News for the conservatives came in the form of an official recession , with gdp falling 0. 3 recession, with gdp falling 0. 3 in the final few months of last yeah in the final few months of last year. Britain endured two successive quarters of economic contraction. Rishi insists that contraction. Rishi insists that his plan is working, but how much responsibility does he bear for the grim Economic News . Ukrainian forces are on the back foot as they retreat from the eastern town of avdiivka, where Russian Forces threatened to surround them if, as some analysts predict , other european analysts predict, other European Countries will find themselves in a similar shooting match with russia in the next decade , how russia in the next decade, how would they fare . Max jeffrey has just returned from estonia , just returned from estonia, where he observed nato forces taking part in military training exercises. He will join me to discuss what he saw and found , discuss what he saw and found, and for the sting in the tale of the first hour of the program, Stefan Kyriazis has been the busiest of bees this week , busiest of bees this week, taking in four new Theatrical Productions, including a musical about live aid and the latest effort from star playwright jez butterworth. All of that to come, but first, your headlines with sophia wenzler. Thank you michael. Good morning. Its 11 00. Im sophia morning. Its11 00. Im sophia wenzler in the gb news room. The wenzler in the gb news room. The white house has blamed inaction by republicans in the us congress for russias capture of ukrainian city. Kyiv ordered the withdrawal of troops from the eastern city of avdiivka early yesterday, giving moscow its first major gain since the fall of bakhmut last year. Us President Joe Biden warned last week that a shortage of ammunition in ukraine could see the city fall into russian hands as he pushed republicans to urgently pass more military aid. Russian president Vladimir Putin praised the citys capture, calling it an important victory. Former senior military Intelligence OfficerPhilip Ingram told gb news ukraine needs more support , loss of needs more support, loss of avdfivka needs more support, loss of avdiivka is significant. Um, the ukrainians have been holding on to that since 2014. Um and fighting the russians. But theyve made the sensible military decision not to sacrifice any more of their troops to keep this completely decimated piece of territory. Um, the russians are making some advances from a one dimensional perspective on the frontline. But but these advances are are tiny at the moment, and its purely because russia has got more ammunition from north korea and from iran. Um, and the ukrainians are suffering a shortage of ammunition coming from the west. From the west. Meanwhile, more than 400 people have been detained across 32 russian cities since the death of Alexei Navalny on friday. Its the biggest wave of unrest since september 2022, when more than 1300 were arrested for protesting against forced military service. Part of president putins effort to cover heavy casualties endured in ukraine. Russian state media, which is controlled by the government, has made no mention of the arrests or the many Memorial Services for mr navalny. Meanwhile, authorities have been accused of doing everything they can to avoid handing over mr navalnys body to his family. Yesterday, the 69 year old mother of Vladimir Putins most vocal critic visited the remote penal colony where he died. She says she was told his body had been taken to a nearby morgue. But when she arrived there, she found it closed. Mr navalnys spokespeople claim his death was orchestrated murder by the russian president. Thats been rejected by the kremlin. Political analyst and russian exile Valery Morozov told gb news. It looks like revenge, but it was a payback for navalny and the people who were behind , and the people who were behind, and theyve just decided that , you theyve just decided that, you know, putin has enough support about 70 or 80, uh , there is no about 70 or 80, uh, there is no problem. And just to get rid of navalny , theyve sent him from navalny, theyve sent him from the prison, which was about 200km from moscow to the far north. And let him stay there and die. And die. Ukrainian refugees will be offered an 18 month visa extension to stay in the uk. It means ukrainians who had to flee their home after russias invasion will be able to stay in britain until. Invasion will be able to stay in britain until. At least britain until. At least september 2026. In other news, two ministers have written to Police Chiefs to express concerns over the safety of politicians amid increased protests. Security minister tom protests. Security minister Tom Tugendhat and policing minister chris philp took the unusual step after pro palestinian activists gathered outside the home of tobias ellwood. They say home of tobias ellwood. They say current laws allow for protests to be directed away from residential areas, and theyre encouraging police to make robust use of them. It comes as robust use of them. It comes as reports in the daily mail suggest Just Stop Oil activists are planning to occupy the homes of mps , with one protester of mps, with one protester reportedly telling a journalist the group is ready to look a bit loony. The foreign secretary loony. The foreign secretary will visit the Falkland Islands amid calls in argentina for talks on the future of the archipelago. Lord cameron archipelago. Lord cameron insists the sovereignty of the territory will not be up for discussion as he prepares for the first visit by cabinet minister since 2016. Last month , minister since 2016. Last month, argentinas new president , javier milei , called for the javier milei, called for the islands to be handed over to his country despite being under british rule since 1883. A vote in 2013 found almost all residents prefer to remain part of the united kingdom. A violent of the united kingdom. A violent riot erupted on the streets of the hague last night after Anti Government groups clashed with rival communities. What started as a peaceful Eritrean Community meetings last night endedin Community Meetings last night ended in violence with the police cars torched and objects thrown at officers. A video thrown at officers. A video shared online showed groups of people setting fire to cars and engaging in violence. The hague engaging in violence. The hague mayor says an emergency order was issued and Police Presence has been increased. And for the has been increased. And for the latest stories , sign up to gb latest stories, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com slash alerts. Now its news. Com slash alerts. Now its back to michael. Back to michael. Well, thank you sophia wenzler. The labour party sailed to victory in the by elections at kingswood and wellingborough this week , but they cannot win this week, but they cannot win the upcoming by election in rochdale because it has disowned the as our ally over the candidate as our ally over comments made about comments that he made about israel. Was ali lured into a israel. But was ali lured into a rhetorical bidding match over the fraught israel palestine conflict in order to win the support of rochdales large Muslim Population . And, if so , Muslim Population . And, if so, is that any different in character or effect for candidates to try to mollify such voters, compared with the way that mrs. Thatcher and i tried to use to win votes in the Jewish Community in our north london constituencies 25 years ago to discuss the growing influence of muslim british voters , im joined by raqeeb voters, im joined by raqeeb hassan, author of beyond grievance what the left gets wrong about identity politics, as well as by reem Ibrahim Ibrahim , Communications Director ibrahim, Communications Director at the institute of economic affairs, and denis macshane, who was the labour mp for rotherham and raqeeb. May i start with you . And that question ive asked, is there anything qualitatively different in candidates now trying to get the muslim vote from, you know what i was doing a quarter of a century ago, trying to get the jewish vote in north london . Well, i think that more generally, when looking at british politics, the british politics, i think the influence of identity politics is you are the is too strong. But you are the mp southgate. Um, uh mp for enfield southgate. Um, uh , Margaret Thatcher was mp for finchley and of course engaging with religious minorities in your constituency. Theres nothing wrong that. I think nothing wrong with that. I think its more is the nature of its more what is the nature of that engagement . But the reality is were becoming an increasingly Diverse Society in terms of ethnicity and religion. So the impact of foreign conflicts , geopolitical tensions conflicts, geopolitical tensions that may well have an impact on the content of our national and local politics. But i have to say, the by election in rochdale , i think the build up to it has been a crying shame and i dont think its a positive, a particularly positive representation of british democracy. Why has it been a crying shame . Well, i think that firstly you have labours issues with candidate, azhar with its former candidate, azhar ali. I think that while people naturally they are entitled to have strong preferences in regards to their Israeli Palestinian conflict, there are serious domestic problems in rochdale in terms of quality of pubuc rochdale in terms of quality of Public Services, which are more domestic in nature, and i think they should be, um, a greater focus when it comes to those campaigns up there. Campaigns up there. But let me go back to my bafic but let me go back to my basic question. So 25 years ago, i became very concerned with soviet jewry issues, a jewish people trying get out of the people trying to get out of the soviet union. Obviously tended soviet union. I obviously tended to rather than to support israel rather than the palestine cause because, you know , pushed in that direction know, pushed in that direction by my constituents. I just want to know if people in the rochdale by election are tending to say that theyre looking for a ceasefire, or if they were tending to say that , you know, tending to say that, you know, that theyre unhappy with what israel is doing in gaza , is that israel is doing in gaza, is that any different . Is it is it any worse . Is it sinister in a way that it wasnt when i was appealing to my Jewish Voters . Think that people are well, i think that people are absolutely entitled for absolutely entitled to, for example , criticise the israeli example, criticise the israeli governments policies in terms of occupation governments policies in terms of population occupation governments policies in terms of population displacement of and population displacement of the Palestinian People. Why dont agree with is the peddling of conspiracy theories, um, which in my view can very much end to anti semitic territory. I think you could be deeply critical of the current israeli government, which contains some very , um, how you say very, um, how do you say unsavoury characters, including benjamin , itamar benjamin netanyahu, Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich . You can do that without indulging in those conspiracy theories of a decidedly anti anti jewish nature. And lets recall that the labour candidate has been disowned for comments that went beyond the pale in the view of his own party. Um, reem, what do you think . Do you mind addressing the same issue . Is anything happening with the muslim vote that happened muslim vote that hasnt happened with before . Muslim vote that hasnt happened witiwell, before . Muslim vote that hasnt happened witiwell, mean, efore . Muslim vote that hasnt happened witiwell, mean, were . Muslim vote that hasnt happened witiwell, mean, were looking well, i mean, were looking at with tony and at history with tony blair and iraq, and actually saw the iraq, and we actually saw the muslim vote decline as a result of i think it halved after 2004. I think whats interesting about this particular issue is that israel palestine to be the israel palestine seems to be the most pertinent political issue for muslim it does feel for muslim voters. It does feel as though the labour party have sort of , um, as though the labour party have sort of, um, kind of underestimated the value of those voters in itself. I agree, those voters in itself. I agree, i think theres nothing wrong with engaging with religious communities directly. I think its actually very positive its actually a very positive thing. Does show that thing. It really does show that the importance of community in itself. But the labour party itself. But the labour party clearly have understood the value of the muslim vote to the party then therefore party itself, and then therefore theyve now also tried to retro effectively, uh, kind of combat the anti semitism problem. They have had in the labour party. All of the accusations , um, all of the accusations, um, dunng all of the accusations, um, during Jeremy Corbyns time as leader of the labour party as well as during his his time there with all of those accusations. So theyve. Keir starmer clearly tried to do it the other way and of the other way and kind of overcompensated whilst also meaning kind of meaning that he has kind of disenfranchised those disenfranchised many of those muslim labour voters. Disenfranchised many of those mu but labour voters. Disenfranchised many of those mu but lets ur voters. Disenfranchised many of those mu but lets thinkers. Disenfranchised many of those mu but lets think about some but lets think about some ways in which it might be qualitatively different now. For example , some people say that, example, some people say that, you know, islam basically doesnt get on with democracy. So is there is there a threat to democracy . Some people do not like what is written. I suppose , like what is written. I suppose, in the quran, or what is part of the belief about homosexuality . And many people are very unhappy about women being asked to dress in certain ways or at least dressing in certain ways. So im saying if candidates , if parties saying if candidates, if parties begin to move on these issues, is that qualitatively different . Is that any kind of threat to democracy or to our Cultural Values . Well, i mean, lets first of all, be clear about the differences between the quran and the bible itself. I mean, comments about homosexuality are relatively the same in both religious texts. I also think, religious texts. I also think, look, there are going to be many muslims out there that have particularly undemocratic views. There are many christians that also have that same view. And indeed many jews and many other religious minorities as well. It doesnt mean you really think that. Absolutely. That. Absolutely, absolutely. And i think that when it and i do think that when it comes to im just going to touch on this point very quickly when it comes to female modesty, the majority time it up to majority of the time it is up to the woman. And it is it is their choice. And thats it should choice. And thats how it should be it should never be be in islam. It should never be forced on them. Its forced on them. And its actually not allowed actually haram. Its not allowed for to be forced to wear for a woman to be forced to wear anything, indeed forced to be anything, or indeed forced to be married or or forced to do anything against their own wishes, the wishes, but just touching on the point in which point about the way in which this impacted the labour this has impacted the labour party do think there party itself. I do think there seems particular seems to be a particular polarisation and what this does mean you get many, many mean is that you get many, many people are incredibly moved people who are incredibly moved by israel palestine issue by by the israel palestine issue and unable to sort and actually are unable to sort of any kind of nuance. Of decipher any kind of nuance. When say youre when you say youre pro palestine, does that when you say youre pro pwhen1e, does that when you say youre pro pwhen1e, say does that when you say youre pro pwhen 1e, say youre hat mean when you say youre pro israel . What does that actually mean . Are are you actually mean . Are you are you pro hamas . Are you sympathising with terrorist organisation with the terrorist organisation or you actually that or are you actually saying that the Palestinian People i care about the humanitarian crisis. So think we need to have so i do think we need to have some nuance here. Clearly, the labour party have tried to over overcompensate of overcompensate against all of those anti semitism accusations dunng those anti semitism accusations during the corbyn era and have actually then alienated many muslim voters whilst doing so. Muslim voters whilst doing so. Um, denis macshane, do you mind talking to us about your experience as a member of parliament . I mean, id really like to ask you, frankly, did you ever feel you were being asked strike positions about asked to strike positions about which uncomfortable, which you felt uncomfortable, but might but which nonetheless you might be because thered be tempted into because thered be tempted into because thered be no be votes involved . No two simple stories, and its good you and i both have the experience, so much of experience, because so much of what from people whove what i hear from people whove never door never knocked on the door or sought be elected, frankly, sought to be elected, frankly, is wrong, right . A story is just wrong, right . A story story number one, um, during the iraq war, when it began, i was 8000, mainly kashmiri muslims. Uh, in my constituency of rotherham. Lovely good friends or lovely people. Thats patronising and counsellors and doctors, etc. But yes , uh, they doctors, etc. But yes, uh, they were told by their very politicised leaders this is an attack on islam. Just as you hear the same thing. Of course , hear the same thing. Of course, in the context of israel and palestine. So i called a meeting in the town hall a very crowded, quite stormy, quite angry. I just, i just we all did that. Michael, you remember . And i michael, you remember . And i said, okay, i hear what you say. I promise to take your views down as a minister to the Foreign Office to talk to the Foreign Office to talk to the foreign secretary and indeed to tony blair, the Prime Minister. Your views will be taken into account, but well stay friends with problems to with so many other problems to solve rather. Yeah, yeah, solve in in rather. Yeah, yeah, of course of course of course theres of course theres. Look, just before i go quick quick question. Hands up. All opposed to the bombing all those opposed to the bombing of. Youve hand of baghdad. Youve every hand went. Hands up. All those who went up. Hands up. All those who oppose the bombing of the christian city belgrade to christian city of belgrade to stop slaughtering stop milosevic slaughtering european muslims in kosovo. European muslims in kosovo. Youre playing politics, dennis. Youre playing politics, dennis. Youre playing politics, dennis. Youre playing politics. I wasnt, and thats the difference. It is just not difference. It is just not rationally thought , thought rationally thought, thought through, in my view. And a story much more up to date. Last week when there was a rochdale poll and question of and the question of anti semitism at the top of anti semitism was at the top of every news bulletin for about 3 or 4 days, i was out canvassing, uh, for the westminster labour candidate, rachel blake , in the candidate, rachel blake, in the centre of london on and, um, knocked on, you know, two hours worth of doors. You did it by you know what its like not a Single Person mentioned this , so Single Person mentioned this, so i just dont think its a burn up issue that the press are telling us it is. Let me give you a much more Old Fashioned example. Im going back nearly 40 years to when i was canvassing in birmingham, perry barr, in fact, more than 40 years now. Think about uh 40 years now. Think about it. Uh and of the things that may and one of the things that may be is this sort of be happening is this sort of cultural issue i would cultural issue is that i would be introduced to Community Leaders i was you leaders and they i was told, you know, this person controls ten votes. Person bring votes. This person will bring the entire family. This person controls votes. I didnt controls 20 votes. And i didnt have courage at the time to have the courage at the time to say, but thats not the politics i involve in, because i want to talk every voter. Im not talk to every voter. Im not interested telling me interested in you telling me that you control, for instance, the your should the women in your family. Should i courageous, dennis . I be more courageous, dennis . Not necessarily. That. But i agree with that. But equally, you go into strong equally, you can go into strong irish communities Irish Catholic communities in the in liverpool, in the day in liverpool, in manchester, in glasgow, in north london and the Catholic Community would deliver votes. I rather expect you can go to a lot of tory golf clubs in the shires and you know , old colonel shires and you know, old colonel buffer over there , he can bring, buffer over there, he can bring, oh, get him on your side and youre sure to be selected, etc. I mean, this is politics. I think the last one is qualitatively different, but maybe i would say that. Would reacting raqib would you mind reacting to discussion weve to that little discussion weve had any thoughts on that . Had there . Any thoughts on that . No, absolutely. I firstly, just i think firstly, ill just make dennis. Make the point to dennis. I think that comparing natos intervention the balkans intervention in the balkans is somewhat to the uk and somewhat different to the uk and us illegal intervention iraq. Somewhat different to the uk and uthinkgal intervention iraq. Somewhat different to the uk and uthink theretervention iraq. Somewhat different to the uk and uthink thereterverthere iraq. Somewhat different to the uk and uthink there terverthere areaq. I think there were there are differences there, which i dont disagree, the differences disagree, but the differences need be recognised. Need to be recognised. Saying thats. They were saying that thats. They were saying that thats. Just make yeah. So i would just make the point. I think they were very different. I think more generally i really cringe at the phrase community. Phrase british Muslim Community. What wider what were talking the wider british is british Muslim Population is incredibly diverse in terms of ethnicity, islamic denomination, occupation , often social class, occupation, often social class, level of education and attainment. So i think that we need to do away with that and we need to do away with that and we need to do away with that and we need to recognise that diversity. I think that more generally, to generally, what we need to see, we need a politics which we need to see a politics which isnt driven by tribal identitarianism. And i think that level concern, that the level of concern, territorial has territorial beliefs, which has actually into our actually wormed its way into our politics, troubling. And politics, is troubling. And i think people can issue think that people can issue quite robust and legitimate criticisms without indulging into conspiratorial into those conspiratorial beliefs heighten the beliefs that would heighten the quality politics. Quality of our politics. Just pick up point lets just pick up that point about diversity, because some of the rochdale the candidates in rochdale seem to though to have been behaving as though there were not that diversity. You know, thinking that if they got muslim vote, they win. Got the muslim vote, they win. But that well, firstly, they got the muslim vote, they win. But thust well, firstly, they got the muslim vote, they win. But thust wthe firstly, they got the muslim vote, they win. But thust wthe firstly, tvote cant just get the muslim vote on and by the way, on one go. And by the way, theres also a majority that isnt muslim in the in town. Isnt muslim in the in the town. Exactly. There are, yes, exactly. And there are, you handful of you know, a handful of constituencies the muslim constituencies where the muslim vote matters incredibly. But also think this point is, is also i think this point is, is very, very important. Muslim ams themselves are not just going to vote palestine vote purely on the palestine gaza issue. And actually, i think whats really interesting is, you know, the economic integration and the way in which muslims as, as a whole or even migrants as a whole have actually able to contribute actually been able to contribute to there many to the economy. There are many that know, conservative that are, you know, conservative voters. My parents are muslim, and conservative and they are both conservative voters. Think whats voters. So i think whats interesting is the differences and the huge amount of diversity within the Muslim Community as a whole, but also the way in which, depending on where they come from, different different migrant have those migrant communities have those different perspectives. Again there is only a handful of constituencies where the muslim vote does matter. Vote really, really does matter. And not purely voting on israel gaza. Michael. Theres only three constituencies are michael. Theres only three c majority. ies are a majority. Were going finish that. Were going to finish that. Its been a robust and excellent discussion. So cheering to hear about conservative about there being conservative voters. Theres cartoon in the voters. Theres a cartoon in the telegraph showing conservative telegraph showing a conservative vote auctioned vote being auctioned at sothebys because of its great rarity. Well, we have been discussing the rochdale by election and that means that we have to list the candidates. So a azhar ali, who was so theres a azhar ali, who was the labour candidate. Mark the labour candidate. Mark coleman, independent Simon Danczuk reform uk in jon savell. Danczuk reform uk in jon savell. Liberal democrat paul ellison concern george galloway, Workers Party of britain michael howarth, independent william howarth, independent william howarth, independent. Guy otten, green party. Ravin. Rodan green party. Ravin. Rodan sebbys corner, official monster raving loony and david tully, independent. Thank you very much indeed. Reiki voisin, reem ibrahim and denis macshane. After the break, ill be discussing the economy with vicky price and matthew leonard. Vicky price and matthew leonard. Telegraph. I will ask how much responsibility does rishi sunak bear for the recession that britain endured at the end of last year . See you. News radio. Welcome back. Britain has welcome back. Britain has beenin welcome back. Britain has been in recession. According to been in recession. According to the latest Economic Data , gdp the latest Economic Data, gdp fell in the last two quarters of last year despite rishi sunaks signature pledge to grow the economy. The Prime Minister has written in the pages of the Daily Telegraph that, despite the news, his plan is working well, matthew lynn is also at the telegraph and hell give me an assessment of that, as will the economist vicky pryce. The economist vicky pryce. Welcome to you both. So, welcome to you both. So, matthew, hes been writing in your newspaper. How do you assess his responsibility for where we are . The Prime Ministers i mean, i think he i think he shares, you know, a decent amount of the blame. Obviously, he got the Global Economic situation and the war in ukraine and de blah de in ukraine and blah de blah de blah all that. Um, but blah and all that. Um, but i think actually, you know, if youre going into a recession, there are probably two specific mistakes minister mistakes that the Prime Minister made. Both as chancellor made. I mean, both as chancellor and minister. And Prime Minister. First, i think put taxes too much think he put up taxes too much 18 months ago. You know, we now have sort of it changes have the obr, sort of it changes its know, every its mind. You know, every few days. Theres probably days. But theres probably in the spring room like ten, 15 the spring room for like ten, 15 billion tax cuts. Well you billion of tax cuts. Well you know, you put them up so know, why did you put them up so much uh 18 months ago would actually be better if taxes had been bh actually be better if taxes had been bit lower for the been a tiny bit lower for the last 18 months, have last 18 months, would have helped would have helped helped demand, would have helped small big small businesses. The other big mistake, i think, that he made was he put up taxes by was the way he put up taxes by freezing thresholds. And were now really seeing this coming home. Know, were in a crazy home. You know, were in a crazy situation some people situation where some people are facing marginal tax facing 60, 70 marginal tax rates, particularly if they have children Student Loans and children and Student Loans and then, know, were then, hey, you know, were surprised that people are leaving or were leaving the workforce or were surprised people arent surprised that people arent doing an extra shift, were doing an extra shift, and were surprised labour surprised that we have labour shortages. So i think are shortages. So i think those are the mistakes. Obviously, the two big mistakes. Obviously, theres outlook and all theres a Global Outlook and all theres a Global Outlook and all the but there are the rest of it, but there are two mistakes, which i think, two big mistakes, which i think, you directly the you know, are directly the responsibility of his, of his of you know, are directly the res|policies. Y of his, of his of his policies. Interesting. You havent mentioned might have put mentioned what i might have put first, matthew, liam, which is the bank the performance of the bank of england. I know the bank of england. And i know the bank of england. And i know the bank of england independent, but it england is independent, but it is the chancellor is answerable to the chancellor of exchequer the of the exchequer and to the Prime Minister. Uh, the remit is to inflation under but to keep inflation under 2, but it to 10. I dont know it went up to 10. I dont know what the chancellor and then the prime doing Prime Minister was doing about that. Course, the choice that. And of course, the choice of who runs bank of of the man who runs the bank of england is a matter for the government. Why do you not mention mean, that that mention that . I mean, that that has the origin a big has been the origin of a big part of the governments problems. No, you know, fair enough. The mention it the reason i didnt mention it was i answering your was because i was answering your question, which i know question, michael, which i know is on your program. Is a surprise on your program. But but but absolutely, you didnt about the bank didnt ask me about the bank of england. Youre england. But, i mean, youre absolutely right. Mean, he, absolutely right. I mean, he, you chancellor and as you know, as chancellor and as Prime Minister, he and jeremy hunt responsible for hunt are responsible for choosing of england and choosing the bank of england and for policy for choosing the Monetary Policy committee, which i absolutely agree has been, has been agree has been, has, has been very been very weak has, very has been very weak and has, you allowed inflation to you know, allowed inflation to become high if they had become too high if they had moved earlier more moved earlier and been more decisive, in a slightly decisive, wed be in a slightly different position. So absolutely, if you absolutely, you know, if you include power over bank include his power over the bank of thats a third big of england, thats a third big mistake made. Mistake hes made. Hm vicky, where you stand uh, vicky, where do you stand on of prime on this matter of Prime Ministerial on this matter of prime mirthis . Al all this . I think i have to admit that i do agree with quite a lot of the analysis that we just heard. Um now about what happened um just now about what happened in you got to see, in the uk. But you got to see, though, in international though, in the international context, we had context, and we have had a crisis. Crisis has swept crisis. That crisis has swept across world. The western across the world. The western economies to this economies all reacted to this by, in fact, raising Interest Rates just have in rates just like we have done. In fact, we were the first to raise rates before the and before rates before the us and before the European Central bank. So we cant say that it was all the bank englands fault. Cant say that it was all the barwhatenglands fault. Cant say that it was all the barwhat did ands fault. Cant say that it was all the barwhat did inflation lt. Cant say that it was all the barwhat did inflation reach in what did inflation reach in switzerland . Was it 1. 7 . Okay. Youve to well, okay. Youve got to look Different Countries look at Different Countries in the context depending the different context depending on were depending, on how much they were depending, for imported energy for example, on imported energy or the economy was. Or also how big the economy was. But if you look places like but if you look at places like lithuania , estonia, latvia, all lithuania, estonia, latvia, all those Baltic States, inflation was over 20 for quite some time. And because Energy Prices have come down for certainly two of those three countries, us inflation is now below 1. So a lot of it has had to do with international factors. And when the government now says our plan is working on inflation, its got nothing to do with them. And also, frankly, its got nothing to do with the bank of england ehhen to do with the bank of england either. What were either. But yes, what you were saying about most saying about growth, most definitely the high Interest Rates going affect growth rates are going to affect growth in tum in fact, not in the longer tum in fact, not just in longer tum. I think just in the longer tum. I think one the that were one of the things that were seeing, course, in terms of seeing, of course, in terms of the consumer and their spending patterns, high mortgage patterns, is that high Mortgage Rates an impact. Now rates have had an impact. Now theyre come theyre beginning to come down and inflation beginning to and inflation is beginning to come feeling a come down. Theyre feeling a lot more consumer more confidence. The consumer economy in the last economy has gone up in the last few months. Lets matthew to yes. Lets get matthew to pick up on that. So uh, moving from looking back to looking forward, how much hope can the prime how much Prime Minister have . How much hope the poor british hope can we, the poor british population, have that things are going bit better in going to feel a bit better in the next few months . Just i mean, you know, we dont want to too but, you know, too be gloomy, but, you know, the, straight answer is not the, the straight answer is not very know, where were during you know, where were during a recession or not is actually not the big issue. Its probably going to as vicky was going to be, as vicky was saying, its probably to going to be, as vicky was sayalg, its probably to going to be, as vicky was saya fairlyy probably to going to be, as vicky was saya fairly shallowy to going to be, as vicky was saya fairly shallow recession. Be a fairly shallow recession. Theres better theres already some better sales. Data, you sales. Retail sales data, you know, its minus 2 per know, whether its minus 2 per quarter it might, we quarter or or it might, we might, know, we might if we might, you know, we might if we get lucky theres, you know, get lucky and theres, you know, everything works out Everything Everything works out entirely might entirely as planned. We might get 0. 3 positive growth, get up to 0. 3 positive growth, but thats not really the problem. Know, the problem but thats not really the prthatn. Know, the problem but thats not really the prthat we know, the problem but thats not really the prthat we cantlow, the problem but thats not really the prthat we cant get the problem but thats not really the prthat we cant get backyroblem but thats not really the prthat we cant get back to3lem but thats not really the prthat we cant get back to the| is that we cant get back to the 2. 5 plus rate, which is what we really used to really need is what we used to have. What we really need to have. And what we really need to start feeling a prosperous start feeling like a prosperous country for real wages to country again for real wages to start growing, for there to be the to for the tax revenues to pay for pubuc the tax revenues to pay for public thats the Public Services. And thats the big were a minus big gap, whether were a minus two or plus two. Uh a percentage of a point doesnt really matter. Weve got to get back to that 2. 5, and theres very little sign of it from this Prime Minister and probably from the incoming Prime Minister later either. Later this year, either. Overly and vicky, not to be overly nerdish, spotted that for nerdish, but i spotted that for quite a long time now. And fairly consistently gdp per capha fairly consistently gdp per capita coming down. In capita has been coming down. In other words, the amount of wealth person. That wealth per person. Now that really feeds straight into how good we feel about ourselves, doesnt it . Absolutely. I think the calculations are that weve had seven quarters of declining gdp per capita, which is pretty bad news, and gdp per capita is well below where it was pre pandemic. Below where it was pre pandemic. Now, again, this has happened in other countries. But one of the interesting things about the uk is also population has been is that also population has been going up other countries. Is that also population has been goirbeen other countries. Is that also population has been goirbeen shrinking, untries. Is that also population has been goirbeen shrinking, so tries. Is that also population has been goirbeen shrinking, so they its been shrinking, so they dont the same impact dont have quite the same impact on consumers. This is the case here, it is absolutely true here, but it is absolutely true that people have felt it in their pockets. Whats on . Their pockets. Whats going on . Nevertheless, now that nevertheless, right now is that finally are finally real wages are increasing. So after in a couple of years of real, no change, nevertheless, real wages are still staying below where the where pre pandemic and in some parts of the population below where they were pre financial crisis, which is extraordinary. Crisis, which is extraordinary. It is that is a very good word to summarise the discussion ithank word to summarise the discussion i thank you very much for it. Vicky pryce and matthew lynn, youre watching Michael Portillo on gb news. Britains news channel. After the break, ill be joined by max jeffrey, whos just returned from estonia, where nato forces are training close to the russian border on day four of the second test in india . In england. But trail india by 440 runs at lunch . Youre listening to gb news radio. Radio. Welcome back. Max jeffrey has welcome back. Max jeffrey has just returned from estonia, where nato forces are training close to the russian border, simulating how an incursion by putins troops might be resisted. His cover story in the spectator magazine is timely , as spectator magazine is timely, as predictions of a future conflict with russia fill the airwaves , with russia fill the airwaves, and as Ukrainian Forces are forced to retreat after being overwhelmed by russian attacks in the eastern town of avdiivka. In the eastern town of avdiivka. Uh, max, thank you very much for joining us. Thanks for having me, michael. Um, so tell us about scale of these about the scale of these exercises that are going on in estonia whos involved. Estonia and whos involved. Are exercises in tapa, these are exercises in tapa, which biggest which is estonias biggest military so estonia, its military base. So estonia, its right in the middle of tapa , and right in the middle of tapa, and its hour drive from its about a two hour drive from the border. And these the russian border. And these were involving were exercises involving estonian american, estonian troops. American, british and french. The one that i saw was between the estonians and then against the rest. So and then against the rest. So the estonians were defending two roads that run up north through a forest, and the americans , the a forest, and the americans, the brits. The french had challenged the two tanks. So these are some of the best tanks that the west has. It had a himars artillery system, an f 16 jet, and the estonians had swedish tanks. They had their own bits and pieces as well. And this was simulating a russian invasion of estonia. Its 20 degrees. Trench warfare and a foot of snow. Obviously theyre not using live ammunition. They have lasers. Has body lasers. So everyone has body sensors on and artillery sensors on them and artillery systems when theyre used and message goes back to base and they calculate how many soldiers would have died. They then leave the are you able to the battlefield. Are you able to make any calculation of how well the exercise went . The exercise went . I mean, lets start with obvious things. Did you see things breaking the ice things breaking down in the ice and tanks and vehicles and and snow tanks and vehicles and so on . They admitted that kit really doesnt work in these sort of temperatures and not often cases engines guns engines dont start, guns sometimes even very sometimes dont work even very simple things. We were travelling the exercise simple things. We were tra an ling the exercise simple things. We were traan armoured the exercise simple things. We were traan armoured vehicle lercise simple things. We were traan armoured vehicle and;e in an armoured vehicle and things like trying get the things like trying to get the door and shut when youve door open and shut when youve got closed got frost holding it closed become really difficult. Um equipment to be used equipment isnt made to be used at this temperatures and actually neither are the soldiers. A the soldiers. Frankly, a lot of the Foreign Forces in particular, this was first time this was their first time operating this sort of operating in this sort of temperature. People find it temperature. And people find it really difficult, especially when in trenches. Thats when youre in trenches. Thats something seen in something that weve seen in ukraine. Thats something ukraine. And so thats something that trying mimic. That theyre trying to mimic. Theyre to mimic russian theyre trying to mimic russian tactics, anticipate theyre trying to mimic russian tactica anticipate theyre trying to mimic russian tactica conflict anticipate theyre trying to mimic russian tactica conflict antrussia theyre trying to mimic russian tacticalooklict antrussia theyre trying to mimic russian tacticalook like. Ant russia theyre trying to mimic russian tacticalook like. Sotrussia theyre trying to mimic russian tacticalook like. So theyre would look like. So theyre having to operate in trenches in 20 um equipment. And 20 degrees. Um equipment. And people often arent ready people just often arent ready for it. I assume theyre in white uniforms. Yeah. White camouflage. Yeah. White camouflage. Yeah. White camouflage. Farage do you think they were, um, they were insulated. They were. Were they kept warm physically . Yeah. Looked they had it looked like they had really to be honest. Really good kit to be honest. Like boots they had that were going their knees. Going right up to their knees. Warm military warm helmets, hats, big military gloves. Um i was freezing cold, but they looked quite warm, to gloves. Um i was freezing cold, buthonest ooked quite warm, to gloves. Um i was freezing cold, buthonest ooke you. Te warm, to be honest with you. You did you manage to did you did you manage to talk any soldiers . Talk to any soldiers . Yeah, to a couple of yeah, i spoke to a couple of british soldiers. The estonian ones. Theyd not ones. The brits said theyd not seen like this in terms seen anything like this in terms of temperature. Asked them of the temperature. I asked them about readiness for about their readiness for conflict. Seemed a about their readiness for conmore, seemed a about their readiness for conmore, um. Seemed a about their readiness for conmore, um. They seemed a about their readiness for conmore, um. They saidaemed a about their readiness for conmore, um. They said theyd a bit more, um. They said they werent, in all honesty, thinking that war with russia thinking that a war with russia was likely. Was all that likely. The estonians their favourite estonians said their favourite phrase ready phrase was we were ready yesterday. They think that if russia an incursion across russia made an incursion across their that be their border that theyd be ready to fight them. Quote a comment by dont you quote a comment by a soldier about fighting the migrant boats . Yeah, were already yeah, he said, were already in war and its against migration. We cant stop the dinghies. He sort of dinghies. And then he sort of shrugged his shoulders and as if insinuating have insinuating we might not have that chance against the that good a chance against the russians, that russians, um, it strikes me that while learning, i mean, while were learning, i mean, certainly british troops will be learning First Principles learning from First Principles about climate. About warfare in a cold climate. The russians , on the other the russians, on the other hand, must be learning a great deal because theyve been two years in a war in which did deal because theyve been two yearzbadlywar in which did deal because theyve been two yearzbadly atr in which did deal because theyve been two yearzbadly at the which did deal because theyve been two yearzbadly at the beginning, did deal because theyve been two yearzbadly at the beginning, but very badly at the beginning, but now be doing rather now seem to be doing rather better. Do you have a feeling about the russians are about how much the russians are learning . I think a great deal. Talk about the way and you talk about the way the troops learning, but the troops are learning, but also economy. Russias also the economy. Russias economy a war footing. Economy is now in a war footing. Theyre producing amount theyre producing a huge amount of shells and in of artillery shells and in contrast, promised to contrast, europe promised to deliver ukraine million deliver to ukraine a million artillery spring artillery shells by spring of this going to this year. Theyre only going to send russia and troops send 600,000. Russia and troops are to operating this are used to operating in this kind theyre used to kind of weather. Theyre used to fighting forces. Theyve fighting western forces. Theyve also western tactics. Also learned western tactics. Theyve learned that they can jam artillery systems. Jam himars artillery systems. These some best these were some of the best artillery systems that the west had. Now the had. And in many cases now the russian have learned how Russian Forces have learned how to how jam them. To hack, how to jam them. So ukraine is very interesting because , i mean, it interesting because, i mean, it struck me, i suppose , after struck me, i suppose, after about six months that in a way it couldnt be better for nato because russia was being humiliated in ukraine. We were watching how ineffective the Russian Military machine was. Russian military machine was. Um, we were , you know, wearing um, we were, you know, wearing away their was attrition of their resources , and we werent their resources, and we werent having to do anything except supply artillery things now look a bit different because they are improving their tactics. And we improving their tactics. And we now have this political situation where we may throw away all the advantages that we had by saying that were simply not going to keep supplying them with ammunition. This is the position with United States at the moment. Let alone when trump becomes president. Its really difficult , yeah, its really difficult, michael, the one michael, because on the one hand, wants to continue hand, europe wants to continue arming ukraine, but same arming ukraine, but at the same time, europe is actually time, europe itself is actually running low on armaments. In estonia, instance, they estonia, for instance, they dont a proper defence dont have a proper air defence system. Promised one system. They were promised one last year the vilnius summit, last year at the vilnius summit, the nato the the vilnius nato summit, the annual meeting of nato countries. And havent got countries. And they havent got that because theyre all in that yet because theyre all in ukraine. That ukraine. They think that therell something to therell be something to fill that were running low that gap. But were running low on systems. Were on artillery systems. Were running on everything. Um, running low on everything. Um, in many instances, i just dont think they are ready. The, the thing that most impresses me and here theres the great historical precedent, is that politicians in the west dont want to talk about how bad things are and how much things would have to change if we were to put our economy onto a war footing, if we were to spend more on defence and stanley baldwin, you know, looking back on why we didnt rearm in the 19305, on why we didnt rearm in the 1930s, said, if at the general election i had spoken with appalling that appalling frankness, that was his words, if his phrase. In other words, if hed admitted how bad things were, hed started talking were, if hed started talking about rearmament, he wouldnt have been re elected. Feels have been re elected. One feels that the moment that, that at the moment that, you know, can theres this know, we can see theres this desperate situation, but the politicians dont want talk politicians dont want to talk about it because having about it because were having a general election. Theres a divide as um, and theres a divide as well, isnt because the well, isnt there . Because the Baltic States talk about it. Very frankly, estonians very frankly, the estonians say that they are really worried that they are really worried that this could happen soon. They say 3 to 5 the prime they say 3 to 5 years. The Prime Minister estonia says, uh, minister of estonia says, uh, polands national polands head of National Security says exactly the same. Security says exactly the same. Um, defence minister, um, denmarks defence minister, also the German Defence minister here the uk, though we do here in the uk, though we do hear very little of it. Um, its strange because would think strange because you would think that building strange because you would think that among dingcivilian resilience among the civilian population be a good population would be a good thing. Though, we are thing. I think, though, we are starting see that you saw the starting to see that you saw the head of the british army talking about conscription, not saying that was needed exactly, but that it was needed exactly, but trying the population trying to ready the population for conflict. For the eventuality of conflict. Starting, but something is starting, but i think in the political think not yet. In the Political Class max has class anyway. Max jeffrey has written fascinating piece. Written a fascinating piece. Its cover story in the its the cover story in the spectator. Thank you very much. Thank you. Um, after the break, Stefan Kyriazis will be here to update us on no fewer than four new Theatrical Productions to gb news radio. Welcome back. Stefan kyriazis welcome back. Stefan kyriazis has sidled into the studio and is bristling to begin his theatre review. After a packed schedule. So i believe youve been to see four shows . Yes, and part of it you had an oscar wilde time, i certainly did. Its the very famous the picture of dorian grey. This is following the trait were getting recently one actor getting recently of one actor performing all the roles. So we had andrew scott and vanya. We had andrew scott and vanya. We had dickens with eddie izzard, and now sarah snook, who was the repulsive like all of them, shiv in succession and shes on stage. Its a sydney theatre production from 2020. I dont know whether to say this is theatre multimedia. Its extraordinary, she ends the whole thing sweaty. Youre literally a little bit of snot. Just what shes given us everything and we are all just sat in our chairs going, what . What did i just see . So the bafic what did i just see . So the basic premise is we solve, i have a problem with one person playing all the characters, because you can just like because you can just be like michael, how dare you say that to me . Oh, im terribly sorry, old you cant get old chap. And you cant get reactions. Get reactions. You cant get dialogue. Solve dialogue. But they solve this with there are numerous screens all they come up and all the time. They come up and down, backdrops. Down, in and out backdrops. Shes stage. Shes being shes on stage. Shes being filmed way through. Filmed all the way through. Thats being thrown up on screens all the time so she can talk to herself as other characters, as we go through the entire story, theres a dinner party with about eight people there, she sat at the end of the table screen along there they all appear one by one, all black behind. I couldnt tell it was real or not. Its in incredible and dorian grey is all about fractured of the self. Its wildes obsession with how we see ourselves , how we want see ourselves, how we want people to see us, and how people actually see us. So its playing with all these ideas of representation. Youre saying incredible and youre passionate as you always are. So youre saying incredibly good. I are. So youre saying incredibly good. I mean, you had a great evening. Did you . I had a great i was i was exhausted, i didnt know what i made of it as i came out of it. Oh dear. Um, but i, i massively enjoyed it. I knew id seen something and actually i had quibbles. Theres had a few quibbles. Theres a few where shes off stage few times where shes off stage a little bit too often, or shes obscured by the camera. People. However all about however again, this is all about visuals, about perception. And visuals, about perception. And so the more i thought about it, i actually i normally talk myself down. I talked myself up in this case, its um, its you have to see it. Its just its unlike anything youve seen. Where and when this is on at the moment at the Theatre Royal haymarket until may the 11th. Okay. Glorious now we, you and i have both been to see a theatrical production about the live aid concert of what was it, 1985, just for one day . Just for one day. Its called. I went to see it. So i would say it had a very clunky script. It was clunky script. It was unbelievably sentimental , unbelievably sentimental, however, and now begins, however, and now begins, however, i thought the cast were fantastic. A group of people who both sing and dance and do both of those things very well, and the audience was just so enthusiastic. An audience in which i was of the typical average. I would say so that yes, so that is my amateurish review of it. Yes shall we see . Weve got a little clip. Weve got a little clip. Yes, a clip from. The 16 yes, a clip from. The 16 hours of live aid. Hours of live aid. This is the most important p0p this is the most important pop event ever. Its a staggering achievement to actually have done this. And it will be the concert of the decade. Box offices in london have been besieged by fans queuing for the tickets. This all these people. This is all these people. I mean, its making history, the organisers mean, its making history, the org theers mean, its making history, the org the pop marathon shown the pop marathon shown worldwide should raise at least £10 million. Everyone next monday is adele at mondays. Monday is adele at mondays. Well, that certainly expresses some of the emotion of the day. Back in 1985. Okay, that was my amateur review. Whats the professional one . I hate to agree with you, michael. It bothers me, but i am. Im very much on page with the dialogue and the exposition is painful. Dialogue and the exposition is painful. Its so am dram and its a very clunky conceit of were in present day bob is bob geldof is weary and sweary as always, and he encounters a genzinger and she wants to know what it was all about. And also why it was all old white men and my generation , unlike the who, my generation, unlike the who, would do it very differently. And then he has to explain the whole story. And, you know, its a rollicking, its an incredible story. His chutzpah in pulling it all off, lying to everybody to make it happen. So its inspired. Incredible. The inspired. Incredible. The numbers. Yes theres the nostalgia is pouring out of it. The problem we have with all of this, its also a very serious issue. So the same when at live aid they played those images from ethiopia. It hit so hard. We dont really get those images. Thats true. We just get mentions of it and we so we get this odd imbalance. Theres for some reason a rapping comedy Margaret Thatcher, that actually played very well to the audience , oddly. But straight after we cut to bob recalling in being in a tent in ethiopia with a child dying in his arms, it just clashes and jars. And yes, i agree , cast were phenomenal agree, cast were phenomenal voices were phenomenal. But its musical theatre, does rock and it sounds glorious, but i like a bit of rasp in my rock and you cant get that same kind of vein straining and sort of anthemic feel to it. So its a thing no sets , so no sense of place. Sets, so no sense of place. Its, um, for me it was a little bit like nostalgic, just karaoke, just to give the viewer one sense of place. Its on at the old vic. Its on at the old vic. Its on at the old vic. Its on at the old vic. It is a fun, great experience. Its on till march the 30th and we have an even more stunning show. Are hills of california. Yeah. Hills of california. Yeah. This is jez butterworth. This is jez butterworth. This is jez butterworth. This is jez butterworth, the hills. Give us give us a word of background on jez butterworth. So is the man that famously so this is the man that famously wrote jerusalem with mark rylance, which possibly the rylance, which is possibly the most thing most extraordinary thing ive ever very much ever seen. That is very much a one man dominated show. I mean, it extraordinary written for it was extraordinary written for him, blowing. This is much him, mind blowing. This is much more female centric. Inspired by more female centric. Inspired by butterworths loss of his sister to cancer. So this is much more a family drama. And we kick off in 1976 at the Seaview Motel in blackpool. Its clapped out. Theres an absolute drought. We remember the summer of. 76 remember the summer of. 76 drought outside. There is no drought outside. There is no seaview. Um, and this is about seaview. Um, and this is about the dreams of the four sisters. The mother is dying upstairs and we flash backwards and forwards to the 1950s. Nobody writes dialogue like jez butterworth. Its stunning. You know, a line like the highlight of their social calendar was winning. Winning tickets at bingo go Winning Tickets at bingo to go to ken dodd at the to dinner with ken dodd at the lobster pot, which i cant deliver properly. But the rhythms, place, the rhythms, the sense of place, the sense time, the performance sense of time, the performance is are extraordinary. Be flawless. Older women and flawless. For older women and the four girls playing them in their youth, is there a but, uh, theres a tiny but only because its so fantastic, so raw, so real, and unusually , i mean, i real, and unusually, i mean, i guess the end of jerusalem is wish fulfilment rousing . If you wish fulfilment rousing . If you choose to believe a certain thing , this is much more direct. Thing, this is much more direct. It gives a kind of sentimental, tidy, reassuring ending. And i normally like i love a happy ending. I hate being traumatised. This i just wish hed stuck to his guns a little bit more. But still stunning performance is beautiful stuff. Highly beautiful stuff. Highly recommended. Recommended. Youve got one up the sleeve and youve got about two minutes. I have hills of california, the Harold Pinter to june the 15th, and then tonight if anyones in town, theres still anyones in town, theres still a few tickets left. There is dance for ukraine. Its a ballet gala. The big draw is that Olga Smirnova , who was is that Olga Smirnova, who was the principal, who quit the bolshoi principal, who quit russian. She quit russia and the bolshoi in protest at the invasion of ukraine. Uh, she is teaming up with ivan putrov, who is a ukrainian ballet icon. People are flying in from japan, sweden , latvia, everywhere, like sweden, latvia, everywhere, Like International ballet stars, huge gala tonight theres going to be the most stunning dancing. Its for a great cause. I talked to for a great cause. I talked to ivan about this or ivan and, um, its, you know , its so easy to its, you know, its so easy to forget whats going on sometimes. Um, and also still, the power of art to inspire, to unite, to give hope. Surely you cant get a ticket for this at this stage. There are still some tickets left. Theres a few tickets left. Theres a few tickets left. So i would recommend people, if theyre at all interested dance or or interested in dance or arts or anything like that. The line up is staggering. You see is staggering. You wont see something again Something Like this. This again Something Like this. This again so thoroughly, highly recommended. Youll be there. Im wait. Im going, i cannot wait. Im very excited. Got tickets for the have you got tickets for the pet shop boys at the Royal Opera House . I house . I know ive seen it before. For when youve seen the show. Yeah, and when they did it before. And are again. This before. And they are again. This is youth and know how to is my youth and they know how to do and also they as do it. And also they love as well this of the sort of well this mix of the sort of high end classic artiness of the Royal Opera House with kind of thumping synth pop as well. Well, thats the thing that attracted me, because, you know, i to the Royal Opera House i go to the Royal Opera House all the time, but ive never seen the shop boys. Seen the pet shop boys. Never expected, i never i never expected, i never dreamed id pet shop dreamed that id see pet shop boys it is actually part boys there. It is actually part of a british tour, of course, and also message in a bottle that we both loved. Thats also at the yes, thats also on at the royal opera for house a couple of nights over the summer. Thats on a tour. So and thats all sting rock, all the music of sting rock, modern that environment modern dance in that environment again. So yeah, tons stuff again. So yeah, tons of stuff going on. Youre coming day youre coming in here day after day very after day being very enthusiastic. In enthusiastic. Theatre is in a pretty place, isnt it . Pretty good place, isnt it . Is an exciting place. Theatre is an exciting place. Theres coming in, theres great names coming in, theres productions being theres great names coming in, theron. Productions being theres great names coming in, theron. We productions being theres great names coming in, theron. We seequctions being theres great names coming in, theron. We seem to tions being theres great names coming in, theron. We seem to have being theres great names coming in, theron. We seem to have moved put on. We seem to have moved past negative of past the slightly negative of lecturing came after the lecturing that came after the lockdown, so it feels hopeful expense hopeful. Expense lviv, but hopeful. Certainly is yeah, it certainly is expensive. And thank you very expensive. And thank you very much for your enthusiasm, stefan curiosus, youre watching Michael Portillo on gb news, which is britains news channel. Were to the end of the were coming to the end of the first hour. I will be back in a few minutes. Were going to be talking about parisian booksellers who were apparently going away from going to be forced away from selling by the river selling their books by the river seine because of the olympics. And talked to someone and having talked to someone from france about the triumph of the booksellers who are going to be able to maintain their position, well move over to italy to talk about truffle hunters, and there will be truffles the studio. So truffles in the studio. So theres good reason stay theres a good reason to stay with us. Thank you. With us. Thank you. A brighter outlook with boxt solar , the sponsors of weather solar, the sponsors of weather on. Gb news. On. Gb news. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. We hold to rather mixed hold on to rather mixed conditions weather wise across the over the next few days. The uk over the next few days. Rain times but staying rain at times but staying quite mild being. At mild for the time being. At least. Weather front will least. This weather front will clear outbreaks of rain away from the south east of england as sunday as we go through sunday afternoon. A ridge of High Pressure moving from the pressure then moving in from the west quietly things down for a time, rain is time, but further rain is waiting in the wings, so confirmation of outbreaks of rain south east first rain across the south east first thing afternoon. Moving thing this afternoon. Moving away east away towards the east and southeast. Then a case southeast. So then its a case of with a few showers of sunshine with a few showers around. Of bright around. Plenty of bright weather though and little bit breezy though, and a little bit breezy too. On the mild side for too. But on the mild side for the year. Temperatures the time of year. Temperatures generally double figures up generally in double figures up to 14 or 15 celsius down towards the is very the south east. 15 is a very mild 59 in fahrenheit. As we go through the evening and overnight, the showers will tend to ease. Well see plenty of clear around, mist clear weather around, some mist and forming and fog patches forming particularly the particularly out towards the west but notice west and southwest. But notice outbreaks returning outbreaks of rain returning across northern across scotland and northern ireland, with blustery showers into far northwest by the into the far northwest by the morning. Mild night, morning. A pretty mild night, temperatures generally into the low single figures low to mid single figures towards rural towards the north in rural spots, but elsewhere mid to upper figures. As for upper single figures. As for monday, well outbreaks of rain working their way south eastwards across england and wales, while wales, weakening all the while with sunshine and showers following north and following towards the north and west uk. Some of those west of the uk. Some of those showers towards showers quite blustery towards the and northwest of the west and northwest of scotland, once again a scotland, but once again its a mild for time of year. Mild day for the time of year. Temperatures generally in double figures 9 or 10 figures ranging from 9 or 10 degrees at best towards the north, up 13 or 14 down north, up to 13 or 14 down towards the south east warm feeling inside from that warm feeling inside from boxt boiler as sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Good afternoon and welcome to the second hour of sunday with Michael Portillo. Well begin with an ethical debate. How far should britain adapt to new arrivals . The contrived controversy over the alleged racism of the british countryside sparked an acrimonious public debate. But acrimonious public debate. But is there a deeper question how can we protect important Cultural Values without being exclusionary towards minorities . Last year we reported from paris, where the famous booksellers alongside the river seine were in revolt over plans to relocate them during the summer olympics. Now president macron has decreed that the bouquinistes will stay put. Ill be joined by one whos celebrating this victory for entrenched gallic resistance and moving from france to italy. Ill be joined by francesco di maddaloni , who will arrived maddaloni, who will arrived armed with truffles to explain this elusive and exclusive ingredient. All of that to come. But first, your News Headlines with sophia wenzler. Michael. Thank you. Its michael. Thank you. Its 12 01. Im sofia wenzler in the gb news room. Your top story gb news room. Your top story this hour. The white house has blamed inaction by republicans in the us congress for russias capture of ukrainian city. Kyiv ordered the withdrawal of troops from the eastern city of avdiivka early yesterday, giving moscow its first major gain since the fall of bakhmut last year. Since the fall of bakhmut last year. Us president joe since the fall of bakhmut last year. Us President Joe Biden warned last week that a shortage of ammunition in ukraine could see the city fall into russian hands , as he pushed republicans hands, as he pushed republicans to urgently pass more military aid. Russian president vladimir aid. Russian president Vladimir Putin praised the citys capture, calling it an important victory. Former senior military Intelligence OfficerPhillip Ingram told gb news ukraine needs more support. The loss of avdiivka is significant. Um, the ukrainians have been holding on to that since 2014. Um, and fighting the russians. But theyve made the sensible military decision not to sacrifice any more of their troops to keep this completely decimated piece of territory. Um, the russians are making some advances from a one dimensional perspective on the frontline. But but these advances are are tiny at the moment, and its purely because russia has got more ammunition from north korea and from iran. Um, and the ukrainians are suffering a shortage of ammunition coming from the west. From the west. More than 400 people have been detained across 32 russian cities since the death of Alexei Navalny on friday. Its the biggest wave of unrest since september 2022, when more than 1300 were arrested for protesting against forced military service , part of military service, part of president putins effort to cover heavy casualties endured in ukraine. Russian state media, which is controlled by the government, has made no mention of the arrests or the many Memorial Services for mr navalny. Meanwhile authorities have been accused of doing everything they can to avoid handing over mr navalnys body to his family. Yet today, the 69 year old mother of Vladimir Putins most vocal critic visited the remote penal colony where he died. She says she was told his body had been taken to a nearby morgue, but when she arrived there, she found it closed. Mr navalnys found it closed. Mr navalnys spokespeople claim his death was orchestrated murder by the russian president. Thats been rejected by the kremlin. Political analyst and russian exile Valery Morozov told gb news. It looks like revenge , news. It looks like revenge, payback for navalny and the people who were behind it. Theyve just decided that , theyve just decided that, you know, putin has enough support, about 70 or 80, uh, theyre is no problem and. Just theyre is no problem and. Just to get rid of navalny, theyve sent him from the prison, which was about 200km from moscow to far north. And let him stay there and die. Ukrainian. There and die. Ukrainian. Refugees will be offered an 18 month visa extension to stay in the uk. It means ukrainians who had to flee their home after russias invasion will be able to stay in britain until at least september 2026. The foreign secretary will visit the Falkland Islands amid calls in argentina for talks on the future of the archipelago. Lord future of the archipelago. Lord cameron insists the sovereignty of the territory will not be up for discussion as he prepares for discussion as he prepares for the first visit by a cabinet minister since 2016. Last month, argentinas new president , javier milei, called for the islands to be handed over to his country by a vote in 2013, found almost all residents prefer to remain part of the united kingdom. A violent riot erupted kingdom. A violent riot erupted on the streets of the hague last night after Anti Government groups clashed rival communities. What started as a peaceful Eritrean Community meetings last night ended in violence with police cars torched and objects thrown at officers. Video shared onune thrown at officers. Video shared online showed groups of people setting fire to cars and engaging in violence. The engaging in violence. The hagues mayor says an emergency order was issued and Police Presence has been increased and the king was seen smiling and waving as he attended church in sandringham this morning. Brave the wet weather, his majesty and the wet weather, his majesty and the queen clutched umbrellas in their first public outing since prince harrys interview on us television. The duke of sussex television. The duke of sussex is said to be willing to undertake some royal duties while his father undergoes treatment cancer , though treatment for cancer, though theres reportedly been no changes current arrangements. Changes to current arrangements. For the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen or go to gb news. Com alerts. Now its back to michael. Back to michael. Uh, thank you very much indeed. Sophia wenzler. Some country dwellers reacted with fury to the accusation made by a Charity Organiser in a report to parliament that britains rural areas are racist and symptomatic of colonial ism. But before we open up a new front in the culture war, should we perhaps settle what some of these terms mean . Is it racist or colonial mean . Is it racist or colonial to maintain a prevailing culture in a country, and to expect new arrivals to adapt to it, or even celebrate it . Is it possible to expect that without being exclusionary . To answer that question , im joined now by question, im joined now by momus, nami, who came to this country from pakistan in 2010 and now lives in maldon in essex, and im joined by kent larson, political commentator joe phillips. Welcome to you both. Um, moments. I am the son both. Um, moments. I am the son of an immigrant and i must say that i am a conformist and an integrationist , but i wanted to integrationist, but i wanted to be part of this country. I wanted to disappear into. Well, actually into its establishment. What was your own experience . What was your own experience . Um, i think it would be similar because you have to ask yourself the question, why are yourself the question, why are you coming to britain . Right. So if you if youre coming to britain, youre coming to be part of britain. Uh, if you love the by that the country. So by that standard, have to to standard, you have to want to adapt its cultures , adapt to all its cultures, values and traditions. So that was experience as well, that was my experience as well, that this why i wanted this is the reason why i wanted to. To come. Did you love this country why did you love this country before you came to it . What was it that attracted you to it . It that attracted you to it . Well, um, i grew up with a lot of English Literature , um, lot of English Literature, um, and a lot of media, uh, from england and a lot of i was always a fan of history, so i read a lot of history and it just attracted me so much because such a rich history, out of all the European Countries, uh, that england has. So even though i was born in kuwait and i living kuwait the i was living in kuwait in the middle east, um, my schooling was british and, um , it was more british and, um, it just me and it was just attracted me and it was something that i chimed with, um, viscerally, that i thought, like, this is something that i want to be a part of. I dont know whether one would describe maldon in essex as a suburban or rural, but in any case, whats been your experience . There is it is it a white preserve . Is it colonial . Have preserve . Is it colonial . Have you felt it . Uh yeah. Its a its a town. I would its a its a town. I would say its in between suburban and, uh, countryside, sort of an area. Um, ive been here for area. Um, ive been here for a year and i would say its the most friendliest place that ive encountered. Um, theres obviously the majority of People Living over here are white british. Uh, but the thing is that they keep the culture intact. Uh, of britain. And i intact. Uh, of britain. And i find that to be more assuring, because then i can i can learn further things that i dont even know about, uh, english culture and stuff. And this is the reason why wherever, whichever country to, you country that you go to, that you want to with the locals, want to be with the locals, especially if you want to , uh, especially if you want to, uh, be a part of that country. So it has very warm. All my has been very warm. All my neighbours are very friendly and we really well. Its we get along really well. Its one of the best places ive been. T ybre been. Youre saying then that um, youre saying then that its friendlier other its been friendlier than other places youve been to in places that youve been to in britain . Right . Places that youve been to in brityes. Right . Places that youve been to in brityes. Especiallyht . Places that youve been to in brityes. Especially london. Huh . Yes. Especially london. Huh . Yes. Especially london. Huh . Its already here. That. What happened to you in london . Well, i would discuss. Im sure everyone has seen the movie paddington. Right. So do you paddington. Right. So do you remember when Paddington Bear comes to paddington station at the first time . Right. And when he comes in, hes. Hes at a loss because he has his own manners and stuff, but has been taught to him and what has been told to him to expect that from britain and all of a sudden its not there that was my experience when i came to london in 2010. I didnt find it to be english at all even then, and i only stayed there for probably eight months. And then i left because all i found was , um, these different found was, um, these different gangs their gangs and they had their different issues and stuff. There wasnt a predominant engush there wasnt a predominant english culture over there. So thats why i started going more and more towards essex. And finally i found a place which is more english than other places. More english than other places. And just give us an example of what you mean by this english culture. How how do you recognise it . How do you know you didnt experience in london . Well, uh, first of all, um, everyone speaks english, so thats good to know. And plus, thats good to know. And plus, the thing is, theres a kind of politeness. Theres a theres a mannerisms, theres a kind of nature. Its an inherent thing. I think. So its a disposition , i think. So its a disposition, uh, to someone being british, rather than the aesthetics of like, you know , the clothes that like, you know, the clothes that someone wear or the food that someone wear or the food that someone eats and stuff that doesnt. In my mind, that doesnt. In my mind, that doesnt make someone british. Its uh, its a disposition of how people behave with each other. And i dont know how to other. And i dont know how to describe it properly, but i think so. Thats what was missing. The cultural, uh, sort of aspect of it. Of aspect of it. Um, mamas would you hold on the line for a moment . Im going to talk to joe phillips, whos in the studio. Come back to you probably right at the end. Um joe. So your your resident in essex, kent. Oh, i beg your essex, kent. Oh, i beg your pardon . Other side of the essex. Weve got a contrast here, which is marvellous. Now, did you recognise this description of the countryside as being racist or colonial . And its i didnt, and its interesting there has interesting that there has been such fury in response to this. Such a fury in response to this. Its interesting that the Countryside Link , countryside and wildlife link, who giving evidence to mps who were giving evidence to mps about this, have now distanced themselves say that the themselves and say that the comments have been taken out of context. The countryside is, you know, very, very rural areas may be predominantly white, but they are that doesnt necessarily mean they are racist. And i think , you know, one of the think, you know, one of the things that people , certain things that people, certain people who live in towns and cities dont recognise , and i cities dont recognise, and i think its not covered very much in the, in the media and the sort of the, the urban bubble is, theres an awful lot of poverty and deprivation in the countryside. You know, theres no broadband. The public transport absolutely rubbish. Transport is absolutely rubbish. You know, youve got to drive everywhere. You havent everywhere. If you havent got a car, youre stuck. When i car, then youre stuck. When i was growing a farm, was growing up on a farm, i would have given my teeth would have given my eye teeth for bus shelter, never mind for a bus shelter, never mind a bus. Yes. Um, so i dont think the countryside is inherently racist any more than anywhere else is. And i think theres a great danger, michael, that we get caught up in the conversation about diversity and we put it into the prism of the colour of somebodys skin instead of the diversity of everything. Whether you have got visual impairments, whether youve got hearing impairments, whether youre older , whether whether youre older, whether youve got autism, you know, there are all sorts of ways that looking at diversity. And i looking at diversity. And i think weve got caught up in this thing that its only about the colour of somebodys skin. Lets lets take a concrete example. So lets say youve got a village pub now in a village pub probably kind of Everybody Knows everybody else and lets say suddenly a black briton from london turns up, is that black briton feel welcome . Is briton going to feel welcome . Is that briton going to feel that black briton going to feel comfortable into comfortable walking into a village well, i cant say village pub . Well, i cant say whether that person anybody whether that person or anybody else from, outside the else from, from outside the village would feel comfortable. What i could say that an what i could say is that an awful village pubs have awful lot of village pubs have closed, a lot of have closed, and a lot of them have had to diversify in to order stay open. You know, whether thats running grocers store thats running a grocers store or a of gastro or going for a sort of gastro food or whatever , i, i think food or whatever, i, i think thats a really important point about and inclusivity. About welcoming and inclusivity. And actually, when you were talking about theatre shows , um, talking about theatre shows, um, just now, just before the news, you know, one of the things that has made theatre so much more accessible is the brilliant system of the National Theatre live screening, which means you know, you dont have to anymore spend a on transport and spend a fortune on transport and a ticket and hope that you might be able to see the stage from behind a pillar. Can go to behind a pillar. You can go to your local cinema for a tenner or a little bit more than that, and you dont like it, you and if you dont like it, you can go home. Let me share with you an experience that had, though, experience that i had, though, because theatres because i appear in theatres quite a lot do a sort of quite a lot to do a sort of monologue. And i remember, for example, leicester and example, going to leicester and looking the audience and looking at the audience and im pretty in saying pretty sure im right in saying it was 100 white. Now, leicester is is a is a city leicester is a is a is a city which is, you know, about 50 non white. Absolutely. So this was but was extraordinary. But presumably was presumably it was self selection. Mean, no one self selection. I mean, no one was saying we dont welcome coloured, dark faces coloured, you know, dark faces here. No. Exactly. And you know, youre exactly. And you know, youre a white man. Youre a former conservative minister. You might not have had the same appeal to different groups of people. And i think, you know, theres a great danger that were trying to what we think is right to impose what we think is right on people. But the most on people. But the most important thing is , is that important thing is, is that people have access to a variety of experiences and i mean, to go back to the point that momus was making, you know, were an island. Culture is created island. Our culture is created from all the people that have been through , stayed or gone, been through, stayed or gone, and the cultures that weve imported and accepted. And its always changing. Always changing. Let me just bring in momus again. I hope youre still there. Um, im. There were were at a stage, i think, where we feel quite uncomfortable saying, look, new arrivals in this country have to adapt to the country have to adapt to the country they find, rather than the other way around. Would you say , say to joe and me, who say, say to joe and me, who might feel uncomfortable saying that . Would you say , be relaxed that . Would you say, be relaxed about saying that thats the right thing to say . What would your be to that . Your reaction be to that . Well, let tell you well, ill let me tell you a story. Right. So the first time when i came over here in 2010, i went to uni and my, um, i mean, my professor in uni, he was a bit like that, hesitant and saying, oh, because of whatever slavery, whatever has happened, hes hesitant in, um, hes very hesitant in, um, portraying britishness. And portraying his britishness. And i was as surprised then as i am now. I dont think so. Anyone should feel ashamed of their country. Its. Mental to me, country. Its. Mental to me, i think so, to even think like that, because i mean, you are actually being racist. Like actually being racist. Like those people are actually being racist to the white people for making them feel ashamed to love their own country and to answer also that question, how . How would a black person would feel and touring a village pub which is full of white people . Well, it depends on how that black person interacts with people. You know . You know . Um, um , joe, some of this um, um, joe, some of this also has to do with sort of stately homes is there is there something about the stately home which is one of the rural activities people go to do tourism . Is there something about the stately home is sort of stately home which is sort of profoundly colonial or white . Stately home which is sort of prowell,. Y colonial or white . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes,. Onial or white . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes, i nial or white . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes, i thinkr white . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes, i think itvhite . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes, i think it is. Te . Stately home which is sort of prowell, yes, i think it is. And well, yes, i think it is. And i think, you know, a lot of this is about class, as i said at the beginning, and, you know, there will people as will be people, white people as well, who will go around stately homes and be absolutely horrified of horrified at the amount of wealth the, the plundering, if you like. The looters. Yes, you like. The looters. Yes, exactly. But its about putting exactly. But its about putting it in context. And, you know, it in context. And, you know, theyll also be appalled at how, you know, people working on the estate, for instance, were kept in poverty and, you know, depnved in poverty and, you know, deprived of various but deprived of various things. But it is part of our history, its part of our culture. I think its to institutions, to work its up to institutions, to work out how they can put it into context. I mean, just to give you an example, and actually, if you an example, and actually, if you ever feel like crossing the crossing the river and coming to kent, should go to a place kent, you should go to a place called quex which called quex park, which is a wonderful example Something Wonderful example of something that lots of would find that lots of people would find difficult sort of early difficult about, sort of early explorer fashion and stuff like that. But research church that. But the research church that. But the research church that still going on, was that is still going on, i was there not very long ago, and there not very long ago, and there were scientists from Oslo University who doing university who are doing research on bones and stuff that were brought back. But its open. Can open drawers and open. Kids can open drawers and find things they can play with things, its about that , you things, and its about that, you know, part of not know, feeling part of it. Not not just looking at it through a glass and not being allowed to touch it. Nothing exclusionary about that. Been a most that. Thats been a most interesting discussion. Um, many thanks to momas naomi and to joe phillips here in the studio. Joe phillips here in the studio. After the break, well move over to from ill be to paris, from where ill be joined by one of the french caphaps joined by one of the french capitals booksellers, whos celebrating famous victory as celebrating a famous victory as the buccaneers of the river seine are told that they wont be removed ahead of this years summer olympics. Stay with us, please. Please. 2024 a battleground year. 2024 a battleground year. The year the nation decides as the parties gear up their campaign for the next general election. Who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives . Who will rise and who will fall . Lets m fall . Lets out together for lets find out together for every. Every moment. The highs, the lows, the twists and turns. Well be with you for every step of this journey in 2024 gb news is britains election radio. Well come back in another example of french resistance. Example of french resistance. Parisian booksellers were famously plied their trade along the banks of the river seine for centuries, revolted last year over a government plan to relocate them during the summer olympics. The chant went up we olympics. The chant went up we shall not be moved. President macron has heard their cries and decreed that the bouquinistes, who are valued by parisians and by travellers from all over the world, must be allowed to stay put to celebrate this victory. Im joined by pascal corso , who im joined by pascal corso, who is a bookseller who helped to lead the campaign against relocation in, uh, pascal. Welcome and congratulations on your great victory. Why do you think you did win . Think you did win . Well, i think first of all, i think the decision was taken to organise the ceremony on the river seine as, uh, something very new. You know, normally its organised in stadiums and, uh , they decided to. I mean, the uh, they decided to. I mean, the authorities decided to make it along the river, which i think is a very great idea, but they had to take into account so many parameters, you know, and, um, all along the months, you know, they discovered that some of these parameters were the bikinis and, uh, they came to terms with the idea that maybe we should stay there since we are so important and so famous in the world. What what was the argument for moving you in the first place . I understand that it was to do with security. Was it indeed . Was it a strong argument or a weak argument . No, i think it is a strong argument. I mean, its very its argument. I mean, its very its a very serious argument. But again, as i said, you know, uh, this , uh, simon mayall is being this, uh, simon mayall is being built, uh , all along the, the built, uh, all along the, the mound , you know, so it is a mound, you know, so it is a strong argument and were going to help them to, to secularise the, the premises and the place , the, the premises and the place, you know, i mean , uh, you didnt you know, i mean, uh, you didnt say it, but im the Vice President of this association. The association of the burkinis and, uh. Um. The association of the burkinis and, uh. Um. In fact, uh, we do and, uh. Um. In fact, uh, we do want this ceremony to happen , want this ceremony to happen, you know, but and we know that the security that has to be, uh, i mean, that the place has to be secured, you know, but i mean, as a representative of the venice, you know, we have to make sure that, uh, we would still work and still have some income, you know . Yes this is why we fought. Why we fought. And many people will know about the burkinis. We will have shopped with you. We will have admired your, uh, your stalls alongside the river seine. But. Alongside the river seine. But. Can you tell me about the emotion connection between the burkinis and paris . Because the argument is made that the burkinis really kind of represent the soul and the history and the orientation of the people of paris. The people of paris. Well, you have to bear in mind that the first, uh, world royal edict made. About, uh, royal edict made. About, uh, the, the selling books, you know, the book trade , you know, know, the book trade, you know, was made in, uh 1577 and, uh, the, the book started being sold along the river in the 17th century. So more or less, weve been there for 450 years, you know, and, and, uh, it was, uh, well organised and sort of ruled with, uh, a regular , you know, with, uh, a regular, you know, in the 19th century, first with the first empire and then in the second empire, with the napoleon. Napoleon the third, you know, and, uh, we were allowed to, to, to leave our books and to leave our boxes because the stalls are called boxes. You know, there are about four boxes by stall. Are about four boxes by stall. And we were allowed to leave the boxes in, um , in 1891. So you boxes in, um, in 1891. So you see, these boxes have been there for 140 years. And what happens is that we didnt know we were so important to everybody because its like trees, you know, youve got a tree, you dont think of it. You think of it when people say, were going to cut it up, you know, otherwise you dont think of it. And i think that the boxes are a bit like trees, you know, they are there and everybody is happy to see them. And suddenly when you decide to remove them , then, you decide to remove them, then, uh, you, you discover that they exist and that they are so important that, you know what would have happened if someone had said, lets cut down the trees. Trees. But what i was asking you before about the connection, i was really thinking that i think, you know, france is a very literary country. Paris is a very literary city. Parisians are very literary people. Uh, are very literary people. Uh, there is a kind of Spiritual Connection between the people and what you do. That display of books and so many people who display their interest in books. Display their interest in books. Well, yes. I mean, all the i mean , france, as you know , is mean, france, as you know, is a very centralised country, you know, and all, um, all the publishers, most of them, most of the publishers are in paris and, uh, and the writers and, uh, all the intellectual world, you know, for instance, my stools are just a few yards away from , uh, the French Institute , from, uh, the French Institute, and the French Institute is, uh, the place where the Academie Francaise and academie des beaux arts and so on, and all these people supported us because we are the i mean, we are part of the of the scenery, you know, and, uh. Yes indeed. You know, and, uh. Yes indeed. Pascal , you know, and, uh. Yes indeed. Pascal, may i ask you, are it looks like. Oh, dear, oh, dear, looks like. Oh, dear, oh, dear, it looks like looks like the line is frozen. I was just going line is frozen. I was just going to ask pascal what had actually taken him into being a biochemist in the first place. But anyway, that was pascal, of course. So. And he was celebrating with me the fact that the bouquinistes, the booksellers in paris, are going to be allowed to stay put, they were going to be moved out dunng were going to be moved out during the course of the olympics in paris order, olympics in paris in order, because , as it was said, that because, as it was said, that that was necessary for security. But away through has been found after the intervention of president after the president macron. So after the break, were going to be looking at cornwalls contribution to the world of television drama. Before that , your News Headlines before that, your News Headlines with severe wenzler. With severe wenzler. Thanks, michael. Its 1228. Im sophia wenzler in the gb newsroom. The white house has blamed inaction by republicans in the us congress for russias capture of ukrainian city. Kyiv ordered the withdrawal of troops from the eastern city of avdiivka early yesterday, giving moscow its first major gain since the fall of bakhmut last yeah since the fall of bakhmut last year. Us President Joe Biden warned last week that a shortage of ammunition in ukraine could see the city fall into russian hands as he published as he pushed republicans to urgently pass more military aid. Russian president Vladimir Putin praised the citys capture, calling it an important victory. More than 400 people have been detained across 32 russian cities since the death of Alexei Navalny on friday. Its the biggest wave of unrest since september 2022, when more than 1300 were arrested for protesting against forced military service. Part of forced military service. Part of president putins effort to cover heavy casualties endured in ukraine. Russian state media, which is controlled by the government , has which is controlled by the government, has made no mention of the arrests or the many Memorial Services for mr navalny. A violent riot erupted on the streets of the hague last night after Anti Government groups clashed with rival communities. What started as peaceful Eritrean Community meetings last night ended in violence , with night ended in violence, with police cars torched and objects thrown at officers. Video shared onune thrown at officers. Video shared online showed groups of people setting fire to cars and engaging in violence. The hagues mayor says an emergency order was issued and Police Presence has been increased , and presence has been increased, and the king was seen smiling and waving as he attended church in sandringham this morning. Braving the wet weather, his majesty and the queen clutched umbrellas in the first public outing since prince harrys interview on us television. The duke of sussex is said to be willing to undertake some royal dufies willing to undertake some royal duties while his father undergoes treatment for cancer , undergoes treatment for cancer, though theres reportedly been no current no changes to current arrangements. And for the latest arrangements. And for the latest story, sign up to gb news alerts by scanning the qr code on your screen, or go to gb news. Com slash alerts radio. Welcome back, doc martin, poldark and jamaica in are just some of the tv shows that are set and filmed in cornwall. Its easy to see why its a popular filming location. Its got rolling coastlines and picturesque cottages, but some people are calling for Television Programs to more accurately reflect cornish life today. How south west of england reporter jeff moody has this reporter jeff moody has this report. Report. The tale of ross poldark , who the tale of ross poldark, who returned to england in the 1700s after fighting in the american revolution, has captured the imagination of millions not just for its narrative but for the swashbuckling image of cornwall it presents. But cornish mp steve double thinks this is only half the story. Half the story. Although we love to see cornwall on the tv all too often, it feels like its an advert for second homeowners that its a sort of picture postcard ideal. Ideal mystic view of what life in cornwall is like, when actually we have such a rich heritage. We have a real rich and diverse culture within cornwall. Our history is full of cornwall. Our history is full of great moments and really significant things where we have contributed to the uk and in fact the world and i think we would just like to see more of that more accurately represented on the tv. On the tv. In 2014, the cornish were granted National Minority status under the council of europes Framework Convention for the protection of national minorities. They now have the minorities. They now have the same status as the uks other celtic people the scots, the welsh and the irish. Since then, weve been kind of grappling with exactly what that means, and i think through this media bill, there was an opportunity to kind of just nudge the bbc to say, look, you really need to give regard to the identity of the cornish that has been recognised by the government in your Public Service broadcast obligations. Service broadcast obligations. So it really was just sort of, if you like, laying down a bit of a challenge to the bbc to say, look, how are you representing cornish within representing the cornish within your Public Service remit . Its part of the media bill currently wending its way the wending its way through the lords. Lords. The bill is updated regularly to keep in line with developments in broadcasting. Councillor Michael Bunney is from Mebyon Kernow , a political from Mebyon Kernow, a Political Party created to help win greater Self Government for the duchy. He thinks programming should reflect the cornish language to people. People love cornish place names. Cornish house names, you know, theyre all around us. So i think recognition of the language and i hope a real positive, inclusive celebration of it as part of our culture and part of our history and heritage. I actually think thats increasing. Um, you know, which is great. Its brilliant. Is great. Its brilliant. Were all. Against ulez plan were all. Against ulez plan mysk honeycomb crunch praline caramel again wave. In 2016, when the uks first advert in cornish our advert in cornish hit our screens, with only around screens, but with only around 1000 fluent speakers , its 1000 fluent speakers, its unlikely well be seeing cornish language programming anytime soon. The hope is though, well be watching more shows portraying real life in cornwall without a pasty or a cream tea in sight. Jeff moody. Gb news in sight. Jeff moody. Gb news yes, and steve double mp. Theyre complaining about bbc coverage of cornwall. Maybe he doesnt watch Great BritishRailway Journeys enough, which certainly very certainly always gives a very fair account of cornwall. Well uh, in the studio, ben leo is here. Youre taking over at 1 00. How are you . Uh, it 1 00. How are you . Uh, it couldnt be better. Uh tell me about your program today. Yeah, lots going on, not least, uh, so on friday, prince harry, there was rumours from his camp. The duke of sussex, that he was going to somehow a was going to somehow have a temporary role back in temporary working role back in the royal family, despite scuttling off to america four years ago. This morning, quite sensationally, the palace have slapped that down. They said theres going be no reneging theres going to be no reneging on the queens. Uh wishes that theres no half in, half out agreement and it begs the question now, did the palace did king charles know that prince harry was going to be pretty much gobbing off as some people have said to american breakfast television, as, you know, as soon as hed seen his father for 30 minutes in london, i was completely this, completely puzzled by this, because know, prince harry because you know, prince harry surely cannot possibly expect to come back, as you say on that half back basis. This this idea that he would be called up from the reserves because the royal family was short at the age short of people at the right age group, it seemed to me absolutely absurd. I mean, has he awareness of what he has he no awareness of what he has said his family over the said about his family over the lastwhats happened over last whats happened over the last four ive been making four years . Ive been making this for months. Youve this point for months. Youve had youve had meghan saying that kill herself that she wanted to kill herself because she was terribly because she was so terribly treated family treated by the royal family insinuating that somebody was racist. Institute racist. Racist. The institute is racist. All even all sorts going on, even really personal details in his book, spare about prince william, how grabbed him by the scruff how he grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and threw him onto a dog bowl in Frogmore Cottage or wherever it was. So it just its unbelievable harrys train unbelievable that harrys train of thought he thinks he can of thought that he thinks he can just back into the just walk back into the fold like that, so look, a really interesting story and just amazed, really, how the palaces response, theyve really emphatically slapped it down this morning. Like like great its like like that great foot used come down in foot they used to come down in monty python with that squishing sound. Monty python with that squishing sound. So idea of harry sound. So the idea of harry returning royal family returning to the royal family has the squish by has been given the big squish by the palace. Thank you very much indeed, do you fancy the indeed, ben. Do you fancy the chance win £18,000 in our chance to win £18,000 in our Great British giveaway . Well, you have to be in it to win it. And heres how you get your entry in still time to turn 2024 into 2020. More with your chance to win £18,000 in cash to spend. However you like, you really could be the next big winner of our Great British giveaway. Phil from West Yorkshire won our last one. Listen to his reaction when we gave him the news. I never wanted penny in my life. Well congratulations, youve won £10,000. Oh my god. Wow. But hurry for another chance to win £18,000 in tax free cash. Free cash. Text gb win to 84,902. Texts cost £2 plus one Standard Network rate message or post your name and to number gb news zero two, po box 8690. Derby de19, double two, uk only entrants must be 18 or over. Lines closed at 5 pm. On friday the 23rd of february. Full terms and Privacy Notice at gbnews. Com. Forward slash win. Good luck. Good luck. Next to italy , land of the next to italy, land of the delicious truffle. Ill be delicious truffle. Ill be joined after the break by a truffle expert to root out by this exclusive and elusive fungus is so highly prized. Join me then. 2020, for me then. 2020, for a battleground year, the year the nafion battleground year, the year the nation decided , as the parties nation decided, as the parties gear up their campaign plans for the next general election, who will be left standing when the british people make one of the biggest decisions of their lives . Who will rise and who will fall . Lets find out together. Lets find out together. Every moment, the highs , for every moment, the highs, the lows, twists and turns. The lows, the twists and turns. Well be with you for every step of this journey. In 2024, gbp news is britains election on listening to gb news radio. Welcome back. The studio is filled with the heady aroma of fresh truffle. Im joined by francesco di mark dolan , who francesco di mark dolan, who finds the finest of these famous fungiin finds the finest of these famous fungi in the mountains of northern italy. They are expensive, exclusive , elusive expensive, exclusive, elusive and highly prized by chefs around the world. So francesco , around the world. So francesco, welcome. And what is it that is so highly valued about the truffle . Well, the first obvious truffle . Well, the first obvious answer is because the scars so. Answer is because the scars so. So its very rare to find it. So its very rare to find it. The demand is always higher that what we can actually supply. So this makes, uh, truffle very costly , rare and very very costly, rare and very difficult also to find. So this is the main reason i dare not touch it because its so valuable. But do you mind lifting that truffle up so that we can have a look at it . And this is the truffle that is in season. Now, the black winter truffle, which in france they call it perigord truffle. Uh, in we call it nero uh, in italy we call it nero premiato. So you can smell the aroma. Aroma. I can but but of course i could smell it long before you put it under my nose, because its a very, very strong aroma. Yes and, um, truffle can be used in many different ways , so in many different ways, so i rather prefer use them in pasta or potato based or hags , uh, or potato based or hags, uh, type of dishes, because they are quite natural and let the truffle basically express itself. So let us Say Something about how you find them. Ive, ive been involved in a truffle hunt , been involved in a truffle hunt, which in, in the case where i was present involved a dog. Yeah so the dog goes after the truffles because the dog has a very good nose, finds these things which are subterranean, and the dog begins to dig them up. And and the dog begins to dig them up. And then you have to stop the dog. Yes, absolutely. Because dog eat it. Because the dog will eat it. Well, really depends well, um, it really depends how train the dog. Well, um, it really depends honeah train the dog. Well, um, it really depends honeah ,rain the dog. Well, um, it really depends honeah , for the dog. Well, um, it really depends honeah , for the dog, its yeah, for the dog, its a kind of game. So you start training the dog theyre training the dog when theyre ready. Small puppies and you actually tell them to find a ball. So you use a kind of essence of truffle into the something that you can hide under the ground, and they will smell it. So until then you go and bring them into woods, forest , and bring them into woods, forest, basically under oaks where the truffle grows naturally. So they will smell it, they will dig. And then of it, they will dig. And then of course , um, dogs make the course, um, dogs make the difference on the, on the way that, uh, truffle hunters can actually supply truffles to, to the market. Its one of the its like a shepherd and the dog. I mean, its a fantastic relationship between the dog owner and the dog and the truffle hunt. And then, of course, the dog has to be some reward for giving be given some reward for giving up the truffle. Always, always. The, the always, always. So the, the truffle the dog are truffle hunter, the dog are really bonded together. Yeah. There is this trust and this love. Um, of course, from the human side and the dog is extremely important because is a vehicle to make profit. The vehicle to make profit. The truffle are very, very expensive. A good dog can work. I dont know how much in the market. About a lot. About a lot. Um, lets look at some of the things that youve brought in here. So youve brought a number of things which are not related to truffle in themselves. Why have you brought the things that you have brought . Well, uh, those actually all related those are actually all related with truffle. Truffle comes in its so truffle comes in its natural as the fresh one. Natural form as the fresh one. But from the fresh one, you can make different types of, uh, project , uh, truffle salt, project, uh, truffle salt, truffle oil, different truffle paste , truffle butter. So this paste, truffle butter. So this is something that we, uh, use , is something that we, uh, use, use uh, in our, in our , uh, use uh, in our, in our, uh, small independent company , um, small independent company, um, truffle salami. So so everything is based on truffle. Is based on truffle. Oh, you mean that salami has got truffle inside . Absolutely. Yes. Oh, well , absolutely. Yes. Oh, well, lets start there. Let me start by. Oh, sorry. Actually, lets start here. Lets start with a drink. What . What are we drinking with truffle . So, um. Well, the this is a very good question. Yeah. So the combination between wine and truffle needs a phd. I believe , truffle needs a phd. I believe, um, its ongoing history. Uh, about. And debate about what is the best wine for truffle. Because you dont want to cover the aroma. Truffle and the taste of truffle. So i always recommend to go with a light red or a dry, not fruity white wine. Right. So this is a pinot noir, for example, which goes really well with truffle. Lets try this lovely cheers to you , francesco. Thanks for to you, francesco. Thanks for being here. Big pleasure. Yeah, being here. Big pleasure. Yeah, the salami has a very distinct taste of truffle. Um its a very expensive thing of truffle , but expensive thing of truffle, but of course, is it goes a long way, doesnt it . I mean, a tiny sliver of truffle. Yeah. And this is something that im going to show you in a second. Lets say, um, i really love fresh truffle with a simply dish like burrata. Yeah. So you dish like burrata. Yeah. So you have this wonderful burrata. Oh which look how fresh and beautiful and liquid that is. Yeah and what im going to do, im going to put some, uh, of course, truffle oil. Um which just a tiny bit on top. Yeah. Just a tiny bit on top. Yeah. Again you can use some truffle salt , which again you can use some truffle salt, which is always for , good salt, which is always for, good for a company honey dish you have. And here it comes the best part of it. So a fresh nato. So perigord truffle shaved on top. Are you sure youre willing to do this . Youre about to commit. I dont know, hundreds commit. I dont know, hundreds of pounds worth of damage. No worries at all. Oh my goodness, why not . So. Oh my goodness, why not . So. Oh my goodness, why not . Oh, youre being very generous. So this is how you actually can. Yeah. Have a nice. Can. Yeah. Have a nice. That is fantastic. But you really have been generous there. Yeah. Thats going to give us a very strong taste. How do you recommend eating that by the way. So well um, of course you need a fork and knife. Um, and uh, fork and knife. Um, and uh, toast bread. Yeah. And, and toast bread. Yeah. And, and a little bit of, um, burrata on top with the fresh truffle and olive oil would be absolutely fine. I think i might take this a little bit of bread here. Just take it there. Which is much, much simpler. And i might transfer there some burrata. Some. Yeah truffle oil, some truffle salt. And a little slice of truffle. Of truffle. Absolutely simple like that. Yeah. Simple oil is always the best for truffle. So keep it simple. Um, because you want to fill it. Yeah. You want to taste the aroma and truffle a very delicate. That is outstanding. Um, you that is outstanding. Um, you cant farm truffle. Well you can. This is why new countries have become very permanent in the in the in the market at the moment. Australia, for example, is a big, uh, exporter of truffle, which, um, many is farmed. You can farm easily the black truffles. So you need to know that black truffle is just not one. We have different type of black truffles dunng different type of black truffles during the season. Now its not the season. The season ended for the season. The season ended for the preshus white truffle. So the preshus white truffle. So which goes back basically from october until the end of december. And now is the time for the black winter truffle. So for the black winter truffle. So the perigord truffle or nato nato, which goes from january to march, but during the season you have different type of truffle. In autumn you have the black autumn truffle in summer you have the black summer truffle. And those type of truffle fetches different prices in the market. Do you value one above another . Well well, this black truffle is the best among the other type of black truffles. And then of course you have the precious white truffle and the precious white truffle and the white truffle is the most expensive in the market. Of course it is the only one thatis of course it is the only one that is very difficult to farm. That is why also its very, very rare and is very expensive. Very rare and is very expensive. And are you like a sommelier of truffle . Do you, do you, do you have a highly developed palate . Yes well, i can recognise what is good and what is not. And this is why countries like italy or france are the best for truffles. So the type of soil, the humidity, the temperature , the humidity, the temperature, the humidity, the temperature, the condition, the environmental condition makes the truffle different from one country to another. Um, different from one country to another. Um, you can feel the difference between what is premium and what is not. Lots of truffle came from china, for example, but that is different. And some viewers will never have tasted truffle. There will be a bit nervous about it. So if you go into a restaurant and the waiter very kindly says to you, now we could give you some truffle on this, what kind of price are you going to be talking about once they start putting some truffle onto your spaghetti . Question that you the first question that you should the waiter which type should ask the waiter which type of truffle are we talking about . Is this a black winter truffle . Is this a black winter truffle . Which is the most expensive . Is which is the most expensive . Is a black summer truffle , which is a black summer truffle, which is the cheapest one . And then we can talk about, i dont know. Can talk about, i dont know. Yeah. For example , the, uh, yeah. For example, the, uh, spaghetti, uh , linguine with the spaghetti, uh, linguine with the white truffle tagliatelle with the white truffle can fetch market of £55, £50 per dish for the dish. For the dish. Right. So be careful when you go to a restaurant and they offer you truffle. Make sure you know what its going to cost before you order it. Uh, francesco , thank you so it. Uh, francesco, thank you so much for bringing these delicious truffles. Um, people backstage will be just longing to get to grips with this now. Well, that, unfortunately, is the end of this edition of sunday Michael Portillo. Sunday with Michael Portillo. Uh, id like to thank all of my guests and all of my viewers for joining me this sunday morning and early afternoon. I will be and early afternoon. I will be back at 11 00 next sunday, and i very much hope that ill be seeing you again. Then until. Seeing you again. Then until. Looks like things are heating up i boxt boilers sponsor of weather on gb news is. Weather on gb news is. Hello , im marco petagna. Hello, im marco petagna. Heres your latest weather update from the met office. We hold on to unsettled weather across the uk over the next few days, all seeing some rain at times but staying mild for the times but staying mild for the time being. At least this weather outbreaks weather fronts pushed outbreaks of from the south east of rain away from the south east of rain away from the south east of during the course of england during the course of the got the afternoon. So weve got a ridge High Pressure building ridge of High Pressure building in from the west quietening things the overnight things down for the overnight period, rains period, but further rains gathering out towards west period, but further rains gatrthat] out towards west period, but further rains gatrthat will towards west period, but further rains gatrthat will move ds west period, but further rains gatrthat will move in west period, but further rains gatrthat will move in acrossest period, but further rains gatrthat will move in across the and that will move in across the far north west of the as we far north west of the uk as we head overnight period. Head into the overnight period. Elsewhere, will head into the overnight period. Elsevtoere, will head into the overnight period. Elsevto ease will head into the overnight period. Elsevto ease through will head into the overnight period. Elsevto ease through the will tend to ease through the evening. See lots of clear evening. Well see lots of clear weather sending quite misty though with fog patches though with some fog patches across parts of wales and the south west the south west of england during the early hours, fully on from that rain band, well see showers turning quite blustery there towards the far north west by the morning. Quite a mild night. Temperatures down to 4 or 5 degrees across parts of degrees across rural parts of scotland, holding scotland, but elsewhere holding up figures. Up in the high single figures. As well, outbreaks as for monday, well, outbreaks of their journey of rain continue their journey south across england of rain continue their journey soutwales, across england of rain continue their journey soutwales, weakening. England of rain continue their journey soutwales, weakening allgland and wales, weakening all the while giving patchy rain while so giving some patchy rain across the southeast into while so giving some patchy rain acrc afternoon. Southeast into while so giving some patchy rain acrc afternoon. Elsewhere,� |to while so giving some patchy rain acrc afternoon. Elsewhere, its the afternoon. Elsewhere, its a day sunshine with few day of sunshine with a few showers around those showers quite the north quite blustery towards the north and scotland, but once and west of scotland, but once again its mild day for the again its a mild day for the time year. Temperatures time of year. Temperatures mostly in double figures, 9 or 10 best. In the 10 degrees at best. In the north, up to 13 14 celsius north, up to 13 or 14 celsius down south east as down towards the south east as for further for tuesday, well further wet and windy weather move in and windy weather will move in across northwest of uk across the northwest of the uk towards east, towards the south and east, though its quieter picture, a though its a quieter picture, a bit breezy but plenty of sunshine around staying sunshine around and staying quite time year. Quite mild for the time of year. Outbreaks move way outbreaks of rain move their way south eastwards on tuesday south eastwards later on tuesday and stays quite and it then stays quite unsettled on wednesday and thursday, colder thursday, but turning colder towards later. Towards the north later. That warm feeling inside from boxt boiler as sponsors of weather on. Gb news. Good afternoon to you and welcome to gb news sunday. Thanks for joining welcome to gb news sunday. Thanks forjoining us welcome to gb news sunday. Thanks for joining us this lunchtime. Im ben elliott, and for the next hours ill be for the next two hours ill be keeping you company on tv, onune keeping you company on tv, online and digital radio. Coming keeping you company on tv, onlthisand digital radio. Coming keeping you company on tv, onlthis hour. Gital radio. Coming keeping you company on tv, onlthis hour. Siral radio. Coming keeping you company on tv, onlthis hour. Sir keiriio. Coming keeping you company on tv, onlthis hour. Sir keir starmer ng up this hour. Sir keir starmer says labour can deliver interNational Security for decades while launching a dramatic slap of be dramatic slap down of would be us president donald trump. Sir keir reassured european allies at security conference in at the security conference in germany that nato would be in safe hands under his watch. But im asking should the person whos odds on favourite to be our pm be taking pot shots our next pm be taking pot shots at the donald . Meanwhile, things are going from bad to worse for rishi sunak. As many as 100 tory rishi sunak. As many as 100 tory mps are planning to stand down before the general election later this but though later this year. But even though the for the tories look set for a crushing defeat, should these mps face the music mps stand and face the music rather than jumping ship . Ive got my thoughts that no got my thoughts on that and no way back. Thats the message way back. Thats the message being reported today as palace insiders harry insiders insist prince harry will not be allowed a temporary role as a working royal while the cancer the king undergoes cancer treatment. So was that the dukes