Transcripts For GBN Martin 20240704

To rwanda under a new voluntary scheme being drawn up by ministers as they look to build on the successful deportation score so far, of absolutely zero. Thats all coming up in your next hour. Your next hour. Thank you for joining me on the show. Its always an absolute pleasure and always an absolute pleasure and a joy always an absolute pleasure and a joy to have your company. Two Big Questions ive already thrown out there social thrown out there on social media. Had thousands of media. Weve had thousands of responses. The show hasnt even responses. The show hasnt even started. First one, has the Political Class ever been more out of touch with ordinary brits . And they are right now. If you thought brexit was bad, what about this lot obsessed with racism , gaza, ramadan, with racism, gaza, ramadan, muslim war memorials. Tone deaf to. To immigration. Tone deaf to the needs of the majority of average brits . Let me know if you think theyre completely unfit for purpose. And following on from that, as lee anderson said , i want my country back. Do said, i want my country back. Do you feel that youre made to feel ashamed for being british now . Do you feel that our now . Do you feel that our country has changed forever . And do you feel that youre made to feel like youre racist for even saying that . Get in touch or read out the best comments throughout the show. Vaiews gbnews. Com. Of course is the address, but first, the email address, but first, lets get stuck into your news headunes lets get stuck into your News Headlines with sam francis. Headlines with sam francis. Martin, thank you very much. Im sam francis from the gb newsroom just after 3 00. Your top story this hour, diane abbott has accused the speaker of the commons of not serving democracy. Thats after she wasnt called to speak today. Its after tory donor frank hester allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women, and said that she should be shot. Said that she should be shot. Sir keir starmer confronted the Prime Minister over those remarks today , pressing rishi remarks today, pressing rishi sunak to return the £10 million donation that hester made in todays Prime Ministers questions. The labour leader asked whether rishi sunak was proud to be supported by someone who made he said such offensive statements. Statements. Two weeks ago he marched them out like foals to defend islamophobia. And now the member for ashfield is warming up the opposition benches for them. He wont hand the money back. He wont hand the money back. He wont comment on how convenient it is that a man handed huge nhs contracts by his government is now his partys biggest donor. You have to wonder what the point is of a Prime Minister who cannot lead, and a party that cant govern. Cant govern. In response, the Prime Minister acknowledged that Frank Hesters comments were wrong and he said racist , hesters comments were wrong and he said racist, but hesters comments were wrong and he said racist , but declined to he said racist, but declined to say whether the donations would be returned. Instead, he called be returned. Instead, he called out what he said were double standards in the labour party. Im absolutely not going to take any lectures from somebody from somebody, from somebody who chose to represent an anti semitic terrorist group, hizb ut tahrir, who chose to serve a leader who let anti semitism run rife in this labour party. Those are his actions. Those are his values. And thats how he should be judged. Judged. Former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries has been speaking to gb news over the course of this afternoon, and she said that the governments response to the situation has been a car crash , but said there are still crash, but said there are still bigger questions to be answered. Who is the person who fixed it for him to give the party £10 million . And what was he promised in return for that £10 million . I think there are questions that need to be asked, because no one just gives £10 million to a political whos just new Political Party whos just new on and doesnt expect on the scene and doesnt expect Something Back kind of Something Back for that kind of money. And in order to remove all those questions and all all of those questions and all of suspicions, it needs of those suspicions, it needs paying of those suspicions, it needs paying back today , a major paying back today, a major people smuggling operation has been intercepted in the uk with the arrest of a suspected high level figure in a kurdish organised crime group. Organised crime group. Authorities believe the man was significantly involved in smuggling hundreds of people to britain in boats and in the back of lorries. Officers from the National Crime agency were supported by Hampshire Police as they detained the 45 year old that was at a property in the kingston area of portsmouth. This morning. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering. He is now in custody. Migrants whove been in custody. Migrants whove been refused asylum here in britain could be offered thousands of pounds to move to rwanda. The voluntary scheme would be separate to the safety of rwanda bill, which is currently facing delays due to a series of amendments. It would extend current returns policies which see some migrants already offered £3,000 to return to their country of origin. Labour their country of origin. Labour says its evidence the governments rwanda plan has no chance of succeeding. However, the home office has defended the scheme, saying that voluntary returns are an important part of tackling illegal migration well to the us now, where tiktok could be banned. Thats unless could be banned. Thats unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operations in the house of representatives has voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to either be sold or blocked. That was with an overwhelming majority. The bill still, though, needs to be passed in the senate to become law , and the senate to become law, and President Joe Biden has indicated that he would sign it. However, his republican challenger, donald trump, recently that hed recently signalled that hed opposed the ban here in the uk. Tiktok hasnt been banned before, but you may remember it was blocked from government devices in march of 2023 over data privacy concerns. More than data privacy concerns. More than 21,000 households have now been freed from problematic leaseholds after some saw their ground rent double the competition watchdog says the home owners will now see their ground rent return to where they were when they first purchased the properties. Many leaseholds trap people in houses that they find difficult to then sell. The government has banned ground rent on new leases for homes purchased afterjune rent on new leases for homes purchased after june 2022, rent on new leases for homes purchased afterjune 2022, and there are also plans to ban leaseholds for new houses. However, the system would remain in place for flats and Vladimir Putin says that he is ready for nuclear war. Hes warned that any us troops who may venture into ukraine will be treated as interventionists. Speaking on state television, the russian president also said that if the us were to carry out any nuclear tests, russia may do the same. He added that while moscow is technically prepared, the country is not rushing into it. Those are the headlines sophia wenzler will have more for you at 3 30, but in the meantime, you can get gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or visit gbnews. Com alerts. Gbnews. Com alerts. Thank you sam. Now lets get cracking. What a show we have ahead. And lets start with this. The race row over whether rishi sunak should return £10 million to conservative donor frank hester has intensified. Hester allegedly said diane abbott made him want to hate all black women. It was sir keir black women. It was sir Keir Starmers main attack line dunng starmers main attack line during todays Prime Ministers questions, with rishi sunak reiterating his line that mr hesters comments were racist and wrong, but that his remorse should be accepted. However, should be accepted. However, that has not stopped Opposition Mps and even some figures within within the conservative party saying his donation to the party should be returned as the money is now tainted. Well, im now joined in the studio by gb news Political Editor chris hope. Chris, welcome to the show. Always a pleasure. Now, of course, between 12 and 1 you host pmqs live on gb news. I watched it today and i was struck by a sentiment i put out to social media. I dont think ive ever seen a Political Class as out of touch as this mob at the moment, obsessed with competitive racism. Happy competitive racism. Happy ramadan talking about another gaza ceasefire. This performative minority interest perform ative minority interest nonsense, performative minority interest nonsense, sending people absolutely bonkers. When will this lot ever represent the majority might be a wake up call for what youre describing are the general election, which i expect to be in november. You did hear a lot of tension in the air. It was an unsavoury watch, and my job is to watch it for news viewers and for gb news viewers and interpret you had, of interpret it. You had, of course, keir starmer talking about frank and the they about frank hester and the they are dreadful remarks about diane abbott, which the number 10 says are racist. Frank hester has apologised. Hes a £10 million donon apologised. Hes a £10 million donor. The whats happening here is labour are trying to bomb the supply lines of the tory party. They want to a make a big issue of it because its a big issue out there. I think for some of some people, certainly amongst their support, equally taking £10 million the tory party, £10 million off the tory party, a of their annual income a quarter of their annual income is it would be a big win for them. So why not push hard on that response, the pm, mr that in response, as the pm, mr sunak clear that there are sunak made clear that there are more be accepted from mr more should be accepted from mr hester. And then then hester. We move on and then then attacked labour with the remarks, rayner saying remarks, Angela Rayner saying tories scum couple of tories were scum a couple of years david lammy, using years ago. David lammy, using the. John mcdonnell, the word nazi. John mcdonnell, the word nazi. John mcdonnell, the former shadow shadow chancellor, to lynch chancellor, wanting to Lynch Esther Mcvey now now a cabinet minister back in the day when he and just before he was in a shadow. Shadow chancellor very unedifying and we did see in responses. We asked for questions from our viewers that we try and read out with a panel we try and read out with a panel, but many were saying, you know, its just pretty grim stuff. And how is that even going near to addressing the daily concerns of viewers . Daily concerns of our viewers . In contrast, lee anderson, of course, joined reform uk course, now he joined reform uk on monday. We reveal that on monday. We can reveal that they raked in 2000 to 2000 they have raked in 2000 to 2000 new new members in the past two days. Thats paying around £30 each. I days. Thats paying around £30 each. I mean, its extraordinary kind of lee anderson effect taking hold there is that is that we dont know should we a short time issue but is that part of this frustration with the with westminster the with the westminster politicians rowing about ideas, concepts and insults to each other rather than addressing the real issues out there . Well well have that man, lee anderson in later the show to anderson in later in the show to talk very issue. Talk about that very issue. For a few but i asked for a few comments of my own, right. And i had over a thousand comments within like, really within an hour. Like, you really know tapped into know youve tapped into something get this kind something when you get this kind of heres an example of response. Heres an example of response. Heres an example of replies to you of one of those replies to you chris. Donna louise said this. Its embarrassment. Its an absolute embarrassment. They all a bunch of they all act like a bunch of kids in the playground. Im ashamed of entire load of ashamed of the entire load of them and many, many more unprintable comments. Chris. People are just pulling their hair out about the state of politics in our gb, gb vaiews gbnews. Uk. Vaiews gbnews. Uk. We had shelley from kent saying we never get anywhere with pmqs. Why cant they discuss policies that matter and thats the point, isnt it . I mean, todays big news is the post office pardoning of all those subpostmasters. Why is that not affecting those in scotland . In Northern Ireland, only england and wales . We can only england and wales . We can reveal now on air that later today the government will announce foreign announce that Foreign Governments take back governments cant take back companies over our companies that take over our media companies, which is quite a thing, i if you a good thing, i think if you believe democracy and concern believe in democracy and concern about Foreign Governments intervening, interfering our intervening, interfering in our intervening, interfering in our in our public in our democracy, our public life, i guess to be fair life, yeah, i guess to be fair to number 10, the questions are of the Prime Minister. He cant ask the questions. Hes hes hes asked them. Keir starmer chose to go on these areas. He knows these are areas which was difficult for the Prime Minister. But arguably whether we learned anything more is moot. Andrew gwynne, course, we learned anything more is mooonlndrew gwynne, course, we learned anything more is mooon the ew gwynne, course, we learned anything more is mooon the show ynne, course, we learned anything more is mooon the show yesterday. Ourse, was on the show yesterday. She a great point today she made a great point today at pmqs later on about is it time have a referendum on time to have a referendum on leaving echr . But it was all leaving the echr . But it was all lost in the wash because the pm gave his normal reply. He said we wont allow foreign courts to boss us around, but it didnt go as far as to say lets fight the next election as a tory party on withdrawing from the echr and thats thats his position. I thats thats his position. I mean, like Angela Jenkins mean, people like Angela Jenkins are to out some new are trying to find out some new policy the government, but policy from the government, but its been not backed number 10. And a final comment here. Ive got loads more to read out through throughout the show. Lesley theyre lesley sent this. Theyre fighting who can be fighting hoo hoo over who can be the the world is the most woke. The world is going handle handcart, but going to handle a handcart, but lets squabble over lets all squabble over inconsequential issues at pmqs. Chris, ive never been struck by this outpouring. And dont forget i campaigned throughout the brexit referendum. The brexit referendum. I know, and we also mustnt forget your twitter forget that your twitter following chamber following is an echo chamber people follow. You know, be fair, do follow you because fair, they do follow you because they talk about. Fair, they do follow you because the no, talk about. Fair, they do follow you because the no, no, talk about. Fair, they do follow you because the no, no, a talk about. Fair, they do follow you because the no, no, a � people ut. Fair, they do follow you because the no, no, a people who no, no, a lot of people who very much disagree with my politics condemnatory politics are very condemnatory of both sides. I dont think its a political argument. As far as who do you support . Its a its an argument about the state of political discourse, and it seems to be in the gutter i so people are saying thats what nigel farage, of course, the honorary president of reform, thinks theres reform, he thinks that theres a massive of touch reaction in massive out of touch reaction in almost the way that lee hanson was questioned on was being questioned on monday showed of understanding showed a lack of understanding of he speaks, the way he of the way he speaks, the way he is, his clumsy language, and thats by voters. But thats understood by voters. But not westminster bubble. Not by the westminster bubble. And we see a and i wonder we might see a reckoning at the election or wait see. Wait and see. Well, lets all see okay, well, lets all see what happens. Chris. Okay. Thank you much. And course, you very much. And of course, youll us throughout the youll be with us throughout the show. Now, what emotions are instilled in you you see instilled in you when you see the magnificent union jack, the union you union flag . Does it make you feel of britains heritage feel proud of britains heritage and are you filled and history, or are you filled with and regret because of with guilt and regret because of our colonial history . Well telegraph columnist Allison Pearson says there is unspoken grief across the nation and that people feel scared to be proud to be british. Well, this comes after lee anderson , that man after lee anderson, that man declared he wants his country back. When announcing his defection to reform uk from the conservative party well, lets discuss this further now with the leader of ukip, mr neil hamilton. Neil, welcome to the show. Always a pleasure. I dont know if you heard some of our discourse there about pmqs and this constant squabbling. And of course this all feeds in to this underlying notion that these days , neil, many, many people days, neil, many, many people feel simply existing as a britain is something to feel deeply ashamed of. Deeply ashamed of. Well, i totally agree with you that the westminster punch and judy show has absolutely nothing to do with ordinary peoples real lives, where theres massive suffering and difficulty which needs to be addressed by government and yet both sides of the house of commons overwhelmingly are just, constantly carping and throwing jibes at one another, in that embarrassing show of futility which we witnessed today at lunchtime, my view is quite unambiguous. You know, to have been born british is to have drawn first prize in the lottery of life. And who wouldnt want to be british . Actually, when you at the magnificent you look at the magnificent history of achievement that we have country, first of have in this country, first of all, in democratic governance terms, introducing rule terms, and introducing the rule of law to parts of the world which previously were benighted, you know, the United States constitution is basically, founded in the principles which were developed in britain in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. And we have exported democracy all around the world hasnt always taken root, of course, in countries which were formerly part of the british empire, but also our contribution in the fields of medicine, humanitarian action. You britain suppressed the you know, britain suppressed the slave trade which had been endemic in all around the world for thousands of years. We took the lead in suppressing the atlantic slave trade and in so many areas and walks of life, you know, we have led the world. Who wouldnt be proud to be british. But im not proud of this embarrassing apology for a conservative government. Still less of modern labour party. And britain does have a spotted record, of course, because with our belief in tolerance, we actually made it possible for karl marx to write das kapital in the British Museum as a result of which tens of millions of people around the world have lost their lives by communist regimes. But on new britain, i think as a nation has given more to the world than any other country, which is good. Now , in 1941, George Orwell now, in 1941, George Orwell famously wrote, england is perhaps the only great country whose intellectuals are ashamed of their own nationality. In his essay the lion and the unicorn. Essay the lion and the unicorn. Thats true today, isnt it . The very same notion is true today. We see it in academia. We see it in in the higher echelons of the media. We see it in the church. We see it in the home office. Why . Why has that taken hold this way . I simply dont understand it. Its utterly irrational. I mean, its utterly irrational. I mean, George Orwell also said, you know, a left wing intellectual would far rather be caught, stealing a poor box than to stealing from a poor box than to be seen standing for the national anthem. You know, thats the attitude of these people dont believe in people who dont believe in nafions. People who dont believe in nations. Actually, they have nations. Actually, they have this airy fairy of this airy fairy idea of internationalism , which has internationalism, which has actually caused more misery around world in last few around the world in the last few hundred years than anything else in to hell is paved in the path to hell is paved with good intentions. As we all know. But, you know, i dont know. But, you know, i dont understand the mentality people want to talk down this country and its achievements. No countrys historical record is absolutely spotless and of course, we can all agree and disagree about whats moral and what isnt moral. But on balance, you know, britains achievements have been absolutely magnificent for a small island on the periphery of western europe, a tiny population in in 1800 our population in in 1800 our population was 5 or 6 million, Something Like that. And yet the achievements of the people who were living at that time, which have been handed down to a current generation , are just current generation, are just colossal. I mean, compared with today , you know, its just today, you know, its just incomparable, and i just wish we could get back to that feeling within ourselves that we are a great country. We should be proud of our heritage and we should build on it, not seek to desecrate it and destroy it. Well, neil hamilton, many out there will agree. Although a study this week showed that the uk is the second most depressed nafion uk is the second most depressed nation on earth, there seems to be a lot of inward soul searching about what we for, stand what we were and where we are going. I think what the other, the only more depressed nafion other, the only more depressed nation uzbekistan , nation i believe was uzbekistan, which just goes to show you where were at. Hamilton , where were at. Neil hamilton, thank you much for joining thank you very much for joining us the show. Its always us on the show. Its always a pleasure your company, pleasure to have your company, and more on and well have loads more on that throughout the show. That story throughout the show. Please in touch your please get in touch with your views that. Are you proud to views on that. Are you proud to be british, or are you now made to ashamed of what our to feel ashamed of what our nafion to feel ashamed of what our nation become . Get in touch nation has become . Get in touch gb gb news. Com. Gb views at gb news. Com. Theres plenty of coverage on our website story. Gb our website of that story. Gb news com, and youve helped news dot com, and youve helped to make the Fastest Growing to make it the Fastest Growing National Website in the National News website in the country. Its time now for country. Now its time now for the latest Great British giveaway and your chance to win £12,345, 12345 in cash and a whole host of seasonal treats. And heres how all of that could be yours. Be yours. Were springing into spring and giving you the chance to win the seasonal essentials. First. Theres an incredible £12,345 in tax free cash to be won, plus a spring shopping spree with £500 in shopping vouchers to spend in the store of your choice. And finally, a garden gadget package to enjoy, including a handheld games console, a portable Smart Speaker and a pizza oven. For your chance to win the vouchers. The treats and £12,345 in tax free cash. Text £12,345 in tax free cash. Text gb win to 84 902. Text cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and number two gb gb03, po box 8690. Derby de19 double tee, uk only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines close at 5 pm. On friday the 29th march. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gbnews. Com win. Please check the closing time if watching or listening on demand. Good luck. Gets stuck in well, youre watching or listening to gb news. Coming up, trade secretary Kemi Badenoch signs what is being called a landmark deal with texas designed to unlock huge markets for both economies. Huge markets for both economies. Just what could this mean from the oil rich super state . Liam halligan will fill us in with all the details in just a moment. Im Martin Daubney on gb news, britains news channel welcome back 325 is your time. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news now. Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch signs what is being called a landmark deal with the governor of texas, greg abbott. The texas trade agreement is designed to unlock huge markets for both countries , with the texas countries, with the Texas Governor saying strengthening the bond between texas and the United Kingdom is crucial for our shared economies to prosper. And ill drink to that. Well, join me now. And ill drink to that. Well, join me now. In the and ill drink to that. Well, join me now. In the studio and ill drink to that. Well, join me now. In the studio is Liam Halligan gb news economics and Business Editor with on the money liam, always a pleasure to have you in the studio. Now, have you in the studio. Now, this is a story that i get very, very excited about. But first very excited about. But first lets touch on some other good news this morning gdp with dodged recession. Yeah. Lets just quickly whip through the gdp numbers. We did them hour. But they them in the last hour. But they are is course are important. Gdp is of course Gross Domestic Product. All the goods produced in goods and services produced in an economy in a single year. We learned this morning that the british economy, after slowing contracting in the last half of last year, has started growing again. Lets have a quick look again. Lets have a quick look at those numbers. Martin. Between july and september last yean between july and september last year, compared to the same penod year, compared to the same period in 2022, the economy gdp contracted 0. 1. It then contracted 0. 1. It then contracted shrunk 0. 3 in october to december. There your two consecutive quarters of economic shrinkage, thats called a recession. But hey called a recession. But hey presto, in january we learned this morning gdp expanded by 0. 2. These are tiny numbers figures, but at least theyre going in the right direction. There is an Interest Rate decision on the 21st of march next thursday. The Monetary Policy committee. On balance, this make slightly this will make them slightly feel slightly less pressure that they need to lower Interest Rates. Theyll think, oh , our rates. Theyll think, oh, our Interest Rate rises. Were at 5. 25. Havent totally 5. 25. They havent totally squeezed the economy. Theyre squeezing inflation. But the economy is growing again. Maybe we can Interest Rates high we can keep Interest Rates high for a bit longer. So were totally satisfied that weve slain that inflation dragon. Now lets move on to this texas deal. Precisely the sort of deal we were promised by kemi post Brexit Britain , texan post Brexit Britain, texan Governor Greg Abbott, politically, her and Kemi Badenoch two peas in a pod and texas. What a magnificent, massive economy. And of course its number one export petroleum products. Well, look, texas is a mighty economy. The economy of texas is worth £1. 9 trillion a year. The whole uk economy is only worth 2. 2 trillion. So its almost as big as the uk itself. Now we dont have a trade deal with the us as a whole, nor does the European Union and the European Unions been trying to negotiate a deal with america for a trade deal with america for the best of 40 years. The the best part of 40 years. The us never or very, very rarely signs trade deals because its so powerful and its market is so big, it can dictate the terms without signing trade deals. So what the governments been doing since brexit, since weve been allowed to negotiate our own trade deals as the uk rather than as the eu. Its been going for, eating the elephant in chunks if you like. And there is Kemi Badenoch with, Governor Greg Abbott of texas. They are political soul mates, as you say. Weve signed eight trade deals now with individual us states , and texas is easily the states, and texas is easily the biggest. This is the only one that the governor of the state involved has actually come to the uk. In order to do the signing, we also signed a trade deal signing, we also signed a trade deal, of course, in florida. Ron desantis. Kemi badenoch actually desantis. Kemi badenoch actually went to florida to sign that trade deal. But look, why is this important . Its important because texas is a big economy. The uk already exports around £12 billion worth of goods and services to texas each year. The us is by far and away our biggest single Country Trading partner, so we export more to Continental Europe as a whole. But america is our biggest single Country Trading partner. About 15 to 20 of our trade, depending on the year in question. And this can only enhance that trade. Its going to be good for Financial Services and services. Services and legal services. Its to good for its going to be good for manufacturing. Its going to be manufacturing. Its going to be good for petrochemicals. As you say. It could be good for the energy texass Energy Complex given texass expertise area. And one expertise in that area. And one area which i know for a fact the trade secretary is really interested in and highlighted in her , is what we call the her remarks, is what we call the Hydrogen Economy. Yes, theres a lot really interesting going on in texas in terms of harnessing hydrogen , the most common hydrogen, the most Common Element in the world. It has big energy potential. Hydrogen is already used as a fuel in many, many industrial contexts. The uk is interested in expanding that. It needs a lot of technology. It needs a lot of innovation and development. But this tie up between the uk and texas will help in that regard. And liam , is this a and liam, is this a magnificent taste of what could be coming down the pipeline . Because texas is a pure red republican, red meat state. This is about as donald trump as you get. If trump were to get in, is this an indication of how future trade deals could go, a cementing of that special relationship . Well, as you say, trade deals are largely about commerce, but they are about politics as well, political will. And of course, there is a sort of political affiliation between more of affiliation between more of affiliation between conservative party between the conservative party in the uk and texas, which is traditionally a republican state, as you say, rather than the conservative and say, the conservative party and say, california, is california, which is traditionally a democrat state. The californian economy by the way, is much, much bigger than texas. The californian economy is £3 trillion. Its almost 50 bigger again than the uk economies. Absolutely vast, economies. Absolutely vast, i cant see us signing a trade deal with california any time soon. Unfortunately but martin and this is important. By eating the envelope, by eating the elephant in in chunks , if you elephant in in chunks, if you like, by doing trade deals with us states rather than the country as a whole. This texas deal means that we now have, at least memorandums of understanding trade deals with states in america that make up almost a fifth now of us gdp. So almost a fifth now of us gdp. So this is quite big stuff. Theres a long way to go and lets, you know, lets be clear. We trade with other us states without trade deals. Its just the terms are less favourable. Weve been trading with the us as a whole. You know its our biggest single country. As i said trading partner for a long time without a deal. But what a trade a trade deal. But what a trade deal does makes the trade deal does it makes the trade eafien deal does it makes the trade easier. Theres less easier. It means theres less red the trade is red tape. It means the trade is more to expand and more likely to expand and contract. So objectively speaking, wont go. A lot of speaking, she wont go. A lot of praise for it. For those who dont like brexit. But i think objectively most objectively speaking, most professional objectively speaking, most profesthis al objectively speaking, most profesthis is a pretty good think this is a pretty good thing. Yeah, Liam Halligan a Double Barrel blast of good news. No recession, massive bumper trade deal texas, a great start deal with texas, a great start to show. Thank you very much for joining us. Theres loads more still to between now and still to come between now and 4 00. The government is so 4 00. And the government is so desperate sort out their desperate to sort out their migrant that ministers migrant chaos that ministers are actually considering paying failed seekers to move to failed Asylum Seekers to move to rwanda. You couldnt make it up. But first, heres your latest News Headlines sophia News Headlines with sophia wenzler. Wenzler. Martin. Thank you. Martin. Thank you. Im sophia wenzler from the gb newsroom at 331. Your headlines. Diane abbott, the mp at the centre of a growing racism row, has accused the speaker of the commons of not serving democracy after she wasnt called to speak in parliament. Its after the conservatives biggest donor, frank hester , allegedly said frank hester, allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Sir keir starmer has confronted the Prime Minister over the remarks, pressing rishi sunak to return mr hesters £10 million donation. In todays Prime Ministers questions, the labour leader asked whether rishi sunak was proud to be supported by someone making such offensive statements. A new law aimed at statements. A new law aimed at quashing the wrongful convictions of subpostmasters will be introduced by the government. More than 700 post office staff were found guilty of crimes, including theft and fraud, because of a faulty it system. Rishi sunak says the legislation is a crucial step forward towards resolving the largest miscarriage of justice in britains history. Labour welcomed the progress but says it wont be enough to deliver full justice. A man suspected of leading a major smuggling operation in the uk and bringing hundreds of people into the country in boats and lorries, has been arrested in hampshire, the 45 year old suspect, who is thought to be a key figure in a kurdish organised crime group, was detained at a property in the kingston area of portsmouth this morning. He arrested on this morning. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering. He is now in custody and being questioned by investigators and tiktok could be banned in the us unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operation. The house of representatives voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to be sold or blocked with an overwhelming majority. The bill still needs to pass the senate to become law here in the uk. Tiktok hasnt been banned before, but it was blocked from government devices in 2023 over data privacy concerns. And for data privacy concerns. And for the latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gbnews. Com slash alerts. Gb news. Com slash alerts. Gbnews. Com slash alerts. For stunning gold and silver coins, youll always value. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report , the gb news Financial Report, and heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2803 and the pound will buy you 151. 2803 and ,1. 1698. The the pound will buy you 1. 2803 and ,1. 1698. The price of gold is £1,696. 76 per ounce, and the ftse 100 is at 7766 points. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report. Report. Thank you sophia. Now youre watching or listening to gb news. Let me know your thoughts on the big stories of the day. Are you proud to be british . And also, i want to know whether you think the current Political Class are completely of class are completely out of touch. Are they ignoring the majority being obsessed majority while being obsessed with minority interests . Vaiews gbnews. Com is the email. Im Martin Daubney on gb news, britains news channel welcome back. Almost five. 339. Beg your pardon . Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news is now wrongfully convicted. Subpostmasters and postmistress are a step closer to getting justice today, with the introduction of a new law to clear their names. Its a landmark move because thats normally the job of the courts and it means people could see their convictions quashed in a matter of months. Well, joining me now to tell us more is gb news presenter pip tomson. Pip, welcome to the show. This has been a long time coming. Great news. Progress is finally being made. Martin but the cynical amongst us might say, well, its off the back of the itv dramatisation of the horizon it scandal, and also the fact may be that were in an election yean be that were in an election year, but whatever you think, it is great for news hundreds of former subpostmasters and mistresses whose livelihoods have been destroyed, their reputations ripped to shreds. So whats going to happen here is that those people who were convicted , their convictions convicted, their convictions will be quashed and they will receive an interim payment and then have the chance to accept a full and final offer of £600,000. There are several compensation schemes going. Theres another one, and these are for people who werent convicted but erroneously gave money back because they thought they had to gave money back from their own pockets. Some of them 20, 30, £40,000 upwards. Now theyre entitled to a fixed sum award of £75,000 through this compensation scheme. If theyve compensation scheme. If theyve already settled for less money, then they will have their compensation topped up. So it is a little bit complicated, but the upshot is, is that this bill was announced in parliament this lunchtime by the post office minister, kevin hollinrake. He said it is an exceptional response to what has been classed as the biggest miscarriage of justice in british history. He says it doesnt set a precedent when it comes to letting politicians overturn the decisions of the court. But what is also interesting here, martin, is that it only applies to england and wales. People in scotland and wales. People in scotland and those in Northern Ireland. They have their own legal processes to go through. Well, earlier on gb news we spoke to the former tory mp, lord arbuthnot, who has campaigned tirelessly for years to get justice. This is what he had to say about his reaction. There is, for example , still there is, for example, still in the system, a legal presumption that computer records are reliable. That is something that weve got to overturn. But how we overturn it hasnt yet been ironed out. But thatis hasnt yet been ironed out. But that is something that weve got to deal with. And until that is dean to deal with. And until that is dealt with, we cant be sure that everythings been ironed out. But equally, the culture in the post office remain as deeply suspect as we heard from some of the select Committee Hearings that have gone on in the last couple of months. And so theres a lot still to be done , plenty a lot still to be done, plenty still to be done as of the 1st of march, £179 million had been paid to some 2800 people. There are expected to be hundreds more, some of whom havent come forward yet. This bill should receive royal assent martin before mps break up for the summer. So were looking at july and then compensation payments start coming through in august. So thats what april, may, june , july. Thats still may, june, july. Thats still a whole five months away. Yeah pip tomson excellent. I reckon youre right to be cynical about the politics of this, but nevertheless, its been a long time coming. And justice has been served at last for those matters. And submitters. Thompson, thank you submitters. Thompson, thank you very much. Now, is this rishi sunak having one last desperate throw of the dice to try and tackle the migrant crisis . Failed Asylum Seekers will be offered £3,000 to encourage them to move to rwanda voluntarily, under a new scheme drawn up by ministers, and its aimed at removing tens of thousands of migrants who have no right to remain in the uk. But cant be returned to their country of origin forcibly. Well, lets cut across now to downing street and speak to gb news Political Correspondent Katherine Forster catherine, its got to the stage where they cant get them to go to their own accord, so theyre having to bribe them to go to rwanda. Well, yes, indeed. But martin, actually, this is an extension of an existing scheme because there already is a scheme for failed Asylum Seekers to be encouraged financially with to the tune of up to £3,000, to leave, to go back to where they came from. Now, this obviously is new in that they want to send people to rwanda, but they are already paying plenty of failed Asylum Seekers to effectively go away. So just to effectively go away. So just to give you a few stats, last yean to give you a few stats, last year, the home office rejected 31,000 asylum applications and 91,000 foreign nationals voluntarily and resettled to their home country, of which 4000 of those were failed Asylum Seekers, 15,000 were foreign criminals or people who had overstayed their visa. So its a scheme that already exists in terms of paying them to go, back to where they came from. But paying to where they came from. But paying them to go to rwanda is of course, different. And i think its to give the government, a contingency plan if you like, to make use of rwanda. We know that theyve spent millions of pounds. We know that the safety of rwanda bill has been heavily amended in the lords. The commons will remove those amendments. It will remove those amendments. It will go through. But then theres likely to be legal challenges. Likely to be legal challenges. So if rishi sunak cant get those flights full of people whove crossed on small boats recently off to rwanda, they potentially can still get flights of people off to rwanda. And that have been overstaying and have not got asylum here. So one way to use to use rwanda, no matter what happens with the bill in the in the parliament at the moment. Now you Katherine Forster three grand in cash free housing for five years and an offer of guaranteed work. When you get there, either know the state, this country maybe a lot of brits wouldnt mind taking rishi sunak offer. Thank sunak up on this offer. Thank you katherine you very much, Katherine Forster. Plenty forster. Excellent now plenty more in the show, more to bring you in the show, including but first in a gb news series innovation britain. Were looking success of looking at the success of british manufacturing around this country this magnificent country. Were here at dynamic in castleford. Here they produce a castleford. Here they produce a product that is sold across the globe. Globe. And you, david, are the brains behind it. I am indeed, yeah. I am indeed, yeah. I am indeed, yeah. I designed a tool for removing locking wheel nuts. I did it over 25 years ago. Now, we found out a young guy that come to me wanted his locknut from moving, so i made a tool to do it, and then its all grew from there. I contacted the rac, the aa, and it just become a Market Leader. Really so you created a patented product . Yes. Thats now evolved over time. Yes. And where are you today with this . You today with this . Weve expanded, weve moved several premises over the years. We started off in a little butchers shop where we rented, and then we bought a unit. Then we bought a bigger unit, and then weve invested heavily in then weve invested heavily in the machines. The cnc machines. So youre producing these all here on site . All in on sites. Im a big believer in making the uk, and i want to prove it can be done, we are it. Are doing it. So whats the success of your product today . Market leader, its a Market Leader, dynamics to be the Market Dynamics known to be the Market Leader locking wheel removal leader in locking wheel removal tools. You know, people tools. You know, some people have tried it in the past have tried copied it in the past , but we always lead them, you know, theyre following us. So we prove it can be done. And this is a family run business, isnt it . It is a true family owned business. My son, when he was 15, he could actually program one of these machines. It is autocad. It is up before his time. Really, but now hes 18. Time. Really, but now hes18. Hes working here and he can operate these machines no problem. So i really believe that, you know weve got to get young people on this type of equipment and actually go back to how it used to be like when i was younger, you know, get them on it, them interested in it. Absolutely. Youve got a great sold great product here sold globally, bringing globally, and youre bringing the youth to through this business. Congratulations its day two of the cheltenham festival. Today and the day was previously referred to as ladies day, where attendees celebrated and members of the royal family would show off their high end fashion outfits. But this year, of course, the centuries old racing tradition has undergone a woke rebranding to include men and maybe even zeus , and is now maybe even zeus, and is now being called style wednesday. Well utter killjoys. But lets speak now with gb News Reporter jack carson, who is in cheltenham for us. Jack splendid hat once again the woke are trying to sap the fun out of this. This. Well, of course its not known. Not been known as ladies day here at cheltenham since 2018. Its come under different names in the following years. Since last year it was called festival wednesday this year, calling it style wednesday. It wasnt necessarily advertised to well as being changed to style wednesday, but that is what is on the programs and the race cards that the festival and the racegoers here have been having still plenty of very colourful hats on show, including, of course , from Queen Camilla who course, from Queen Camilla who is here to watch. Of course , the is here to watch. Of course, the queen mothers champion chase as well. But not everyone, of course, is happy about this change. We spoke to. Indeed, Nadine Dorries a little bit earlier on. Its outrageous. Itsjust its outrageous. Its just outrageous. What is what is particularly galling about it is it done so quietly . There was no fanfare, no announcements. It was just slipped under. The first i knew was when it arrived in my program. I thought i was in my program. I thought i was coming to ladies day. So when my program i thought i was program arrived, i thought i was at discovered i was at style, discovered i was a style day. You know, some people style day. You know, some people have said to me, well, you know, the a lot effort into the men put a lot of effort into its style nonsense. Its all about style nonsense. You its at every turn you you know, its at every turn you see that anything to do with the raising the status of womanhood or women . Ladies day motherhood. Its this constant erosion. And whats happened is the jockey club has just buckled under pressure from the trans lobby. Thats whats happened. And what they really need to think about is and i said this in my column in the daily mail yesterday, who is who are the people who is here . Who are the people who are know whats are here . You know whats happening, day there happening, ladies day is there are around who are lots of ladies around who dressed for ladies day dressed up for ladies day because is our day. I mean, because this is our day. I mean, what they going to do next . What are they going to do next . They. Mothering is no they. Mothering sunday is no longer person sunday and longer is person sunday its and following mothering following so quick on mothering sunday utterly sunday it just seems utterly bizarre. Bizarre. So course, as you can hear so of course, as you can hear there, Nadine Dorries really not happy with this change from ladies day to style wednesday this year. But the jockey club and the racecourse, clear about why theyve done that. They say this they wanted to focus this year about sustainability in fashion. Theyre calling it fast horses, slow fashion and the jockey club more widely have changed a lot of their rules around what to wear to their races. Theyre dropping the more formal dress codes, mandatory dress codes , for most races, dress codes, for most races, saying that they want to open this up to the Wider Community and show that this is for everyone. And they wanted to make these races for people to be able to come to them in something which is maybe a bit more comfortable for them. That doesnt mean that people havent been of lots of been dressing up lots of lots of colourful hats on show, as i was saying as well, on day two here at cheltenham carson megxit at cheltenham jack carson megxit and why george and now we know why George Galloway isnt wearing hat in parliament. Nadine dorries has nicked it. Jack thank very much. Jack carson thank you very much. Superb you are superb stuff. Now you are watching listening to gb news watching or listening to gb news coming. Im asking the coming up. Im asking all the Political Class completely out of touch. Ive had hundreds and hundreds of emails on this already. Ill read out a selection after this, but first its selection after this, but first wsfime selection after this, but first its time for your latest Weather Forecast with alex deakin. Deakin. A brighter outlook with boxt solar , the sponsors of weather solar, the sponsors of weather on gb news. Hello, welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. Most of us will see some rain at some point tomorrow, but the driest and mildest weather will be in the east. Weve had a bit of a three way split today with this weather front dissecting the country, mostly dry and mild to the south, a few showers and very windy to far north and very windy to the far north and under weather front. Pretty under that weather front. Pretty dull Still Producing dull and damp Still Producing some across the some heavy rain across the mountains of north wales and northwest england. Thatll track back northwards overnight, so turning damp once more tonight over Northern Ireland and eventually the rain returns to southern scotland. Much of central northern scotland central and northern scotland dry clear and quite chilly dry and clear and quite chilly further very mild further south. It is a very mild night. Or 10, the low. Well night. 9 or 10, the low. Well start thursday with lot start thursday then, with a lot of cloud rain for wales. Of cloud and rain for wales. Parts northwest england, parts of northwest england, southern scotland and Northern Ireland. All that rain will slowly drift northwards, although north although the far north will generally stay dry and the winds slowly easing here. Elsewhere, another breezy old day with dry and bright conditions across much of the east. Just a few scattered showers developing here. More showers, though, for the and parts of wales the midlands and parts of wales later. At those later. And look at those temperatures. It could easily reach few spots where we reach 17 in a few spots where we see some sunshine, but a colder feeling day with the rain across scotland that slowly pulls away on friday, the northerly winds bringing a chill to the far north. Elsewhere again still pretty mild with a mixture of some bright spells but a blue sky. But also quite a few blustery showers. Again, temperatures pretty mild across the south, a colder feel further north. Goodbye. That warm feeling inside from boxt boilers. Sponsors of weather on gb news. A very good afternoon to you all. Its 4 pm. And welcome to the Martin Daubney show on gb news. Broadcasting live from the heart of westminster all across the uk. Coming up, gb news understands that the uk is to ban Foreign Governments from owning british newspapers, and that would effectively block the uae. The United Arab Emirates bid to take over the Daily Telegraph. What does that mean and why should we care . Next, has the Political Class ever been more out of touch and are they too obsessed with minority interests . Pmqs today , the main interests . Pmqs today, the main political event of the week saw the two main parties squabble over who is the most racist gaza and happy ramadan. Over who is the most racist gaza and happy ramadan. When will and happy ramadan. When will they stop ignoring the majority and tackle the real issues facing this country . And of facing this country . And of course, this comes as lee anderson, during his defection to reform, said he wanted his country back. Well be asking country back. Well be asking throughout the show, do you feel proud to british, or are you being made to feel ashamed of your National Identity . And thats all coming up in your next hour . Welcome to the show. Its always a pleasure and a joy to have your company. Now, i want to hear from you today. Hundreds and hundreds of emails already on the topic of the Political Class. Totally and utterly out of touch, arguing today at pmqs about whos the most racist, wishing happy ramadan to the Muslim Community once again droning on about a ceasefire in gaza, many people scratching their heads and wondering what planet are these people on . Are they representing ordinary brits or are they disappearing down a rabbit hole of minority interests . Get in touch all the usual ways. Vaiews gbnews. Com. Plus, do you feel proud to be british or is our flag now sullied by the fact were continually told were racist , unwelcoming nation with racist, unwelcoming nation with a poisonous history . Let us know a poisonous history . Let us know what you think. But first, its time for your latest news headunes time for your latest News Headlines with sophia wenzler. Martin. Thank you. Good afternoon. Its 4 02. Your top story this hour, diane abbott, the mp at the centre of a growing racism row, has accused the speaker of the commons of not serving democracy after she wasnt called to speak in parliament. Its after the conservatives biggest donor, frank hester, allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Sir keir starmer has confronted the Prime Minister over the remarks, pressing rishi sunak to return mr hesters £10 million donation in todays Prime Ministers questions, the labour leader asked whether rishi sunak was proud to be supported by someone making such offensive statements i two km two weeks ago he marched them out like foals to defend islamophobia and now the member for ashfield is warming up. The opposition benches for them. He wont hand the money back. He wont hand the money back. He wont comment on how convenient it is that a man handed huge nhs contracts by his government is now his partys biggest donor. You have to wonder what the point is of a Prime Minister who cannot lead, and a party that cant govern. The Prime Minister acknowledged Frank Hesters comments were wrong and racist, but declined to say his donations would be returned, instead calling out what he said were double standards in the labour party. Labour party. Im absolutely not going to take any lectures from somebody , take any lectures from somebody, from somebody, from somebody who chose to represent an anti semitic terrorist group, hizb ut tahrir , who chose to hizb ut tahrir, who chose to serve a leader who let anti semitism run rife in this labour party. Those are his labour party. Those are his actions. Those are his values. And thats how he should be judged. Judged. Meanwhile, former cabinet minister Nadine Dorries told gb news that the governments response has been a car crash and there are still bigger questions to be answered. Questions to be answered. Who is the person who fixed it for him to give the party £10 million . And what was he promised in return for that £10 million . There million . I think there are questions need be asked, questions that need to be asked, because no one just gives £10 million to a Political Party whos just new on the scene and doesnt Something Back doesnt expect Something Back for kind of money. And in for that kind of money. And in order to remove all of those questions and those questions and all of those suspicions, it needs paying back today. Andy macdonald has had the labour whip restored after he was cleared of breaking party rules by using a controversial slogan at a pro palestine rally. The mp for middlesbrough was suspended in october after he used the phrase from the river to the sea during a speech at a pro palestine event. The words refer to the land between the river jordan refer to the land between the riverjordan and refer to the land between the river jordan and the mediterranean, which many find offensive because it appears to refer to all of israel. A labour spokesperson said mr macdonald had been reminded that elected representatives must be mindful of how their words are interpreted. In other news, interpreted. In other news, a major people smuggling operation has been intercepted in the uk with the arrest of a suspected high level figure in a kurdish organised crime group, authorities believe hes significantly involved in smuggling people to britain in boats and in the back of lorries. Officers from the National Crime agency were supported by Hampshire Police as they detained the 45 year old at a property in the kingston area of portsmouth this morning. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering, and is now in custody. Vladimir putin says custody. Vladimir putin says hes ready for nuclear war, warning that any us troops who venture to ukraine will be treated as interventionists. Speaking on state television, the russian president also said that if the us were to carry out any nuclear tests, russia may do the same. He added that while moscow is technically prepared, the country is not rushing into it and tiktok could be banned in the us unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operation. The house of representatives voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to be sold or blocked with an overwhelming majority. The bill still needs to pass the senate to become law. President joe biden has indicated that he would sign it. However, his republican challenger, donald trump, recently signalled that hed opposed the ban here in the uk. Tiktok hasnt been banned before , but it was blocked from government devices in 2023 over data privacy concerns. And for data privacy concerns. 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 alerts. Gb news. Com alerts. Thank you sophia. Now there has been growing speculation about the future of the telegraph newspaper , which has telegraph newspaper, which has been a mainstay of British Journalism for almost two centuries. And now gb news understands ministers are set to bnngin understands ministers are set to bring in new legislation to block Foreign Governments from buying british newspapers. And this will come as a hammer blow to a uae backed companys efforts to buy the Daily Telegraph, the sunday telegraph and the spectator. Figures in both the conservative and labour parties had expressed alarm at the proposed takeover of the telegraph by real bird imi, which is 75 financed by the uae. Obe. Well, im joined now in. Obe. Well, im joined now in the studio by gb news Political Correspondent Katherine Forster to discuss this. Now, catherine, so people who arent out there arent aware of this story. This is not about stopping foreign individuals purchasing newspapers. Its about a foreign state taking over a newspaper. State taking over a newspaper. And now Prime Minister rishi sunak has stepped in. Why, yes, thats exactly right. So basically , the right. So basically, the telegraph and the spectator were put up for sale over a year ago when the barclay brothers accrued debts or massive, massive debts and theyve been trying to find a buyer and the United Arab Emirates, this bid thats come from them, a 75 is effectively from the United Arab Emirates vice president. So effectively the state, the country. And that is the country. And that is the problem, the idea that basically a Foreign Government could have the controlling influence over a british publication and what that means for freedom of the press. So theres been a lot of concern, obviously people working for and with those publications, but also readers and at the high levels of government and across parties. So it seems now today that the government are gearing up to ban, foreign iron state control of having control of news organisations in the United Kingdom, that if its a foreign state, to have a majority control that that will not go ahead, which will be a massive relief and many people say this is the fair point. Its one thing to buy a foreign football club. Its one thing to buy an airline. But if youre using a newspaper not only to whitewash your own nations political credibility or reputation , but even perhaps or reputation, but even perhaps to influence the editorial policy and also thereby the political shape , particularly on political shape, particularly on the conservative side of the of the conservative side of the of the parliamentary divide. As the parliamentary divide. As a nafion the parliamentary divide. As a nation state that feels a step too far. Yes, absolutely. Too far. Yes, absolutely. And fraser nelson, the editor of the spectator, which would go along with the telegraph , its along with the telegraph, its very prestigious. Its seen by many as sort of the tory bible and has been pushing very hard for this , saying, look, we for this, saying, look, we cannot have a situation where effectively a foreign country owns a big chunk of our supposedly free press. This would be really bad for democracy, and it would be the thin end of the wedge and saying to, theres nowhere in the world, you know, in the western world, you know, in the western world that you would have this situation. So i think there will be immense relief. What dont be immense relief. What we dont know , of course, is who know, of course, is who ultimately will take over the telegraph and the spectator. But you can be sure now that it wont be a foreign country. But i think worth saying, there are many, many wealthy people funding newspapers, websites, tv stations here who dont live here, and its foreign money, but they are individuals and thats the difference. Theyre individuals, not a country. Key point brilliantly set out. Lets also reflect, if we can, upon todays pmqs. I thought, and many, many people whove emailed in hundreds of people have emailed in saying they felt theyve never seen a Political Class as out of touch with the general public as they saw today. And im talking about these people live through brexit, same as we did. An obsession with whos the most racist or the political parties. An obsession with gaza, with ceasefires, with happy ramadan. Meanwhile, people looking on thinking what planet are these people on . Yes, i sat in the press gallery today and looked down and i must say it was quite depressing because it was almost like a competition. Yes. Youre awful. Well, youre more awful. And whos the most awful . And you think, no wonder so many people are disengaged, feel politically homeless. You know, weve seen George Galloway win in rochdale, appealing to muslims who feel that nobody speaks to them. Weve seen lee anderson now go over to reform. Weve seen reform surging in the polls. So many people who feel that neither labour or the conservative party speak for them. And, you know, it was really quite dispiriting. I thought, today i want to read out a few comments. Catherine no doubt these will chime with you. Matt said this. Its just endless political point scoring from all whilst theres once great country theyre supposed to be running goes to the dogs. Jean says this. My thoughts exactly what a complete woke basket case. The uk has become with its load of upper class burlington. Berties in charge and im sorry to say richard tice might also fit this description. They were all having playground tantrums and hissy fits about hurty feelings. While the uk burns. Is there a real something in this . Real something in this . Catherine . People look on aghast. Have they just become so obsessed with minority interests now they just completely out of touch with what the majority think. Well , therell be many people well, therell be many people who will think that the story about frank hester, that its all a mountain being made out of all a mountain being made out of a molehill. But i think it is worth saying that he did say in a public place that a black female mp should be shot. Now, of course he didnt mean it. Of course it wasnt a call for violence, but people making speeches in public surely should be a bit careful how they phrase a few years ago now 2019, 2018. Yeah, it was 2019. But you know , yeah, it was 2019. But you know, im not sure if theres any argument really for calling for people to be shot. You know, they hand the money back. Do you think £10 million, they wont do it . I really would be astonished if that happened because its an election year. Hes their biggest donor. Last year i think they had 48 million. Given this is ten of it, i, i famous last words i cant see any world in which they decide to hand that money back. And they say, look, hes apologised. Hes shown remorse and we move on. They would like to move on. And isnt that the real story . This almost of pearl story . This almost kind of pearl clutching over the racism . Is it actually about trying to hole the tories purse . Its about trying to take £10 million away from them at a time where they know every penny counts in what will be a bitterly fought Election Campaign coming forward. W e that happens well, everything that happens in westminster at the moment, we have to see through the prism of the fact an election the fact theres an election coming thats coming and everything thats going eye to going on is with an eye to labour trying to put themselves in a better position, trying to rubbish the conservatives and vice more than you vice versa, even more than you would in normal times. So would have in normal times. So of course labour are going to say the money back. Of say hand the money back. Of course are. If it was course they are. But if it was them, would they . I mean, dont forget sunak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery sunak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery slow sunak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery slow to sunak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery slow to act, sunak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery slow to act, wasnt� nak them, would they . I mean, dont forgivery slow to act, wasnt he, was very slow to act, wasnt he, to, to call this out. He took a long time to get to the oh, the comments were racist. But look what happened with sir keir starmer and azhar and starmer and azhar ali and rochdale. They had those comments. They took a long time to drop him as to actually drop him as a candidate. And then they had no one. So people can look on and think, well, this is clear cut, why dont they act . But it takes them a long time. And, you know, on on all sides, sure. Theres all allegations of racism. All these allegations of racism. I would think i think most people would think what he said was out of order. But again, diana and but again, with diana and laboun but again, with diana and labour, she was suspended, of course, from the labour party nearly a year ago for for, comments that many people thought were anti semitic, saying that jewish people didnt experience racism in the same way as black people, which is astonishing. Racism if you if you frame it in the right way. Anti semitism is racism. Is it not . Most people would say so. She was suspended. The investigation is ongoing. We pressed. Keir starmers spokesman at lunch and all he would say was its an independent investigation, its ongoing. But, you know, why is it taking so long . And you can see, cant you, if they decide to keep her and she runs as a labour mp, theyll be open to accusations of letting somebody whos anti semitic continue saying the labour party hasnt changed. If they kick her out permanently, then all hell will let loose because she was the black first female black mp to be elected. So you can see why be elected. So you can see why they dont really want to make decision. Yeah. Meanwhile the whole country looks on just scratching their head and asks what planet . Although Katherine Forster, thank much. Excellent. Thank you very much. Excellent. Now britain an alarming now britain faces an alarming rise and threats rise in intimidation and threats of violence against those perceived to have insulted islam. And thats according to a new report. The findings come from a study by alexander mulgrew hitchens, a researcher at Kings College london. And joining me now to discuss this is the author and academic professor frank ferdy. Frank, welcome to the show. And youve written a column, an excellent column. I say in todays mail about this precise thing, and you have grave concern about as creeping from a position of Medieval Times where we had outright blasphemy. Of course outright blasphemy. Of course that changed. But now you believe, frank, were creeping back towards de facto blasphemy in the uk . In the uk . Yes. Well, wimereux is an informal blasphemy law which basically says that you cannot make any critical comments that are directed at islam or a muslim people or islamism, which basically means that a lot of people are forced to censor themselves. I talked to teachers who tell me that they are too scared to discuss the holocaust, in case it offends some of their Muslim Students , and therefore they students, and therefore they they are keeping quiet about it. Ive talked to history teachers who said that they are so careful when they discussing historical facts. Not to offend muslim sensibilities, that they just merely change the subject. So we have a really big problem on our hands where the mere mention of the word islamophobia is sufficient to shut the discussion down. And i think thats, to me, is almost like a new form of blasphemy law, where certain things can no longer be said without feeling that youre going to be punished. And, frank, in nine days time, it will be the third anniversary of the Batley Grammar School teacher being forced into exile for showing a cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad still in hiding in fear of his life, living under a different identity with his family and his wife. Weve seen the trojan horse scandal. Weve seen a 14 year old autistic boy in wakefield damaging a quran accidentally. Frank, a lot of people think weve already got blasphemy laws de facto in this country. Were not standing up to it. What can be done about it, frank . I think we need to start taking ourselves seriously a little bit of courage would not go amiss. So in the case of the batley school, i was shocked and surprised by the cowardice of the school authorities. But the willingness of the police to say, well, go into hiding and when you think about it, you know, a british citizen cannot make a public appearance for fear of being hurt or intimidated. And therefore there its almost like as if its a Second World War situation where youve got to somehow change your identity just because your , your identity just because your, you, youve offended a certain number of people who make it their business to shut you to down scare you, and in some cases to exercise violence against you. And i think its about time that we realise weve got a mega problem here, because as long as we ignore it and as long as we shut up the minute somebody says islamophobe here, i think our society is going to get unravelled and we almost turn into a quasi theocratic state, at least on the ground in certain areas of the country , certain areas of the country, where we almost go back into a kind of hyper technocratic medieval world of blasphemy culture, which is not what we needin culture, which is not what we need in a democratic society. Yeah, its a chilling thought. Frank friday, thank you very much for joining. Frank friday, thank you very much forjoining us on the show. Much for joining us on the show. And yet, many fear it might get worse because we may have a Labour Government incoming, redefining islamophobia ready , redefining islamophobia ready, defining what that means and who can be punished. And how. And many people fear it could be about to get a whole lot worse before it gets better. Now you before it gets better. Now you could win the spring essentials in our latest Great British giveaway. And thats a garden gadget package, a shopping spree and £12,345. 1234 £5 in cash tax free. Heres all the details. We have a ton of top prizes to be won in our spring giveaway. Theres a massive £12,345 in tax free cash to spend. However, you like, along with £500 in shopping vouchers for your favourite store , a for your favourite store, a games console, a pizza oven and a portable sonos Smart Speaker. And the best news . You could be our next big winner. Just like phil, whoever wins it next is going to be as happy as i was, and theyre going to get even more money this time round. So why wouldnt you go in the draw for your chance to win the draw for your chance to win the vouchers . The treats and £12,345 in tax free cash text gb win to 84 902. Text cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and number two gb gb03, p0 your name and number two gb gb03, po box 8690. Derby d19 double tee, uk. Only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines close at 5 pm. On friday, the 29th of march. Full terms and privacy nofice march. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gbnews. Com forward slash win. Please check the closing time if watching or listening on demand. Good luck. Yeah, fill your boots now youre watching or listening to gb news. Coming up, trade secretary Kemi Badenoch signs what is being called a landmark deal with texas, designed to unlock huge markets for both economies. Just what could this mean . Well, Liam Halligan will fill us in with all the details in just a moment. Its awesome. Im Martin Daubney on gb news, earlier on breakfast. Earlier on breakfast. Welcome to the program leading for us this morning. What took so long . Pressure on the pm. Theres another tory racism row has emerged. I think it was very disappointing that i was one of the only voices yesterday morning to come straight off the bat say this was a racist comment. Nobody wanted to listen because it was was the post because it was it was the post office, this trusted brand that was every stop shop, local was in every stop shop, local shop and save the community. And theres no danger in sleeping your baby on his or her back either. So do it. And you severely reduce the risk of cot death happening to you. Since breakfast on gb news. Since breakfast on gb news. Welcome back. Its 425. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news. Trade secretary Kemi Badenoch has signed what is being called a landmark deal with the governor of texas , greg abbott. The texas of texas, greg abbott. The texas trade agreement is designed to unlock huge markets for both economies , with the texas economies, with the Texas Governor saying strengthening the bond between texas and the United Kingdom is crucial for our shared economies to prosper. A feel good story and a feel good guide to discuss it with. Because im joined now by Liam Halligan gb news, economics and politics Business Editor with on the reporter. So, liam, the money reporter. So, liam, pleasure to have you in the studio. As ever, this is precisely the sort of nimble, progressive deal we were promised wed be able to do in post Brexit Britain. But first, before this , there was some before this, there was some great news today about gdp. Yeah, lets talk quickly about gdp, Gross Domestic Product that is the size of our economy. All the goods and services produced in an economy in a single year. Thats what gdp is. And the numbers that came out this morning, they were they were positive only just. But at least theyre positive. And thats a good thing. Lets have a quick look at the numbers. So between july and september 2023 gdp contracted by 0. 1 compared to the same period in 2022. Between october and december, gdp shrank again by 0. 3 of a percent. Theres the two successive quarters , three month successive quarters, three month penods successive quarters, three month periods of Economic Contraction thatis periods of Economic Contraction that is a recession on. But this morning we learned that in january, martin, the january figure only came out this morning in the single month of january gdp. Actually, expanded by 0. 2 compared to january 2023. So thats good news. So that means if we continue to have an expansion over the First Quarter and it looks as if we will then recession is officially over. Weve got an Interest Rate decision next thursday on the 21st of march. The Monetary Policy committee will look closely at those gdp figures. I think on balance, martin, the fact that the economy is now growing again, it means the for the Monetary Policy committee, they may be emboldened to keep Interest Rates where they are and not give us all the cuts, or some of us, the cut that we want. Us, the cut that we want. Obviously pensioners, those living on fixed incomes, off interest , they want interest interest, they want Interest Rates to stay at 5. 25. I think on balance, todays gdp numbers, they are just preliminary. Make it less likely that the bank of england will cut Interest Rates next week. Next week. And you normally call these things right, mystic liam. Now meanwhile texas an astonishing economy, massive numbers and its number one export petrochemicals i texas is a huge economy. Texas is just one of the states of america. Of course, its the second biggest economy, in terms of states of america, the texan economy is worth £1. 9 trillion a yean economy is worth £1. 9 trillion a year, equivalent. The whole uk year, equivalent. The whole uk economy is worth 2. 2 trillion. So you know, its bigger than the english economy, if you like. Its a massive , market. Like. Its a massive, market. Its a world ranking economy in its own right. We dont have a its own right. We dont have a trade deal with the United States, nor does the European Union have a trade deal with the United States. Very few countries do. Because america is so powerful, it tends keep so powerful, it tends to keep its options and not sign its options open and not sign trade deals. So what weve been doing since brexit, weve doing since brexit, since weve been negotiate our been allowed to negotiate our own outside of the own trade deals outside of the European Union, is that successive secretaries and successive trade secretaries and the trade and business secretary, Kemi Badenoch, has been the forefront of this, been at the forefront of this, have been signing deals, negotiating with negotiating deals with individual states. We signed individual us states. We signed a trade with florida a trade deal with florida recently. Weve signed trade recently. Weve signed trade deals with seven other us states , and this is now the eighth, state that weve signed a trade deal with. We can see that, texas and Governor Greg Abbott, the ultimate big hat. Thats the ultimate big hat. Thats what they call a big cheese. And in texas, they call them a big hat. He is the governor of texas. This is the first us state governor thats actually come to the uk to sign a trade deal with britain. Symbolically, really, really important. There really, really important. There he trade and business he is with trade and business secretary badenoch. Secretary Kemi Badenoch. They are political the are political soulmates. The republicans tend to dominate texas. Republicans tend to dominate texas. Theyre close to the texas. Theyre close to the conservative party. And this is a trade deal which should help in terms of uk exports. We already export 12 billion quids worth of stuff to texas every year. Financial and legal services, Creative Industries , services, Creative Industries, films and so on, but particularly that Energy Complex that you mentioned. Were not going to be exporting any oil and gas to texas, thats for sure. But we are we are exporting and trading with them in terms of expertise , energy in terms of expertise, energy expertise, energy science, particularly the Hydrogen Economy , which is something that economy, which is something that Kemi Badenoch, as business secretary is particularly interested in. So this is good news on on gdp. An economic expansion is always better than an Economic Contraction, not least because we had a recession at the end of last year. And i think its particularly good news when it comes to trade policy. This should give the uk economy not a huge boost, but a bit of a boost. And in this climate, martin, thats better than nothing. Liam halligan a blast of positive news and all that money comes from out of the ground. If only we could follow somebody would say, youre gonna be humming the theme tune to dallas in a minute. But if we could just do the third, the third, the third, who j. R . It was the third, who shot j. R . It was bobby. Now, the thing is, on a serious point, £19 billion of petrochemical exports per year. Their number one export. Maybe if we drilled our own liam, then we wouldnt need to import so much. And we too could be rich and prosperous. Thats a conversation time. Conversation for another time. Liam an absolute Liam Halligan always an absolute joy Liam Halligan always an absolute joy in the studio. Thank joy to have in the studio. Thank you indeed. Theres you very much indeed. Theres lots still to between lots more still to come between now and 5 00 and well be discussing. You proud to be discussing. Are you proud to be british . Are the british . And if not, are the political and the media Political Class and the media and the entire system in fact, are they to blame . But first, its are they to blame . But first, wsfime are they to blame . But first, its time for your latest news headunes its time for your latest News Headlines wenzler. Headlines with sophia wenzler. Thanks, martin. Its 431. Im sophia wenzler your headlines. Diane abbott, the mp at the centre of a growing racism row, has accused the speaker of the commons of not serving democracy after she wasnt called to speak in parliament. Its after the conservatives biggest donor, frank hester, allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot at Prime Ministers questions today. Sir keir starmer confronted sunak over the confronted rishi sunak over the remarks, pressing him to return. Mr hesters £10 million donation. Andy macdonald has had the labour whip restored after he was cleared of breaking party rules by using a controversial slogan at a pro palestine rally. The mp for middlesbrough was suspended in october after he used a phrase from the river to the sea during a speech at a pro palestine event. A labour spokesperson said mr macdonald had been reminded that elected representatives must be mindful of how they use their words and how theyre interpreted. A man how theyre interpreted. A man suspected of leading a major smuggling operation in the uk and bringing hundreds of people into the country in boats and lorries, has been arrested in hampshire. The 45 year old hampshire. The 45 year old suspect, who is thought to be a key figure in a kurdish organised crime group, was detained property in the detained at a property in the kingston area of portsmouth this morning. Was arrested on morning. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering. And tiktok and money laundering. And tiktok could be banned in the us unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operation. The house of representatives voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to be sold or blocked with an overwhelming majority. The bill overwhelming majority. The bill still needs to pass the senate to become law. And for the to become law. 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. Common alerts. Thank you sophia. You are watching or listening to gb news now. Let me know your thoughts on the big stories of the day. Are you proud to be british or are you being made to feel increasingly ashamed of being british . And also, i want to know whether you think that todays Political Class are completely out of touch, even more so than during the brexit days. If such a thing were possible , are they ignoring the possible, are they ignoring the majority while being obsessed with minorities . Gb views at gb with minorities . Gb views at gb news. Com is the email im Martin Daubney on gb news, britains news channel welcome back. The time is 437. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news now. Reforms. New mp lee anderson will join me in the studio very soon. So dont go anywhere. He will be giving it both barrels, i guarantee it. Now, would you believe that the nhs englands non clinical staff have increased by more than a staggering 185,000 employees . And thats just england in the last ten years, from 2013 to 2023, there has been an increase of 42. 6 in staff numbers, a staggering increase. And this just doesnt make any sense because the nhs waiting times are continuing to quadruple while money is being pulled in to pay for all these seemingly useless hirings. Well, join me useless hirings. Well, join me now to discuss this is the Communications Director for the campaign for an independent britain, ben phillips. Ben thanks for joining us britain, ben phillips. Ben thanks forjoining us in britain, ben phillips. Ben thanks for joining us in the studio. We live in a time where the nhs is treated as a church. Its been deified. And yet when we analyse the figures, we see a different picture. Were seeing a staggering increase in numbers, a staggering increase in budget , a numbers, a staggering increase in budget, a staggering increase in budget, a staggering increase in waiting times. Tell us, how did you get these figures . Yeah, well, were indebted to our Research Affiliate brexit facts for eu, who produce daily reports on a whole range of issues, up to brexit and beyond. It was it was primarily over eu issues and brexit related issues. But increasingly were looking at the post brexit agenda and including the nhs, which is obviously a Vital Institution for all of us, and how that money is spent given the size of the budget and the numbers of people employed and the headline figures for the country as a whole, for the uk as a whole is simply extraordinary. Renee, so if youre looking at non frontline staffing figures from, from just a year period from january a three year period from january 2020 to december 2023, in january 2020, we had 1,275,883 members of frontline non frontline staff, employed, and that increased by december 20th 23 to 1,488,207, and an extraordinary 16. 6 increase, or 212,000 people. And its worth pointing out this doesnt include gps and it doesnt include non care. So the true figure is even greater. But we dont know those numbers because they hide them exactly. Yes exactly so. And given as i said given size of the i said given the size of the budget and given the size of the nhs, the fact that we dont have the is simply shocking. And yet the budget £182 billion in 20 2223, a 6 increase year on year every year since 2019. Extra 6 billion thrown at the nhs in the Spring Budget by jeremy hunt. We continually hear that the nhs needs more money and its only seven days from falling apart, yet its being pumped with more money, pumped with more staff. And yet weve still got £7. 7 million Million People beau biden on the waiting list. Doesnt that say to you that this is a system that needs total reform . Absolutely. And i think this is one of the things we will be campaigning on. Whatever your political affiliations, we need an nhs thats fit for purpose for the century. And for the 21st century. And i think the current structure is, is frankly beginning to fall apart. And everybody i think recognises that records, waiting times again for a e and ambulances as well. Just simply add to the problem. To, to the existing problems. And 7. 8 million on on the nhs waiting list at the moment is just for england alone. Just shows you the scale of the crisis. And yet ben, we seem to be in a competitive sport to throw more money at the nhs. Its verboten to discuss restructuring. Will we ever be restructuring. Will we ever be in a position where were able just to let the data lead this . Or are we being led by the emotions , the fact that emotions, the fact that something that we can we cant touch because were proud of it, its the best institution in the uk data seems to paint uk when the data seems to paint a picture. A different picture. Well, i think if the Political Class were worth their money, would have open money, they would have an open and discussion about and honest discussion about this. Is not this. Because this is not a crisis across europe. They have partly government funded nhs and also based as also insurance based schemes as well. We need to well. And i think we need to look at alternative schemes. So how could work in so how could that work in britain. Maybe people so how could that work in britairencouraged be people so how could that work in britairencouraged be opt ple of being encouraged to opt out of their off go partly their better off to go partly private. What things should we private. What things should we look at . I think you could look at tax incentives to encourage people to you know, that to do so that, you know, that doesnt that dont doesnt mean that they dont continue to pay tax. They do. But it does do is alleviate but what it does do is alleviate pressure for those who cant afford and i an afford it. And i think an increasing to increasing encourages people to take their take responsibility for their own systems as well. Own Health Care Systems as well. And i think a measure of that would be would i think is inevitable. And yet about to, by and yet were about to, by the of it, heading for the looks of it, heading for a Labour Government. But wheres wes phillips . Seems wes wes phillips . Seems wes streeting bev turner seems more progressive. Do you think there will be an opportunity for people like wes streeting to discuss this more openly, or are we just tethered to this notion that the nhs is untouchable . That the nhs is untouchable . Well, if he is good on his word , then we need to take him word, then we need to take him at his word and follow him very, very closely, this government should have been a lot bolder and a lot more honest about it dunng and a lot more honest about it during its 14 years in power. Lets hope that wes streeting and the labour party can be can be honest something about be honest and do something about it. Conversation. It. Great conversation. For joining it. Great conversation. Forjoining us in thank you for joining us in the studio. That ben the studio. That was ben phillips from Comms Director phillips from the Comms Director for campaign for an for the campaign for an independent. Thank you independent britain. Thank you very joining very much forjoining us. Superb. You watching or superb. Now you are watching or listening to gb news. Plenty more bring you just more to bring you in just a moment. Should we feel proud to be british . Well, be be british . Well, well be continuing debate next. Im continuing this debate next. Im martin gb news, Martin Daubney on gb news, britains channel brand new sundays from 6 pm. Brand new sundays from 6 pm. The neil oliver show. The neil oliver show. Its absolutely vital that people are given the opportunity to take part in the debate. To say the things that matter to them, to be challenged. A country is only really a shared dream. As long as enough people have a shared idea of what it is , then that country what it is, then that country exists. What gb news does is give voices somewhere they can be heard. Then youll have a show sundays from 6 pm. On gb news news gb news is the home of free speech. We were created to champion it and we deliver it. Day in, day out. Free speech allows us all to explore and debate openly the issues most important to us, our families and of course, the british people having challenging to challenging conversations to enlighten each other. Is we hear all which is why we hear all sides of the argument. We are the peoples channel. We are the peoples channel. Always stand by the we will always stand by the freedom to express yourself on tv , radio and online. Tv, radio and online. This is gb news, britains news channel. News channel. Welcome back. Its 447. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news. Now. What emotions are instilled in you when you see the union flag . Doesit you when you see the union flag . Does it make you feel proud to be british, or are you filled with guilt about colonial history . Well, today, telegraph columnist Allison Pearson says there is unspoken grief across there is unspoken grief across the nation and that people feel scared to be proud to be british these days. This, of course , these days. This, of course, comes after that man, lee anderson, declared he wants his country back when announcing his defection to reform uk from the conservatives earlier this week. Well, i have that man, lee anderson, in the studio in about 20 minutes. But before that, lets discuss this further with human rights campaigner and activist peter tatchell. Peter, welcome to the show. Always a pleasure, peter. What would you say to people like lee anderson when they say, i want my country back . Back . Well, of course, no ones taken our country away from us. You know, we, the british people are in control and the campaign is for brexit promised that when brexit was done we would have control. Quite clearly that has not happened. In fact, all the not happened. In fact, all the problems they highlighted have actually got worse since brexit. So i dont know what the fuss is. I mean, the real issue about taking control is that corporate greed is ruining this country. Privatised companies and private corporations are fleeting. The pubuc corporations are fleeting. The public with hiked prices, poorer service and yet we are all expected as taxpayers to foot the bill. It is so unfair. There are 107 31 billionaires in britain , 171. Are 107 31 billionaires in britain ,171. Their combined britain, 171. Their combined personal wealth is over £700 billion. They could easily afford to pay 1 tax a year to help the public finances, but theyre refusing to do so because theyre not patriotic and theyre not. And theyre too, too greedy. Okay, peter, so youve blamed brexit, right, youve blamed big business and youve blamed billionaires. But a lot of people would say, whats changed about britain are other things, such as, for example, uncontrolled immigration, a denigration of our national values, a teaching of our history as one sided and wholly negative shame around our colonial heritage, while failing to recognise the issues of tolerance and pride , values tolerance and pride, values peter, which you, as a campaigner around lgbtq issues, have been campaigning around for years. Britain being a warm, welcoming, inclusive nation. Welcoming, inclusive nation. Well, i think we still are and i support those british values. You know, i think weve got a lot to be proud of. Our democratic traditions are the enemy of the enemy , not the envy enemy of the enemy, not the envy of many of many countries in the world. But, you know, it doesnt mean to say that everythings perfect. And i want to see perfect. And i want to see things fixed. I want to see us have a better country for everybody. That everybodys got a place in it, and that its a fair country at the moment. Were not fair when we have over a Million People dependent on food banks. You cant blame Asylum Seekers or small boats on that. Theyre not theyre not the ones who have caused the caused the economic crisis. The economic crisis is because weve had which has had a government which has mismanaged economy for 14 mismanaged the economy for 14 years. We have a government thats given tax breaks to the very rich, while further penalising with taxes ordinary people. Itsjust penalising with taxes ordinary people. Its just not fair. Thats what we have to change. Peter , what would you say to peter, what would you say to those who may put the argument forward that we used to bow before the union flag, we used to worship the union flag. That flag has been replaced by the pride flag. Thats a flag. Now which seems to instil a sense of you must take the knee to it. You must issue those values. Isnt that part of the issue . Weve become a nation divided. Theres no compulsion well, theres no compulsion for anyone to salute the pride flag. Its there for those who want to support the lgbt community, which i think is the majority of people in this country. You know, the british flag , the union flag. It does flag, the union flag. It does have a bloody history. We have to face up to the fact that the terrible things that were done under slavery under under slavery and under colonialism in the name of the union but that the union jack, but that is the past. And we need we do need to move on. But not erase past, move on. But not erase the past, not forget what was done , not not forget what was done, but then not, as you say, be one sided. You know there are two sides. Theres a good side and theres a bad side. I want to celebrate the good things. You know, i love the nhs. Its imperfect, but it does a great job. It is the envy of countries around the world. We need to make it better. I agree, but, you know, i dont think i think this, this polarisation. Either youre for or against the union jack for or against our colonial history is not as simple as that. There are shades of grey and, you know , when britain, you and, you know, when britain, you know, colonised a third of the world some very good things were done, some very bad things were done, some very bad things were done, among other things, we exported all our homophobic laws to these other countries. Among to these other countries. Among other things, we often suppressed violently , entirely suppressed violently, entirely peaceful protests by people in india and other countries who wanted to govern themselves. Thats nothing to be proud of, but there are things to be proud of, you know . Look at all the Great British scientists, the doctors , engineers, artists , doctors, engineers, artists, painters. You know, weve got an incredible history to be very, very proud of. Good on that. We can agree. Thank you very much for joining us on the show today, peter tatchell. And ive been asking you for your opinions on this issue throughout the show. Lets read emails out read a few of those emails out quickly the topic of are you quickly on the topic of are you proud to british . Neil says proud to be british . Neil says this totally depressed at this im totally depressed at the state of country. The state of this country. National and local government is worse than and my only worse than ever, and my only slight of hope is that slight glimmer of hope is that the reform party and people like lee change this. Lee anderson can change this. The next five years, however, might grim or will lee might be grim or will have lee anderson in about five anderson in in about five minutes. Go over that. Minutes. Time to go over that. Tony quigley says this. Im only ashamed of where our country is now. I wanted to go back to where were. Resource full, where we were. Resource full, stiff upper lip, keeping calm and never taking ourselves too seriously. A happy United Kingdom bob quigley says this tell me whats left to be proud of. Floods, of illegals coming in, vaccine deaths, nhs debts, archbishop corruption in gm foods approved by king charles. Even they wont eat it himself. Wow. Bob goes on and on. He really is in a bit of a bad place. Were going to have more positive news on that after this. Weve got lee anderson coming up. As i say now, lots of you can get in touch with your thoughts on all of those big stories of day. Well have stories of the day. Well have much, more of lee much, much more of that. Lee anderson started debate anderson started this debate when i want my country when he said, i want my country back. Do you agree with him . Back. Do you agree with him . What does that even mean . What do you want back . What do you miss . What should we do Going Forward . Thats the big debate were going to have after the break. Youre watching or listening to gb news. As i keep saying, lee anderson is coming up. Joining us in the studio. He wants his country back but arent on the party he was arent the on the party he was elected with in 2019 to blame for so many of the issues we face in this country . Ill be putting this to him next. Im Martin Daubney on britains news channel. A brighter outlook with boxt solar , sponsors of weather on. Solar, sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. Most of us will see some rain at some point tomorrow, but the driest and mildest weather will be in the east. Weve had a bit of a three way split today with this weather front dissecting the country , mostly dry and mild to country, mostly dry and mild to the south, a few showers and very windy to far north and very windy to the far north and under that weather front. Pretty dull Still Producing dull and damp Still Producing some across the some heavy rain across the mountains north wales and mountains of north wales and northwest england that will track northwards overnight. Track back northwards overnight. So turning damp once more tonight over Northern Ireland. Eventually returns to eventually the rain returns to southern scotland, of southern scotland, much of central northern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand northern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear rthern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear andrn scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear and quite ytland southern scotland, much of cenand clear and quite chilly. Dry and clear and quite chilly. Further is a very mild further south it is a very mild night. 9 the low. Well night. 9 or 10, the low. Well start thursday then, with lot start thursday then, with a lot of cloud and rain for wales. Parts north west england, parts of north west england, southern scotland and Northern Ireland. Rain will ireland. All that rain will slowly drift northwards, although far north will although the far north will generally dry and the winds generally stay dry and the winds slowly easing here. Elsewhere, another breezy old day with dry and bright conditions across much of the east. Just a few scattered showers developing here. More showers, though for the midlands and parts of wales later. And look those later. And look at those temperatures. Easily temperatures. It could easily reach a few spots reach seven teen in a few spots where we sunshine , but where we see some sunshine, but a colder feeling day with the rain across scotland that slowly pulls friday, the pulls away on friday, the northerly bringing a chill northerly winds bringing a chill to far north. Elsewhere to the far north. Elsewhere again pretty mild with a again still pretty mild with a mixture of some bright spells but sky. But also quite a but a blue sky. But also quite a few blustery showers. Again, temperatures pretty mild across the south, a colder feel further north. Goodbye looks like things are heating up boxt boilers sponsors of weather on gb news. A very good afternoon to you. A very good afternoon to you. Its 5 pm. Welcome to the Martin Daubney show on gb news. Broadcasting live from the heart of westminster. All across the uk. Coming up in a few minutes time, ill be speaking to lee anderson after he dropped a political bombshell this week by defecting from the tories to reform uk. Ill quiz him about his first week sitting as an opposition mp. Does he regret jumping ship and exactly what did he mean when he said i want my country back . Hell be in the studio in a few moments time next. Gb news understands that the uk is to ban Foreign Governments from owning british newspapers, and that would effectively block the uae, the United Arab Emirates bid to take over the Daily Telegraph and puberty blockers will no longer be available for children on the nhs in england. Well be speaking to a trans woman on what their take is on this story. The on this ban that britain leads the way across the world. And thats all coming up in your next hour. A very good afternoon to you and thank you for joining me on the show. Its forjoining me on the show. Its always an absolute pleasure to have your company. When lee anderson said, i want my country back, did you agree with him . And if so, what does that mean . Whos taken our country . Where has it gone . Do you feel that our once proud values, our proud flag, are now little more than shorthand for racism , for being shorthand for racism, for being the scourge of the world where we used to feel like we were the envy of the world. Or is this all kind of historic revisionism . Little england mentality, or has the fabric of the nation changed in ways that are very, very perceptive to you . Let us know your thoughts. Ive already had hundreds and hundreds of comments on this. Ill make sure i read out a few before the end of the show. Please get in touch gbviews gbnews. Com i read out all of the best comments. Your all of the best comments. Your comments are always much much appreciated. But first its time for your latest News Headlines with sophia wenzler. Thanks, martin. Its 5 02. Im sophia wenzler your top story this hour. Diane abbott, the mp at the centre of a growing racism row, has accused the speaker of the commons of not serving democracy after she wasnt called to speak in parliament. Its after the conservatives biggest donor, frank hester, allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Sir keir starmer has confronted the Prime Minister over the remarks, pressing rishi sunak to return mr hesters £10 million donation in todays Prime Ministers questions , the labour leader questions, the labour leader asked whether rishi sunak was proud to be supported by someone making such offensive statements i two km two weeks ago he marched them out like foals to defend islamophobia and now the member for ashfield is warming up. The opposition benches for them. He wont hand the money back. He wont hand the money back. He wont comment on how convenient it is that a man handed huge nhs contracts by his government is now his partys biggest donor. You have to wonder what the point is of a Prime Minister who cant lead, and a party that cant lead, and a party that cant govern. Cant govern. The Prime Minister acknowledged Frank Hesters comments were wrong and racist, but declined to say his donations would be returned, instead calling out what he said were double standards in the labour party. Im absolutely not going to take any lectures from somebody from somebody, from somebody who chose to represent an anti semitic terrorist group, hizb ut tahrir, who chose to serve a leader who let anti semitism run rife in this labour party. Those are his actions. Those are his values. Actions. Those are his values. And thats how he should be judged. In other news, the defence secretary has warned Vladimir Putin to stop sabre rattling over nuclear war. It comes as the russian president warns that any us troops who venture to ukraine will be treated as interventionists. Speaking on state television, putin said that while moscow is technically prepared for nuclear war, the country is not rushing into it. Grant shapps spoke exclusively to gb news during a visit to poland to see uk troops taking part in nato exercises. He said part in nato exercises. He said the only way forward for russia is to pull out of ukraine. It needs to stop sabre rattling. Its irresponsible to rattling. Its irresponsible to talk like that, particularly about nuclear weapons. There is no threat to the russian state. The threat, im afraid, is to ukraine and to countries like poland that im in here to the west of them, because putin has invaded a Democratic Free society and he needs to pull out. And then theres no issue whatsoever. Now, Annie Mcdonald has had the labour whip restored after he was cleared of breaking party rules by using a controversial slogan at a pro palestine rally. Slogan at a pro palestine rally. The mp for middlesborough was suspended in october after he used the phrase from the river to the sea during a speech at a pro palestine event. The words refer to the land between the river jordan refer to the land between the riverjordan and refer to the land between the river jordan and the mediterranean, which many find offensive because it appears to refer to all of israel. A labour spokesperson said mr mcdonald had reminded that elected had been reminded that elected representatives must be mindful of how their words are interpreted, and a major people smuggling operation has been intercepted in the uk with the arrest of a suspected high level figure in a kurdish organised crime group, the authorities believe hes significantly involved in smuggling people to britain in boats and in the back of lorries. Officers from the National Crime agency were supported by Hampshire Police as they detained the 45 year old at a property in the kingston area of portsmouth this morning. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to facilitate illegal immigration and money laundering, now in laundering, and is now in custody. And tiktok could be bannedin custody. And tiktok could be banned in the us unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operation. The house of representatives voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to be sold or blocked with an overwhelming majority. The bill still needs to pass the senate to become law President Joe Biden has indicated that he would sign it. However his republican challenger, donald trump, recently signalled that hed oppose the ban here in the uk. Tiktok hasnt been banned before, but it was blocked from government devices in 2023 over data privacy concerns. And for data privacy concerns. 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 slash alerts. Now its back to. Martin. Back to. Martin. Now to our top story. It was a political bombshell which saw the defection of the tory mp for ashfield to reform uk. That man, lee anderson , had been suspended lee anderson, had been suspended as a conservative mp following comments he made about the mayor of london being controlled by islamists. Of course, made on this very show a couple of fridays ago. And yesterday we saw him sacked on the opposition benches for the first time. You can see him highlighted there sat next to a certain mr George Galloway without his hat. The galloway without his hat. The Controversial Workers Party of britain mp. Well, lee anderson joins me now in the studio as well as gb news Political Editor chris hope. Shall we start, chris hope. Shall we start, chris, with a quick roundup of todays pmqs . I put a message out on social media that i felt that pmqs today was totally and utterly out of touch with the man and woman in the street, obsessed with calling out which party is the most racist, obsessed with calling for ceasefires in gaza. The snps opening gambit wishing british muslims happy ramadan. Muslims happy ramadan. Meanwhile, people looking on, just thinking what about me . Just thinking what about me . What about the majority of britain . Instead of obsessing with minority interests . Yeah, its pretty edifying. I thought. I mean, the problem is the tory party has got wrapped up in this row about Frank Hesters £10 million. The comments he was recorded making, according to the guardian in 2019 about diane abbott and now number 10 say that was racist. And of course, its always going to be election when to be an election year. When will party will the party will the party return the that labour return the money that labour sees chance here to get a real sees a chance here to get a real bite out of the revenues of the party . £10 million is about a quarter of the amount they raise annually. Is a annually. So £10 million is a real and of course real issue. And of course theyre never going to do it. I doubt whether they still wanted to and challenge them over to try and challenge them over it. And here is. The pm rishi it. And here it is. The pm rishi sunak, remind viewers sunak, you know, remind viewers of channel and mps of our of our channel and mps that Angela Rayner called tories scum. David lammy used the word scum. David lammy used the word nazi in the past, and John Mcdonnell , the former shadow mcdonnell, the former shadow chancellor, wanted to said that esther mcvey should be lynched. This is not language. We should have any, any kind of, you this is not language. We should have any, any kind of , you know, have any, any kind of, you know, really sort of normal run of the mill in politics. I think it was, pretty unedifying. I thought the best bit of it, the most interesting bit was when labour went after the tories on a plan to get rid of the national insurance, that national insurance, and that cost where how cost £46 billion. And where how will, what, how will that be costed . That is the beginning of the by labours to change the attempt by labours to change the attempt by labours to change the their plans the subject from their plans onto plans , and making them onto tory plans, and making them uncosted. A bit of uncosted. So that was a bit of interesting politics. The rest of i could we could of it, though i could we could move pretty from lee anderson. Lets bring you in. At this point, theres a big hoo ha the opening gambit from keir starmer today, new latest today, about this new latest racism row. Rishi sunak said, oh , nothing really to see here. Hes apologised and hes all right. You, however, were right. You, however, were accused of making racist comments and got the boot. Comments and you got the boot. Whats difference . Whats the difference . Lets clear, martin. Well, lets be clear, martin. I actually happened in i think it actually happened in this a few weeks back. This studio a few weeks back. I think thats when this sort of this leg of journey started, this leg of my journey started, i make any racist i didnt make any racist comments. Lets be clear on that or any reference to mayor or any any reference to mayor khans or religion at all. Khans race or religion at all. But know what i havent got but you know what i havent got £10 million lying about in the bank,. And this chap who has bank, so. And this chap who has made these, these alleged racist comments , i mean, i dont know comments, i mean, i dont know if has or not, but its been if he has or not, but its been reported in the guardian, hes made these comments. Got a made these comments. Hes got a few which are donated to few quid which are donated to the party. And i a lot of the party. And i think a lot of people out there would be, would be now for consistency. Be asking now for consistency. You if youre going to you know, if youre going to have bloke nasty have one bloke say some nasty things, quite things, which they were quite nasty, know, surely nasty, then, you know, surely you the same sort of, you should use the same sort of, discipline if you like. I mean, discipline if you like. I mean, i lost the whip and hes apologised and just moved on. But you did. You did refer to the mayors race and his religion, didnt you . Said. You said muslim extremism was taken by or muslim islamism, by muslims or muslim islamism, islam, islamism. Islam, islamism. Its not a race chopper. Weve had this conversation many, many times. Im surprised that bringing up that youre bringing this up once again , islam is not a race. Once again, islam is not a race. So theres nothing i said in my speech in this very studio that was racist. Lets get on to that comment. You made your opening line at the reform press conference. I want my country back. What do you mean by that . Its i mean, it could mean lots of things, martin. But, you know, i always hop onto my past growing up in the in the 1970s and 80s, obviously, chopper, it would have been 50s and 60s, would have been the 50s and 60s, maybe. Late 40s. Sure maybe. Maybe late 40s. Not sure about that, but i want to go back to time where, you know, back to a time where, you know, you could get a school place, you could get a school place, you could get a school place, you could go to school and not be told youre a different sex to everybody else. I want to go back a place where you could back to a place where you could ring the doctor up at 8 00 in the morning, an appointment the morning, get an appointment that day, i want to go back to a place where could the place where you could ring the dentist that dodgy dentist up and have that dodgy tooth pulled out same day tooth pulled out the same day without weeks without waiting for three weeks in then going to buy in agony and then going to buy a pair of pliers. I dont want to see 25 different types of toilets in buildings for different know, all different genders. You know, all these things. I want to these sorts of things. I want to be to drive down the roads be able to drive down the roads in ashfield. So why leave . Why the party of why leave the party of government what government if thats what you want . Government and want . Stay in the government and make instead, youve make it happen. Instead, youve legged now youre legged it and now youre shouting sidelines, why shouting from the sidelines, why go again, chopper . This is. Is gutter this is. This is gutter journalism again. This is not right. Youre saying. You right. What youre saying. You know left the party. I know that i left the party. I had the whip taken off me. I refused to apologise. I stood on a would not a principle that i would not apologise go back to apologise and go back to the party because, like, we see inconsistencies again this inconsistencies again with this donon inconsistencies again with this donor. Is give the donor. £10 million is give the party. Fair enough. But youve got consistent. If got to be consistent. Because if youre then youre not consistent, then people you. People dont trust you. Youre being well, youre being consistent. Said the reason consistent. You said the reason why left george why you left was George Galloways in rochdale. Galloways election in rochdale. Head. Part of it he shook his head. Part of it that was of you shook his hand. And in the green benches. And in the green benches. There was a few last there was a few things last week chopper that just added a little more the pot, it little bit more into the pot, it was there, but the i mean, was 90 there, but the i mean, George Galloway, i shook his hand the chamber. Hand yesterday in the chamber. I think do, even if you think you should do, even if you disagree fundamentally on everything. End the everything. At the end of the day, colleagues you day, your colleagues and you should be able to talk to each and have pint after work and, and have a pint after work and, you know, and be respectful, but i last week i think the budget last week as well was Tipping Point for me. Well was a Tipping Point for me. Like said, the opening like martin said, the opening gambit we to spend £1 gambit was, we want to spend £1 million, on this memorial. Nothing wrong with having memorials, but. And they memorials, but. And then they referred memorials, but. And then they referre the member for sarge, the member for bromsgrove, was one bromsgrove, and he was one of these people called me out, these people that called me out, sort called me out being sort of called me out of being a racist so that i was down in the dumps. I was sat with my colleagues on the conservative benches. You i had a bit benches. You know, i had a bit of a kick a bit of a pasting of a kick in, a bit of a pasting politically. And to do that politically. And then to do that in opening line of the in the opening line of the budget like, youre down budget was like, youre down there, lets kick you again. And jeremy hunt wanted to apologise. And jeremy hunt wanted to ap well, should be well, they should be apologising me and they apologising to me and they should be apologising to the membership conservative should be apologising to the membersilots conservative should be apologising to the membersilots councilsvative should be apologising to the membersilots councils upive party and lots of councils up and the country who are and down the country who are furious about going to furious about whats going to happenin furious about whats going to happen in may elections. All right. So lets get away from what your critics have been saying. Whats the reaction from whats the reaction been from the reform membership . We understand theyve had a couple of coughed 30 of thousand people coughed up 30 odd so 60 grand in odd pounds a pop. So 60 grand in the pot, theyre calling out the lee anderson effect. What are people whats people saying to you and whats your forward now . Your role moving forward now . Are to be going on are you going to be going on like a red wall roadshows at yourjob like a red wall roadshows at your job to up the vote for your job to whip up the vote for the reform party across red the reform party across the red wall . Your role . Wall . Is that your role . Well, i cant give too much away at the moment, but away at the moment, martin, but there significant there will be a significant campaign, job is campaign, you know, my job is obviously in the red wall. Obviously im in the red wall. Im a typical wall seat. So im a typical red wall seat. So im a typical red wall seat. So i think thats the sort of demographics well going for, demographics well be going for, people country. People people in this country. People are banging on my parents are banging on about my parents all and its all the time, and its just people their generation. People of their generation. Theyre theyve theyre actually fed up. Theyve seen over the years seen the changes over the years in this country, and they see massive mass , mass immigration, massive mass, mass immigration, which affected all which has affected all our pubuc which has affected all our public services. Affected public services. Its affected our a very fabric, our our a very social fabric, our way life. And people feel let way of life. And people feel let down. They feel like ive said it before, weve given our country away. Weve given it country away. Weve given it away. And actually, some away. And actually, in some parts country, were parts of the country, were giving away to groups giving it away to groups of people who dont like us. People who just dont like us. Lot of people are going to a lot of people are going to say, course, lee, that youll say, of course, lee, that youll be away to be giving your country away to sir starmer. Youll be sir keir starmer. Youll be splitting conservative vote. Splitting the conservative vote. In something in fact, thats something that youve the youve said before about the reform party. Be careful what you wish for. They were your precise yet you precise words. And now yet you might a part of that issue. Might be a part of that issue. Starmer, sir keir starmer might get because youll taking get in because youll be taking votes the conservative votes away from the conservative party it was a politician. Yeah, it was a politician. You play politics sometimes. You do play politics sometimes. What we do, we have to what we have to do, we have to trust the british public. Its not up to reform. If labour get in, its up the british in, its up to the british public. Decision public. Theyve got a decision to weve the to make now. Weve got the general election. Maybe, may, maybe. December if we get our maybe. No december if we get our message i think message across. And i think its, you know, the message, i want country back is want my country back is resonating over resonating with people all over the to the british the uk. Its up to the british public. Democracy, public. Thats democracy, and i seriously think were going to win a serious amount of win some a serious amount of seats at this election seats at this next election because my my social because my inbox, my social media, even my mailbag, people actually letters and actually writing letters and sending me, wishing me sending cards to me, wishing me all best, is great. All the best, which is great. Got one quick question ive got one quick question before we have leave it before we have to leave it there. Theres of there. Theres been talk of another the wings. Can another nine in the wings. Can you that, and are any of you confirm that, and are any of them going to follow suit because you like a natural because you were like a natural spiritual leader of the blue collar conservatives, a lot collar conservatives, and a lot of that party looked of people in that party looked up you, are they going to be up to you, are they going to be following your journey . For me say, thats not for me to say, martin. If colleagues of mine want to follow my door want to want to follow my door is open, theyve got my number. I a lot of my i am in touch with a lot of my colleagues, know, just colleagues, just, you know, just pleasantries, asking me. Pleasantries, really asking me. Im going. A few have im going. Quite a few have reached some that reached out to me, some that i never thought would reach out to me left. But, theyve me since i left. But, theyve been good. Theyve been pretty good. Okay. Chris, i a quick, chris. Chris, i have a quick, quick question. You want nigel to do you want nigel farage to come in a big role, lead come back in a big role, lead the party . Thats the the party . Maybe thats the thats icing on the cake for thats the icing on the cake for you. What we saw, when i joined, i it was 2000 members. I think it was 2000 members. Reported on this chopper you reported on this chopper earlier. Was members earlier. There was 2000 members signed within hours. Signed up with within 48 hours. And little old and thats just for little old me, nigel decided he was me, and if nigel decided he was going stand somewhere, going to stand somewhere, imagine that hed be ten, 20, 30,000 it was a great 30,000 people. So it was a great asset party. Its asset to, to the party. Its been probably the most influential politician over the past i think past 25, 30 years. And i think the country would welcome him with you want him with open arms. And you want him back . Of course they do. Right. Thank you, sir. We all right. Thank you, sir. We have leave it there. Always a have to leave it there. Always a pleasure have in pleasure to have you in the studio. Lots studio. Cheers. So, chris, lots of over there. Hes being of chew over there. Hes being tight with the other tight lipped with the other people. But, you know, and people. But, you know, you and i both know that there are there are swoops, there are wagons circling. And you know where circling. And you know where where anderson goes. Surely where lee anderson goes. Surely others to follow. Others are bound to follow. All denying of theyre all denying it. Of course, when approached him. Course, when i approached him. And be for the and it may be harder for the nine who were thinking nine mps who were thinking about. On air, because about. Carlton on air, because they have go straight from they have to go straight from they have to go straight from the party to the reform uk. The tory party to the reform uk. Lee a kind purgatory lee was in a kind of purgatory position when was held as an position when he was held as an independent because lost his, independent because he lost his, lost his , his whip lost his, his, his, his whip over that islamist remarks you referred earlier. So i think, referred to earlier. So i think, you know, i think really you know, i think its really interesting. I think richard tice very clear. Tice is certainly very clear. Hes talking to mps. He thinks more across okay. More will come across okay. Can get lots more well, you can get lots more of that story on our website. And thanks to you gb news. Com is Fastest Growing national is the Fastest Growing National News country. News website in the country. Its breaking all its got breaking news and all the brilliant youve the brilliant analysis youve come from gb news. Now come to expect from gb news. Now its now time for our second guest of this hour, marcus fish joins us in the studio. You may have heard what lee anderson had to say. Theyre just still blasting both barrels. You feel felt let down by the conservative party and he feels theyve been clear double standards , rishi sunak was standards, rishi sunak was apologising for the donors remarks, but nothing to see here. Lets move on. And lee anderson blatantly saying there the difference is £10 million. Ha ha well, look, i called out the remarks for being racist, which they clearly were, and i said yesterday, and i still say the same, that i, stand with anybody who is, subject to such awful remarks that that those are not acceptable in any way. Acceptable in any way. And i wanted a much stronger condemnation of them. And so i, i sided with diane abbott yesterday, and that is where i still am on that issue. One thing that came out today , and weve had hundreds and hundreds of comments, marcus, about pmqs today was an obsession with minority interests , seemed to grasp the interests, seemed to grasp the house, parties trying to outdo each other on which party is the most racist. This week, the snps opening gambit was happy ramadan. Labour party once again calling for a ceasefire in gaza. And ive got to say to you , and ive got to say to you, people are starting to think that the that the chamber is completely devoid from reality. People are saying, what planet are parliamentary is on. Why are you so obsessed with minority interests when the majority just want things like immigration to come to take back control come down, to take back control of country . Of our country . Well, look, would agree well, look, i would agree with country that we need to with the country that we need to just take the temperature down on all of these things. Britains not a racist country. And nor should it be. And nor should it be. Im a im100 behind having a diverse and a vibrant place and us being a friendly place for everybody to sort of come and visit and live and its that thats a really important part of who we are as a tolerant nation, i would say, yeah, look, its part of taking that temperature down is about taking the heat out of some of these arguments. They are, the whole point of parliament is to be a place which is a calm place where people can come as their representatives of their communities to talk in a dispassionate way about the best way to get from a to b , and it way to get from a to b, and it doesnt help to have these identity politics. I dont care if youre white, black, purple, whatever makes no difference to me shouldnt make a difference to most people up and down the country. And thats exactly how it should be. And id like to see that that be the sort of watchword as we go forward. Youd like that, but its not going to be easy because of social media. Thats what drives this content. And what were describing actually is often generated, isnt it , by social generated, isnt it, by social media. And i wonder whether any law , any new definition of law, any new definition of extremism or see tomorrow for michael gove , i wonder whether michael gove, i wonder whether that work or even that actually will work or even have effect. Have any effect. Am a big, supporter well, i am a big, supporter of trying trying to hold the Big Media Companies to account on these issues. The algorithms that they use on social media that they use on social media that drive engagement , drive the that drive engagement, drive the sort of dopamine hit of someone saying something that gets loads of likes. It just drives people down these sort of polarised directions. It makes it very hard to have these civil conversations that we need to be having. Having. They might be better if politicians stop living in in the twitter sphere and start living in the real world, because, you know, the twittersphere is obsessed with identity politics, with racism in a box of cornflakes in the real world, people are concerned about taxes. The highest since world war two. Still, despite the budget, theyre concerned about immigration. And i just wondered to repeat my question finally, marcus, you know, when can we just start to see an end to this obsession with identity politics and actually getting back to the policies of the people really, really care about the pounds in their pocket, you know, the immigration into the country, you know, getting back to basics. Everybody, whatever yeah, everybody, whatever colour how theyre colour wants to know how theyre going get themselves and going to get themselves and their families, the people that they care about from a to b, how are they going to be able to grow their incomes, grow their opportunities to be able to afford the house they want to live in, the community they want to around them. To see around them. These things that i these are the things that i want to see. The government and the minister setting out the Prime Minister setting out the Prime Minister setting out the vision for, because its all very well. I obviously welcome tax , tax cuts and that is the tax, tax cuts and that is the plan. But we need to communicate that in a way where people feel confident , which that in a way where people feel confident, which is the that in a way where people feel confident , which is the truth, confident, which is the truth, that the conservative party is the only way that were going to achieve that in this country. Okay. Thank you very much for joining us, marcus fish, of course, the conservative mp for yeovil and chris hoek. Thank you. Always a pleasure. Now you are watching listening gb are watching or listening to gb news. The uk economy news. Coming up, the uk economy is again. Hurrah. But is climbing again. Hurrah. But what does that mean for the pound your pocket and pound in your pocket and interest im martin Interest Rates . Im Martin Daubney gb news britains daubney on gb news britains news welcome back. 526 is your time. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news. Now trade secretary Kemi Badenoch assigned what is being called a landmark deal with the governor of texas, greg abbott, called the texas trade agreement. Its a major post brexit trade pact with the eighth largest economy in the entire world. Thats what texas is. And the Texas Governor, greg abbott, says it is crucial for the uk and the us economies to prosper now that is a kind of positive news we need, and next is a positive man to talk about it, because im joined in studio by Liam Halligan gb news, economics and Business Editor with on the money. Liam, always with on the money. Liam, always a pleasure to have you in the studio to blasts of positive news. First texas. But before that gdp is back up. Good news. It is worth marking this. That gdp is back up. Good news. It is worth marking this. Im it is worth marking this. Im about to tell you, news about a piece of data that was released this morning. But its an important piece of data. Its Gross Domestic Product. The overall size of the uk economy , overall size of the uk economy, the sum of all the goods and services produced in the economy. Because, of course, we were in recession in the back end of last year. That means the economy is getting smaller, which all of us. The which affects all of us. The signs now are, martin, that the turn of the year in january, the economy started growing economy actually started growing again. Lets again. Thats good news. Lets quickly through we quickly whip through this so we can get to the big hat news can get on to the big hat news about jr texas and all the about jr and texas and all the rest of it. So gdp growth here it is. We know that between july and september last year, gdp actually shrunk at a contracted slightly by 0. 1. In october to december last year compared to the same period in 2022. It shrank again by 0. 3. Thats your recession , martin. Thats your recession, martin. Thats your two consecutive quarters of Economic Contraction or shrinkage. But the office for National Statistics this morning confirmed on a preliminary basis this is preliminary data that in january the economy actually grew compared to january 20th 23. 2. This is by no means an economic boom. This is not the sunlit uplands, this is theres no chance of the economy overheating. But we are growing and if that Growth Continues across the First Quarter, january, february, march, then we will be officially out of recession. Weve got an Interest Rate decision next thursday , Rate Decision next thursday, 21st of march. This, on balance , 21st of march. This, on balance, makes it less likely that the bank of england will cut Interest Rates from 5. 25, where they currently are. Lots of information. The Monetary Policy committee, those nine economists at the bank of england, they are processing lots and lots and lots before next thursday. On balance, this makes it less likely they will cut because martin, they see the economy is growing again, so they wont worry as much about their refusal to lower Interest Rates, trashing commerce. Thats trashing commerce. Thats basically how it works. Yeah. Now lets move on to this texas deal. Precisely the sort of nimble set kc idea we were promised in a post Brexit Britain. Promised in a post Brexit Britain. Ian. And promised in a post Brexit Britain. Ian. And the numbers britain. Ian. And the numbers involved. Texas is an astonishing its a massive economy. It is just one of the 50 odd us states, of course, but it is the second biggest of the us states after california. The texan economy is worth £1. 9 trillion, equivalent 1900 billion, and each billion is 1000 million. These are very big numbers. So the texan economy, as you say, its bigger than italy, its bigger than russia. Italy, its bigger than russia. It is the eighth biggest economy in the world. The uk economy is 2. 2 trillion, so only slightly behind the uk economy. We dont have a trade deal with the us as a whole, nor does the European Union. Its been trying for 40 odd years. The us doesnt tend to see many trade deals because it is so powerful. It likes to call the shots. So weve call the shots. So what weve been since since been doing since brexit, since we left the European Union, since weve had that permission, now that legal right to cut our own trade deals as a sovereign nafion own trade deals as a sovereign nation rather than as part of the bloc, successive british the eu bloc, successive British Trade and business secretaries have been cutting deals with individual american states in a kind of eat the elephant in pieces, approach and texas is the biggest by far that weve done. Now, not only did we sign the trade deal, theres Kemi Badenoch there. The business and trade secretary in downing street this afternoon with Governor Greg Abbott. He is the ultimate texas big hat as they call them. He is the governor of texas, very much a sort of political soulmate of the conservative party. Texas, a republican state traditionally , republican state traditionally, he and Kemi Badenoch have been talking a long time about talking for a long time about this deal. Not very this trade deal. Its not very likely conservatives are likely the conservatives are going to sign a trade deal with california, for instance, which is a democrat state. Californian economy 3 trillion compared to 2. 2 trillion, huge number in the uk. Itd be, i 2. 2 trillion, huge number in the uk. Itd be, i think itd be 2. 2 trillion, huge number in the uk. Itd be, i think itd be the uk. Itd be, i think itd be the worlds fourth biggest economy or fifth biggest economy in and of one single state. So of itself, one single state. So what trade deal mean . What of this trade deal mean . Its a nice photo op its not only a nice photo op for business and trade for the business and trade secretary it means youre secretary there, it means youre likely lot more trade likely to get a lot more trade between the uk and just between the uk and not just texas , but the other seven texas, but the other seven states, including florida, another state with which another big state with which weve signed trade deals. Texas in particular. Its well known for oil and gas. Its well known for oil and gas. Its well known for Financial Services. Its for Financial Services. Its well known for legal services, academics. Theyve got very, academics. Theyve got very, very good universities in texas. There will be more trade. We export about 12 billion quids worth exports a year to texas worth of exports a year to texas as the uk. Thats quite a lot thats likely to go up in those fields. Financial services , fields. Financial services, petrochemicals, legal services, education, varne. Also, Kemi Badenoch made a point of mentioning hydrogen, the Hydrogen Economy. This is an aspect of our Energy Policy thats remarkably underdeveloped in my view. Hydrogen is a very interesting source of energy. Not without controversy, of course. Its highly explosive. But then again, so are oil and gas. So in texas, theyre doing a lot of work on the Hydrogen Economy. We can expect a lot more trade collaboration and jobs uk that space jobs in the uk in that space because this trade deal, because of this trade deal, because of this trade deal, because of this trade deal, because of that photo op that we just saw great of Liam Halligan rebuilding the special relationship, one at relationship, one state at a time. Levitt, m m levitt, thank you very much. Theres more still to come theres lots more still to come between and 6 00 and between now and 6 00 and including nhs, and england between now and 6 00 and inclibanned nhs, and england between now and 6 00 and inclibanned the hs, and england between now and 6 00 and inclibanned the useand england between now and 6 00 and inclibanned the use of england between now and 6 00 and inclibanned the use of pubertyd has banned the use of puberty blockers for children. Im going to the view on that to get the view on that from a trans before trans woman. But before that its your News Headlines its your latest News Headlines with wenzler. With sophia wenzler. Thanks, martin. Its 532. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. Your headlines diane abbott, the mp at the centre of a growing racism row, has accused the speaker of commons of not serving democracy after she wasnt called to speak in parliament. Its after the conservatives biggest donor, frank hester, allegedly said that the former labour mp made him want to hate all black women and that she should be shot. Mr hester says hes deeply sorry for the remarks. The defence for the remarks. The defence secretary has warned Vladimir Putin to stop sabre rattling over nuclear war. It comes as the russian president warns that any us troops who venture to ukraine will be treated as interventionists. Speaking on state television, putin said that while moscow is technically prepared for nuclear war, the country is not rushing into it. Grant shapps told gb news that the only way forward for russia is to pull out of ukraine. Andy mcdonald has had the labour whip restored after he was cleared of breaking party rules by using a controversial slogan at a pro palestine rally. The mp for middlesbrough was suspended in october after he used the phrase from the river to the sea during a speech at a pro palestine event. A labour spokesperson said mr mcdonald had been reminded that elected representatives must be mindful of how their words are interpreted , and tiktok could be interpreted, and tiktok could be bannedin interpreted, and tiktok could be banned in the us unless the apps chinese owners sell its american operation. The house of american operation. The house of representatives voted to pass a bill that would require the social Media Company to be sold or blocked with an overwhelming majority. The bill still needs to pass the senate to become law. 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. To gb news. Common alerts. For a valuable legacy, your family can own, gold coins will always shine bright. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report , and news Financial Report, and heres a quick snapshot of todays markets. The pound will buy you 1. 2810 and the pound will buy you 1. 281o and ,1. 1685. The the pound will buy you 1. 2810 and ,1. 1685. The price of gold is £1,701. 20 per ounce, and the ftse 100 closed the day at 7772 points. Rosalind gold proudly sponsors the gb news Financial Report. Report. Thats my favourite time of the show. Im now joined by michelle dewberry, of course, the queen of prime time politics. 617 dewbs co jubes. Whats on your menu . Hello to you, martin. Well, of course i want to talk about all the things that you would expect us to be doing. I want to, of course. Look at this race round. Now, £10 this race round. Now, this £10 million, be going back million, should it be going back or but diane abbott, or not . But also diane abbott, harriet says its time Harriet Hammond says its time that be now back into that she should be now back into the labour fold. Is it or not . The labour fold. Is it or not . Also as well, i know youre coming on in a second to talk about the puberty blocker story, which course look at which of course ill look at too. Also interestingly, too. But also interestingly, today school martin, today a school in wales, martin, had Puberty Party, had its first Puberty Party, this is a party, aimed at 12 and 13 year olds to celebrate their journey from childhood into adulthood. This was organised with, on the advice of external agencies. And im really agencies. And im really intrigued as to what people actually think about this kind of stuff. Is it indeed what schools should be focusing on . Who are these external agencies . Is it all a little bit weird, or is it just a great so called safe environment for these kids to explore this stuff . Theres different views on that one on my i can tell you, so my panel, i can tell you, so yeah, those stories and much more. Martin, for me, ive got to say, michel, i think these kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings el, i think these kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings in i think these kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings in schoolsthese kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings in schools are. E kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings in schools are a kind martin, for me, ive got to sathings in schools are a bitd of things in schools are a bit weird, i think we need weird, and i think we need a full audit of who is going into our schools. Michelle dewberry 6 or 7 dewbs co its going to be magnificent. Now youre watching or to gb news. Or listening to gb news. And last chance let me know your last chance to let me know your thoughts on the big stories of the want whether the day. I want to know whether you political you think that the Political Class and out of class are completely and out of touch. Are they ignoring the majority while being obsessed with minority issues . Vaiews gbnews. Com is the email. Get these into me asap. Im Martin Daubney on gb news, britains news channel welcome back. Its 540. Were on the final furlong. And youre final furlong. And youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news. Now, puberty blockers will no longer be available for children on the nhs in england. The puberty suppressing hormones are used to pause the onset of physical changes, such as Breast Development and facial hair and children. You have gender dysphoria. The nhs england has banned the prescription of such drugs for children at gender identity clinics, and the move has been welcomed by the government. Well, joining me now to discuss this is the diversity and inclusion facilitator , katy and inclusion facilitator, katy jon went. Katy, welcome to the show. So this move to ban puberty blockers going to children is being heralded as a much overdue to dollop of common sense. Whats your take . Well i thought the timing of it was interesting coming out yesterday, which was actually kind of detransition awareness day, but actually the kind of the, the ending of the giving out of puberty blockers was already signalled in 2022 after the cass review , but they the cass review, but they actually said that the Evidence Base wasnt big enough to actually say yes or no to it. And then in june 23rd, the nhs actually said that they would only give out puberty blockers as part of Clinical Research and that actually hasnt changed. Puberty blockers can still be given out on the nhs, but only with accompanying Accurate Research as part of a programme and the nhs. Actually ten years ago did do research on it, but the research had its own difficulties and thats been one of the problems. We do not know what are and what what the outcomes are and what the will be. You the outcomes will be. If you werent on them, and just heanng werent on them, and just hearing that in the previous hearing that the in the previous clip the idea of a puberty clip about the idea of a Puberty Party, whatever it was in wales, aimed at 12 to 13 year olds, well, that is a stupid idea. If you me, because there are you ask me, because there are people who have precocious puberty through puberty from age five through nine, and go on puberty nine, and they go on puberty blockers stop them getting blockers to stop them getting their puberty early, and their puberty too early, and theres like me who theres someone like me who didnt get a male puberty until i was 18, because i had the opposite problem a delayed onset puberty. I under doctors puberty. And i was under doctors for years because my male for seven years because my male puberty and so puberty didnt arrive. And so what be a puberty what use would be a Puberty Party me . Wed be people out party for me . Wed be people out of time, and it would be incredibly stigmatising incredibly kind of stigmatising to got puberty , to those who hadnt got puberty, katy john, as well as the notion that this is long overdue. I mean, elon musk was tweeting this yesterday as a sign that britain is leading the way in what he sees as a runaway , surge what he sees as a runaway, surge towards the prescription of hormones to children who maybe dont know theyre in control of their full faculties. But could there be Something Else at play here, do you think, as many do, there could be a huge legal case coming down the line of people being prescribed hormones and then later regretting it, and if it was the nhs that gave them to it, to them, could they have a case against the country . And that could be incredibly expensive. Well, yes. I mean, this is this is an issue. I mean, the uk i wouldnt say is leading the way. 3 or 4 countries got there ahead of us on it, and so its not just us, two countries in scandinavia alone, but others have also been kind of putting the brake back on puberty blockers and recognising that we all rushed ahead on a protocol that was developed actually by primarily by two women, an endocrinologist and a psychologist in the netherlands in the 1990s. And no one has really kind of fully queried it. And were querying it now. And one of the dilemmas was the fact that nearly 100 like 96 to 98 of people who go on puberty blockers always go on to cross sex hormones, always transition all the way. And have surgery, etc. In other words, taking puberty blockers isnt the promise that was given, which was this is a way to pause , to take time out, to reconsider. Am i trans or not . Because everybody who goes on them becomes trans. So its kind of like a fait accompli going on them. What they perhaps should them. What they perhaps should have done is said, yes, you can go on puberty blockers for six months to one year, and at that stage it probably is reversible for six months, but it aint reversible if youre on it for five years. But if you go on for, months, pause and for, say, six months, pause and come you have multiple come back, you have multiple therapy during therapy appointments during that time then have to come time, and then you have to come off to let puberty kick in off them to let puberty kick in again, and then to ascertain whether really trans or whether you really are trans or whether you really are trans or whether gay, whether youre actually gay, which do turn out which many of them do turn out to be, and the level of desistance then would be issued. But there a lot of but yeah, there are a lot of cases that could potentially come legal cases against come up legal cases against because fact, the original because in fact, the original dutch dutch clinics dutch studies and dutch clinics were actually actually of were actually actually one of them actually co funded by them was actually co funded by one of the Drug Companies as well, which is difficult. Im we to okay. Im afraid we have to leave were simply out leave it there. Were simply out of you for joining of time. Thank you for joining us, john went. Now its us, katie. John went. Now its time now for the latest Great British giveaway and your chance to £12,345 in cash and to win £12,345 in cash and a whole of seasonal treats. Whole host of seasonal treats. And heres how all of that could be yours. Were springing into spring and giving you the chance to win the seasonal essentials. First, theres an incredible £12,345 in tax free cash to be won, plus a spnng tax free cash to be won, plus a spring shopping spree with £500 in shopping vouchers to spend in the store of your choice. And finally, a garden gadget package to enjoy, including a handheld games console, a portable Smart Speaker and a pizza oven for your chance to win the vouchers. The treats and £12,345 in tax free cash. Text gb win to 84 902. Text cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and number two gb gb03, p0 post your name and number two gb gb03, po box 8690. Derby de19 double tee uk only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines close at 5 pm. On friday. The 29th march. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gb news. Com forward slash win please check the closing time if watching or listening on i earlier on breakfast. Earlier on breakfast. Welcome to the programme leading for us this morning. What took so long . Pressure on the pm is another tory racism. Row has emerged. Racism. Row has emerged. I think it was very disappointing that i was one of the only voices yesterday morning to come straight off the bat and say this was a racist comment, nobody wanted to listen because was it was the post office. This trusted brand that was in every stop shop, local shop and serve the community. And theres no danger in sleeping your baby on his or her back either. So do it and you severely reduce the risk of cot death happening to you. Since breakfast on gb news. Since breakfast on gb news. Welcome back. It is 550. Youre watching or listening to Martin Daubney on gb news now to pee or not to pee . That is the question, because the council in hertfordshire is becoming broiled in a wild way. Row after it emerged the council has been fining people for urinating in a layby when they get caught short. The corum Borough Council claims it is cracking down on what it calls unpleasant behaviour, like weeing by the side of the road, which it says is a form of littering. However, some legal experts have questioned the definition and critics have accused the council of simply once again using drivers as cash cows. Well, i can now speak with the founder of clean up britain, john reid. John, welcome to the show. Now, john, welcome to the show. Now, i know for a damn sure as mustard you absolutely detest littering by roadsides. In fact, youve taken the Highways Authority to court on this matter. But the big question in this case, first of all, is having a wee in a layby littering yes or no . Littering yes or no . No. Martin, as you say , there no. Martin, as you say, there isnt anyone who detests littering more than me. I doubt, or very few people, but what i would say is that littering is something that littering is something that litter is something that visibly disfigures and scars the environment. And although environment. And although obviously being by the side of the road is a pretty antisocial thing, and i dont dispute that for a second, i would not actually say it is littering. Right. So the next point here, theres been an astonishing 39,000 increase, percent increase in just two years of fixed penalty notices, £88 a pop, 776 people getting fined in one layby on the a41 and can you believe it, john . Council officials are actually what . Hiding in the bushes and filming people. Filming people. Yeah, im not really laughing, but. Yeah what a job. A hiding in the bushes, filming people doing that. But anyway, look, i think we can say, unfortunately, littering as an offence is sort of symptomatic offence is sort of symptomatic of deeper problems in society about lack of respect and lack of pride. And thats what we at clean up britain are all concerned about. Concerned about ensuring that our country doesnt become any more littered and fly tipped than it already is. Weve got an epidemic of fly tipping and litter in this country, and our campaign is about to reverse that about trying to reverse that epidemic. To repeat the epidemic. And just to repeat the point, wouldnt say that point, i wouldnt say that peeing in a bush is littering. As i say. Yeah, sure, it can be as i say. Yeah, sure, it can be described as antisocial, but it isnt. I mean, if i look, for instance, at the cambridge, no less, the Cambridge Oxford dictionary, it describes littering as small pieces of rubbish that have been left lying on the ground in public places. So thats what the places. So thats what the dictionary says. Maybe the foremost one in this country. So im happy to go with what im quite happy to go with what they john, i think youre yeah, john, i think youre right. A piece of litter right. A small piece of litter which dont like might which people dont like might involve penalty notices involve fixed penalty notices landing on your simply landing on your doormat simply for youre caught short. For when youre caught short. And forget the councils and dont forget the councils are closing the toilets are closing all the toilets anyway. Thank you anyway. John reid, thank you very much for joining anyway. John reid, thank you very much forjoining us. Founder clean up britain. Founder of clean up britain. Its pleasure to have founder of clean up britain. Its on pleasure to have founder of clean up britain. Its on the pleasure to have founder of clean up britain. Its on the show. Isure to have founder of clean up britain. Its on the show. Now, to have founder of clean up britain. Its on the show. Now, iveive founder of clean up britain. Its on the show. Now, ive asked you on the show. Now, ive asked been asking you the entire show , been asking you the entire show, are you proud to be british . I want to read out a few of these emails glenda this. Emails now. Glenda says this. The are ruining our the rabble are ruining our country. We have stealing from shops, demonstrations every weekend with flag waving troublemakers Just Stop Oil week, law and order, and hardly any justice. Poor education and the soaring price of energy. Am i proud to be british . No. Roger says this. Yes, i am definitely proud to be british. And im proud to be british. And im proud of my history and of my country. Brian adds this proud of my history and of my country. Brian adds this im embarrassed that we bow to the woke. What happened to the leaders of the world . We are scared to make a decision in case we upset someone, anyone. Case we upset someone, anyone. Our ancestors would be turning in their graves and roberts as this. Finally, britain has brought more to the world than any other country. We should any other country. We should enjoy everything about our nation. Thanks for all of those comments. I had hundreds and hundreds of them simply dont have enough time to read them all out. After this is all out. Now, after this is dewbs co 6 or 7. Ive just seen that man nigel farage hove into view out there. He of course is here seven till eight. Ill be back tomorrow. Three till six, but just get in touch tomorrow. But just get in touch tomorrow. But before that, its time for your Weather Forecast. The most important show with alex deakin. Important show with alex deakin. A brighter outlook with boxt solar sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Hello. Welcome to your latest weather update from the met office for gb news. Most of us will see some rain at some point tomorrow, but the driest and mildest weather will be in the east. Weve had a bit of a three way split today with this weather front dissecting the country , mostly dry and mild to country, mostly dry and mild to the south, a few showers and very windy the far north and very windy to the far north and under that weather front. Pretty dull Still Producing under that weather front. Pretty dull raintill producing under that weather front. Pretty dull rain across ducing under that weather front. Pretty dull rain across the ng some heavy rain across the mountains north wales and mountains of north wales and northwest england. Thatll track back northwards overnight , so back northwards overnight, so turning damp once more tonight over Northern Ireland. Eventually the rain returns to southern scotland, of southern scotland, much of central northern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand northern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear rthern scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear andrn scotland southern scotland, much of cenand clear and quite ytland southern scotland, much of cenand clear and quite chilly. Dry and clear and quite chilly. Further it is a very mild further south it is a very mild night. Further south it is a very mild night or 10, the low. 9 or 10, the low. Well start thursday then, with lot cloud and rain for with a lot of cloud and rain for wales. Parts of north west england, southern scotland and northern rain Northern Ireland. All that rain will drift northward , will slowly drift northward, although far north will although the far north will generally dry and the winds generally stay dry and the winds slowly easing here. Elsewhere, another breezy old day with dry and bright conditions across much of the east. Just a few scattered showers developing here. More showers, though for the midlands parts wales the midlands and parts of wales later. At those later. And look at those temperatures. Could easily temperatures. It could easily reach 71. In a few spots where we see some sunshine, but a colder day with rain colder feeling day with the rain across scotland slowly across scotland that slowly pulls away friday, the pulls away on friday, the northerly bringing a chill northerly winds bringing a chill to the far north. Elsewhere again still pretty mild with a mixture of some bright spells but a blue sky. But also quite a few blustery showers. Again, temperatures mild across temperatures pretty mild across the south, a colder feel further north. Goodbye that warm feeling inside from boxt boiler as sponsors of weather on pressure to give back that £10 million. Sunak is having none of it. But should he . Should he give that money back or not . Also, Harriet Hammond today is basically said its time for diane abbott to be let back diane abbott now to be let back into the labour party, is it or not . And of course, we now know that kids will no longer be getting puberty blockers on the nhs. Is that the right decision . And speaking of puberty, get this wales today on this a school in wales today on the advice of external agencies, held a puberty yes, held a Puberty Party. Yes, indeed. To celebrate kids indeed. To celebrate the kids journey childhood journey from childhood to adulthood. Years old. Adulthood. Theyre 12 years old. Is good idea or bonkers. Is this a good idea or bonkers. Your thoughts please. Also, should Foreign Governments be able to own british media . The government of today said not. Do you agree with that . And last but not least, migrants now