Transcripts For GBN Sunday 20240703

To talking war reporter David Patrikarakos as he prepares to return to the frontline of the conflict in ukraine. Hes reported on the war since it started not last, not last year, but all the way back in 2014. And hell be telling us what he thinks the greatest threat to a ukrainian victory is. Thinks the greatest threat to a ukrainian victory is. Looking ukrainian victory is. Looking forward to that. And the Northern Ireland legacy bill has passed the house of commons despite unanimous opposition from within Northern Ireland itself. The bill would grant conditional immunity for all crimes committed during the troubles. Many former soldiers support it, of course, but well be speaking to victims represent Kenny Donaldson on why its so unpopular for others. And well unpopular for others. And well also have stefan kyrees to reflect on the last of the summers theatre productions, including a little bit of shakespeare and later in the show, well be debating the ongoing cashgate scandal thats roiling spanish football and has seen the coach who led the womens team to world cup victory sacked. Before all victory sacked. But before all of that, here is your latest News Headlines with tatiana sanchez. Emily, thank you very much. 11 01. This is the latest from the newsroom. More than 2000 people have died in whats described as the deadliest earthquake in morocco since 1966. Divers slept in the open for the second night after the 6. 8 magnitude quake struck remote areas of the Atlas Mountains yesterday. Many fear their homes are no longer safe to return to, with the impact being felt right across the country. More than 2000 people country. More than 2000 people have been injured, half are in a critical condition. The prime critical condition. The Prime Minister says hes confronted Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 620 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the g20 summit in new delhi over beijings alleged spying by two men in westminster. The sunday times reported a man in his 30s and a man in his 20s were arrested in march under the official secrets act. One of the men was a researcher with links to several tory mps, including Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Alicia Kearns and security minister tom tugendhat. Both mps denied any contact with the researcher. The prime with the researcher. The Prime Minister says if this is true, its totally unacceptable. Its totally unacceptable. All right, approach is to engage with people , but to raise engage with people, but to raise the concerns that we have. Thats what our allies do and our strategy is completely augned our strategy is completely aligned with our closest allies, whether thats america, canada , whether thats america, canada, australia, japan, you know, all these countries engage with china, raise is areas of disagreement. As i did today on a different a range of different topics, but in particular to register my very strong concern about any interference with parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable. Is obviously unacceptable. All the justice secretary says around 40 inmates have been moved out from wandsworth prison amid an investigation into Daniel Khalife escape. The Daniel Khalife escape. The former soldier was on the run former soldier was on the run for four days after strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery van. He was tackled from a bicycle on a canal towpath in northolt by an officer yesterday , say alex officer yesterday, say alex chalk says the prison is overcrowded, but promises the government is doing all it can to provide resources as out of an abundance of caution. Weve taken 42 move elsewhere. Just as we get to the bottom of what happened. Now, thatis bottom of what happened. Now, that is a sensible interim precaution , free step. And precaution, free step. And i just also want to make the point about about wandsworth. You know , there have been issues with crowding , which which crowding, which i accept, which goes for not just five goes back for not just five years or 25, 30 years, but the difference is we are doing something about it. So very , something about it. So very, very significant investment going prisons. Three well, going into prisons. Three well, two already built, one currently under and these are under construction and these are big, big jails. Russia has launched another air attack on kyiv in the early hours of this morning with blasts ringing out across the capital for almost two hours. A video has captured one of the 32 drones heading for residential buildings with drone debris falling on several of the citys central districts. The attack comes as yesterdays g20 summit declaration stopped short of condemning russia for the war in ukraine, but rather highlighted the human suffering in the conflict. Ukraine says the declaration is nothing to be proud of. One of kievs residents spoke of her fear dunng residents spoke of her fear during the latest attack. During the latest attack. It was a very frightening experience. I cant even put it into words. I heard a sound flying over a rustling sound. Then there was a powerful explosion, followed by a huge flash of light. I live on the first floor and the explosion wave was so strong that glass began falling down my window. Curtain tore off and the glass i had on my windowsill were shattered and some mps are warning defence cuts have left a gap in the uks ability to fight from the air that will last well into the 2030. The Commons Defence Committee says cuts set out in 2021 leaves britain dangerously exposed and warned the militarys combat air fleet is alarmingly low in number. Tory Committee Chair Tobias Ellwood warned of Turbulent Times ahead if ministers dont change course. Mps have noted, though, that the ministry of defence will spend more than £55 million, sending pilots overseas for fast jet training because of a lack of aircraft availability. And aircraft availability. And finally , thunderstorm warnings finally, thunderstorm warnings are in place across the uk after six days of temperatures over 30 c. It comes as yesterday was the hottest day of the year so far with 32. 7 degrees recorded at heathrow. Forecasters predict at heathrow. Forecasters predict today could be the seventh day in a row that temperatures reach above 30 degrees. But despite that , a yellow thunderstorm that, a yellow thunderstorm warning is in place this afternoon for Northern Ireland, northern parts of england and wales, and as well as southern scotland and this is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker by saying play your Smart Speaker by saying play gb news. Now its back to. Emily thank you. Tatiana. So rishi sunak probably knew better than to expect a slow start to the parliamentary calendar after the summer recess. But if he did think that hes been thoroughly disabused in the last week , the disabused in the last week, the calamity of School Closures caused by defects of concrete, some lively outbursts from his education secretary has given the labour party quite a bit of ammunition to attack the government with the Prime Minister is also facing many questions over when hell sign a trade deal with india. So to discuss those stories and much more, i am joined by madeline grant of the telegraph and policy laurie laban. Policy researcher laurie laban. Thank you very much indeed, both of. So first week, back of you. So first week, back after the recess. The government is supposed to be setting the agenda or theyd like to be setting the agenda instead , its setting the agenda instead, its appears as though theyre fighting fires on many fronts. Yes. And it feels like it has been this way for quite some time. Its been hard for them to wrest control of the agenda and talk about anything other than just the of damage limitation the kind of damage limitation exercises that we seem to see week after week. I mean, this was a very unfortunate timing for this issue to spring up. I mean, government argue mean, the government would argue that whats happened is that the experts who are advising them that whats happened is that the expertthe 10 are advising them that whats happened is that the expertthe concrete vising them that whats happened is that the expertthe concrete suddenlym about the concrete suddenly changed their mind and they pivoted, taking on board that new information. However, new information. However, the fact this comes after when fact that this comes after when so many other things going so many other things are going wrong in the country thats so little to it as it little seems to work as it as it did before that it simply plays into that sense that you know, everything is just more everything is just a bit more rubbish and therefore i think much damaging would much more damaging than it would have its own as an issue i yes, it does feel that way, doesnt quite lot of ammo doesnt it. 7 quite a lot of ammo to opposition, particularly to the opposition, particularly with concrete gate. The idea that crumbling is that britain is crumbling is certainly being used by those who are just to continue on this , the marketing, the adverts using the social media campaigns from the labor party. Theyve got a lot to go on havent they. Theyve suddenly got very good at social media. I havent seen, they have. Have hired. Seen, they have. Labourive hired. Seen, they have. Labour missives1ired. Seen, they have. Labour missives being this this successful until now. But i think when youre working with this successful until now. But i thinikinden youre working with this successful until now. But i thinikind of youre working with this successful until now. But i thinikind of rawe working with this successful until now. But i thinikind of raw material,i with this successful until now. But i thinikind of raw material, its h that kind of raw material, its hard do a good job of it. Hard not to do a good job of it. All right. Well, laurie, i think i can bring you in now. Whats your this . Do you whats your take on this . Do you think starmer is think keir starmer is capitalising from these capitalising enough from these types of incidents . That well, firstly, i i think that well, firstly, i feel sorry for rishi sunak. Oh, im so sorry, laurie. Your mic isnt working. Well go back to madeline for more astute analysis. Think the analysis. Do you think the labour party is making the most of these kind of. Oh, they definitely are. I i in the commons i mean, i was in the commons on wednesday and i overheard keir telling someone on keir starmer telling someone on the on the balcony outside Parliament Like Gillian Keegan is the gift , Parliament Like Gillian Keegan is the gift, you Parliament Like Gillian Keegan is the gift , you know, the gift is the gift, you know, the gift that keeps on giving. Its absolutely you want and absolutely what you want and its quite useful for keir starmer because hes been keeping policy strategic keeping up a policy of strategic ambiguity, you know, not giving up away any information about what he truly believes, and only now are we getting to the some of kind of policy meat. And of the kind of policy meat. And this is quite helpful because it means people not asking means that people are not asking questions he might questions about what he might do as theyre as Prime Minister. Theyre just thinking, terrible. Thinking, god, its so terrible. I anyone but these i mean, any anyone but these guys h i mean, any anyone but these guys it doesnt help very guys also, it doesnt help very much that many tory mps are briefing like briefing papers like the telegraph awful. Telegraph saying how awful. Keegan and how Gillian Keegan is and how they dont support the direction of in government. Of travel in the government. Lots infighting as usual lots of infighting as usual within the conservative party. Laurie whats your take . Is keir starmer , is he gaining ground . Starmer, is he gaining ground . Yeah, inevitably. I think if you threaten by your Primary School falling in on your kids heads that theres no guarantee of enough funding in the air force, such as if you have to fight a war again, we can probably defend ourselves. Its a £10 billion unspent maintenance bill in the nhs. Youre going to end up inevitably gaining ground. I think there are two things that are significant for me. One is i feel sorry for rishi sunak. Rishi sunak came in as an mp partway through our current penod partway through our current period tory rule. He is period of tory rule. He is essentially having to deal with the to invest. That the failures to invest. That happened between 2010 and 2015. A of these problems can be a lot of these problems can be traced back to the unnecessary cuts certain budgets that cuts in certain budgets at that time. On the keir starmer side. Time. On the keir starmer side. And that what that does and i think that what that does is partly provide an opportunity to take advantage of those tory failures that are now coming back sunak. But to get back to haunt sunak. But to get the site a scale of votes that labour could get in the next election, it cant just be well, were just not them. It has got to be some kind of vision for why different to them. Why we are different to them. What could be brought . What more could be brought . I think they will be i think maybe they will be able rely on. Were not the able to rely on. Were not the conservatives there is conservatives because there is a large of voters Large Coalition of voters growing. Interesting that Large Coalition of voters grov say. Interesting that Large Coalition of voters grov say certain eresting that Large Coalition of voters grov say certain budgets that cut you say certain budgets were cut and with dealing and theyre dealing with dealing with the impact of that now because thats true because spending continued to rise spending has continued to rise overall. But perhaps the overall. But perhaps the government has got it wrong in terms of where they were spending. So the when you want to cut something as a politician, the easy thing to do is to cut whats called the capital budget. The budget that goes. This is the budget that goes into like buildings into things like buildings or equipment, right . Think hospitals schools long hospitals or schools boring long term stuff, the boring long term hospitals or schools boring long term so ff, the boring long term hospitals or schools boring long term so yowe boring long term hospitals or schools boring long term so you dont ng long term hospitals or schools boring long term so you dont notice. ] term stuff. So you dont notice. Treasury also to cut treasury also loves to cut this stuff. Treasury loves this treasury loves to cut this stuff. You dont notice initially dont initially because people dont nofice initially because people dont notice didnt invest in initially because people dont n of an unfair criticism. But the fact you know what, fact is that, you know what, regardless of Global Conditions or bad luck, if youre in charge, you get the blame for it. You know, thems the breaks as Boris Johnson said, and you dont really hear much fight back conservatives at back from the conservatives at the moment. It does as though it does feel as though theyve run out of a bit of steam, but who knows . Rishi sunak quoted in the sunak has been quoted in the press he hes, you press saying he thinks hes, you know, could win next know, still could win the next general we shall general election. So we shall see. But its, of course, rishi sunak been the g20 sunak has been at the g20 wmmw sunak has been at the g20 summit. Laurie indian trade deal may be on the cards, may not be. Were not sure exactly what the resolution will be. Hes going to have to make big compromises in whatever trade deal we end up having with india because india is an absolutely massive market, 1. 3 1. 4 is an absolutely massive market, 1. 31. 4 billion people do you think more visas would should be on the table . I think it shows a tension between brexit as a project of about immigration and brexit as a project about trade deals and britain in the world. And were seeing that tension, i think, playing out here. And in some ways the india trade deal is the greatest expression that. One way to expression of that. One way to partly around that, or partly get around that, or at least to ensure that the focus doesnt remain exclusively on that around that is to make deals around whats described as industrial policy, that countries policy, that that countries Work Together progress together to progress technologies of the future. Technologies of the future. Weve seen that with america and france, both at the g20, saying we should around we should make deals around certain technologies. Weve done it australia and us. It with australia and the us. When nuclear when it comes to nuclear submarines. Were starting to flirt with that. With india, weve got this new gigafactory that batteries down in that makes ev batteries down in somerset thats developed somerset thats being developed with tata , the company that with with tata, the company that owns land rover, i think. Owns jaguar land rover, i think. But are ways to do but there are other ways to do that. Some those deals that. So some of those deals around technologies could slightly issue, but slightly duck that issue, but that going to have to that tension is going to have to be the tory party. Be resolved in the tory party. Because sunak well, because rishi sunak seems convinced that seems utterly convinced that its patching ourselves to indias economy , he indias booming economy, he would be a fantastic thing. Hes praised them for emphasising maths, teaching technology, teaching science, engineering. Hes really talking up britains relationship with india. Is that relationship with india. Is that what brexiteers want us to attach our economy to . Indias i dont think that theres any one thing that brexiteers is wanted, but i mean during the referendum they made much of us being an outward looking country , more of a kind of atlanticist global country than the one that had historically , you know, had historically, you know, fallen under the eu umbrella, which which i think was fair enough. I mean, i think when it comes to what rishi sunak is, is doing in india, you know, its there is this tension between there is this tension between the visas and the deals on other stuff. And hes been very cagey so far about how much progress there is actually being made. And hes trying his very best not to put any definitive kind of deadlines on whats going on there. So i think he probably is aware that the public has on many occasions expressed their views about immigration and made it clear that they dont want any more. And nevertheless, under this government, weve got to unprecedented levels of immigration. So i think they must realise that that is not an area where you can liberalise further, even if it is in keeping with the global ambitions. Ambitions. But im not so sure about that. I mean, liz truss in her in her dying days as Prime Minister, there were so many, so much about she much briefing about how she wanted know, open wanted to, you know, open borders more so. And rishi sunak many people see him as being internationalist in his approach, so he seems quite relaxed about immigration, yet he tries to have tough rhetoric, doesnt he . Another person whos been having some tough rhetoric around illegal immigration is sir keir starmer. Hes trying to present himself as as and i think hell be going on to talk about this more in the weeks to come. About how labour are the party to tackle illegal immigration. Do think anyone immigration. Do you think anyone believes immigration. Do you think anyone bel i ves immigration. Do you think anyone beli can imagine a lot of people i can imagine a lot of people would end up believing it, partly because theyre so frustrated state of the frustrated with the state of the tory, tory immigration tory, the tory immigration regime, again, with the first segment were talking about cuts to Home Office Early on in to the Home Office Early on in things like equipment and other things like equipment and other things that didnt things meant that they didnt have right kit to process have the right kit to process people and it ended up costing more because we then have to pay for hotel. So can imagine for the hotel. So i can imagine a people thinking that a lot of people thinking that another people another group of people running the government actually the government would actually mean that that works the government would actually metbetter. That that works out better. Yeah, well, maybe i mean on the other hand, weve got rishi sunak at g20 summit. Hes sunak at the g20 summit. Hes been piling with the likes of been piling up with the likes of giorgia meloni, the italian premier, talking to her about rwanda style schemes. Lots of rwanda style schemes. Lots of European Countries are thinking of similar schemes. Does that take the heat out of our rwanda scheme . Perhaps if other countries are trying to follow suit. Im not. Im not sure it would take the heat out of the debate thats currently happening in the uk about it. I think its very politics is incredibly fractious at the moment. Social media makes everything even more fractious than it would otherwise have everything even more fractious than iand uld otherwise have everything even more fractious than iand id otherwise have everything even more fractious than iand i donterwise have everything even more fractious than iand i dont think have everything even more fractious than iand i dont think that; everything even more fractious than i and i dont think that the been, and i dont think that the International Realities are going to make that much of a difference. However, it is interesting that we seem to exist in a bubble in which we dont look what other dont really look at what other countries doing. I mean, for countries are doing. I mean, for instance, when keir instance, if and when keir starmer and we have starmer wins and we have a labour government, we will be a Massive International in Massive International outlier in having a centre left or left wing government. I having a centre left or left wing government. I mean having a centre left or left wing government. I mean across wing government. I mean across europe there is a general shift towards the right and people are discussing radical solutions to deaung discussing radical solutions to dealing with immigration. An and i think sometimes we have this feeling that were kind of uniquely bad, uniquely reactionary. Just not borne reactionary. Its just not borne out the evidence. Out by the evidence. Just not true. Is it but its just not true. Is it really . Were actually pretty, pretty lax when it comes to illegal compared illegal immigration compared to other the other countries around the world. Least, of course, world. Not least, of course, israel, who had issues very recently , too. So thats all recently, too. So thats all weve got time for on this. Thank you very much indeed. Madeline the madeline grant from the telegraph laurie telegraph and laurie laban policy researcher. You policy researcher. Thank you very taking us through very much for taking us through the back at school. The first week back at school. For the politicians anyway , stay for the politicians anyway, stay with as in a few minutes with us. As in a few minutes well chatting to war well be chatting to war reporter patrick haricots reporter David Patrick haricots as he prepares to back to as he prepares to head back to the ukraine. Stay the frontlines of ukraine. Stay tuned. Tuned. The temperatures rising. The temperatures rising. Boxt solar power sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Weather on. Gb news. Hello , my name is rachel hello, my name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast brought to you by the met office. So some of you have woken up to heavy showers and thunderstorms and these will continue throughout much of today. And these are being brought up from these are being brought up from the continent. So through the engush the continent. So through the English Channel their English Channel and making their way cold way northeastwards with a cold front bringing rain front, just bringing some rain cloud and outbreaks of drizzle to far northwest of to the far northwest of scotland. Heavy showers and scotland. So heavy showers and thunderstorms really the name of the throughout the rest of the game throughout the rest of today. These could bring some pretty downpours and pretty torrential downpours and frequent lightning, hail and also gusty winds at also some strong, gusty winds at times. But we are still looking at temperatures getting into the low 30s across the southeast once again today as we head into this evening, those thunderstorm forms and showers will continue to make their way northeastwards lingering for a time into the early hours of monday across southern parts of scotland but drying up elsewhere with the best of any clear spells in the east, a bit of low cloud mist and fog though in places especially for western coasts. And its looking like another warm and humid night. So to start the new working week, some brightness, especially in the east at first, but cloud and outbreaks of rain making their way south eastwards throughout the day with some heavy showers and potentially some further thunderstorms developing just ahead of this. But still feeling pretty pleasant in any of that sunshine , though. Temperatures sunshine, though. Temperatures not climbing quite as high as weve seen throughout the weekend. And the temperatures rising. Rising. A boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Tv, radio and online gb news. Britains news. Britains news. Channel welcome back to Michael Portillo with me, emily carver. Now David Patrick harukos is one of the few reporters who have been covering the war in ukraine since its very beginning. And by that i dont mean the full scale invasion of last year, but smaller last year, but the smaller russian invasion the donbas russian invasion of the donbas region in 2014. Now hes region back in 2014. Now hes preparing return to the preparing to return to the country month resume his country next month to resume his coverage the frontline. Coverage from the frontline. Thats as some progress is reported in ukraines counteroffensive against entrenched russian positions in the south and also as the us secretary of state, Antony Blinken promises more american aid. So david joins me now live. David, thank you very much indeed for joining david, thank you very much indeed forjoining me this indeed for joining me this afternoon. Youre soon to go afternoon. Youre soon to go back to ukraine to continue your reporting of this of this conflict. Can you tell me weve conflict. Can you tell me weve got mixed reports on the progress ukraine is making. I understand it is slow, but it is happening. Happening. Yeah, i think thats very much the case. So when i was there last, i was fortunate after you know, i got the access to visit several points in the front. And i think this is front. And i think this is actually an example where ukrainian messaging has been slightly off for once. I think people around the world thought that counteroffensive that the counteroffensive meant ukraine get up ukraine en masse would get up thousands soldiers and break thousands of soldiers and break through lines. Through the russian lines. But in doing in fact, theyre doing is probing down all that probing up and down all that line of contact between russia and the Ukrainian Forces to find punch holes in it. And it seems that they have done that now. Now, the job is very difficult. The russians, in typically contemptible fashion just contemptible fashion of just mined everything. There are mined everything. There are three lines of russian troops, three lines of russian troops, three mines. So its three lines of mines. So its going to a slow process. But going to be a slow process. But it does seem that were making seeing some kind of process. So, yes, cause for hope, yes, there is cause for hope, but need understand that but we need to understand that this take a while. This is going to take a while. This a mass, a wide scale this is a mass, a wide scale industrial war. It does not it works years, months. Works in years, not months. Well, good to hear that well, its good to hear that you believe there is cause for hope. You have any idea hope. Do you have any idea i mean , i guess this is a guessing mean, i guess this is a guessing game, but any timeframe for victory, any timeframe for an end to this brutal conflict . End to this brutal conflict . It was a good question. Its one that people ask me all the time. And the first thing to say is, what do you mean by victory . You know, what do you mean by victory or loss . Is it possible now for the russians to take kyiv, hoist that russian flag over probably. Almost over the rada . Probably. Almost certainly to certainly not. Is it possible to kyiv russians out kyiv to throw the russians out of single bit of their of every single bit of their territory . Probably but territory . Probably not. But look, were about look, what were talking about now is making slow gains. You keep you keep keep pushing and you keep pushing. Come 20, 24, pushing. And then come 20, 24, when American Foreign pushing. And then come 20, 24, whenfinallyAmerican Foreign pushing. And then come 20, 24, whenfinally arrive an foreign pushing. And then come 20, 24, whenfinally arrive , n foreign pushing. And then come 20, 24, whenfinally arrive , then foreign pushing. And then come 20, 24, whenfinally arrive , then you sign f16s finally arrive, then you might start to see a real progress. So bear in mind, ukraine is doing that ukraine is doing something that is to the doctrine is antithetical to the doctrine of modern warfare. Is of modern warfare. It is fighting a mass without air fighting a mass war without air cover. Fighting a mass war without air cover. Now, if those fighting a mass war without air cover. Now, if those f 16s come in and the ukrainians are starting to punch through some of russian theres russian of the russian theres russian mine we could see mine lines, then we could see some changes. But were some real changes. But were talking 20, 25. Talking about 20, 24, 20, 25. Now, this is very much the long game. And can i just this is game. And can i just say this is what russians know this what the russians know and this is theyre praying theyre is what theyre praying theyre banking that we in banking on the fact that we in the west are going to get tired, banking on the fact that we in the going are going to get tired, banking on the fact that we in the going to going to get tired, banking on the fact that we in the going to getng to get tired, banking on the fact that we in the going to get bored, jet tired, banking on the fact that we in the going to get bored, areired, are going to get bored, are going to pull out like we in going to pull out like we did in iraq and afghanistan when theyre waiting game. Theyre playing a waiting game. And desperately and theyre desperately looking at elections. And theyre desperately looking at thatsions. And theyre desperately looking at thats why its so well, thats why its so important to speak people important to speak to people like you to get the very, very latest on conflict. So it latest on the conflict. So it does in the news. It does stay in the news. So it does stay in the news. So it does stay in the news. So it does stay front and centre in peoples minds. Now, talk peoples minds. Now, you talk about support, it may peoples minds. Now, you talk abo dowiiipoil, it may peoples minds. Now, you talk abo down p people it may peoples minds. Now, you talk abo down p people get it may peoples minds. Now, you talk abodown p people get boredy peoples minds. Now, you talk abo down p people get bored of die down if people get bored of the conflict even which hopefully it wont. But secretary of state Antony Blinken the us has announced blinken in the us has announced 1 billion more in aid. Now this isnt just military aid, but this is also aid, humanitarian aid , aid to help the economy and aid, aid to help the economy and so on. Yeah absolutely. And look, this is a really good and strong and positive sign of support going forward. But some of the other major me said, you know, this is a great sign of american support. But i would moment its would say at the moment its a great of democrat support. Great sign of democrat support. Lets what happens those lets see what happens in those american elections. I can tell you that is what everyone in ukraine worried this ukraine is worried about. This is say, by the way, that is not to say, by the way, that republicans support republicans will abandon support whoever is very whoever wins, but that is very much peoples but can much on peoples minds. But can i a point here thats i just make a point here thats quite to lot of quite relevant to a lot of things discussed on gb news . What is being hammered out on the battlefields ukraine and the battlefields of ukraine and russia ukraine, rather, russia or ukraine, rather, between goes russia or ukraine, rather, betvr beyond goes russia or ukraine, rather, betvr beyond this goes russia or ukraine, rather, betvr beyond this is es way beyond that. This really is a battle for the future of large parts of europe and the west. Are the west going to are we in the west going to persist . To going abandon persist . Are we to going abandon our like the our allies and flee like the russians . In the background, russians . And in the background, chinese we going chinese believe . Or are we going to stand firm and say no to this sort of aggression because it does us all. So sort of aggression because it dthink us all. So sort of aggression because it dthink its us all. So sort of aggression because it dthink its really us all. So sort of aggression because it dthink its really important. So i think its really important what happens now and the fact that yourself are what happens now and the fact that this yourself are what happens now and the fact that this story yourself are what happens now and the fact that this story inyourself are what happens now and the fact that this story in the � self are what happens now and the fact that this story in the news re what happens now and the fact that this story in the news is keep this story in the news is very, very important in the wider picture. David, say that the david, you say that the democrats support ukraine in this and theyre this conflict and theyre putting huge amounts of money and military towards the and military support towards the campaign in are you saying then that a republican victory in the president ial election would put that at risk, not necessarily. Im saying this is the concern. You know, there is a concern. You know, there is a concern that donald trump may win. And he said obviously a lot of things that are very favourable to Vladimir Putin that said, you know, donald trump man that trump was also the man that assassinated soleimani assassinated Qassem Soleimani when administration when no Democrat Administration before it. So we before him dared to do it. So we dont know what im saying is we know the democrat know that the Democrat Administration has put a lot of money ukraine as say, money into ukraine as you say, its lot of support into its put a lot of support into ukraine without it, the ukrainians be to ukrainians would not be able to fight on. The concern now is whats going there whats going to happen if there is a change of government. And david, just very quickly, bofis and david, just very quickly, boris travelled to Boris Johnson has travelled to ukraine to an honorary ukraine to receive an Honorary Degree hes to degree for all that hes done to support ukraine in this conflict as minister. Beyond as Prime Minister. And beyond that, that that, to do you think that perhaps lacking political perhaps were lacking political leaders who grasp the severity of this conflict, who grasp how important it is to back to ukraine, the hilt in this conflict with russia . Yeah, and conflict with russia . Yeah, and that we need more people like bofis that we need more people like Boris Johnson. Boris johnson. Let me tell you something. Let me tell you something. Bofis let me tell you something. Boris johnson is absolutely loved in ukraine. They absolutely love boris. And being absolutely love boris. And being a British Foreign correspondent , war correspondent, whatever. I spent ten years going abroad and everyone shout at me everyone would shout iraq at me in accusatory manner. You go in an accusatory manner. You go to ukraine theyre like, to ukraine and theyre like, youre british. Thank god, youre british. Oh, thank god, we you. Thank much. We love you. Thank you so much. Thank much. This is about thank you so much. This is about look, we talked about brexit seizing control a post brexit global want global seizing control a post brexit global this want global seizing control a post brexit global this is want global seizing control a post brexit global this is global. 1t global britain. This is global. Britain, at the centre britain, britain at the centre of the biggest crisis in World Affairs last two years. Affairs for the last two years. Long it continue. Long may it continue. Thank you much well, thank you very much indeed for us the indeed for bringing us the latest. David patrikarakos there latest. David patrikarakos there , bringing us that. Now, when the just mentioned Boris Johnson put forward the Northern Ireland legacy bill, he said he wanted to a line under the to draw a line under the troubles. But for thousands of victims who suffered terrible losses during the terror campaign, the prospect of losing any justice, however any hope of justice, however remote , is proving hard to bear. Remote, is proving hard to bear. Now the governments bill is mainly aimed at ending the prosecution elderly military prosecution of elderly military veterans for actions taken dunng veterans for actions taken during the conflict. And it does have support among many veterans. But its facing unanimous opposition in Northern Ireland itself and where i am joined by victims campaigner Kenny Donaldson. Thank you very much indeed. Kenny of course, there are many different views on this legacy bill. Huge number of veterans support groups. Johnny veterans support groups. Johnny mercer, of course , the mercer, of course, the politician whos been pioneering this bill really in recent months, recent years, many mixed views on it. What is yours . Do you not think that considering the number of quite elderly veterans , those who have been veterans, those who have been caught up in legal action many, many years after the troubles, many, many years , that you can many, many years, that you can understand why people think actually maybe we need to draw a line under this . Line under this . Well, thank. First, we have well, thank. First, we have to take a little step back. And were 25 years old now from a belfast agreement. And what youre listeners need to understand is that for that agreement to ever be possible, it was able to be secured on the back of the generosity of spirit of victims and survivors. It was of victims and survivors. It was they who had to make the compromise uses that Wider Society did not. And whats happened over the last 25 years is that there have been a range of covert decisions taken by successive governments in undermining the rule of law and whether it was the on the run assurance letters, the Royal Prerogative of mercy, even the very decommissioning process which enabled terrorists to put to beyond use those armaments which held the ballistics in evidence to the actual crimes that were committed. So there are circumstances where there have been a number of military veterans who have been put through the wringer on a number of occasions and certainly we dont support that. But what dont support that. But what i dont support that. But what i do support certainly is anyone who has committed a crime, whether they are wearing a uniform or not wearing uniform , uniform or not wearing uniform, they have to be held equally before the law because otherwise , what basis does our society have if we are the United Kingdom and were better than all of that . And what i would say is that there will be a very small number of individuals if they receive any benefit as a result of this bill within the sight of veterans. And we do sight of veterans. And we do need to be very cognisant, emily, that veterans whom are based in gb and who have served three and six months duty here in Northern Ireland, thats a very different premise than a veteran who has lived in Northern Ireland all their life and has been subject to the risk of terror each and every day over a 30 odd year period. Over a 30 odd year period. So if you dont believe that, if you dont like the sound of this bill thats going through and the Current System thats administering justice for troubles related crime isnt working , what sort of working, what sort of alternative would you like to see . What sort of alternative would the victims families that you deal with that you speak to . What would they like to see . Well, i suppose, emily, we did put forward our proposals in the aftermath of the stormont house of 2014, or as house agreement of 2014, or as we would dubbed the stormont house disagreement, because there never uniformity there was never uniformity of support across the main five Northern Ireland Political Parties for that. For that said, parties for that. For that said, agreement. And what we want to agreement. And what we want to see is a proper investigation into each and every crime that was committed over the course of the troubles period and where there is evidence to push forward into a position of prosecution that that should happen. And where that is not the case, that maximum information and disclosure is obtainable for victims and survivors and the point with this new mechanism , the and this new mechanism, the and another acronym, of course, the point of this all is that for a victim survivor to obtain information , they are required information, they are required to present themselves to this new body. And in so doing, they are essentially complicit with the potential for conditional immunity to then be offered. And immunity to then be offered. And thats something that is a psychology step too far for many people because they dont feel able to do so. And we have seen able to do so. And we have seen no evidence that the terror organisations are in a place of generosity of spirit where they will come forward and will provide an in an honourable way in fact, the very secretary of state, the first interview he gave after the bill was passed in parliament the other day was the following i cant give any guarantees that theres going to be people come forward to provide this information. Thats a done statement of any government to if you. Kenny, if you. Sorry to interrupt. If you thought that they forward, they would come forward, ed and they would come forward, ed and they would come forward, ed and they would involve themselves in this process, would you then support the bill . Well, critically, emily, whats needed is there must be an acknowledgement of the wrong of the violence. Thats how we break the cycle of violence in Northern Ireland. So if a perpetrator comes forward and says that i involved in x, says that i was involved in x, y, and z, i regret and im remorseful for what i have done , thats a different proposition for a victim survivor to then have to deal with. But thats not whats the table. And we not whats on the table. And we have time and time again said that there are other systemic issues which are impact on victim survivors. Quality of life in Northern Ireland, the ongoing glorification of terrorism violence, which is terrorism and violence, which is absolutely unchecked. And the issue of the definition of victim, which in law equates a victim, which in law equates a victim with a perpetrator. And emily, i want to also speak in this interview about the lack of will and contribution from the repubuc will and contribution from the republic of ireland state , republic of ireland state, because there were two states connected into our issues here and essentially the republic of ireland state adopts this position of observer status , position of observer status, essentially, that well be there to quality proof of what the brits do and thats not an acceptable position either. Now now, a lot of people, when they talk about this issue, they remember cases like dennis hutchings, the former soldier who had a case hanging over his head for six and a half years. He was very unwell. He was found not guilty twice. And then he was hauled back into the court. And a lot of people see this as a witch hunt against british soldiers relating to cases, allegations from decades very many decades ago now. And they think you know, is it really be worth it . Can you see why people might feel that way, that they think its a bit of a witch hunt when you have very elderly veterans going through the court system and even in this case, you know, dying whilst its all going on, i think emily, though, were conflating two issues. The treatment of veterans and whether there were things that were right or things that were wrong and all of that. And the point of the matter is that were sitting in a situation where were supporting victims and survivors terrorism. And and survivors of terrorism. And to give you one example, in county fermanagh, where organisation was birthed and is based , theres a 7 clearance based, theres a 7 clearance rate, 93 of crimes have gone unresolved and were perpetrated by the ira. You tell me what that population is meant to do with that level of injustice and no acknowledgement, no record , no acknowledgement, no record, admission of the wrong of that violence in fact, the leadership, the official Republican Movement say theres no but to have done no alternative but to have done what they have done. And that narrative being narrative is increasingly being bought by people across the board. The author, emily, that your listeners across gb need to understand is that the belfast agreement , when it was signed agreement, when it was signed off, meant the following that any pre 1998 crime that someone would serve a maximum of two years if it was carried out in Northern Ireland. The crimes that were carried out in gb right until this point, that were carried out in gb right until this point , there right until this point, there was the potential for life to be handed down as a sentence from the potential of life to zero in the potential of life to zero in the stroke of a pen. The stroke of a pen. And just lastly , in your and just lastly, in your experience, how proactive has the Irish Government been in terms of investing, investigating crimes that took place on that side of the border . Shockingly, poor emily. Absolutely poor. And we do have a situation at the moment where obviously its been threatened that the Irish Government could take an interstate case at the European Court of human rights against the United Kingdom in regards issue. Also regards to this issue. They also need to examine their own house and when you have a former Justice Minister over the time of the belfast agreement, Michael Mcdowell indicating that a moratorium exists in the repubuc a moratorium exists in the republic of ireland in regards to cases pre 1998, theres a great deal of hypocrisy there. Great deal of hypocrisy there. And what we want to see once for and all is the rule of law prevailing. We want to see people treated on a fair and equitable basis across the board. The on the un assurance letters could have been rescinded in law that was possible. The uk government might have had the opportunity here to really dismantle the ideology of terrorism and they baulked at it. Ideology of terrorism and they baulked at it. And that is not baulked at it. And that is not something that we can support. Well, thank you very much for speaking to me. Kenny donaldson there. Thank you very much for your time. Im now after the your time. Im now after the break, Stefan Kyriazis will be to here talk us through the final weeks of the summer theatre schedule. Stay tuned for that i knew had dewbs co weeknights from. Weeknights from. Six welcome back. Now, stefan welcome back. Now, stefan kyrees is here and stefan has been taking advantage of the good weather and hes gone to shakespeares globe this week. Now tell us, what did you see . I saw as you like it. Excellent. I have to say, you excellent. I have to say, if you hadnt excellent. I have to say, if you hadnt been the globe, hadnt been to the globe, please, its please, please go. Its glorious. I have been there glorious. And i have been there in terrible weather as well, which a certain something. Which adds a certain something. I i went on a school trip i think i went on a school trip once. I havent once. Yeah, well, i havent been since. Glorious. Since. Go again. Its glorious. Its wonderful. I saw as you its wonderful. And i saw as you like it and this is an absolutely farce. Absolutely joyous, fun farce. And its the globe is embracing the modern world. So theres been lots of accusations against them extreme wokery. So them of extreme wokery. So theres lots and lots of colour and gender blind casting. Theres lots of flipping things around. This play shock, horror had additional text, had some additional new text, bringing in some queer sensibility as so the purists might be up in arms. I was there and i saw a crowd of all ages, all backgrounds, kids, grandparents , tourists and all grandparents, tourists and all i saw was people laughing and having fun and basically it wasnt pushed down your throat. No, this is this is the whole point. No, its just you think 400 years ago women werent allowed on stage, so you had men playing women and shakespeare knew what he was doing. He had fun this. Knew that fun with this. So he knew that his audience was watching a man dressed a kissing dressed as a woman kissing a man. So they were already playing and sort of being slightly it. What slightly naughty with it. What we and i cant even we have here and i cant even get it all, forgive the pun straight in my mind, is you have the two ladies, rosalind and celia, two young, noble women that are oppressed by the mean old duke. And so they flee into old duke. And so they flee into the forest and rosalind disguises herself as a boy now. So she is a girl dressed as a boy. So she is a girl dressed as a boy. Her cousin celia is played by a non binary actor , macy by a non binary actor, macy jacob silicon , who is wonderful jacob silicon, who is wonderful , arched eyebrows, very dry delivery. She is disguised as delivery. She is disguised as a more sort of outcast, gypsy type. So theres already stuff going on there. Suitors. Orlando going on there. Suitors. Orlando and oliver this time are played by women with fantastic goatees and beards and lots of swagger. So youve got so much going on. But by the end you have girls dressed as boys and girls who are playing boys kissing each other. And its all going on. And all i saw was a crowd that cheered every kiss, laughed at every joke. The globe does this incredible thing where they involve the crowd like you would have had in shakespeares day. So the girls are disguising so when the girls are disguising themselves, they at the themselves, they point at the crowd. Theyre giving crowd. When theyre giving examples got to examples of weve got to disguise peasants, disguise ourselves as peasants, and they peoples items of and they take peoples items of clothing a wrestling clothing and theres a wrestling match its match amongst the crowd. Its interactive , and thats what it interactive, and thats what it was like back then. So its as relevant then as now. The relevant then as now. The messages still the same. Messages are still the same. Its about love, identity, its still about love, identity, freedom. Freedom. So you didnt get the impression that they were trying to be political . To be overtly political . I have been have no, and i have been i have been at where its being been at shows where its being rammed your throat. Rammed down your throat. Its a bit of a snorefest when it is, in my view, mostly because usually a little bit because im usually a little bit too c conservative it. Too small c conservative for it. The key with all of i think the key with all of that me is always illumine that for me is always illumine rate something dont and rate something dont show and dont tell. Dont preach and dont tell. I configure it out for myself. I can make my own mind out, but ultimately respect the text, can make my own mind out, but ultimfuny respect the text, can make my own mind out, but ultimfun with pect the text, can make my own mind out, but ultimfun with itct the text, can make my own mind out, but ultimfun with it and e text, can make my own mind out, but ultimfun with it and present have fun with it and present something uplifting or something positive. And thats what this does overwhelmingly. Way to keep the is this the way to keep the younger generations interested in shakespeare . Yeah, massively , massively. Spruce them up a bit. Bit. Well, but this was what was going on back then. They were throwing food back then they were eating. They they were eating. They were. They were eating. They were. They were jeering and booing were sort of jeering and booing the then. So, no, the crowd back then. So, no, i think i think the idea is just make it fun. Number one, if its a comedy, not a tragedy. But yes, also reflect the world that were in. Things are changing. Not everybody agrees there are different approaches to it, but the world is changing. And especially for the younger people. I saw all ages. People. And but i saw all ages. Its not a cool, trendy thing for young people. I saw lots of people much older than myself. Theyre having a great time. Well, most people, when they go to the theatre, they think to themselves, yeah, theyll probably bit of woke probably be a little bit of woke stuff that that may make me wince a little, but overall its just a very fun day out. And just a very fun day out. And its, you know, its interesting andifs its, you know, its interesting and its people enjoy it and thats great that this one was i mean, its got fabulous reviews. Time its joyous at the time out says its joyous at the Daily Telegraph says its exuberant. Director ellen exuberant. Director Ellen Mcdougall is delightful production is a pleasure , says production is a pleasure, says the daily mail. We dont normally agree. Were all all over the place. Normally were as fractious as the public. So for everyone to actually agrees this one is actually agrees that this one is fun, are good, fun, the intentions are good, the delivery is good. Its a great show. Well, lets move on then. God of carnage. Whats again . Of carnage. Whats this again . This is about when this is about people. When you peel away the surfaces, finding out whats going on underneath. This by underneath. So this is by yasmina reza french playwright, 2009. Swept tony awards, 2009. It swept tony awards, olivier awards, everybody was going crazy about it. And its basically two couples, one that are much more overtly signalled as right wing, one much more left wing and liberal. Their two sons, 11 year olds, have got in a fight. And the more right wing couples son has hit the other boy with a stick , broken his boy with a stick, broken his front two teeth. So theyve gathered in their very smart townhouse to discuss in a civilised manner how they will proceed. So back in 2009, all proceed. So back in 2009, all the attention was on how delicious it was with all the passive aggression going on underneath, polite people were seething with dislike. Seething with dislike. Underneath. The play ends in an absolute drunken, angry , absolute drunken, angry, furious, chaotic mess when all the levels and layers have been peeled away and basically theyve all been horrible to each other, to themselves, to their own partners, and the kind of the tenor now is that people are saying , oh, back then it was are saying, oh, back then it was all about the delicious repression. Fast forward 14, 15 years later to reflect how we all deal now with conflict. All deal now with conflict. Right . And its the ending thats resonating more with people where its just vitriol and anger and fury and have we lost any ability to have a polite conversation in. So theres so the whole play is this simmering tension between these two couples over their sons whove fallen out and they dont like each other because of their politics. But they never say thats the reason. Inaya family. Eventually they say everything. But also what will everything. But also what will happen couples happen is the couples occasionally turn on each other. Yeah the two wives will band together. The husbands will get a pally, but something a bit pally, but then something will say will happen. Someone will say something. Fall apart something. Itll all fall apart again. So its this idea that people can connect even from different get close different sides. You get close to understanding and then it to an understanding and then it all and people all falls apart again and people return kind of basic return to their kind of basic forms. Its the problem i have with the play is it uses very with the play is it uses a very heightened language. Its purposely some the purposely silly. Some of the words are not words that you would really in would really use in conversation. Thats not the translation. Christopher hampton has closely the has worked very closely with the playwright so playwright. Its on purpose. So it all becomes a little bit performative. And then for some performative. And then for some reason in the director, i think has told all four on stage to dial it up. So freema agyeman, dial it up. So freema agyeman, who plays the central character veronica a theyre very liberal signalling wife. Its lots of this and lots of its very over the top. And i think i think the top. And i think i think what its saying is that we all perform or nobody really shows their true selves. But even liberal values are just virtue signalling. Its ofsted status. But underneath shes enjoying a very comfortable, interesting life. Life. So its not necessarily having a having making any kind of statement about the right wing couple being i dont being bad and the liberal couple being i dont worthy i dont think it is that simplistic. I dont think its true that theatre just goes against left wing, against right wing people. Its very able to also turn the light in both directions. I think what does is point out think what it does is point out that everybody i the that everybody i think the problem points problem is it ultimately points out everybody underneath is out that everybody underneath is performing shallow, bitter, a little unpleasant. You have little bit unpleasant. You have four stage that four people on stage that ultimately you dont like anybody. So this is a anybody. And so this is a problem. So youre not ever supposed to be taking sides. But for me, i didnt really see a real person in the end. I just saw lots of tropes and types of both sides. So you didnt actually recognise as the character, so you like it very much, you didnt like it very much, did recognise the did you do recognise the bit weve all seen people behave like ourselves behave like weve seen ourselves behave like weve seen ourselves behave likeweve little snide weve all made little snide comments a little aside to comments or a little aside to to, our loved ones about someone else. Yeah. And they get caught doing stage. But as it doing so at one stage. But as it peels it away, i wanted to see a bit more think that would bit more and i think that would be the difference for between be the difference for me between the one just the two plays. One just illuminates nature, which illuminates human nature, which is what shakespeare does. So gloriously still gloriously and why we are still watching later. The watching 400 years later. The other. I dont really other to with. I dont really think there is a political agenda, but it has an agenda that it thinks telling you that it thinks its telling you about and i just about human nature. And i just felt a little bit lectured a little bit here. Look at this. I little bit here. Look at this. I will show you something and it showed me stuff that i already knew but didnt take me any further. Was no real there further. There was no real there was no real person underneath any that. That be my any of that. So that would be my issue that, not the issue with that, not the politics it. It just doesnt politics of it. It just doesnt really deliver believable, really deliver a believable, superficial, which superficial, perhaps very which the supposed the characters are supposed to be. But it doesnt have be. Yeah but it doesnt have anything left underneath. Nowhere to take us. And the ending is just bleak and depressing. I mean, for the best i mean, for me, the best plays you manage to plays are where you manage to find level of sympathy for find a level of sympathy for characters that are totally different from yourself and you not that in this. Not feel that in this. No, not at all. For anybody on any side, you have to you have to warm to some of the characters, even if theyre evil or even theyre nasty. Or even if theyre nasty. Well, there you go. Thats very good. Ill go see. Be blunt. Go and see one. Go and see one. Go see one thing. Ill see as you like it. Ill start with that. Shakespeares globe. Although weather turning. Although the weather is turning. Wont it take but that wont let it take your brolly or take sit undercover. Oh, dont stand. Oh, of undercover. Of course there is undercover. So the seating. I cant stand for three hours. I just wont go in the mosh pit, it were. Thank you very pit, as it were. Thank you very much indeed your time. Much indeed for your time. Stefan there us stefan kyrees is there taking us through latest in the through the very latest in the theatre. Thats it for this theatre. So thats it for this houn theatre. So thats it for this hour. Ill ill be back hour. Ill be but ill be back at top of the hour and at the top of the hour and starting off with our ethical debate, kiss rocked debate, the kiss that rocked spanish football, our chauvinistic getting their chauvinistic men getting their just it all gone just deserts or has it all gone a bit too far . Stay with a little bit too far . Stay with us for that. Us for that. A brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hello , my name is rachel hello, my name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast brought to you by the met office. So some of you have woken up to heavy showers and thunderstorms and these will continue throughout much of today. And these are brought from these are being brought up from these are being brought up from the so through the the continent. So through the engush the continent. So through the English Channel and making their way a cold way north eastwards with a cold front bringing rain front just bringing some rain cloud outbreaks of drizzle cloud and outbreaks of drizzle to the far northwest of scotland. So heavy showers and. And so heavy showers and thunderstorms , really the name thunderstorms, really the name of throughout the rest of the game throughout the rest of the game throughout the rest of these could bring some of the game throughout the rest of torrentialcould bring some of the game throughout the rest of torrential downpours some of the game throughout the rest of torrential downpours and e pretty torrential downpours and frequent lightning hail and also some strong , gusty at some strong, gusty winds at times. But we some strong, gusty winds at times. But we are still looking at temperatures getting into the low 30s across the southeast once again today as we head into this evening. Those thunderstorms and showers will continue to make their way north eastwards , lingering for a time eastwards, lingering for a time into the early hours of monday across southern parts of scotland. But drying up elsewhere with the best of any clear spells in the east, a bit of low cloud mist and fog, though in places especially for western coasts. And its looking western coasts. And its looking like another warm and humid night. So to start the new night. So to start the new working week, some brightness , working week, some brightness, especially in the east at first, but cloud and outbreaks of rain making their way south eastwards throughout the day with some heavy showers and potentially some further thunderstorms developing just ahead of this. But still feeling pretty pleasant in any of that sunshine, though. Temperatures not climbing quite as high as weve seen throughout the weekend. Weekend. A brighter outlook with boxt solar are proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Im andrew weather on. Gb news. Im andrew doyle. Join me at 7 00 every sunday night for free speech nation. The show i tackle the weeks biggest stories in politics and Current Affairs with the help of my two comedian panellists and a variety of special guests. Speech nation sunday free speech nation sunday nights from 7 00 on gb news the peoples channel, britains news channel good afternoon and welcome to sunday with Michael Portillo. This week, hosted by me, emily carver. Now weve got a busy afternoon of arts culture and debate ahead. Make me immortal with a kiss wrote Christopher Marlowe and Luis Rubiales. Kiss marlowe and Luis Rubiales. Kiss may indeed have given him immortal fame, but for all the wrong reasons. Its immortal fame, but for all the wrong reasons. Its weeks now wrong reasons. Its weeks now since the head of spanish football planted an exuberant smooch on the lips of female striker Jenni Hermoso after the strikerJenni Hermoso after the womens team defeated england in the world cup final. But the fallout continues, including the sacking of the team coach and a criminal investigation. Soon criminal investigation. Soon well be debating whether its all got a bit out of hand or perhaps is this comeuppance at last . And there are allegations last . And there are allegations of Sexual Assault. Were also in of Sexual Assault. Were also in the headlines at the Venice Film Festival with three directors variously accused , premiering variously accused, premiering their movies there , including their movies there, including Roman Polanski and woody allen. Their appearances sparked feminist protests. Well be discussing that with journalist judhe discussing that with journalist judite de silva , who is also a judite de silva, who is also a member of the Hollywood Foreign press association. Shell be with and shell be joining with us. And shell be joining us later. So as the issue of us later. So and as the issue of free speech at universities continues to cause concern over in the states , the prestigious in the states, the Prestigious Harvard University has been ranked the worst place of Higher Education for Free Expression in and by some margin. Whats going on . The author of the report will join us to explain. Plus, well have an exclusive extract from Gloria De Pieros interview with rory stewart , where he with rory stewart, where he talks about the downsides of a career in politics. I wonder what they will be before all that. Here are your latest news headunes that. Here are your latest News Headlines with sanchez. Headlines with tatiana sanchez. Emily thank you very much and good afternoon. This is the latest from the newsroom. We start with some breaking news in the last half houn breaking news in the last half hour. The tuc is reporting the government to the United Nations watchdog on workers rights over the new law on strikes. It comes the new law on strikes. It comes as the unions been hosting a conference in liverpool today calling for a legal challenge to the legislation. Often they the legislation. Often they argue the new law is unworkable and will do nothing to resolve the disputes. The government says the new legislation is there to protect the lives of there to protect the lives of the general public and has recently announced a consultation on how the new law will be enacted. More than 2000 will be enacted. More than 2000 people have died in whats described as the deadliest earthquake in morocco since 1967. Divers slept in the open for the second night after the 6. 8 magnitude quake struck remote areas of the Atlas Mountains yesterday. Many fear their homes are no longer safe to return to, with the impact being felt right across the country, more than 2000 people have been injured, half are in a critical condition. The prime critical condition. The Prime Minister says hes confronted Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the 620 Chinese Premier Li Keqiang at the g20 summit in new delhi over beijings alleged aged spying by two men in westminster over the sunday times reported a man in his 30s and a man in his 20s were arrested in march under the official secrets act. One of the men was a researcher with links to several tory mps, including Foreign Affairs Committee Chairwoman Alicia Kearns and security minister tom tugendhat. Both mps denied any contact with the researcher. The Prime Minister says if this is true, its totally unacceptable right approach is to engage with people , but to raise the people, but to raise the concerns that we have. Concerns that we have. Thats what our allies do and our strategy is completely augned our strategy is completely aligned with our closest allies, whether thats america to canada, australia, japan , all canada, australia, japan, all these countries engage with china, raise areas of disagreement, as i did today on a different a range of different topics , but in particular to topics, but in particular to register my very strong concern about any interference with parliamentary democracy, which is obviously unacceptable. Is obviously unacceptable. The justice secretary says around 40 inmates have been moved out from wandsworth prison amid an investigation into Daniel Khalife escape. The former soldier was on the run former soldier was on the run for four days after strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery van. He was tackled from a bicycle on a canal towpath in northolt by an officer yesterday. Alex chalk officer yesterday. Alex chalk says the prison is overcrowded but promises the government is doing all it can to provide resources as out of an abundance of caution. Of caution. Weve taken 42 to move elsewhere. Just as we get to the bottom of what happened. Now, thatis bottom of what happened. Now, that is a sensible interim precaution, free step. And i just also want to make the point about about wandsworth. You know, been issues know, there have been issues with crowding, which i accept, which goes back for not just five years or 25, 30 years, but the difference is we are doing something it. Very, something about it. So very, very significant investment something about it. So very, very sintoicant investment something about it. So very, very sinto prisonsyestment something about it. So very, very sinto prisons. Estment something about it. So very, very sinto prisons. Thfeeil something about it. So very, very sinto prisons. Three well, going into prisons. Three well, two already built 1 1 currently under construction. And these under construction. And these are big, big jails. Russia has launched another air attack on kyiv in the early hours of this morning with blasts ringing out across the capital for almost two hours. A video has captured one of the 32 drones heading for residential buildings. With drone debris falling on several of the citys central districts. The attack comes as yesterdays g20 summit declaration stopped short of condemning russia for the war in ukraine, but rather highlighted the human suffering in the conflict. Ukraine says the declaration is nothing to be proud of. One of keys residents spoke of her fear during the latest attack. Latest attack. It was a very frightening experience. I cant even put it into words. I heard a sound flying over a rustling sound. Then there was a powerful explosion, followed by a huge flash of light. I live on the first floor and the explosion wave was so strong that glass began falling down my window. Curtain tore off, and the dress i had on my window sill were shattered. Defence cuts have left a gap in the uks ability to fight from the air that will last well into the 2030, according to mps. The Commons Defence Committee says cuts set out in 2021 leaves britain dangerously exposed and warned the militarys combat air fleet is alarmingly low in number. The mps have noted, though, that the ministry of defence will spend more than £55 million, sending pilots overseas for fast jet training because of a lack of aircraft availability. This is gb news across the uk on tv, in your car, on Digital Radio and on your Smart Speaker. By radio and on your Smart Speaker. By saying play gb news now its back to. Emily back to. Emily thank you, tatiana. So its thank you, tatiana. So its the public display of affection thats echoed around the world after the spanish womens Football Team defeated england. Unfortunately to win the world cup, the ecstatic spanish football boss grabbed the winning goal scorer and planted an enthusiastic kiss on her lips. Now, fast forward three weeks and Luis Rubiales is facing a criminal investigation for Sexual Assault, not to mention the womens teams. Male coach jorge vilda, having been sacked, so is the saga an example of women finally saying enoughis example of women finally saying enough is enough when it comes to unwanted male attention or has it all gone a bit too far . So to debate this, i am joined by journalist and authorjulie by journalist and author julie kirk and Mental Health campaigner yvette caster. Thank you very much to you both for joining me. Julie, ill start with you. Do you think theres with you. Do you think theres been a bit of hysteria around all of this . Have we taken an all of this . Have we taken an enthusiast kiss, as i called it, and decided to make an absolute well , take too many . Um, whats well, take too many . Um, whats the word . Draw too many conclusions from it. Lets say. Conclusions from it. Lets say. Yes, i think it has. I think its been blown out of all proportion. An and as you said, proportion. An and as you said, it was a kiss on the mouth, but if you look at it, i looked at this kiss over and over this morning, i freeze framed it. I morning, i freeze framed it. I looked at it. What he does is he grabs her in a kind of bear hug. He something to like, he says something to her like, well done. And then he grabs around the head and puts a kiss on now, to me, that on her face. Now, to me, that looked paternal. It looked paternal or or of paternal or or sort of a friendly kiss. Its the kind of kiss you say, well done to your daughter or your child. I didnt see anything sexual about that kiss. Its a man full of pride, his own National Team. One dont forget, hes a spaniard himself. His team won, although hes ,. His team won, although hes, you know, the chair of the fa. You know, the chair of the fa. But. Was exuberant. He but. And he was exuberant. He was excited. He was overjoyed in the moment. I didnt see anything sinister that kiss. Anything sinister in that kiss. Yvette, did you see something sinister in that case . Yes. Yes i think its very easy to keep it simple, really. This is about consent, you know, whether youre a man or a woman, he she they you know, if somebody doesnt want to be grabbed and kissed, then you shouldnt grab and kiss them. Its pretty straightforward. You know , um, straightforward. You know, um, and this is during a big sporting event, you know, the eyes of the world are upon all the players. And its just its the players. And its just its really sad, actually , for spain really sad, actually, for spain and the spanish players who have worked so hard for so many years to get to this level that theyre theyre triumph all their hard work has resulted in this story really. Um its really quite sad. I think that a man has ruined it like this for them. And yet its about consent, in my opinion. Consent, in my opinion. But do you think its worthy of weeks of News Headlines and everyone chipping in to give their view on what happened . A huge amount of judgement. People calling for his head, calling for this to be, you know, a Sexual Assault charge on him. Hes now having to go through a legal process. I believe. Do you legal process. I believe. Do you think that perhaps that that is distracting from real issues of Sexual Assault . Does this really count as Sexual Assault . Should it . It does count as Sexual Assault . Yes, i think it does count as Sexual Assault. You know, some people might say, oh, well , its not like know, some people might say, oh, well, its not like hes jumped out of a bush. Its like hes a rapist or anything. It was just a kiss on the lips. But lets think about this really in terms of their jobs. So if this was a workplace case, if there were a team of sales people and a manager grabbed an employee, grabbed her by the head, as you saw him doing, planted a ipsis, would we say, oh, thats fine , would we say, oh, thats fine, thats just normal behaviour, thats just being enthusiastic. Thats just being enthusiastic. Theyve just won a contract thats totally fine. No, thats you know, against sort of employment laws and i dont see why its any different in this situation. Itsjust why its any different in this situation. Its just not okay. Um , julie, do you see that . Um, julie, do you see that . And its not okay. She didnt consent to this kiss. You cant just go around, you know , just go around, you know, locking lips with whoever you fancy just because youre just. Its just because youre excited. And then, of course, theres the. The power dynamic , theres the. The power dynamic, too. Surely he should be made an example of. Example of. I can see our other guest points completely. And i think, points completely. And i think, you know, consent is needed. Of course. And what he did was wrong. Im not saying what he did was right. He did apologise afterwards for it. And i think, you know, yes, lets lets call out things that arent consensual, but i think in many ways, and on and on ways, going on and on and on about dare say it, kind about this, dare i say it, kind of undermines women who have truly sexual truly experienced a Sexual Assault, a Sexual Assault far greater, a Sexual Assault, far more traumatic, and havent had the same support or National Outcry or even the Police Taking them seriously. I think this was them seriously. I think this was clearly a man exuberant, as i say , happy in the moment, say, happy in the moment, congratulating his fellow National Team and think its been blown out of all proportions. And i also think that , you know, your proportions. And i also think that, you know, your your gay thing. Im not pronouncing that right, george sevilla wilder and hes done so much for womens football and hes now had his head on the block. You know, hes been 17 years bringing money to womens football, bringing respect to womens football. Hes done an immense amount. And i think putting his head on the block as well simply for sort of, you know, not crying out about this more, again, its just out of proportion. Can you see how some people believe this has been taken out of all proportion and that the endless headlines on this subject are just a bit crazy . Can you understand why some people would think that when you look at the amount of news its generated and women unfortunately are abused every day of the week assaulted, and that perhaps this may be is making light of the experience of people who have had serious Sexual Assault or should all instances of non consensual touching, whether its kissing or anything else, be taken as seriously . And this is very important for womens rights as well. I would say. Yes, its the i would say. Yes, its the thin end of the wedge. You know, theres a scale, isnt there . Theres a scale of inappropriate behaviour and theres a scale of Sexual Assaults. But i think we have to say no. You know, i have to say no. You know, i think its very straightforward consent honest, whether consent to be honest, whether its a kiss or someone getting groped or, you know , a rape, to groped or, you know, a rape, to be honest, i think its looking at behaviour. The men in power at behaviour. The men in power and how they use that power and how they then abuse that power. I can also see how maybe people from a different generation , from a different generation, like maybe in the 70s when things were maybe quite different in say, the workplace would read about this and think, oh well, its only a kiss, but times have changed. You know, weve the Metoo Movement , weve had the Metoo Movement, people have been thinking about things different way. Things in a different way. I mean, remember when i was mean, i remember when i was younger clubs in my 20s younger going to clubs in my 20s and just getting younger going to clubs in my 20s and and just getting younger going to clubs in my 20s and and itjust getting younger going to clubs in my 20s and and it was getting younger going to clubs in my 20s and and it was sorting younger going to clubs in my 20s and and it was sort of like groped and it was sort of like we put up with it. But we just put up with it. But young women dont put up with it now and thats you know . Now and thats good, you know . And right that people and its right that people are complaining things complaining about these things and do yes, it is and i do think, yes, it is a shame that its of maybe shame that its sort of maybe the has been on that the focus has been on that rather the victory. But at rather than the victory. But at the time, maybe to the same time, maybe we need to have these conversations so that people do finally start to get it start to accept it and they start to accept that we cant behave like this. Yeah. And terms of the thing about and in terms of the thing about villa, manager, i mean, it villa, the manager, i mean, it wasnt just the fact that he didnt back up his team and regarding the kiss, there were 15 women beforehand who were complaining about his conduct, not in terms of anything. It was not in terms of anything. It was more to do with like how he was, whether he was being professional in terms of how he was training his players. So a lot of them felt that that he wasnt doing a very job wasnt doing a very good job there, wasnt being very there, that he wasnt being very supportive. Of supportive. And so a lot of them, you know, elite athletes, they not to go the they chose not to go to the world cup. So the top of their game, they chose not to get involved can you imagine . Involved there. Can you imagine . Can imagine a of male can you imagine a sort of male england players being in that situation having such situation and having such a problem that problem with the manager that they go, no, we dont want they just go, no, we dont want to the world cup because to play in the world cup because of this manager behaving. Of how this manager is behaving. So there must be stuff so i think there must be stuff that just know about that we just dont know about that, you know, theres a reason that, you know, theres a reason that were sort of that these women were sort of going not implying going and im not implying anything, by the way, necessarily. Saying dont necessarily. Im saying i dont know. Im saying is know. But what im saying is like obviously had reason like they obviously had a reason in how he was behaving in terms of how he was behaving as a manager, his professionalism there. So it feels feels a bit like feels a bit it feels a bit like a Metoo Movement for womens football. But julie, i mean, i would be appalled if someone i trusted and a trusted position just decided to give me a big kiss in front of the world and i didnt want it. Of course i would be. But do you think theres a risk that we see over Police Relationships between men and women . Women . I think there could be a danger of that. At the moment. I agree completely with again, with with my co debater here that , you know, its great that that, you know, its great that its being called out. Its great that women can stand up now and say, no, i dont want that. Im you know, im a woman myself. Im not saying i think we should go back dark we should go back to the dark ages. Course not. And i just ages. Of course not. And i just think that this particular example so overanalysed. As example is so overanalysed. As i say, it do say, i freeze framed it to do this show to really this show today to really analyse and theres nothing analyse it and theres nothing to there for, you know, to analyse there for, you know, its, its excuse and happy its, its an excuse and happy man grabbing someone and yes, he overstepped mark yes , it overstepped the mark and yes, it was but it wasnt sort of was wrong, but it wasnt sort of sinister. It wasnt behind closed doors, you know, the fact that it was front of the that it was in front of the world, i think shows he world, i think shows that he felt there nothing sinister felt there was nothing sinister there. Know, it was just there. You know, it was just simply im pleased. Im simply im really pleased. Im really you. And as really proud of you. And as i say to me, it looked quite paternal. Well, and think we paternal. Well, and i think we also to look at the culture also need to look at the culture here of kissing. And, you know, hes guy by the hes a spanish guy by the continent, a far more kissy than we over here. Certainly we are over here. Certainly i lived in italy for seven years and people would regularly go up to each other and kiss each other. And it was, you know, it was completely normal. And historically, kissing has has always thing. You know, historically, kissing has has alwyancient thing. You know, historically, kissing has has alwyancient romans. You know, historically, kissing has has alwyancient romans kissed now, historically, kissing has has alwyancient romans kissed each the ancient romans kissed each other mouth, you know, other on the mouth, you know, and think we need to just its and i think we need to just its a kiss. Its just a kiss. Yeah. I think we probably yeah. I think we can probably all it probably all agree that it probably wasnt in best way wasnt handled in the best way by rubiales himself. But thank by rubiales himself. But thank you very much indeed for your time for that fantastic debate. Time for that fantastic debate. Juue time for that fantastic debate. Julie cook and yvette caster, there. Its a tricky one, that there. Its a tricky one, that one, i think. I think it probably has been overblown when you look at all the issues that we face in the world, in this country and in spain as well. I mean , this seems pretty minor, mean, this seems pretty minor, but then you can say, you know, women need to obviously consent to their interaction with men and that if this man can be used in an example to stop future men behaving in such a disrespectful way, then perhaps thats what needs to be done. But let me know what you think. And its not just in spain. The allegations of predatory behaviour have been making waves. Venice festival waves. The Venice Film Festival all saw controversy over the very same issue. Well find out after the break. Whats going on with juditha silva. With juditha da silva. A brighter outlook with boxt solar the proud sponsors of weather on. Gb news good afternoon. My name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast brought to you by the met office. So there have been plenty of heavy showers and thunderstorms around already today. Thunderstorms around already today. And if we look at this today. And if we look at this chart can these chart here, you can see these occlusions mark bit of a focus occlusions mark a bit of a focus for some these showers for some of these showers as we go the rest today. So go through the rest of today. So looking at this afternoon and this evening, a continuation of those thunderstorms where we could hail strong, could see some hail and strong, gusty at times and they gusty winds at times and they will slowly clear away into the nonh will slowly clear away into the north sea , lingering for a time north sea, lingering for a time there across southern scotland before we see a band of cloud and rain make its way south eastwards. But thats all during whats to going be another warm and night starting the new and humid night starting the new working week. There will be some brightness across the east with any mist, fog and low cloud lifting and breaking through. Monday morning before we see cloud and outbreaks of rain erratically spreading southeastward as theres a chance of some showers and maybe some further heavy showers and thunderstorms developing just ahead of this. And those temperatures starting to come down from what weve seen through the weekend. So highs of 27 in the southeast , eight now 27 in the southeast, eight now as we look into tuesday , that as we look into tuesday, that band of cloud and rain will become a little heavier, but slow moving as well as it moves into england and wales, but becoming cooler and fresher behind more in way of behind with more in the way of brightness. Sets the brightness. And that sets the theme for the rest of the week. Feeling quite changeable and autumnal temperatures autumnal with those temperatures dropping back towards dropping down back towards average , a brighter outlook with average, a brighter outlook with boxt solar proud sponsors of weather on. Britains news. Channel britains news. Channel welcome back. Now the Venice Film Festival has just wrapped up and its giving us an idea of what this years movie awards season might look like. It season might look like. It wasnt without controversy as the red carpet was rolled out. For filmmakers that have received the Cold Shoulder elsewhere recently, including roman and woody allen. Roman polanski and woody allen. So to talk us through it, weve got a member of the Hollywood Foreign press association, judhe Foreign Press association, judite de silva, the studio judite de silva, in the studio with you much with me. Thank you very much indeed. Were some indeed. Yes, there were some controversial faces , werent there . Yes, there were. Its kind of yes, there were. Its kind of it was expected when they announced the list of films that were going to be showing and there already issues then. There was already issues then. But the biggest we but i think the biggest here we know Roman Polanskis know that Roman Polanskis film was press and was skewered by the press and there protests when the film there was protests when the film was but was more so was shown, but it was more so the allen thing because he the woody allen thing because he showed there was women showed up and there was women protesting outside in the press. He spoke to all the big press outlets and addressed cancel culture. And he has what hes always which is a defiance always had, which is a defiance about him that he doesnt acknowledge nothing acknowledge it. Nothing has changed gets changed for him. He still gets films when you know films made. But when you know the business, hardly films made. But when you know the distributionzss, hardly films made. But when you know the distribution in, hardly films made. But when you know the distribution in the hardly gets distribution in the us. Woody allen ten years ago can pick the phone to anyone. Pick up the phone to anyone. They will now. They will show up now. They wont even take the call and remind us of the allegations. So the allegations were against mia against his daughter with mia farrow, dylan farrow, said farrow, dylan farrow, who said that molested by him that she was molested by him when she was child. Hbo did when she was a child. Hbo did a whole series it and hes whole series about it and hes maintained that he was hes innocent. And to this day, between the two, the two children, he had with mia farrow and also the adopted child that he ended up marrying, thats still his wife today. Theres been a murky cloud around the woody allen name since then, and he just its declined the kind of lustre he used to have back in the day. So does Venice Film Festival take a rather laissez faire approach to this type of thing . I think they have a very european approach , that they are european approach, that they are very idealistic about the this utopian view of art as art, and it exists above all else. So it exists above all else. So whether its politics or any grievance you have interpersonally, it doesnt come to art. But unfortunately, art is an extension of human nature and they bleed into one another. And if someone is seen as being so elementally compromised , you so elementally compromised, you cannot create that delineation between them. And of course , i mean, thats and of course, i mean, thats a very interesting debate to have. Yeah but of course it conflicts with all the Metoo Movement , of conflicts with all the Metoo Movement, of course, which was, you know , very powerful movement you know, very powerful movement for a long time. You know, very powerful movement for a longtime. But you know, very powerful movement for a long time. But there you for a long time. But there you 90, for a long time. But there you go, old faces there. Yeah. So go, old faces there. Yeah. So why dont we have a look at the film thats taken the top prize poor things which stars emma stone. Yeah. So this is a great one because its directed by yorgos lanthimos, who directed the favourites that have made Olivia Colman an a lister in hollywood. And the thing with emma stone, ever since she won her oscar for la la land, shes been very clever about the films. Shes chosen. The chosen. Shes done the favourite, shes teamed up with him again for poor things and people have said shes the beating heart of this film. And chances award season chances are come award season one, going to be one of one, shes going to be one of the names in the mix. But at venice, if youre in, if you win the golden lion, you cant go up for acting for one of the best acting categories. Went to peter categories. Those went to Peter Sarsgaard and memory and Cailee Spaeny priscilla, it seems spaeny in priscilla, it seems like are doing like womens stories are doing well. Doing well like womens stories are doing well. Because ing well like womens stories are doing well. Because the well like womens stories are doing well. Because the big well like womens stories are doing well. Because the big films indeed, because the big films like ferrari every one says its adam drivers film, at adam drivers film, but at venice was talking venice everyone was talking about Penelope Cruz playing the jilted ferrari. Jilted wife of enzo ferrari. Shes a breathtaking in the film. And then when you go to the priscilla , everyones talking priscilla, everyones talking about Cailee Spaeny , and its about Cailee Spaeny, and its just a kind of its a good thing to see that even though you dont have to push the feminist agenda, performances speak for themselves one side, themselves. So on the one side, you the woody allen you have the woody allen controversy, then have controversy, but then you have the bursting the talent of women bursting through coppola as a through Sofia Coppola as a director, ava as director, ava duvernay as a director, ava duvernay as a director, black woman to director, first black woman to be in competition. So its a great look. Well, thank you very much indeed for joining well, thank you very much indeed forjoining me on the indeed for joining me on the sofa us through the sofa to take us through the venice festival. Lots Venice Film Festival. Lots of brilliant by the sound of brilliant films by the sound of it that well be able to watch very soon. Now, the uks oldest pubuc very soon. Now, the uks oldest public outdoor Swimming Pool is to the public this to reopen to the public this weekend 20 years for weekend. Its taken 20 years for a of volunteers to a group of volunteers to reconstruct and rebuild cleveland in this Cleveland Pools in bath this weekend , theyre finally opening weekend, theyre finally opening the doors to the first swimmers in nearly 40 years. We sent our South West England south west of england reporter jeff moody to have a little look around. They havent swum here since 1984. But finally , the uks 1984. But finally, the uks oldest lido is back in business. Thanks to paul simons and his team from cleveland. Pools trust i its been a 20 year haul at times it felt impossible. Times it felt impossible. Theres been a lot of things thrown in our way. Thats meant delays. Additional costs need delays. Additional costs need for more fundraising. Ask our principal funders like the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic England and the council, please can we have a bit more money and its been really a labour of love. One has to say that the lido has been here since the reign of george the fourth regency folk taking to the water not just for exercise wise, but for entertainment too. Entertainment too. Sally helvey is head of talks and tours. It was opened in july 1817. It had a little bit of a chequered history from the start , but i would say the most exciting era and the busiest era apart from the more recent 50, 60 70s 80s was the Victorian Era , and thats thanks to local eccentric captain evans , who put eccentric captain evans, who put on shows for crowds and hosted swimming competitions on the half moon changing block is baths smallest georgian crescent. The restoration is as close to the original as possible, but what has changed . The swimmers themselves are very different. And of course it was all about immersion then, you know , about immersion then, you know, and benefiting from from immersion. And they would have immersion. And they would have had all these clothes on as well. I mean, the men we believe swam here naked , they were very swam here naked, they were very much segregated from the from the women. And in fact, the ladies pool building wouldnt have had a door and windows at the front and it didnt have a roof. Had you know, six roof. It had a, you know, six foot, think, plunge pool. It foot, we think, plunge pool. It would have come at the back would have come in at the back very discreetly. And actually the end building had a little fireplace it. Perhaps they fireplace in it. So perhaps they warmed there before they warmed up in there before they went home. Warmed up in there before they weragain,a. Taken grit and again, its taken grit and determination to restore these baths weekend. Baths from this weekend. Swimmers will once more enjoy the lido, and this time men and women will enjoy it together. Women will enjoy it together. Jeff moody gb news lido. Jeff moody gb news lido. Lido. I wouldnt mind a trip there. Its very hot indeed this afternoon. Anyway, that was jeff moody. In minutes, moody. Now, in a few minutes, ill be joined by Sean Stephens from the foundation for individual rights and expression. To tell expression. Hes going to tell me why americas most prestigious universities are also intolerant towards also the most intolerant towards free speech. But before that, here are your News Headlines with tatiana sanchez. With tatiana sanchez. Emily, thank you very much and good afternoon. Its exactly 1230. This is the latest from the newsroom. More than 2000 people have died in whats described as the deadliest earthquake in morocco since 1966. Divers slept in the open for the second night after the 6. 8 magnitude quake struck remote areas of the Atlas Mountains yesterday. Many fear mountains yesterday. Many fear their homes are no longer safe to return to with the impact being felt right across the country, more than 2000 people have been injured, half are in a critical condition. The tuc is critical condition. The tuc is reporting the government, critical condition. The tuc is reporting the government , the reporting the government, the United Nations watchdog on workers rights over the new law on strikes, ensuring minimum levels of service during industrial action. The tucs general secretary says the legislation falls far short of International Legal standards , International Legal standards, but the government says its there to protect the lives of there to protect the lives of the general public and has recently announced a consultation on how the new law will be enacted. The prime will be enacted. The Prime Minister says hes confronted Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the 620 Chinese Premier Li Qiang at the g20 summit in new delhi over beijings alleged spying by two men in westminster for the sunday times reported. A man in sunday times reported. A man in his 30s and a man in his 20s were arrested in march under the official secrets acts. One of official secrets acts. One of the men was a researcher with links to several tory mps, as both mps denied any contact with the researcher. And the justice the researcher. And the justice secretary says around 40 inmates have been moved out from wandsworth prison amid an investigation into Daniel Khalife escape. The former soldier was on the run for four days after strapping himself to the bottom of a food delivery van. He was tackled from a bicycle on a canal towpath in northolt by an officer yesterday. You can get more on all of those stories by visiting our website, gbnews. Com. Emily is back after this. Christys on gb news. Im gb news radio. Radio. Welcome back. Now its World Suicide Prevention Day today and Gloria De Piero sat down with the former concert minister, rory stewart. He revealed rory stewart. He revealed harrowing details of a Mental Health crisis among mps , and he Health Crisis among mps, and he also talks about his time in the front line of politics. This this is life and times with rory stewart. Stewart. Rory stewart is good to see you. We got elected back in you. We got elected back in 2010. Different parties at the at the same time, were veterans together. Together. We went through the wringer together. Really did your list of achievements is far more impressive than mine. You are a former diplomat. Youre a former former diplomat. Youre a former conservative cabinet minister. Youre a former tory leadership candidate. Youre a co host of a very the most successful politics podcast , an academic. Politics podcast, an academic. And this book comes out, the day after. This is broadcast. And i after. This is broadcast. And i really enjoyed it. And im going to talk largely to you about your experiences that youve detailed about your time in westminster in the book. But first of all, i just want to ask you, do you wish you were sitting here as Prime Minister . Yes i do. I think it would have been a pretty tumultuous ride. Its not pretty tumultuous ride. Its not been easy. Brexit covid, but i felt that we had a real opportunity in 2019 to try to bnng opportunity in 2019 to try to bring the country together a bit more. I felt it was terribly kind of divided and fractured. Friend of mine just pointed out that the opinion polls when that in the opinion polls when you in parliament, you and i were in parliament, 50 of people who voted remain said they wouldnt speak to someone voted and someone whod voted brexit and vice. And only 25 of vice versa. And only 25 of either side were prepared to allow their children to marry someone from the other camp. So i really felt that what we needed to do is bring people together, not get into this horrible standoff of us against them. Do you see a future for yourself in politics . I think its difficult. I mean , you know, politics just as mean, you know, politics just as well as i do. Im not somebody whos in a very easy position with parties. I sadly broke with a conservative party because i belonged to a tradition of a much more, i guess, centrist but more traditional conservative ism. And so i dont feel comfortable in direction of the partys going at the moment. Same time, obviously im not a labour supporter because i have very traditional views about the world, so i think unless we change our electoral system and its one of the things i want to encourage, i think these parties are basically all dead and broken and only way to broken and the only way to actually bring some new fresh ideasinis actually bring some new fresh ideas in is to do what new zealand did, which is to change their electoral system a bit more proportional representation, smaller parties coming in. You decided who youre have you decided who youre going for next i going to vote for next year . I havent, no. Usually when i really usually when i get really stuck, im afraid i give up and vote for the lib dems. Vote for the lib dems. Okay, so lets talk about this memoir that youve written about your time in politics. Youre very critical of westminster , but youre also westminster, but youre also critical of yourself. And ive critical of yourself. And ive got picked out a few quotes to illustrate this. Lets start with the real person i despised in all of this. This was when you were in your first term as a member of parliament, the real person who was despised in all of this was myself. Why . Well, im as you say, im quite critical of colleagues. But what want to explain is but what i want to explain is that i was if not worse that i was as bad if not worse than all of them. I think what westminster does, i know westminster does, i dont know whether you felt this because you came in with very you came in with a very impressive you impressive career before you came parliament. It came into parliament. Is it often takes people who, outside parliament are actually reasonable right . Very reasonable people, right . Very strange. Came in strange. You know, i came in with who were successful with people who were successful doctors, colonels in the army , doctors, colonels in the army, businesspeople, writers , businesspeople, writers, historians, academics and within a few months, we were all these sort of being treated like schoolchild by the whips. Its schoolchild by the whips. Its a very, very odd system. Nothing is what it seems. Its like alice in wonderland. Youre making speeches in the house of Commons Chamber and literally nobodys listening. You know, all your colleagues are on their phones, your and phones, so maybe your mum and even she gives up pretty soon with listening to your speeches in the house of commons and you realise whole thing is realise that the whole thing is basically about creeping up to your bosses. I rebelled against your bosses. I rebelled against David Cameron when i was early on in my time in parliament and George Osborne said, if you rebel, were not going to promote you for five years. Now that doesnt sound like a big deal that doesnt sound like a big deal. I guess to the public listening, they like fine, but actually into to actually youve come into to parliament try to do things and make a difference and to spend five stuck the five years stuck on the backbenches , you know . Backbenches watching, you know . Liz truss, who joined at the same time as you becoming a cabinet minister because youve rebelled once and you end up and this is why i ended up despising myself, i would find myself sort of creepily trying to sit next to David Cameron at lunch and id send these texts saying, you know, congratulations on your latest policy. I didnt really believe in. And so i began to feel that i was being made at in my early 40s into some kind of child. And one of the things that you say in the book about sending texts about praising the Prime Ministers latest initiatives, you say texts which even now make my ears burn with embarrassment. Embarrassment. You feel a sense of shame at how you you behave because, you know, i like you and i, like many members of parliament. You know, id been the acting governor of an iraqi province responsible for 3 Million People in a harvard professor. Id run a charity in afghanistan , and i a charity in afghanistan, and i thought that i was a reasonably substantial person. And i realised that as soon as i became an mp , all thats wiped became an mp, all thats wiped out. Nobody takes you seriously anymore. I remember this guy called archie norman, who was the chief executive of asda , the chief executive of asda, came into the house. A big figure. Yeah. And and you were. Yeah. You would have thought that if youd been the chief executive run a huge executive of asda and run a huge supermarket people take executive of asda and run a huge sup become chair of the defence select committee, so this was quite a big honour for me. I was a first term mp. Id stood labour mps voted conservative mps. Labour mps voted conservative mp5. I labour mps voted conservative mps. I turned up for my first day to chair my committee and theres a sort of mutiny and these say we demand these older mps say we demand that you never speak again to the press without our permission. And im thinking , permission. And im thinking, well, is that a thing . Are they allowed to say that . Is that am i missing some unwritten rule of parliament . The truth was theyre just making it up. They theyre just making it up. They have power at all to control have no power at all to control my speak to the press my ability to speak to the press. Theyre sitting there. But theyre all sitting there having worked this all out amongst themselves as because theyre angry. Theyre angry theyre angry. Theyre angry that theyve stood to be chair of the defence committee. And ive elected they want ive been elected and they want to me down a peg or two. To knock me down a peg or two. Its a very. Now, why does this matter . It doesnt matter in terms of mean, obviously terms of me. I mean, obviously its irrelevant. My funny fragility , vanity, ego was it fragility, vanity, ego was it matters. Is that what that means for when these mps become ministers . If you treat people as children , if you treat them as children, if you treat them as children, if you treat them as though theyre incompetent, lazy, dishonest , you do not lazy, dishonest, you do not prepare them to take responsibility seriously and properly. And i felt when i was eventually sitting around the cabinet table that the ten years of kind of hazing, sort of schoolyard hazing doesnt produce proud indian dependent, confident decision makers. Confident decision makers. Right. Even when theyre at the cabinet table, theyre still sending creepy texts to the Prime Minister, hoping they can get a slightly more senior job get a slightly more seniorjob at the cabinet table. Right. Given everything you learned, recognise a lot of learned, i recognise a lot of what you say in it. From my own experience. Audience you experience. Audience i want you to give advice s to the to give some advice s to the mps, the new mps , because hes mps, the new mps, because hes only going to change from within who get elected next year. How can they stop becoming these terrible creatures . Terrible creatures . So you and i came in at the end of the expenses scandal and i thought that was a huge opportunity that we missed. I think all of the 2010 intake should have come together and said actually what was going on was disgusting. We were going to sign code of conduct. Sign up to a code of conduct. Were going to behave like were not going to behave like this. Other instead of this. Other lot, instead of which was so delighted which everybody was so delighted to immediately to be elected. They immediately wanted like the wanted to be just like the people before. So id like to see do that. I mean, see the new mps do that. I mean, im interested id like to put it on you, though, because it back on you, though, because you went through exactly the same and i worry writing same thing. And i worry writing the that im going to come the book that im going to come across sort of across as completely sort of bitter unfair because im bitter and unfair because im more critical. But do you feel it resonated with your experience . Experience . It and actually , i think it did. And actually, i think people the machine expected me because id been a Television Presenter to be able to go out and advocate the party line a lot more. But what i realised is that i couldnt remember lines that i couldnt remember lines that had been written by somebody else and i could make them look naturalist. And i said, hang on, i have to step back. Its very difficult. Its abnormal to be able to deliver lines that somebody else has written that dont believe often. Yeah, exactly. You dont fully or you dont fully fully believe or you dont fully understand. Yeah, yeah. Understand. Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, its hard. And i. Liz no, its very hard. And i. Liz truss. Patel who were my truss. Priti patel who were my first two bosses, were kind of masters at this. And i remember sort of watching them on television already repeating wrong. I think in those days it was is the long Term Economic plan is working. The long Term Economic plan is working. But i think although that might work in the short term , its very in the short term, its very damaging. The long term. One of damaging. The long term. One of the reasons why the public dont trust politicians, why almost half the public says they now dont want watch the news is dont want to watch the news is because this, much more because of this, were much more comfortable about mental because of this, were much more comforthese about mental because of this, were much more comforthese days. About Mental Health these days. Thank goodness very thank goodness some very prominent people have smashed taboos and theres been some great campaigns this. I great campaigns about this. I read something that you said on your podcast actually about mps breakdowns and suicide attempts because you the politics is because you said the politics is deeply unpleasant. Because you said the politics is deeply unpleasant. Did you you watch some colleagues sort of crumb bill oh, terrible. I mean genuinely terrible. I mean, i dont want to talk about the specifics because this is deeply personal to people. But yes, colleagues tried to kill themselves. People i knew, themselves. People i knew, i mean, in very serious ways. I mean, in very serious ways. I mean, almost killed themselves. There was a miracle they werent dead. There were other colleagues who had total breakdowns in the most humiliating, breakdowns in the most humiliating , personal, humiliating, personal, embarrassing fashion possible in public. I mean, it was and i think this is because the gap between the way that mps are encouraged to present themselves to the public and who they really are is almost unsustainable for most people. Its mad because youre pretending to be this all knowing, perfect dynamic, confident. But ive got the confident. But ive got the answers to everything. I know answers to everything. I know where were going. The truth is , this is a country of 70 Million People. All politicians dont really know whats going on. Idea that anybody on. The idea that anybody actually understands whats going every hospital going on in every hospital in this and yet we this country is mad. And yet we pretend to public, dont pretend to the public, dont worry, got it fixed. Im worry, ive got it fixed. Im sorting out the x rays and the carlyle youre not carlyle infirmary. Youre not sorting the x rays in the sorting out the x rays in the carlisle infirmary, are you . By the final question. By the way, i could chat to you for a lot longer. Im intrigued because a few ago, you admitted few years ago, you admitted smoking at a wedding in smoking opium at a wedding in iran. Whats opium like . It didnt have much well, it didnt have much impact on me. In this impact on me. So in this particular village, its a polite thing. Youre invited to the wedding and they pass it all the wedding and they pass it all the way around. So this thing got to me and thought, oh, got to me and i thought, oh, better polite. And i then set better be polite. And i then set off up the hill and i thought, im going to this sort of im going to have this sort of strange out of body experience. Im going to have this sort of strang okay. Okay. Wyouve done ve, youve okay. Okay. Wyouve done as, youve okay. Okay. Wyouve done a good ve okay. Okay. Wyouve done a good job for done youve done a good job for the war on drugs. There rory stewart , genuine pleasure. And stewart, genuine pleasure. And im sure this is going to do really well. I really enjoyed it. Thank you. Thank you very much indeed. Well, there you go. A rather broad ranging interview there with rory stewart. Life as a politician, Mental Health issues and yes, a little bit of drug taking there at the end. Well, leading on from that latest nhs figures show that over 3. 1 Million People used Mental Health services outside of hospitals , an increase of 16. 8 hospitals, an increase of 16. 8 since 2020. Now isaac kenyon from devon is taking on a full ironman off road challenge today in north devon to symbolise Mental Health struggles and encourage more of us to open up so our National Reporter Theo Chikomba has been to meet him. Chikomba has been to meet him. After six months of training, isaacis after six months of training, isaac is taking on the ironman challenge. Its a test of challenge. Its a test of endurance where hell swim 2. 4 miles, cycle for 112 miles and run a full marathon. But this is no ordinary ironman as hell be carrying 15kg of iron. So i wanted to do something that would you know, talk about this sort of problem that a lot of people were having with suicide, which is 700,000 people in the world right now are, you know, taking their life every year. And its growing. So World Suicide Prevention Day, i decided to do a challenge that represents that sort of hidden burden that people carry that i was carrying. And after university, when had mental university, when i had my Mental Health was health issues, you know, i was carrying hidden burden. And carrying this hidden burden. And what was what actually helped was speaking out, open conversations , reducing weight, getting , reducing the weight, getting rid of this. Families like alans and its families like alans that isaac is supporting. Theres an took his own life in december 2016 after going through challenging times with his Mental Health. They say life hasnt been the same ever since. No matter what alans Mental Health was a life. Was much health was a life. Was much better when he was around and i just want to really put this. Just want to really put this. Our life is shattered since he went and his presence is so missed to everyone in. We did try and ask him to seek help. We said you know go for a life coach, go and see a life coach or whenever said go and see a psychologist or whatever. Just go and get some whatever. Just go and get some help, you know, and he just was very angry with that suggestion. And yeah , personally, i always. And yeah, personally, i always felt that we were helping him to keep on floating mind. Keep on floating mind. Charity centres like this one in saint albans operate across the country, providing facilities and sessions like this. So people dont face Mental Health problems alone. They believe prevention is better than cure. So since 2019, weve seen a 60 increase in the numbers of people coming to see us, which sounds is a lot and it is a lot of people. So where people might have come in 2019 or earlier and they would have joined an art group and they would have done things that would support their recovery. Now theyre really wanting that 1 to 1 which actually really stretches our capacity. Capacity. As for isaac, his challenge certainly wont be easy, but he says it will go a long way in raising awareness and removing the stigma around seeking help. The stigma around seeking help. Theo chikomba. Gb news. Theo chikomba. Gb news. All right. Well, Martin Daubney has appeared. Hes going to be taking over in just a few minutes. So martin, weve discussed all sorts politics, arts , film festivals, everything arts, film festivals, everything weve heard from rory stewart. What are you going to be doing . Well, were looking at rishi sunak at the g20. Sunak at the g20. And once again, rishi has found £1. 6 billion to choke at the Green Climate change fund. Where is this money coming from . Well, that is the big question. The £1. 6 billion question, how come we havent got any money domestically . You know, were domestically . You know, were all feeling the pinch in the cost of living crisis. It seems to me every time rishi goes abroad, sheds millions or abroad, he sheds millions or billions of pounds and its like, well, hang on a minute. Doesnt Charity Begin at home . Thats the first one. And also, they its bit rich that they think its a bit rich that india 21 of the worlds 30 india has 21 of the worlds 30 most polluted cities. Theyre the biggest polluter on the third biggest polluter on the third biggest polluter on the and patrick says, the planet. And as patrick says, they have a Space Programme and wallop. Were giving £1. 6 wallop. Were giving £1. 6 billion to help developing countries to not pollute. How about just dont pollute . Why should we pay the bill . Well, i mean, what did modi say . He said the Prime Minister say . He said the Prime Minister there. Did he not say that . He he doesnt want to be lectured on Climate Change yet . Were giving lots of money in order to pursue Climate Change. Well, i well, i think the lecturing from modi is working people seem to be kowtowing to him and certainly its an expensive hobby. Also, at the same summit , also, at the same summit, theres news that rishi might team up with giorgia meloni. Of course , now italys premier, course, now italys premier, whos had a hard line on allowing boats to land from nonh allowing boats to land from north africa into italy. And so rishi is promising to join up with her and stop the boats. Can he do that . Well, the only boat he do that . Well, the only boat he stopped was the bibby stockholm. Can he do that . Well find out on Martin Daubney show. Stay tuned for that. Michael portillo will sunday. Thank will be back next sunday. Thank you indeed joining will be back next sunday. Thank you this indeed joining will be back next sunday. Thank youthis morning. Deed joining will be back next sunday. Thank you this morning. Thank joining will be back next sunday. Thank you this morning. Thank you ning will be back next sunday. Thank you this morning. Thank you tog me this morning. Thank you to all my guests, especially all of those who came into the studio. Please do. Enjoy your weekend. Please do. Enjoy your weekend. Enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. And goodbye. Lasts. And goodbye. Looks like things are heating up in boxt boilers. Proud sponsors of weather on gb news. Good afternoon. My name is good afternoon. My name is rachel ayers and welcome to your latest gb news Weather Forecast brought to you by met brought to you by the met office. So there have been plenty heavy and plenty of heavy showers and thunderstorms around already today. Look this today. And if we look at this chart here, can see these chart here, you can see these occlusions mark bit a focus occlusions mark a bit of a focus for some of these showers as we go rest of today. So go through the rest of today. So looking afternoon and looking at this afternoon and this continue. Nation this evening, a continue. Nation of those thunderstorms where we could see some hail and strong gusty winds at times and they will slowly clear away into the nonh will slowly clear away into the north sea, lingering for a time there across southern scotland north sea, lingering for a time there we ss southern scotland north sea, lingering for a time there we seeyuthern scotland north sea, lingering for a time there we see athern scotland north sea, lingering for a time there we see athern of tland north sea, lingering for a time there we see athern of cloud before we see a band of cloud and make its way south and rain make its way south eastwards. But thats during eastwards. But thats all during whats be another warm whats going to be another warm and humid night starting the new working will be some working week. There will be some brightness the with brightness across the east with any low cloud any mist, fog and low cloud lifting breaking through. Lifting and breaking through. Monday we see lifting and breaking through. Mondand we see lifting and breaking through. Mondand outbreaks we see lifting and breaking through. Mondand outbreaks of we see lifting and breaking through. Mondand outbreaks of rain see cloud and outbreaks of rain erratically southeast erratically spreading southeast woods, some woods, theres a chance of some showers maybe some further showers and maybe some further heavy. And thunderstorms heavy showers. And thunderstorms developing just ahead of this. And those temperatures starting to come down from what weve seen through the weekend. So highs of 27 in the southeast right as we look right now as we look into tuesday, that band of cloud and rain become little rain will become a little heavier, well heavier, but slow moving as well as it moves into england and wales. Becoming cooler wales. But becoming cooler and fresher with in the fresher behind with more in the way brightness and that sets way of brightness and that sets the theme rest of the the theme for the rest of the week. Feeling quite changeable and with those and autumnal with those temperatures dropping down back towards like towards average, looks like things up. Things are heating up. Boxed boilers, proud sponsors of weather on gb news. Im andrew doyle. Join me at 7 00 every sunday night for free speech nation. The show right tackle. The weeks biggest stories in politics and Current Affairs. The my two affairs. With the help of my two comedian and comedian panellists and a variety special guests, free variety of special guests, free speech