government. Now, what might happen is the government , the happen is the government, the uk, tory government could uk, the tory government could access measure, could raise access measure, it could raise over £36 billion in tax. It would put the labour party in a position of trying to work out how it can fund its programme of government if it gets in, in charge. It seemed to be a way in the past needling rishi sunak the past of needling rishi sunak because, of course, his wife, akshata murty, is a non dom , but akshata murty, is a non dom, but she voluntarily pays tax on her global earnings in the uk , global earnings in the uk, although she is a non dom and it seems and it seems, it would certainly hurt his own certainly hurt hurt his own Family Finances were he to do this. So i think this is, i would , rather clever would argue, rather clever politics by the tory party it may look quite difficult, i think, for people who believe that non doms shouldnt be taxed more, lead flight of more, it may lead to a flight of capital the uk , out of capital out of the uk, out of the uk from these High Net Worth individuals, i think it does individuals, but i think it does put focus on the labour put the focus back on the labour party , and does a kind party, and it does show a kind of a fleetness of foot. If it happensin of a fleetness of foot. If it happens in next weeks budget. By happens in next weeks budget. By the by the tory government. Yes. Although the liberal democrats were quick off the mark morning with a press mark this morning with a press release saying, oh, rishi sunak cant talk about this issue because wife , he needs because of his wife, he needs to recuse from this recuse himself from this conversation. There you go. Conversation. So there you go. Making it about him personally, i dont understand what on what earthly metric is saying that the hypermobile Global Business class such only if you make someone who might be, you know, have business interests in india on on the business they do selling things they make in india to indian people. You have to pay tax on that in the uk. Theyre just not going to live in the uk anymore. Yes, sure , the taxman cant yes, sure, the taxman cant chase them if they decide to move it. Move it. So there you go. So there you go. Flabbergasted Christopher Hope, thank you very much for bringing us the latest on those two stories. Now a west end theatre stage shows an two stories. Now a west end the black stage shows an two stories. Now a west end the black audience shows an two stories. Now a west end the black audience , hows an two stories. Now a west end the black audience , only an two stories. Now a west end the black audience , only to an all black audience, only to ensure Ticket Holders are, to quote, free from the white gaze. Are they right to do so . Were hosting a debate after this. Break its 122 youre watching break its122 youre watching and listening to. Good afternoon britain now, a theatre in the west end is to stage shows for an all black audience to ensure Ticket Holders are, to quote , Ticket Holders are, to quote, free from the white gaze is now slave play. Thats the name of the play, which stars Kit Harington , opens which stars Kit Harington, opens at londons noel coward theatre in june for a three month run and will offer two performers voices speced for an all black identifying audience with the events known as blackout nights, intended to create a racially homogenous environment free from the white gaze. As in the white view in a move critics have branded simplistic and racist. And i, as a critic, would brand it very offensive live. But hey, were going to have the debate. Were going to have the debate. Were going to have the debate. Were going to have the debate. Um, i just think before we get into our debate , i just we get into our debate, i just want say how can anyone see want to say how can anyone see this as progress. 7 yeah. This as progress . Yeah. No, i think i think its very hard. Ill be interested to hear what what what the case for this is because im, im lucky enough to have grown up in a society that lauds people like Martin Luther king, who speaks, who spoke about a sort of colour blind society. But it seems like were moving far beyond that. Yes. In the realm beyond that. Yes. In the realm of, of political discussion. Well, lets get actor and writer femi nylander, who thinks this will have a positive impact. Will have a positive impact. And we also have gb news presenter Martin Daubney, who guess what, thinks the opposite. Excellent. A proper head to head. Um, lets start with you, femi. Can you defend this one . Uh, well, i mean , i didnt uh, well, i mean, i didnt come in to here say that it necessarily has a positive impact. What i did come in here impact. What i did come in here to say is that as you usually do, often do , youre do, as you often do, youre focusing the sensation focusing on the sensation headline, which is supposed to stir up this idea that theres anti white sentiment and anti white sentiment and anti white um, in the anti white racism. Um, in the theatre industry, rather than looking at the realities which are, course , that this is are, of course, that this is just a off thing and that just a one off thing and that the theatre industry itself is, is , biased towards is deeply, um, biased towards those who are white in this country. I mean, in the 2015 Research Released by the arts council, england found that people of colour represent 5 of employees in some london theatres , despite the city being theatres, despite the city being up to 40. Ethnic minority backgrounds. Backgrounds. And that got to do with audience. Audience. Whats that got to do with audience numbers here . But the point here is that when you look at the audiences in london, have ever been to in london, have you ever been to the do you know how the west end . Do you know how much money ticket do much money a ticket costs . Do you kind of course you you know what kind of course you have. But i if have. Right. But i mean, if i went brixton that went to brixton and that discount People Discount tickets, most people probably the tickets me. Discount tickets, most people prolyoul the tickets me. Discount tickets, most people pronou goinge tickets me. Discount tickets, most people pronou going toickets me. Discount tickets, most people pronou going to let� ts me. Discount tickets, most people pronou going to let me me. Discount tickets, most people pronou going to let me speak are you going to let me speak or are going over me . Go on. go on. Okay. Thank you. Um what im saying is that the economic saying is that at the economic aspect, that black people usually have less money, and its not about whether theyre discounted , if dont discounted, if they dont discounted, if they dont discount tickets discount the tickets and they find people dont come, find that people dont come, well, lose on well, then theyll lose out on money. The point here is, the point theatre point here is that theatre in the long been something the uk has long been something that has been exclusive to people of a certain background, that the stories of that has told the stories of people certain background people from a certain background and, i mean, you just have to look at statistics. Have look at the statistics. You have to statistics in the to look at the statistics in the Entertainment Industry, how many, the many, how many people in the Entertainment Industry kind Entertainment Industry are kind of your Eddie Redmaynes from harrow and this, that and the rest see that the rest to see that the Entertainment Industry is deeply, classist and deeply, deeply classist and racist in many ways. And so the idea that guys would never, idea that you guys would never, ever shows these ever do any shows about these actual structural issues or talk about issues in any sense, about these issues in any sense, and then get your knickers a and then get your knickers in a twist when one kind of show says, okay, going to have says, okay, were going to have a black audience for a night, its just quite humorous, be its just quite humorous, to be honest, humorous. Honest, just quite humorous. Some of well, theres some of the biggest the end , biggest shows on the west end, from lion king to from hamilton to lion king to six. All of these shows that people will will know as household names. Really. Do you have majority, minority, minority ethnic casts. 7 minority ethnic casts . Okay. So youve given three examples. Can you give any more than three like were talking you can always give examples. Theres hundreds of shows which go out every every year okay, okay. Sweeney todd right okay. Les miserables i can give you hundreds of examples of the opposite. Martin, to get to get his point of view on this one. Two femis clearly saying that theres an issue with representation in the arts and in theatre. So therefore, having in theatre. So therefore, having one night or two nights where theres a black only audiences really isnt that big a deal. Martin well, segregation isnt the answer to perceived segregation. Racism isnt the answer to perceived racism. Youre perceived racism. Youre absolutely right to say there arent that many black people in theatre audiences. There also arent white working arent very many White Working Class people i know because im one been to one of them. And ive been to the theatre. There are very few people me. Its ostensibly people like me. Its ostensibly a event a white liberal, well off event because most people because thats what most people who theatre are. But who go to the theatre are. But this notion that we address this by keeping people out of by keeping white people out of audiences , it no favours to audiences, it does no favours to the entire cause suggests the entire cause and suggests that theatre is racist. Its that the theatre is racist. Its following hot the of following hot on the heels of the countryside is racist. There are barriers are literally no barriers to anybody going to the theatre anywhere britain at any time, anywhere in britain at any time, apart from the fact you cant afford perhaps which is afford it, perhaps which is which justifiable. I which is justifiable. And as i said, that also applies to white people. It applies to people on people. It applies to people on benefits. Those from north. Benefits. Those from the north. Its a its a its a confected outrage. And its actually outrage. And its actually designed, i think , to make us designed, i think, to make us angry and get this response. Angry and get this response. Thats why a sense, we should thats why in a sense, we should ridicule. I mean, for example, would happy we an would you be happy if we had an event where black people were banned. 7 banned . Uh, banned . Uh , just to just to respond uh, just to just to respond to your thing . I would be fine. And this is this plays into what you just said about the ideas of oppression. There was a show you just said about the ideas of opp|this n. There was a show you just said about the ideas of opp|this is there was a show you just said about the ideas of opp|this is a there was a show you just said about the ideas of opp|this is a show; was a show you just said about the ideas of opp|this is a show abouta show you just said about the ideas of opp|this is a show about slavery you just said about the ideas of oify|this is a show about slavery you just said about the ideas of oif thereis a show about slavery you just said about the ideas of oif thereis a � a ow about slavery you just said about the ideas of oif thereis a � a show out slavery you just said about the ideas of oif thereis a � a show aboutavery you just said about the ideas of oif thereis a � a show about they , if there was a show about the experiences working class experiences of working class britons the victorian age and britons in the victorian age and they put up a thing saying, okay, well, this show is specifically for people from a certain income and background because we want to force the discussion want because we want to force the dizopen on want because we want to force the dizopen ili want because we want to force the dizopen it to want because we want to force the dizopen it to people want to open it to people from who are example , £30,000 are below. For example, £30,000 are below. For example, £30,000 a year. I wouldnt have a problem with that because these are the people that are discriminated against. And this are the people that are di the ninated against. And this are the people that are di the play,3d against. And this are the people that are di the play, which nst. And this are the people that are di the play, which nstalking his are the people that are di the play, which nstalking toy is the play, which is talking to their in the their own experiences in the same no, just their own experiences in the samjust, no, just their own experiences in the samjust, just no, just their own experiences in the samjust, just let no, just their own experiences in the samjust, just let meo, just just just, just just let me finish. But i mean, it was martin the parallel martin that drew the parallel between working class whites and blacks. That blacks. It wasnt me that drew that parallel. You didnt challenge drew challenge him when he drew that parallel. Only challenged challenge him when he drew that parawhen only challenged challenge him when he drew that parawhen i only challenged challenge him when he drew that parawhen i continue allenged challenge him when he drew that parawhen i continue with|ged challenge him when he drew that parawhen i continue with hisi me. When i continue with his analogy, the point being, obviously the point being that what were talking about marginalised communities and a show which talks to their things and were not saying go on tuesdays, tuesday, wednesday, thursday, saturday and thursday, friday, saturday and youre saying when the youre saying on when the wednesday event is wednesday matinee one event is going to be like this, no one is saying segregation like going to be like this, no one is saying deep segregation like going to be like this, no one is saying deep south regation like going to be like this, no one is saying deep south ofiation like going to be like this, no one is saying deep south of the n like going to be like this, no one is saying deep south of the united in the deep south of the United States it this states where it was. This swimming is for you, and Swimming Pool is for you, and this swimming for you. This Swimming Pool is for you. Im just saying theres bigger this Swimming Pool is for you. Im jusforaying theres bigger this Swimming Pool is for you. Im jusforayirtotheres bigger this Swimming Pool is for you. Im jusforayirto focuss bigger this Swimming Pool is for you. Im jusforayirto focus on gger this Swimming Pool is for you. Im jusforayirto focus on apart things for us to focus on apart from you manufacturing some outrage never outrage over this and never talking about the actual problems the theatre. Problems of the theatre. A lot people that theres a lot of people that might be actually just just might be actually just a just a bit we live in bit offended. We live in a Multicultural Society , and Multicultural Society, and actually of people actually quite a lot of people might just are offended the might just are offended by the stuff come out on stuff that you guys come out on with this channel every day, offended that you know that some black people dont to have black people dont want to have a in the audience. Black people dont want to have a its in the audience. Black people dont want to have a its a in the audience. Black people dont want to have a its a bili the audience. Black people dont want to have a its a bit itse audience. Black people dont want to have a its a bit its a|udience. Black people dont want to have a its a bit its a show ce. I mean, its a bit its a show about slavery. A about white its a show about white people. Its a show about white people. Its a show about white people black people people. Its a show about white peoplethe black people people. Its a show about white peoplethe atlantick people people. Its a show about white peoplethe atlantick pe White Working Class people, and they should be the only audience thats ridiculous. I would never want anything like that. Anybody should be free to any should be free to enjoy any educational experience. If you want anybody learn about the want anybody to learn about the plight of slavery, the last thing that theyre going to want to in is a show that to take part in is a show that theyre actively banned from seeing. See theyre seeing. Cant you see theyre not banned from seeing it . Saying that certain theyre saying that certain screenings youre trying certain screenings youre trying certain screenings a black screenings will have a black audience. Saying audience. Theyre not saying theyre it do theyre abandoning it. Do you think, think, you think, do you think, are you going the wednesday go going to go on the wednesday go on say one screening on the if you say one screening out many screenings, out of how many screenings, how is that them . Its is that banning them . No, its just ticket to just saying buy a ticket to another is another evening. No one is banned. Its a Swimming Pool banned. Its not a Swimming Pool where only, blacks where its whites only, blacks only. A water. Me ask only. Its not a water. Me ask you a question, let me you you a question, let me ask you the question again. Would you be satisfied, if anywhere in britain, at any point in time there was any performance where black people werent allowed to go even for one hour . Would you be happy with that. 7 with that . I can tell you now that i have been in numerous, numerous rooms in the in theatre because ive worked in theatre, ive acted in london theatres, ive beenin acted in london theatres, ive been in numerous spaces where ive been the only black people amongst hundreds of and amongst hundreds of people. And this a structural issue. This is a structural issue. Thats issue with thats a structural issue with which issue with which a structural issue with which a structural issue with which with which you have banned structure. Right. If black people cant access spaces, thats structural issue, which thats a structural issue, which is a very real issue. But they can basically means if i, if i if im a working class black kid from brixton, as you said, youve brought in the thing that if im working, am i going to be am i going to be at Les Miserables . Am i going to have the go to les the money to go to Les Miserables . Am i going to feel comfortable that . That comfortable in that . In that environment . These these are structural questions. And you guys work guys love you can if you work hard. Love to focus on hard. You guys love to focus on the sensationalist. Hard. You guys love to focus on the sensationalira little say im let me have a little say im working let me have a little say im worim] miner son from nottingham. I ive worked hard and earned money and got on in life. I havent sat around moaning about it. Sat around saying havent sat around moaning about it. Oppressed|t around saying havent sat around moaning about it. Oppressed. Around saying havent sat around moaning about it. Oppressed. Ivelnd saying havent sat around moaning about it. Oppressed. Ive gotsaying havent sat around moaning about it. Oppressed. Ive got myng im oppressed. Ive got my structural money to get to the theatre and change what anybody in beautiful country stop in this beautiful country stop moaning being that. Moaning about being that. Change the history of thatcher decimating mining communities that change communities does that change what class have done what the ruling class have done to the working class in this country . No great. Youre country . No great. Cool. Youre one point about one example of my point about that for my for the that anymore. For my for the chip shoulder, its that anymore. For my for the chip understanding r, its that anymore. For my for the chip understanding structural about understanding structural issues rather than focusing on sensationalist headlines, headunes. Headlines. You both made excellent points. Thanks, femi. Appreciate points. Thanks, femi. Appreciate your your time. And of course, your your time. And of course, martin. Martin youre up next on the show. Martin whats coming up. 7 thanks for that. Well, ive up . Thanks for that. Well, ive always on the immigration figures, of course. Figures, of course. Yeah. And uh, weve got loads of stuff coming on. Of course, Sarah Everard and weve got a fascinating video of a rescue operation in french waters two miles off french waters. And we miles off french waters. And we see in real time as it goes into british waters and people are ferried back. This is a pick and drop off issue. This is not drop off issue. This is not containment. Weve got an exclusive video to sensational talking point. Well, we look forward to seeing it. Uh, but of course , seeing it. Uh, but of course, coming up next on this show, Prince William has been visiting, uh, in Central London for the first time. That hes been seen in public since being, uh, since missing his godfathers Memorial Service. Godfathers Memorial Service. Where has he been . Whats he been up to . And why has he been out . The details out . Well have the details shortly. Shortly. Its 133. Shortly. Its133. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your headunes in the gb newsroom. Your headlines , as the home secretary headlines, as the home secretary has told mps, Police Officers will be automatically suspended if theyre charged with certain criminal offences as the comments come after the Sarah Everard inquiry found Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer. He killed the 33 year old in south london in march. In 2021. Her family says she died because he was a Police Officer and she would never have got into a strangers car. Inquiry chairwoman Dame Angiolini was warned without a radical overhaul of the policing practices and culture, theres nothing to stop other cousins operating in plain sight. The operating in plain sight. The Prime Minister has told police to use their powers to protect mps after warning the uk is descending into mob rule, the government has already announced a £31 million package to boost security following safety fears. Concerns have been growing over mps being targeted by protesters since the outbreak of the israel hamas. War dame esther israel hamas. War dame Esther Rantzen is campaigning for a fresh debate on legalising assisted dying, saying the current law is a mess. She recently revealed she joined the dignitas clinic in switzerland after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. A report is urging the government to consider what to do if the law is changed. In other parts of the uk. And for the latest story the uk. And for the latest story , sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Comment alerts. For a screen or go to gb news. Comment alerts. For a valuable screen or go to gb news. Comment alerts. For a valuable legacy, alerts. 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Youre watching and listening to good afternoon britain now Prince William has been seen in public for the First Time Since he pulled out been seen in public for the firthe me since he pulled out been seen in public for the firthe servicee he pulled out been seen in public for the firthe service of|e pulled out been seen in public for the firthe service of thanksgiving of the service of thanksgiving for godfather, prince of for his godfather, the prince of wales has been meeting with young people holocaust young people and Holocaust Survivors at the western marble arch synagogue in london. Theres new pictures of him theres some new pictures of him there synagogue, but there at the synagogue, but joining now royal joining us now is royal biographer and commentator angela levin. Angela prince angela levin. Angela Prince William, pictured out and about today meeting members of the jewish community. Any ideas of why he may not have appeared at the Memorial Service. 7 the Memorial Service . No, i dont know. No, i dont know. I mean, one person said to me that one of the children had had a real sort of tantrum. A real sort of tantrum. Um, and he decided to stay in. But thats the only thing ive had. And i havent had it confirmed. So so no idea really. Confirmed. So so no idea really. I suppose it would make sense that hes having to do most of the parenting work, given that the parenting work, given that the princess of wales is still recovering. But of course , recovering. But of course, angela, as youll know, theres been fraud and speculation. Uh, in, in this country and beyond about how the princess of wales is doing. And frankly , about is doing. And frankly, about where she is to do we do we know anything about that. 7 anything about that . No, we dont. I mean, i think theyre doing a very good job that theyre keeping her very quiet um, quite aware. I quiet and, um, quite aware. I think at one point she was going to be with parents and then to be with her parents and then and the other is in, in sandringham. Um, but she hasnt been out at any of us have seen. But i at any of us have seen. But i suppose that thats what she needs to do. Really if shes had a major operation , she needs to a major operation, she needs to rest. She needs to be looked after very carefully and feel somewhere where we feel comfortable and wherever she is and im sure theyre looking after her very well. And there will be lots of doctors and physios perhaps, as well , to physios perhaps, as well, to help her get her mobility back. Slowly but surely. I think shed slowly but surely. I think shed be very pleased about that because she is so athletic. Because she is so athletic. But, um, we dont know anything but it must be very stressful for all of them and i think for the children as well, they need to see them, mummy, and be with her closely. I think the older two were probably be extremely kind because they realise shes not well and louis will lead loads of cuddling because he really would need that from his mother. Would need that from his mother. He wouldnt quite understand. He wouldnt quite understand. Um, and i think that that, um, uh, shes got a piano nearby, but i dont think shed play that because that affects things in your stomach. I know i was a pianist once, um , you dont pianist once, um, you dont actually do that sort of thing, but, um, i think she will just be quiet and speak to her sister. Pippa, speak to her mother , speak to a few friends. Mother, speak to a few friends. But for too not long. You dont buy into any of the speculation, angela, that theres something deeper going on here. Well, i think its ridiculous to say that when you dont know, we just have to wait, dont we . I think if she doesnt appear for, uh, after easter , then for, uh, after easter, then there would be some cause for more concern. But everyone she needs to recover from an operation in their own way. And some operations take a lot of care and quietness and, um , care and quietness and, um, gentleness and a huge responsibility on the shoulders of Prince William. Hes out today with his dufies. Hes out today with his duties. Hell be tomorrow in duties. Hell be tomorrow in wales to celebrate saint davids day. So hes got a busy agenda and theres a slimmed down monarchy. Monarchy. Yes, there is a slimmed down monarchy. Im one of the people who feel that this is a very unlucky time. Um, but you dont unlucky time. Um, but you dont actually want the royals who are not that interested, who arent loyal, and who wont do a good job. Um, i think all of us go through a difficult patches, and you come out and youre okay again , and i. And thats how again, and i. And thats how i think of the royal family. You must have people who are dedicated and who will really care. I mean, Queen Camilla has care. I mean, Queen Camilla has been absolute amazing. If shes working incredibly hard, shes obviously spending a lot of time with the king, and yet shes just doing things as if its also easy. And what they do , and also easy. And what they do, and they will continue to do that. And i think that attitude helps everybody. Everybody. Dodi now angela, the sun is reporting that Gary Goldsmith now this is the prince of princesses of wales, uncle will be going into the Celebrity Big Brother house next week. Surely that cant help the situation. I dont think it does help the situation. He is one of those relatives who needs a lot of attention and wants, um , uh, you know, to get wants, um, uh, you know, to get some money, presumably from doing that. Although he is a millionaire , i believe. But he millionaire, i believe. But he would like to make money out of it. Think thats a shame. It. And i think thats a shame. The thing is, he probably thinks he control whatever he says he can control whatever he says and famous. But and he becomes famous. But actually, with the cameras are running all the time. Um, you running all the time. Um, you can easily slip. And he could can easily slip. And he could Say Something completely , um, Say Something completely, um, inappropriate. But, um, but that inappropriate. But, um, but that will get people watching. I think its the wrong thing to do, particularly at the wrong time. He should have said, look, im sorry. He, um. I dont want any questions about my niece, and i wont be coming. And i wont be coming. Yes, its probably the last thing the royal family want. Catherines uncle to go into Celebrity Big Brother. They dont need any more aggro station. Do they worry. 7 aggro station. Do they worry . Not at all. No. Well, a little bit embarrassing, perhaps, but thank you very much, angela. Always great to speak to you. Angela levin, biographer levin, their royal biographer and here. And commentator here. I dont think i could ever do that anyone family. That to anyone in my family. I dont i mean, i dont yes, i mean, i wouldnt any Family Member i dont yes, i mean, i wc goint any Family Member i dont yes, i mean, i wcgo into any Family Member i dont yes, i mean, i wcgo into the any Family Member i dont yes, i mean, i wcgo into the big Family Member i dont yes, i mean, i wcgo into the big brothermember to go into the big brother house, but i mean, its not like an of sabotage or just deep, an act of sabotage or just deep, deep selfishness. Yeah, yeah , really, i guess yeah, yeah, really, i guess it pays well coming up, weve been asking what you think about a west end production for an all black audience. Thats not an audience of the new Zealand Rugby team. That is an audience of all ethnic minority participants. Participants. Well be reading some of your views shortly. In 2024, gb news is britains election channel, so join me tom harwood for the rochdale by Election Results from midnight through to six. A m. Well discover the twists and turns of the most unpredictable by election in a long time. He should be celebrated. I he should be celebrated. I slept during it, you know, and from 6 am. Friday, join Michael Portillo on gb news breakfast for his take on the results. Gb news. Britains election. Gb news. Britains election. Channel right. Well, we have lots of views coming in about the debate. We just had the debate we just had about this , uh, this theatre about this, uh, this theatre show thats going to have two nights where they have a blackout, which means that, uh, theyll only have, uh, black guests in the audience and lots of you have things to say about this. Paul says what happens on black only night when a mixed race person turns up. 7 well, i race person turns up . Well, i presumably said black presumably they said black identify thing. So if youre mixed identify as mixed race and you identify as black, then course youll be black, then of course youll be allowed i see you want allowed in. I can see you want to friend , to see to bring a friend, to see a world of troubles with black identifying. Yes , i can see a world of yes, i can see a world of troubles where some joker will turn that performance. Who turn up to that performance. Who isnt black and has no black ancestry and apparently identify because of legal issues. Because of legal issues. Theyre not actually allowed to sell tickets under the to just sell tickets under the banner of only for black people. But so what theyre doing is theyre selling the tickets through black Community Groups to those legal to get around those legal challenges. Says. Does challenges. Barbara says. Does making it possible for only my black husband to be able to attend, not me, create more attend, but not me, create more harmony . Barbara, harmony . Well, yes, barbara, you wouldnt to go. Your wouldnt be allowed to go. Your husband would have go his husband would have to go on his own. Nice, isnt it, own. Oh, thats nice, isnt it, james says the theatre is only doing for nights, it doing this for two nights, so it should made more than it is. Of course, this is running for many, many weeks, and only two nights. Well, thats doing fair enough. Two nights. Well, thats doing fair butyugh. Two nights. Well, thats doing fair but this has two nights. Well, thats doing fairbut this has happened before but this has happened before with production, with another theatre production, and will happen with another theatre production, and and will happen with another theatre production, and and i will happen with another theatre production, and and i understandyen with another theatre production, and and i understand that, again. And i understand that, yes, at some theatre productions, what femi was saying earlier, some theatre productions, the audiences are by and large mostly white people from theatre performances ive been to in the west end. Anyway but is this really the answer. 7 but is this really the answer . Is this the answer now . Hughes says, of course, hughes says, which country slavery . And it country stopped slavery . And it was , of course, the united was, of course, the United Kingdom that did more than any other country in the history of the world to stop slavery. In fact, i think, i think its quite interesting that when we refer to the sort of civil rights we always refer rights movement, we always refer to, the americans and american sort of. We never refer to the people like wilberforce, who worked so hard in this country to , to kick off this to, to kick off this anti slavery movement. We dont mention lord liverpool, who made it a condition of the congress of vienna when the when the napoleonic wars were all being wrapped up and the new concert of europe was being decided, a condition of that was that all of the countries sign up on the britishs insistence to stop the slave trade. And one final. Slave trade. And one final. There you go. Theres your History Lesson for the day. Final fact always educational in brazil, in brazilian politics, they have a phrase i dont know they have a phrase i dont know the portuguese for it, but its basically a rule for the english to see. And that means a rule that no one abides by right and the origin of this phrase is that when britain ruled the waves and we were facilitating trade with brazil, right, we would only trade with brazil if they wrote it into their constitution often that they would ban slavery. And that they would ban slavery. And they did that and carried on doing slavery anyway. And they called it a law for the english to see. Well, you for the to see. Well, thank you for the ted talk, anyway, chancellor jeremy hunt will deliver his budget next and hes budget next week, and hes rumoured be considering rumoured to be considering scrapping the non dom or non domiciled status after non domiciled tax status after previously long defending the arrangement. Curious so is this non dom or non dom. 7 non dom . Well, joining us now is Political Editor Christopher Hope to try and get to the bottom of what could be a screeching u turn. Chris, is this smart politics or non dom. Politics hahaha. Hahaha. Nice one tom. Yeah, i think it is quite smart politics. It shows a degree of manoeuvring ability. Yes, youre of course youre right. It goes against what previous tory chancellors, including jeremy hunt, have said before about this idea of scaring wealth and forcing scaring off wealth and forcing a flight of capital. Theres around 55,000 people, oh point oh 8 of the population are non dom , as it means that they non dom, as it means that they are foreigners who reside in the uk. They can avoid paying tax. Uk. They can avoid paying tax. The first seven years here after that, they pay £30,000 a fee to avoid paying the tax. Here on their global earnings, rising to £60,000 after 12. If theyre here from 12 other past 14 years, theres a way of just keeping people here who are well off and of course they pay money elsewhere and we the revenue can make money off them as they purchase goods, etc. While theyre here. It would raise £3. 6 billion initially. And thats the idea. The government, thats the idea. The government, the chancellor looking around for money, hes got maybe headroom of £15 billion. And how headroom of £15 billion. And how he spends that elsewhere on tax. He spends that elsewhere on tax. Im not sure this is smart politics though now in politics though about now in westminster. Im not sure if this smart politics really this is smart politics really though, just looks as though, because it just looks as though, because it just looks as though well, yeah, besides the economics , but it Just Economics point, but it just looks though theyre stealing looks as though theyre stealing a policy. A labour policy. I mean, how how does that make government look strong . Make the government look strong . Well , this will the truth well, this will the truth will out next week , emily. But will out next week, emily. But i think what it does do it forces the labour to find money elsewhere. It boxes the labour elsewhere. It boxes the labour party. And in terms of how they might raise money if might try and raise money if they win i think thats they win power, i think thats why work. And think why it might work. And i think that know, some would say, that you know, some would say, i mean , some say its not clear mean, some say its not clear whether this will cause a flight of people leaving the of capital. People leaving the country are off. They country who are well off. They can to can find different ways to shelter their shelter the shelter. Their money. But it might might be a way to force labour way of trying to force labour into position, to find into a position, trying to find new i mean, new ways to raise money. I mean, other, looking other, other options for looking now, whether want to try now, whether they want to try and the base rate of income and cut the base rate of income tax made 2, and thats 13 tax made by 2, and thats 13 billion a2p cut in nics, National Insurance to 9 billion, bringing that down to the self employed theres all self employed level. Theres all sorts options for them. But sorts of options for them. But i just think shows a bit of just think it shows a bit of fleet of foot in terms of political nous. But i do agree it will be big in the it will be a big debate in the party. Emily and tom, theyre just on their just giving up on their arguments. Just giving up on their arg theyre saying, they theyre saying, yeah, they were making sensible arguments before playing before and now its all playing the politics, right . Ideological continuity. The ideological continuity. Anyway labour anyway coming up, Labour Research government is Research Says the government is forking a whopping £15 forking out a whopping £15 million day on Asylum Seeker million a day on Asylum Seeker hotels. More on that after the. Break. A brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on. Gb views. Hello again. Alex burkill here with your latest gb news Weather Forecast. But theres Weather Forecast. But theres more unsettled weather to come as we go through the end of the week. Heavy rain , blustery week. Heavy rain, blustery showers even snow some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh users even snow some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at even snow some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at the even snow some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at the moment,w some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at the moment, there some week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at the moment, there is � ne week. Heavy rain, blustery sh us at the moment, there is an of us at the moment, there is an area low pressure to the area of low pressure to the north of the uk, bringing blustery, weather blustery, showery weather to many its a waving many parts. But its a waving front the southeast thats front in the southeast thats brought persistent rain already today, and will continue to do so little while before the so for a little while before the rain away. As we go rain clears away. As we go through this evening, some drier weather, through the start through this evening, some drier wetheer, through the start through this evening, some drier wethe night, through the start through this evening, some drier wethe night, albeit gh the start of the night, albeit with a scattering across scattering of showers across northern before some northern parts before some persistent and heavy rain with some hill snow pushes into parts of southwest into wales. Of the southwest and into wales. Elsewhere, where we see clearer skies through the night, we are going temperatures skies through the night, we are going watch lperatures skies through the night, we are going watch|peratursome dropping. Watch out for some frost, icy patches, also frost, some icy patches, also some freezing fog. First some fog and freezing fog. First thing tomorrow. Most thing tomorrow. The most unsettled weather though tomorrow parts tomorrow will be across parts of the and in wales. Tomorrow will be across parts of the rain and in wales. Tomorrow will be across parts of the rain andind in wales. Tomorrow will be across parts of the rain and some wales. Tomorrow will be across parts of the rain and some hilles. Tomorrow will be across parts of the rain and some hill snow heavy rain and some hill snow could some travel could cause some travel disruption. Localised disruption. Some localised flooding. Otherwise the rain is going to spread across much of england and wales bring england and wales could bring some wintry ness over higher ground. Particular, the best ground. In particular, the best chance of staying dry be chance of staying dry will be across parts of scotland and northern a chilly northern ireland, but a chilly feel of us. Temperatures feel to all of us. Temperatures a bit below average for a little bit below average for the we look the time of year. As we look towards the weekend and were going under the going to still be under the influence area of low influence of an area of low pressure going bring influence of an area of low presslunsettledgoing bring influence of an area of low presslunsettled weather bring influence of an area of low presslunsettled weather as ng go more unsettled weather as we go through saturday. Still, the chance more ness. But chance of more wintry ness. But signs that sunday is going to turn albeit stay rather turn drier, albeit stay rather cloudy then , we see the cloudy before then, we see the return some more unsettled return to some more unsettled weather to start working weather to start the working week. Temperatures rising a little by by that warm little bit too. By by that warm feeling inside from boxt boilers sponsor of weather on gb news. Good afternoon britain. Its 2 00 on thursday the 29th of february. A new record. February. A new record. Over 62,000 people were granted asylum in the uk last yeah granted asylum in the uk last year. Thats the highest number since records began. Now the backlog may be down, but could quick Decision Making on asylum applications come back to haunt the home office. 7 the home office . Wayne couzens should never have been a Police Officer. Have been a Police Officer. Thats the verdict of a home office commissioned inquiry into the of Sarah Everard. The murder of Sarah Everard. Without a significant overhaul of police vetting, there is nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight, warns the reports author. And anarchy in the uk, rishi sunak has warned that mob rule is replacing democratic rule as he pushes the police to do more to protect mps. But the comments to protect mps. But the comments have sparked outrage, with human rights campaigners saying he is wildly exaggerating the issue. Wildly exaggerating the issue. Whos right . Now we will talk about big things, but i do just want to say i, in the break googled what the portuguese is for a law for the portuguese is for a law for the english to see go on a law para english var. I think ive got para english there and its a phrase in brazil pronunciation. I must say i actually. I must say i actually. Yeah, ive in practising, i was sitting next to a brazilian. Was sitting next to a brazilian. Yeah, im actually very good at football as well. Yes. I dont believe that. I dont believe that. But it comes from uh, um, but but it comes from 1826 when we asked the brazilians asked, signed a treaty to outlaw the slave trade in brazil. But it continued for another six decades, and they lied to the english. And now, when theyre talking about laws that abided that sort of arent abided by, its a law para there. Its a law para ingles there. And if youre us now and and if youre joining us now and you have absolutely no idea why tom is talking about this, its because we did get on to slavery and it went from there, didnt it . It. 7 it it . It did. It did. Well, i just think the United Kingdom has kingdom actually has an incredible, on incredible, proud legacy on slavery done than slavery, done more than any other country in the history of the the global the world to end the global slave and i think that slave trade. And i think that should be more recognised as well. There we go. Something to be proud of. Gb views at gb news. Com but first your headlines with severe. Thanks emily. With severe. Thanks emily. Good afternoon. Its 2 02. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your top story. The home secretary has told mps Police Officers will be automatically suspended if theyre charged with certain criminal offences , as the criminal offences, as the comments come after the Sarah Everard inquiry found Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer, he killed the 33 year old in south london in march 2021. Her family says she died because he was a Police Officer , and she would never officer, and she would never have got into a strangers car inquiry chairwoman Dame Angiolini has warned. Without a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture, theres nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight. Operating in plain sight. Even after cousins arrest and a review of his vetting clearance , the metropolitan clearance, the metropolitan Police Service told the inquiry in 2022 that they would still have recruited him if provided with the same information. I with the same information. I find this astonishing thing. I find this astonishing thing. I make a number of recommendations to improve recruitment and vetting , covering everything vetting, covering everything from in person interviews and home visits for new recruits to improvements for information sharing around transfer hours. In addition to the shortcomings in vetting and recruitment , the in vetting and recruitment, the report shows very clearly how Police Investigations of indecent exposure were poor. Indecent exposure were poor. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has told police to use their powers to protect mps after warning the uk is descending into mob rule. The government has already announced a £31 million package to boost security , following safety fears security, following safety fears. Concern has been growing over mps being targeted by protesters since the outbreak of the israel hamas war. Schools minister damian hinds says the Additional Support is needed. Additional support is needed. Its really important to protect our democracy and thats not just members of parliament, of course, but it includes members have members of parliament. We have a Representative Democracy and its really important that that can go about its business. Individuals can go about their business. The their business. And by the way, their Staff Members and families without fear. So i do think its right that there is this there is this focus, the Police Obviously do fantastic work and were all all very were all were all very grateful to them. And yes, i do welcome that that focus welcome that that that focus that the minister has that the Prime Minister has brought to protecting our democracy , our democratic democracy, our democratic process democratic parties , process and democratic parties, nafion process and democratic parties, nation hotels for Asylum Seekers is costing the taxpayer £15 million a day, with labour accusing the government of blowing its £1 billion budget. Treasury figures suggest the home office spent £4. 3 billion more than budgeted on asylum accommodation last year. More than budgeted on asylum accommodation last year. Shadow accommodation last year. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper says it demonstrates the complete chaos in the system , complete chaos in the system, and it comes as the latest figures show illegal migration has fallen. But legal migration has fallen. But legal migration is up. The Government Data also is up. The Government Data also reveals small boat arrivals in 2023 were down 36 on the previous year. However, the uk granted asylum to over 62,000 people in 2023, the highest level ever recorded. Assisted level ever recorded. Assisted dying must be addressed, with mps warning the government that a plan is needed if laws are passed on jersey and the isle of man. Dame Esther Rantzen is among the voices calling for a fresh debate and a vote in the uk , saying the current uk, saying the current legislation is a mess. She recently revealed shes joined the dignitas clinic in switzerland after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. The publics been giving cancer. The publics been giving their opinion on the matter. I think theyre going to be a lot of ramification from this. I mean, they have it legalised in switzerland. Dont they . But its really going to be something that for a long time, the ruling class will have access to, because how expensive it will be, how feasible will it be for the nhs to be able to support it . Why in theory, dont see why it in theory, i dont see why it shouldnt legalised because shouldnt be legalised because everyone has a right to die in the way they want to. The way they want to. Why should they suffer when theyre in agony . And this could go on. This agony could go on for years, years. And is it fair to make people suffer. And hairy to make people suffer. And hairy bikers star dave myers has died aged 66, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Speaking , his motorcycling speaking, his motorcycling cooking partner revealed the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at his home with his family. He said he cant put into words how hes feeling at the moment, but everyone who loved dave is devastated. And for the latest devastated. And for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Common alerts. Now its back to tom and. Emily. Good afternoon britain. Its 2 07 and a report into the rape and murder of Sarah Everard has found that her killer, Wayne Couzens should never have been given a job as a Police Officer. And the chances to stop the sexual predator were repeatedly ignored or missed. The report also called for a complete overhaul of police vetting. Well , joining us now is well, joining us now is former police chief superintendent and whistleblower in the met parm sandhu. Thank in the met parm sandhu. Thank you very much for joining us. You very much forjoining us. I guess for most people listening to whats come out of this inquiry is the number of red flags , the numbers of missed flags, the numbers of missed opportunities , ortiz, that there opportunities, ortiz, that there were in three police stations, three under three police areas. Three under three police areas. I mean, it it boggles the mind, really, how this man was missed. This is such a sad story that endedin this is such a sad story that ended in the death of Sarah Everard. Everard. And its really shocking when you actually read through the report. There are three different forces involved. Different forces involved. Theres kent. Theres met police and theres also this cnc, which is a Civil Nuclear constabulary. So three different forces employed this man who should never have been a Police Officer. His offending history goes back to 1995, which is before he even applied to join the Police Service within kent. And then Service Within kent. And then from there hes transferred across to the met Police Officer, met police and actually carried a gun. So not only did he have a warrant card, which gave him the power to abduct, abuse , rape and murder, sarah abuse, rape and murder, Sarah Everard , he also had a gun. We everard, he also had a gun. We entrusted him with a gun, which is absolutely appalling. And when you actually read through the reports , there are number the reports, there are a number of different incidents where he was reported for indecent exposure, masturbating , um, exposure, masturbating, um, sharing pornography at work and none of those instances were investigated properly. And he investigated properly. And he was allowed to stay in policing. But what really is quite disturbing about this report is that this report follows the dame louise kc report, which was published in march last year, and that follows the hmmis report, which was reported, which was um published the year before in 2022. The recommended actions are very similar in all three reports. So were having report after report saying the same thing, saying that we need to look at the vetting, we need to look at the vetting, we need to look at recruitment, and we need to look at revetting and hr processes. But the activity, the actions seem to be, um, actions dont seem to be, um, following these reports. Yeah. No, it is extra ordinary that these same themes keep coming back and back and back. But i want to ask you about about your whistle blowing and whether you sort of see echoes of, of your own experience in this one. I do , and before i, before i do, and before i, before i answer that question, im just going to say that the majority of Police Officers are good, caring individuals who are there for reasons , but there caring individuals who are there for a reasons , but there caring individuals who are there for a few reasons , but there caring individuals who are there for a few whoeasons , but there caring individuals who are there for a few who should but there caring individuals who are there for a few who should nevenere caring individuals who are there for a few who should never have are a few who should never have been allowed into policing and should never been allowed should never have been allowed to remain. And the problem that i had, that others like me i had, and that others like me have , is that there a safe have, is that there isnt a safe environment to report. Colleagues so if you notice something about your colleague or you think thats not right, he shouldnt be doing that at work or theres youre uncomfortable with that persons behaviour. You report that behaviour. If you report that behaviour, you you then become the target and you become the person whos investigated. And person whos investigated. And if i can just explain a little bit further, the reason for that is that the police mark their own homework. So when you report own homework. So when you report somebody, put in a somebody, when you put in a complaint as a member of the public, put a public, when you put in a complaint as serving Police Complaint or as a serving Police Officer, a complaints officer, it goes to a Complaints Department. So the Complaints Department. So the Complaints Department is staffed up by Police Officers. Theyre not independent. They could have been out drinking with Wayne Couzens the week before or they could to play golf this could be going to play golf this coming with coming saturday with Wayne Couzens. Theyre theyre couzens. So theyre theyre actually investigating people that they worked with that they socialise with that are friends of theirs. And one of the recommendations that was made last year from the Dame Louise Casey report was that that Complaints Department should be taken outside of policing and it should be independent. That hasnt happened. And again , you hasnt happened. And again, you see those recommendations coming up year after year with no real activity is there something about policing that can attract bad people . Do you think there is absolutely. Absolutely. Because once you get that warrant card, it gives you power. It gives you power to stop and detain people. It gives you detain people. It gives you power over , um, you know, power over, um, you know, detention over the treatment, how you behave towards people. And its a known fact. Its been said many times that policing will attract people who are attracted by the power of the warrant card. Now, add to that the power of carrying a firearm or weapons, because one of the things that, um, Wayne Couzens was accused of and, um, it wasnt investigated properly, wasnt investigated properly, was it. 7 he was off duty wearing was it . He was off duty wearing a police belt with all of his equipment on it that wasnt investigated properly, that wasnt dealt with. And not only that, he was living in kent, working in the met. So hes taking his equipment home with him, which again an offence. Him, which again is an offence. So so it does attract bullies. It attracts people who shouldnt be in policing. And one of the be in policing. And one of the hmc reports in 2022, matt parr, actually said that the wrong type of police , the wrong type type of police, the wrong type of people can apply and become Police Officers and then can remain as Police Officers. So there isnt that rivetting process that will weed out these individuals. Individuals. How concerned are you about the drive to recruit 20,000 extra Police Officers that weve seen since 2019. 7 a big, uh, initiative by the government to hit this target. To get more hit this target. To get more police in, do you think theres a risk that within that drive of recruitment corners might have been cut, that the vetting standards that we would expect might have been missed again, in some cases , i think processes some cases, i think processes will be missed in that in that cohort , but also in the cohort cohort, but also in the cohort before. Before. Im not going to say that its because the recruitment targets i welcome those recruitment targets because those numbers are actually , um, those numbers are actually, um, replacing officers that have already resigned, left or retired. So its not actually , retired. So its not actually, in my view, its not an increase. Itsjust in my view, its not an increase. Its just keep maintaining numbers. But. Its just keep maintaining numbers. But some of the vetting processes go back years and years and we cant say that these are all new people. These are people that joined 20, 30 years ago, but are only being picked up now. So that target, that recruitment procedure has got nothing to do with the likes of Wayne Couzens. Absolutely nothing. And what worries me is that dame elish has actually said there could be another Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight , so there Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight, so there could be Wayne Couzens operating in plain sight , so there could be another sight, so there could be another Wayne Couzens whos going into policing today , today and policing today, today and tomorrow and Walking Around the streets. Well on that note, thank you very much indeed. Thank you very much indeed. Parm sandhu former police chief superintend and a whistleblower in the met. Well, there you go. Cant cut corners there you go. Cant cut corners when it comes to vetting our Police Officers. You cant. And chilling chilling at there that chilling at the end there that there more just there could be more people just operating plain sight. Uh, operating in plain sight. Uh, lets theyre combed out. Lets hope theyre combed out. The uk granted asylum well, the uk granted asylum to a Record Number of people last year, with Home Office Data released this morning showing over 62,000 people were granted Refugee Status or other protection following an application in 2023. The news comes as its also revealed that the government is forking out a whopping £50 million a day putting up Asylum Seekers in hotels. Thats more than £43 billion more of british taxpayer money than was budgeted for asylum support in the last year. And thats according to research from the labour party. Labour party. Yes. Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said the shocking figures demonstrate the complete chaos the asylum system left chaos in the asylum system left by conservatives so we can by the conservatives so we can now speak with immigration barrister paul turner. Uh, paul, uh, so over 62,000 people were granted asylum in this country last year, a record high to many. That will seem unsustainable. Unsustainable. Well, yes , it may do. I mean, well, yes, it may do. I mean, theres two ways of looking at it. One is that the, um, the uk has got its act together and is granting status to people that deserve it. And secondly, that the uk has lost control of its borders. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle. Um, but somewhere in the middle. Um, but its to note that the its important to note that the reason why there have been so many the home many grants is because the home Office Actually did get its act together a little bit in making a of decisions a large number of decisions towards the end of last year. And then the other which and then the other point, which is to be borne mind is is has to be borne in mind is that of the ten most productive countries, if you can call it that, that generate Asylum Seekers , uh, seekers at places like, uh, afghanistan, syria, sudan and eritrea, 99 of the people are accepted by the home office as being genuine refugees. So you being genuine refugees. So you could say its an abject failure , or you could say that the uk is, um, uh, fulfilling its International Obligations. Its always difficult in these settings because weve signed up to these treaties that, uh, were formulated, often written by the british in the wake of the second world war, in a world before the jet engine and before the sort of mass migration that we see today. And to some people, it does seem very, very strange that given these obligations that we have signed up to our International Obligations are in many cases , uh, could be many cases, uh, could be assessed if, if everyone so choose to came to come to the uk. Uh there would be billions of people around the world who would theoretically be eligible for asylum in this country. Well, you are completely right. According to the, uh, the un definition or the unhcr definition of refugee, um, anyone fleeing on the basis of their, um , uh, Race Ethnicity , their, um, uh, Race Ethnicity, um, as a number of two of the criteria for, um, would qualify, obviously. Um, its very difficult for very poor people in, say, sub Saharan Africa to make their way to the United Kingdom. I mean, it has to be kingdom. I mean, it has to be borne in mind that, um, the concept of refugees and persecution does go back to pre the second world war. And you are right , i the second world war. And you are right, i think it was a british barrister that wrote an awful lot of the echr. Um, and awful lot of the echr. Um, and it supported by winston it was supported by winston churchill. So i think that its important to put it into context and that might sound a lawyerly answer, but if one looks at the, uh 60 or 70,000 people that claimed asylum last year and you put that in the context of the 1. 3 Million People that were granted visas to enter the United Kingdom, its quite clear that the irregular entrance to the United Kingdom, of which two thirds are entitled to be here under international law, um, awry. Its 95 arrived lawfully and 5 arrived irregularly. Now so it seems that the focus can be unfairly on Asylum Seekers when theres a Bigger Picture here, which is the 1. 3 Million People that were granted leave to enter the country lawfully, paul, to enter the country lawfully, paul , a lot of to enter the country lawfully, paul, a lot of people would assume that our asylum system would prioritise women and children. But in fact, the figures show that it but in fact, the figures show thatitis but in fact, the figures show that it is mostly, uh, adult males who have been granted asylum in this country. They account for the majority , it account for the majority, it seems to some that perhaps there is a bit of a first come, first serve. Um basis for our asylum system rather than actually granting asylum to the people who most need it. Well emily, i completely agree with you. I mean , women and children i mean, women and children and the uk does have an obugafion and the uk does have an obligation to look after or put the childrens best interests first, um, often miss out. First, but, um, often miss out. Whereas a lot of the migrants that come here that are easy to process would be, say , single process would be, say, single males that have made the journey from afghanistan, for example , from afghanistan, for example, or syria. Um, and that probably skews the figures. But there are good legal arguments as to why women and women and children ought to have their claims prioritised. And it can seem a little unsettling that , um, if little unsettling that, um, if you have enough money to get here and youre a young, fit, single male from afghanistan, youve better chance youve got a much better chance of quicker than of getting status quicker than if you an unaccompanied child. I suppose thats an argument about safe and legal routes more than anything else. Paul well, this is something that i parked on about, and i know many of my colleagues have. If they safe legal routes, they were safe and legal routes, then the genuine migrants could be out in, say, countries be weeded out in, say, countries to next a country that is troubled. And then people could be granted visas and then could make their way to the United Kingdom. Done in kingdom. It could be done in a more orderly manner. It and it would mean that genuine people are people come are not just people that come from a poor country, but family have money. Do think safe and more do you think safe and more safe legal routes safe and legal routes would actually people from coming actually stop people from coming by means . Im not sure by irregular means . Im not sure it would. In practice. It would. In practice. It may or it may not. What you need to what i would say is necessary from a legal point of view is that and the government did pass a bill saying that, um , did pass a bill saying that, um, if you claimed and you if you claimed asylum and you arrive by way of a small boat, you were going to declared you were going to be declared inadmissible. Now, there was inadmissible. Now, if there was a safe legal route and you a safe and legal route and you could go from, say, uh, afghanistan for example, to pakistan and your asylum pakistan and have your asylum claim processed then come to claim processed and then come to the lawfully, be received, the uk lawfully, be received, have your your status , um, then have your your status, um, then and if you came illegally, irregularly , or you were irregularly, or you were travelled by a small boat and you were denied the opportunity to claim asylum , you were denied to claim asylum, you were denied housing or given the minimum housing or given the minimum housing and you were removed. Then that would make it a less attractive as a Business Model to the people traffickers that quite frankly, get rich out of this. Well paul turner, immigration barrister, thank you very much for your expert analysis on this, on this prickly situation. Yes. And were all left with the bill. Well, £15 million a day. This is the extraordinary thing, especially as with the very slow processing that we have. I think there are lots and lots of people who would say there are lots of genuine refugee batus whom we should offer sanctuary to. Im not sure that every single genuine refugee needs a hotel room or needs a flat paid for by the british taxpayer. You can be generous with your immigration system without being generous with your welfare system. With your welfare system. Well, and also, the government werent they saying only a weeks that it was only a few weeks ago that it was £7 million a day . Im £7 million a day . So im not sure £15 million sure where this £15 million a day has come from, because that is anyway a west end is a lot more. Anyway a west end theatre is to stage shows for an all black audience to ensure Ticket Holders are, to quote, free the white gaze. Are free from the white gaze. Are they right to do so . Were speaking actor after this speaking to an actor after this short. Break. In 2024, gb news is britains election channel. So join me tom harwood for the rochdale by Election Results from midnight through to six. A m. Well discover the twists and turns of the most unpredictable by election in a long time. You should be celebrating. I you should be celebrating. I slept during it. You know, and from 6 am. Friday, join Michael Portillo on gb news breakfast for his take on the results. For his take on the results. Gb news. Britains election. Channel. Right. Its 225. Youre watching and listening to good afternoon britain now a west end theatre is to stage shows for an all black audience to ensure ticket are, quote, Ticket Holders are, to quote, free from the white gaze. Well slave play, which stars Kit Harington, opens at londons noel coward theatre in june for a three month run which will offer two performances, specifically for an all black identifying audience. Yes , the events, known as yes, the events, known as blackout nights, are intended to create a racially homogenous environment free from the white gaze, in a move critics have branded simplistic and racist. Well, there you go. Some have said that. Some have said, you said that. Some have said, you know, its only two nights. Why not . Right. Well, lets get the view of an actor. Charlie lawson joins us now. And charlie , thank you us now. And charlie, thank you for making the time for us. A lot of people are really struggling to get their heads around this. It seems to many that its sort of society going backwards. Backwards. Yeah. Look i think its a bit bloody silly myself. But there again, you know , i probably again, you know, i probably would, wouldnt i . But but um, uh, look. The free from the gaze uh, look. The free from the gaze of the white man and i believe, uh , i believe the people find it uh, i believe the people find it very intimidating going to the theatre. Uh, if you happen to be theatre. Uh, if you happen to be a black man or whatever, i have to say , feeling safe. I mean, to say, feeling safe. I mean, have you ever been to the audience at the barbican. 7 you audience at the barbican . You know what i mean. If youre scared them, youre scared of them, youre youre youve problems , let me youve got big problems, let me tell you. But, um. Look, i took tell you. But, um. Look, i took the time to ask , um, three of my the time to ask, um, three of my fellow actors who happen to be black, incidentally, did black, who, incidentally, did not identified, um, not want to be identified, um, because of the repercussions. And that says a lot for itself. Two of them said they thought it was silly. Uh, and one of was very silly. Uh, and one of them said it was a good thing. Do personally , im do you know what personally, im not theatre goer, so , um, i not a theatre goer, so, um, i dont think its. I wouldnt go far as calling it racist. Although i get i get where thats coming from. I understand the argument. Of course. Its turning everything arse about face. I mean, if you wanted to sort of say. I mean, imagine if there a jewish performance there was a jewish performance for jews only in london, for gods sake, in the west end , you gods sake, in the west end, you would have every supporter you see on a saturday up shaftesbury avenue. The cast would be under avenue. The cast would be under threat , the production would be threat, the production would be under threat. The front of house staff would be under threat. So, you know , to me its well, i you know, to me its well, i suppose you can say the producer , director, writer or whatever theyve got the publicity they want because the show will be rammed. But, um , do you think rammed. But, um, do you think thats what this is about . Do you think its just i mean, theyve got theyve got a months long theyve put in months long run. Theyve put in two wednesdays. That will be all black. Perhaps they werent selling lot on wednesdays. Selling a lot on wednesdays. Maybe they just want the discussion. The discussion. They want the controversy. Controversy. Suspect. Um, look, we know, i suspect. Um, look, the acting. I can be a socialist as you want. When it comes to the arts, which wouldnt be my natural sort of, um , uh, natural sort of, um, uh, training ground, but. But i can be, because i care deeply about the arts. I know how politically engaged some people are on the left. I mean , they really are. Left. I mean, they really are. You know what i mean . Uh, and its as simple. Its as simple as that. Thats just what our business is about. I would be one of the few people ended one of the few people who ended up arguing with them because one of the few people who ended up a donti with them because one of the few people who ended up a dont scare them because one of the few people who ended up a dont scare. 1em because one of the few people who ended up a dont scare. Theyyecause one of the few people who ended up a dont scare. They donte they dont scare. They dont scare all. But, um, um, scare me at all. But, um, um, look , i would genuinely believe look, i would genuinely believe that the people whove made this decision have done it for political reasons. Now um, i dont think theyre doing it as a gimmick to get bums on seats, but i but i do think they know exactly what theyre doing. Exactly what theyre doing. Charlie, just quickly, you said you asked three black actor friends of yours and two thought it was a silly idea. One of them agreed with it. It was a silly idea. One of them agreed with it. Did you ask her why. 7 why . He thought it was why . Why . He thought it was a goodidea. Good idea. Because he felt that black lives matter and that was the chorus. And, uh. And i had to shut up for two minutes. But, um , you know, uh, look , thats the , you know, uh, look, thats the way he is. Hes always been, um, left of centre. If you if you if you will. Um, i know he took part actively in black lives matter marches. Part actively in black lives matter marches. Um, um, even though, as i said, says, well, you werent allowed to mingle, for christs sake. It was the middle of covid and you were wearing mask. You wearing a frigging mask. You know make your mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but make your mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but um, make your mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but um, so make your mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but um, so that make your mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but um, so that maithisur mind wearing a frigging mask. You kno but um, so that maithis is mind up. But um, so that he. This is his natural ground. So he didnt his natural ground. So he didnt surprise me. The other two guys, ispoke surprise me. The other two guys, i spoke to you know, would have been more , um, just sort of been more, um, just sort of smiled and said, i look , i just smiled and said, i look, ijust think its really silly. And why think its really silly. And why should we be doing this. 7 weve should we be doing this . Weve fought hard for our rights in the theatre. We are now being recognised in television. Recognised in television. Circum, uh , television circles. Circum, uh, television circles. You you know, youve only got to look at casting now to know that its radically changed over the last ten years. And my two compadres appreciated that and were happy the way the progress of our business was going. Uh, of our business was going. Uh, gentlemen, to the left of me , gentlemen, to the left of me, however, wanted to take over the planet. Planet. Well , planet. Well, youre absolutely youre absolutely right to say that theres been a huge progress in terms of representation. But i guess this representation. But i guess this is about the audiences to. But, um, i mean, its great to get your perspective as well, seeing as actually spoken to as youve actually spoken to people who are people in the business who are black themselves, and to get their reaction. Sorry, thats black themselves, and to get thewevetion. Sorry, thats black themselves, and to get theweve got. Sorry, thats black themselves, and to get theweve got timey, thats black themselves, and to get theweve got time for,iats black themselves, and to get theweve got time for, though, all weve got time for, though, charlie to you. Charlie, great to speak to you. Charlie, great to speak to you. Charlie lawson actor. Charlie lawson there, actor. Its the of course, now its the chancellors budget next week with hunt expected to with jeremy hunt expected to make big announcements. But make some big announcements. But could they affect you. 7 well, we could they affect you . Well, we well be speaking to our economics editor after your headunes. Economics editor after your headlines. Its 231. Headlines. Its 231. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your headlines as the home secretary has told mps, Police Officers will be automatically suspended if theyre charged with certain criminal offences. The comments criminal offences. The comments come after the Sarah Everard inquiry found Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer. He killed the 33 year old in south london in march 2021. Her family says she died because he was a Police Officer , because he was a Police Officer, and she would never have got into a strangers car inquiry chairwoman dame angelini has warned. Without a radical overhaul of policing practices and culture, theres nothing to stop another cousins operating in plain sight, stop another cousins operating in plain sight , the prime in plain sight, the Prime Minister has told police to use their powers to protect mps after warning the uk is descending into mob rule, the government has already announced a £31 million package to boost security following safety fears. Concern has been growing over mps being targeted by protesters since the outbreak of the israel hamas war. Latest figures show illegal migration has fallen but legal migration is up. The Government Data also reveals small boat arrivals in 2023 were down 36 on the previous year. However, the uk granted asylum to over 62,000 people in 2023, the highest level on record , and the defence level on record, and the defence secretary has been visiting british and ukrainian soldiers in north yorkshire. Grant shapps in north yorkshire. Grant shapps was asked about the United States planned £47 billion military package for ukraine in support of its ongoing fight with russia. He has urged with russia. He has urged america to support ukraine because its in the interests of the United States of america and hairy bikers. Star dave myers has died aged 66, less than two years after revealing his cancer diagnosis. Psyching his motorcycling cooking partner revealed the news on social media, saying he passed away peacefully at home with his family. He said he cant put into words how hes feeling at the moment, but everyone who loved dave is devastated. And loved dave is devastated. And for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com alerts. Good afternoon britain. Its 2 37 and jeremy hunt will deliver his Spring Budget next week , with the chancellor next week, with the chancellor expected to make announcements on the scrapping of non dom tax status. Well, theyre considering it at least, and pledging to keep the triple lock in place for millions of pensioners. Should we get the view of Liam Halligan gb news economics and Business Editor with on the money. Liam , thank you very much money. Liam, thank you very much indeed. So apparently the government, this is a bit of a u turn , isnt it . Considering u turn, isnt it . Considering scrapping the non dom tax status. Thats a labour policy. Status. Thats a labour policy. Crikey. Crikey. Non dom tax status. This is a non dom tax status. This is a real hardy perennial. Perennial of british politics. I was speculating about non dom tax status back in the 1990s, when i was on channel 4 news. When you guys were barely born. It comes round again and again and again. What is non dom tax status. 7 lets have a little tax status . Lets have a little look here. Ive got a special on the monographic non dom tax status is when foreign people are non domiciled in the uk , are non domiciled in the uk, even though they live here, and they get a seven year uk tax houday they get a seven year uk tax holiday on their oversea cheese income in 2022, around 55,000 non doms were registered as living in the uk. But weve since seen some academic studies, particularly from warwick and the lse , suggesting warwick and the lse, suggesting the treasury could raise. Around the treasury could raise. Around £3. 5 billion a year if it abolished non dom status altogether. How much is that. 7 altogether. How much is that . Well, if you want a lower income tax by a penny, itll cost you about 6 or 7 billion. So 3. 5 billion is quite big money. The problem is, though, that if you change the tax regime on non doms , a lot of them will non doms, a lot of them will just up leave. Theyre just up and leave. Theyre incredibly people. Incredibly mobile people. Theyre often business owners, financiers. Theyve got rows and financiers. Theyve got rows and rows of accountants and advisers, a lot of offshore income. Um, and the tories in income. Um, and the tories in the past have tried to change non dom status back in the 90s. Then chancellor Norman Lamont said that they wouldnt do it. Labour have come up with some policies suggesting that they will dilute non dom status, charging non doms more if they want to keep their state. And now the tories are leaking to the papers that theyre going to scrap it all together. Are they saying that because an election is around the corner and theyre trying to sort of head off labour the pass , this was labour at the pass, this was abandoned the conservatives abandoned by the conservatives as you say, in the 1990s and in the 1990s, money and people were a lot less mobile than they are today. If anything , the risk of if anything, the risk of capital escaping to new and growing markets elsewhere is higher. The uber rich dont have to choose london to be their home. They could choose dubai or new delhi or anywhere in the United States. I mean, this is potentially a massive own goal here. I mean, theres one report that says 3. 6 billion, but surely there must be other economists who say potentially this is a hit to the treasury, not a gain to it. Well, believe it or not, tom, its not very popular for economists to write reports saying, oh, all dont hit the rich with more tax ation. But it is very popular for economists to write reports saying, oh , why to write reports saying, oh, why dont we fleece the rich , even dont we fleece the rich, even though the top 1 people though the top 1 of people in this country, terms of this country, in terms of income, pay well over a third of all tax anyway. Look, all income tax anyway. Look, its really difficult its a really difficult conundrum. This reminds me this policy. Or if we make this tax change, were going to get £3. 5 billion. It reminds me of labour saying if we remove charitable status from independent schools, adding vat to school bills, were going to raise £3. 5 billion, not with not understanding at all that a lot of parents will just take their kids out of independent school, because they wont be able to afford if theyre 20 afford the fees if theyre 20 higher. Vat is added, putting higher. If vat is added, putting huge on the state huge pressure on the state sector. Theres one other thing i want to talk about because we really obviously really are. Youre obviously covering tonight. Covering rochdale tonight. A very by election. Very interesting by election. And as you two know as well as anyone at gb news, a general election is in the offing. Probably this autumn. Thats why the party is starting to hint at manifesto policies now, even before manifestos are published and rishi sunak, the Prime Minister is hinting that he wants to keep the triple lock if the tories win the election. He will keep the triple lock. What is the triple lock . Cu another on the money graphic. Here is on the money graphic. Here it is the state pension goes up each year by the highest of either wage growth , inflation growth or wage growth, inflation growth or 2, 2. 5, whichever is higher. Thatis 2, 2. 5, whichever is higher. That is the triple lock. Its a tory invention. And Prime Minister rishi sunak is now signalling the tories will retain this triple lock, which will be very popular among. The will be very popular among. The uks 11 or 12, 11 million or 12 million or so pensioners. The million or so pensioners. The state pension will already increase by 8. 5 in april. Tom moore emily to £221. 20 a week. Its about 11. 5 grand a year. That was the increase in Earnings Growth during the year to last september. It was higher than the increase in inflation and it was higher than 2. 5. So that goes up by 8. 5. Thats huge , highly expensive and a lot of your generation, frankly , tom your generation, frankly, tom and emily will be thinking, why are the grey vote people getting all they got all the all the money they got all the houses now theyre all the money they got all the houses all now theyre all the money they got all the houses all the now theyre all the money they got all the houses all the money. heyre getting all the money. Why am i paying getting all the money. Why am i paying high taxes to keep paying such high taxes to keep pensioners with a higher state pension . But labour also has signalled that they will keep the triple lock. Why are both the triple lock. Why are both the main parties doing this . Why are both main parties doing this . Old people tend to this . Because old people tend to vote and young people tend to not vote. I dont know, not all of us. Young people feel that way. You know, there are a lot of pensioners who are struggling to get by the pension triple lock. I mean, it sounds very generous indeed, but in reality its not a huge amount of money to live off. Emily. Youre right. But as long as i get it when im a pensioner. Heres the thing. The and liam, id love your take on this. There is obviously real pensioner poverty in this country. There are people who really, really struggle who do need their pensions uprated. But need their pensions uprated. But last time i checked, a third of pensioner households are millionaires. I dont think that millionaires. I dont think that millionaires should be assets based on their house based only on their home. But but but there are some very poor pensioners. There are also some very rich pensioners. Liam, why is this a universal, uh, policy. 7 universal, uh, policy . What youre getting at there, tom, is that the state pension is what we call a universal benefit. Everybody gets it. That benefit. Everybody gets it. That goes right back to the post war beveridge report , the setting up beveridge report, the setting up of the welfare state by the uk. A model followed around large parts of the western world back in that post war era. We have universal benefits right across the board because so called means testing, assessing who should get benefits is often very, very difficult. If your means testing in terms of income because theres a big fat group of people in the middle who are on roughly average incomes, and whenever you wherever you draw the line, will people the line, there will be people one of the line or the one side of the line or the other of the line who will other side of the line who will feel either elated or aggrieved. Thats why we for universal thats why we go for universal benefits. And i agree you, benefits. And i agree with you, emily. Are many people who emily. There are many people who would pensioner would say there is pensioner poverty of there is, poverty. And of course there is, though less than though theres a lot less than there to be. And there are there used to be. And there are many who say 11. 5 many people who would say 11. 5 grand a year isnt actually that high as a basic state pension by western standards. And it isnt. On the other hand , emily and on the other hand, emily and tom, if you compare your generation even to my generation or certainly my parents generation, we have had it much harder. I mean, my generation , harder. I mean, my generation, for instance, were buying houses when the average house price in the uk back in the 90s was 4 or 5 times average earnings. Its now ten times average earnings. And of course , the cost of and of course, the cost of living crisis means that many people who are in work feel theyre paying a lot more tax than they are. The tax burdens at 70 or about to be at a 70 year high. And yet its striking, even though there is this big intergenerational final imbalance , if you like old imbalance, if you like old people disproportionately own homes without mortgages. Young people disproportionately are still renting and paying a lot more for their homes. Again than my generation. And my parents did on rent and indeed on interest payments. So there is this insurgence , national this insurgence, national imbalance. And yet still, yet still, while they need to woo younger voters, both the tory party and the labour party almost straight out of the blocks, even before the election season proper has started , and season proper has started, and notwithstanding these by elections , theyre saying triple elections, theyre saying triple lock will be there. Yep, they are indeed. Well, thank you very much indeed. Liam halligan gb news economics and Business Editor. Of course, older people are more likely their own home. Likely to own their own home. Yes, we just need to increase supply then young people can supply and then young people can have this true. Have a look into this is true. Also i suppose it shows but also i suppose it shows that, people, people that, um, people, older people are very, very key. Uh are still a very, very key. Uh electoral asset to any party. Absolutely. They bother to turn out to vote, although i think of young people will think lots of young people will vote in this election. Anyway, up, its well, anyway, coming up, its a leap year, day to day, very exciting. Propose. You can propose. Youre already engaged. Propose. Youre already engaged. Um, i have more than one, uh , um, i have more than one, uh, are you are you a member of the church of latter day saints . Um, no. Anyway well be hearing from a man petitioning to move the leap day to a warmer month. What leap day to a warmer month. What do you think about that . Up next, curious. Good afternoon. Britain its coming up to ten minutes to three. And in case you didnt know, its february the 29th, a leap day. This only happens, of leap day. This only happens, of course, every four years. Now if youre a lady, you might want to take the leap and utilise irish folklore by proposing to your partner. Or if folklore by proposing to your partner. Or if you folklore by proposing to your partner. Or if you were born partner. Or if you were born today , you might finally be today, you might finally be celebrating your birthday. But for one brit, the february leap day should be scrapped altogether. Why . Well, why have altogether. Why . Well, why have an extra day of rain and cold . Why not move it to a different time of year, right . Okay, well, this man were talking about is time zone active theist and anti winter camp trainer christopher snowdon, who joins us now a man driving the change to move the leap year day to june so we can all day of summer. All get an extra day of summer. A christopher. Please explain your. Here your logic. Here well its very simple emily. Youve already explained it really well. Lets have a sunny leap day rather than a wintry leap day. Im looking out my window now. Itsjust im looking out my window now. Its just stopped raining. Its grey. Its cold. Its about ten if it were the 31st ten degrees. If it were the 31st of june, it would be roughly at least degrees. So itd be least 20 degrees. So itd be quite twice hot. Weather quite twice as hot. Weather would as good. Its would be twice as good. Its a no. No brainer. Yeah, its ridiculous that theyre having an extra day of rain when we could an extra rain when we could have an extra day but chris, surely day of sun. But chris, surely the in this proposal the fatal flaw in this proposal is that while were an Island Country , we were not an Island Country, we were not an island when it comes to the and when it comes to the date and time. Surely wed have to time system. Surely wed have to have whole world to agree to have the whole world to agree to move this leap day, not just westminster. Well , ideally, westminster. Well, ideally, tom, yes, i mean, you would want it ideally to be global. There is a bit of resistance from people in the Southern Hemisphere they hemisphere about this. They dont lose extra dont want to lose their extra days summer , which is days of summer, which is fair enough need be. I think that enough if need be. I think that the government should go the British Government should go it that would mean it alone. That would just mean that a day ahead of that we would be a day ahead of the rest world for once, the rest of the world for once, every years, which i think every four years, which i think would good morale. Would be quite good for morale. Wed be leading the world, and then should mention other then i should mention the other part make the part of the plan is to make the june day a bank holiday, because we dont get paid. By the way, if youre on an annual salary, youre not getting paid for today. Youre effectively a slave. And against slavery. Slave. And im against slavery. I its fair. Um, and i dont think its fair. Um, and so we would have a bank holiday and rather than have a bank houday and rather than have a bank holiday towards the end of winter, simply have the winter, simply have it in the middle it middle of june. You can call it the midsummer bank holiday snowden day, whatever you want to call it, some some recognition would be nice, but thats not the important thing. The important thing to do the important thing is to do this. Be ahead the the important thing is to do this. Of be ahead the the important thing is to do this. Of the be ahead the the important thing is to do this. Of the world head the the important thing is to do this. Of the world for|d the the important thing is to do this. Of the world for four the rest of the world for four months, and then june the 31st, we can have a Nice Bank Holiday in the while the rest in the sunshine while the rest of catches up. Of the world catches up. What you say christopher, what do you say to uh, the smarty pants . To the, uh, the smarty pants . The naysayers who say, well, actually, not getting any actually, youre not getting any more of sun. Really are more days of sun. Really are you . I mean, the evidence you . Well i mean, the evidence is overwhelming that days in june, on average, are a lot hotter than days in february. Hotter than days in february. So i dont think this is a serious argument. No, of course. And its a very serious proposal that youre making here. Christopher and i suppose the idea of offsetting the United Kingdoms date and time system from the rest of the world could be advantageous well. Currently, advantageous as well. Currently, if want to fly somewhere if you want to fly somewhere very, far youll lose very, very far away, youll lose a if were ahead one a day. But if were ahead one day already, you wont lose day already, then you wont lose any days at all. Now youre being a bit silly, tom. I mean , this is a serious tom. I mean, this is a serious proposal. Weve got four years proposal. Weve got four years to do something about this. Um, to do something about this. Um, lets not make jokes about the time. Um this is something that will be good for laughing, tom. But this is. People have seasonal affective disorder. Uh, people cheer up in the summertime. This is a miserable day. People arent enjoying themselves. Theyre working for nothing. And im saying to the nothing. And im saying to the united nations, whoever can do something about this pope, perhaps pope gregory the 13th was responsible for this system in the first place. In the current pope getting on board with this campaign, weve already had endorsement from already had the endorsement from richard and others. Um, Richard Madeley and others. Um, so no, this is no laughing m atter. Matter. This is christopher. Were running out of time. Tell me, how many people have signed your petition. 7 petition . Literally hundreds. Emily, its only been online for a few weeks, and weve already had nearly the nearly 400 signatures. So the momentum is all with the, um, the campaign at the moment. Weve got four years to sort this out. Crack on and do this out. Lets crack on and do it. Amazing. Christopher snowdon im im flabbergasted. Youve managed to keep face through keep a straight face through this. This entire interview. I certainly serious, tom. Hes deadly serious. To mean an extra day of going to mean an extra day of its the year its just a different the year will be the same anyway. Well, will be the same anyway. Well, thats it for today. Uh, ill be back tomorrow on my own because , uh, tom harwood my own because, uh, tom harwood is the overnight gig is doing the overnight gig by election is doing the overnight gig bysee tion is doing the overnight gig bysee you then. See you then. See you then. A brighter outlook with boxt solar , sponsors of weather on. Solar, sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello again. Alex burkill here with your latest gb news, Weather Forecast theres more unsettled weather to come as we go through the end of the week. Heavy rain, blustery showers and even snow for some us moment for some of us at the moment there area pressure there is an area of low pressure to the north the uk, bringing to the north of the uk, bringing blustery , showery weather blustery, showery weather to many but its a waving many parts. But its a waving front in the southeast thats brought already brought persistent rain already today, and will continue to do so little while before the so for a little while before the rain clears away. As we go through evening, some drier through this evening, some drier weather, through start weather, then through the start of night, albeit with a of the night, albeit with a scattering showers across scattering of showers across northern parts before some persistent with persistent and heavy rain with some hill snow pushes into parts of South West Wales of the south west and into wales. Elsewhere, where we see clearer skies through the night, we are to see temperatures we are going to see temperatures dropping. Some dropping. Watch out for some frost, also frost, some icy patches, also some fog freezing fog. First some fog and freezing fog. First thing most thing tomorrow. The most unsettled weather though tomorrow parts tomorrow will be across parts of the wales. The south west and in wales. Heavy and some hill snow heavy rain and some hill snow could some travel could cause some travel disruption localised disruption, some localised flooding. The rain is flooding. Otherwise the rain is going to spread across much of England Wales bring england and wales could bring some ness over higher some wintry ness over higher ground. The best ground. In particular, the best chance of staying dry will be across of scotland and across parts of scotland and northern ireland, chilly northern ireland, but a chilly feel of temperatures feel to all of us. Temperatures a average for a little bit below average for the of as look the time of year. As we look towards the weekend and were going under the going to still be under the influence of an area of low pressure thats going to bring more go more unsettled weather as we go through saturday. The through saturday. Still, the chance but chance of more wintry ness. But signs sunday is to signs that sunday is going to turn albeit stay rather turn drier, albeit stay rather cloudy before then , we see the cloudy before then, we see the return to some more unsettled weather to the working weather to start the working week. Temperatures rising a week. Temperatures rising a little by by that warm little bit too, by by that warm feeling inside from boxt boiler boilers. Sponsors of weather on. Gb sponsors of weather on. Gb news in 2024. Gb news is britains election channel. So join me tom harwood for the rochdale by Election Results from midnight through to six. A m. Well discover the twists and turns of the most unpredictable by election in a long time. Ill be celebrating. Ill be celebrating. Ill be celebrating. Ill be celebrating. I slept during it, you know , i slept during it, you know, and from 6 am. Friday, join Michael Portillo on gb news breakfast for his take on the results. Gb news britains election. Channel a very good afternoon to you. Its 3 pm. Welcome to the Martin Daubney show on gb news broadcasting live from the heart of. Of westminster. The day, weve got all across the day, weve got a show coming up and a cracking show coming up and top of the agenda. Theres reaction to the shock news that a Record Number of people were given asylum last yeah incredibly, the figure was up by a massive. 242 when compared by a massive. 242 when compared to 2022, plus , we issued an to 2022, plus, we issued an eye watering. 1. 4 million work eye watering. 1. 4 million work visas, a 26 increase. Have we finally totally lost control of our borders . Then theres the latest on plans to protect mps. As rishi sunak was warns warns weve lost control role and Wayne Couzens should never have been a Police Officer. Thats the verdict. The